Laundries - why can't they press shirts anymore?

[GregNYC]

When I was in the Army, my shirts always came out starched and flat as a board. That was over 25 years ago. I loved it! I've been trying to find a local laundry that can at least press the shirt with sharp creases in the sleeves. Other than a few places in midtown Manhattan that can get it right, I have to pay $2.50 extra for "hand finishing." Basically it means they have to iron the shirt after it comes out of the washing process.

One tailor told me that not all laundries have the right kind of pressing machine. There seem to be several kinds, and most don't crease the sleeves. They make the sleeves into cylindrical tubes.

Any info on this issue? Thanks!

--Greg

 

[Tomasso]

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not all laundries have the right kind of pressing machine and most don't crease the sleeves. They make the sleeves into cylindrical tubes.

That's accurate information. The solution is to give them a touch-up pressing at home.[huh]

 

[Mojave Jack]

Well, having worked in a laundry all summer once, the first thing I can tell you is, dang! it was hot! But more importantly, we had a machine that was dedicated to pressing shirts. It was specifically designed for that one purpose, and did a heckuva job. The only finishing we did to the shirts was to add military creases to uniforms. We had a second machine for folding them for those that wanted boxed shirts, another service gone by the wayside. It was great for traveling. I don't think many cleaners can afford the shirt machine, so they just press the shirts on the regular clothes presses, which are not shaped correctly for shirts. So just find a cleaners with that machine, and you're good!

Incidently, we also had a machine that only did suit coats and one that only did pants.

 

[Happy Stroller]

Yes, a crease is a crease. Can't the ironing board and a simple iron do the job?

 

[GregNYC]

We had a machine that was dedicated to pressing shirts. It was specifically designed for that one purpose, and did a heckuva job. ... I don't think many cleaners can afford the shirt machine, so they just press the shirts on the regular clothes presses, which are not shaped correctly for shirts. So just find a cleaners with that machine, and you're good!

I think that's the key - I'll try to learn more about this machine so I'll be able to ask about it. Thanks!

 

[matei]

My local drycleaners does a decent job on pressing shirts... Not as stiff as they would be in the military (a heavily starched set of BDUs would last me almost a week with periodic touch-ups from the iron), but it is OK.

The only thing I dislike is that they don't do the collars well. I favour longer collars (I hate the spread collars so prevalent here in the UK) and the tips always seem to escape the press...

 

[GregNYC]

The only thing I dislike is that they don't do the collars well. I favour longer collars (I hate the spread collars so prevalent here in the UK) and the tips always seem to escape the press...

Yeah, I don't like the spread collars either. I was just in London and walked up and down Jermyn Street many times. Almost all the shirts I saw in the windows had that kind of collar. They look very bad without neckties, and not that much better with neckties. Which is why I like button-down collars.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

Do it yourself

I got frustrated with paying to have my shirts laundered, and then having to touch them up at home. I bought a steam press from Amazon, and it paid for itself in a month. It presses my shirts, and gives my pants a crease I could shave with. It is a helluva lot faster than an iron and ironing board.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

One tailor told me that not all laundries have the right kind of pressing machine. There seem to be several kinds, and most don't crease the sleeves. They make the sleeves into cylindrical tubes.

Believe it or not, most of the 20 and 30-somethings who wear dress shirts DON'T want the sleeves creased. I've spoken to launderers about this; they say that their younger customers find sleeve creases "stuffy" and pointless. It's actually harder to iron a sleeve without putting a crease in it, so laundries have purchased machinery to help them do it.

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Not as stiff as they would be in the military (a heavily starched set of BDUs would last me almost a week with periodic touch-ups from the iron), ...

Why would you want to (or have to?) wear a shirt for a week without washing it? Isn't that kinda unhygienic?

.

 

[Braxton36]

And the corollary to this question is:

Why can't laundries look at the clothes once they're pressed and realize that, gee, we can't return that with all those broken buttons...?

 

[GregNYC]

It's become another old-fashioned thing

Believe it or not, most of the 20 and 30-somethings who wear dress shirts DON'T want the sleeves creased. I've spoken to launderers about this; they say that their younger customers find sleeve creases "stuffy" and pointless. It's actually harder to iron a sleeve without putting a crease in it, so laundries have purchased machinery to help them do it.

.

Demopgrahics, it seems to be the driving issue.

I went around asking a few cleaners today, and they said that only "the older machines can put a crease in the sleeves, the new machines blow the sleeves out." There are new pressing machines from Ajax, Unipress and others that put creases in the sleeves, but hardly anyone has the new ones, and the old ones have fallen into disuse.

Last year I did find one place with its own plant - I moved and it's far away. Maybe I'll get my own steam press too. Like the Man from U.N.C.L.E.!!

 

[Senator Jack]

GET A STEAMFAST STEAMPRESS!!!!!!

$200 berries and it pays for itself in a few months. Cleaners ruined all my shirts - they don't turn them inside out to press any more and they don't put a cloth over the shirt before pressing, so they all ended up with that ugly sheen. Yeah, it's a lot of work to steam them yourself, but you'll find it's worth the trouble.

Tips: Soak stained shirts in Oxi. Wash the shirts in cold water gentle cycle. Let drip dry. Place cloth over shirt while steaming.

Regards,

Senator Jack