What Is the Difference Between a Dry Cleaners and a Launderette?
Laundry takes up around 88 hours of our lives every year, making it one of the most time-consuming household chores!
Whether you love the therapeutic qualities of turning your items from dirty to fresh or hate it, many do not know we are a nation of busy people who do not have time to spare! The good news is that there are different options available for you to outsource your laundry tasks so that you can spend your time doing something else. What is the difference between a dry cleaner and a launderette, and which option is best for you?
Keep reading to find out how Love2Laundry could help you get your chores done without even needing to leave home!
What is dry cleaning?
Dry cleaning is one of our preferred methods of refreshing garments at Love2Laundry. We can best describe how dry cleaning works as a form of magic that removes stains and keeps clothing in brilliant condition without the need to use any water in the process!
The dry cleaning industry is worth more than £49 billion, showing that it is not just us who love this method of cleaning. Invented back in the 1920s, dry cleaning is a technique which allows a way to treat many different types of fabric in a way that retains the quality of the item which has brilliant results.
This is achieved by initially using a chemical treatment to clean any stains or marks on clothing whilst the items are, you guessed it, dry! This allows for a more targeted approach which has a better chance of removing any stains without damaging the construction of the material. Clothing is then put inside the dry-cleaning machine, which gently moves clothing around to get the cleaning product working as it is combined with heat. These machines are much larger than home washing machines, meaning more clothing can be tended to at once. This also offers a more environmentally friendly solution, which is ideal for people looking to reduce their household spending on items such as electricity and water.
Items are then treated using various steaming, pressing, and ironing techniques to lock in the freshness. You can always tell when an item has been dry cleaned as it won’t have the strong artificial smell normally experienced from washing detergents and fabric fresheners. This is one of the main reasons our clients love freshly dry-cleaned items, as they can also stay fresher for longer.
The benefits of dry cleaning are plentiful, with some of our main ones being the following:
- The treatments including dry cleaning are much safer for clothing and promote a longer lifespan for all different fabric types. This means you are getting brilliant value for money and having to pay less for new items when you get them professionally dry-cleaned.
- There is no risk of items being damaged as every element from the chemicals used to the machinery is designed to allow gentle processing.
- The process is more environmentally friendly. As well as allowing bigger loads of items to be treated all at once, companies such as our own use eco-friendly vehicles for transporting laundry loads. There are lots of great home cleaning products that meet the standards of green living, but dry cleaning allows lots more boxes to be ticked.
- Dry cleaning offers longer-lasting freshness and keeps clothing in a better condition for longer.
- The process is also more effective against germs and bacteria with the method of deep cleaning being favoured for many reasons.
- Dry cleaning also allows hard-to-clean items to be gently treated which is ideal for bulky household items and delicate clothing items.
What are laundrettes?
A laundrette is a self-service or staffed shop that offers access to many washing and drying machines for people who do not have access to one in their homes. The process for cleaning clothes is the same as an at-home wash, with standard washing detergents, stain treatments, and fabric softeners being used to achieve a clean finish.
Laundrettes first came to the UK back in the 1940s as a solution to help people get their washing done more quickly. This was a modern solution when white household goods were not readily available or the norm for people to have. However, as time has passed and washing machines have become easy to get hold of, the humble laundrette is fast becoming a thing of the past as people just don’t need to use them anymore. In fact, the number of establishments in the UK has dropped by more than 60% during the past decade.
Whilst this method of cleaning items is on the decline, it can still offer some benefits which are the following:
- They provide access to washing facilities for people who do live without a washing machine such as people with smaller homes or students.
- Items can still be sorted by colour and fabric type as they would in an at-home wash.
- You can save money on household energy by getting your washing done outside of the home.
What are the differences between dry cleaners and launderettes?
The main differences are how clothing and household items are treated.
During dry cleaning, fabrics are treated individually using various delicate chemicals that can remove stains and refresh materials. Launderettes use traditional wet washing methods, which use one form of detergent to treat all items. Whilst both will achieve a clean result, certain materials achieve a longer-lasting finish with either dry cleaning or washing having been used.
Another big difference is that launderettes require you to visit and drop off your items, but our dry cleaning doesn’t require you to leave home. Whilst traditional dry cleaners will still need you to visit and provide your items in person, all you need with our service is to book your items online, and we will do the rest for you!
The scent of your items and feel will also differ. Items that have gone through a traditional washing method will likely have a stronger odour of washing products and detergents, whereas dry-cleaned items won’t have a scent. You will also find that dry-cleaned items are sometimes sifter to the touch and closer to their original condition than their washed counterparts.
We offer both washing and dry-cleaning services, so we are fans of both, but it is up to you to decide which type of garment cleaning is ideal for your needs.
Can all items be washed and dry cleaned?
Your choice of how you proceed to get your laundry sorted may also be dictated by the laundry instructions included on your items. Not all items can be either dry-cleaned or washed so you should always read the label to see which is best. Items such as suits or elaborate dressed will only be suitable for dry cleaning as it offers a much gentler method. On the flip side, materials such as silks can only be washed.
Our own team are experts in all thing laundry, so you don’t need to worry about pre-sorting or making sure you don’t submit an item for the wrong form of cleaning!
How does Love2Laundry work?
We offer both washing and dry-cleaning services that can be sorted in just a few clicks. There is no need to transport large amounts of laundry around as our team will pick up and drop off your items at a time that suits you best!
To start, simply download our app or visit our website to start your dry-cleaning order. Compatible with all forms of digital devices, we keep things simple, so you don’t have to worry about a complicated ordering process.
For android devices click here to down the app.
For iPhone devices click here to down the app.
When placing your order, you will be asked to confirm a time and place for your collection and return delivery along with the type of service you are looking for. You can also look at our pricing to see exactly how much you can expect to pay. We will then send one of our eco-collection vans and friendly team members to collect your dry cleaning. Once everything has been treated, your items are then returned fresh and conditioned at the time and date of your choosing.
No having to wait around for items to be done as we combine the efficiency of a launderette service with the professional finish of dry cleaner in a modern way!
Have you now decided which form of clothes conditioning is best for you?
When considering the difference between a dry cleaner and a launderette, it is easy to understand when you know more about methods used to treat your items. Whether you have a personal preference for either washing or dry cleaning, or just prefer them for another reason, we think that both offer brilliant ways of getting an essential chore off your to-do list. Love2Laundry is the modern way for you to get your laundry done whether you have a machine at home or not!
