Refreshing Your Pillows, Rugs, Curtains and Linens for the New Year

 New year, new you! Let’s kick off 2025 right with a whole home reset. After all, dust bunnies are so last year. It’s time to sweep away all the remnants of 2024 and start fresh. This starts with addressing your dusty and dirty pillows, rugs, curtains and linens. Believe it or not, maintaining these home linens can directly affect your health! Dust, dirt, and fumes trapped in the fibers of your home can cause allergies, skin irritation, mold growth, and harbor dangerous contaminants. At Davis Imperial Fine Cleaners, cleaning isn’t just our livelihood; it’s our life. That’s why we pride ourselves on the highest quality cleaning services in Chicago, IL. 

Davis Imperial is your go-to cleaners for home textiles, luxury fabric cleaning and fine textile care. Let’s take a closer look at why it’s time to refresh your home, starting with your textiles. 

Why Refreshing Your Home Textiles Is Essential

Do you ever wonder where that ever persistent thin layer of dust comes from? A large percentage of dust in a home comes directly from fabric fibers shed by your home textiles like carpets, curtains and upholstery. Refreshing your textiles can bring a variety of benefits, including:

Improved Air Quality

About 10% of the population is allergic to dust and 20% is allergic to dust mites. Even with a seemingly clean home, dust can hide in the nooks and crannies and effect your health and the air quality of your home. With the average home collecting around 40 poounds of dust per year, there will definitely be some that goes uncleaned. Bringing your textiles to a professional ensures that they leave dust, allergen and pet dander free so that you can enjoy clean, fresh air.

Prolonging the Life of High-Quality Fabrics

Bringing your high quality fabrics like curtains, shams, and linens to a professional luxury linen care technician can increase the lifespan of your textiles. At Davis Imperial, we protect the fibers, preserve th color and maintain shape and form with gentle but thorough cleaning processes.

When to Refresh Pillows, Rugs, Curtains, and Linens

  1. Pillows – Every 3 to 6 months for optimal hygiene
  2. Rugs – Twice a year or more, depending on foot traffic
  3. Curtains – Annually or bi-annually, especially in high-dust areas
  4. Linens – Seasonally or as needed for freshness

Davis Imperial Fine Home Fabric Services

Benefits of Professional Cleaning with Davis Imperial

Trusted by luxury homeowners and interior designers: Davis Imperial has been servicing your Chicago community since 1956. Multiple decades and thousands of happy customers have solidified our status as Chicago’s best dry cleaner. We have been regocnized by many reputable names in the dry cleaning and fashion industry as a trustworthy provider for fine textile cleaning. 

Expertise in handling delicate and heirloom-quality fabrics: Our fabric care technicians are highly trained in handling and cleaning high-quality and heirloom-quality fabric. 

Convenient, reliable service in the Chicago area: With a location and Bryn Mawr and Evanston, we service nearly the entire Chicago area. Our free pickup and delivery services ensure that you don’t even have to leave your house to get fresh, clean laundry!

Book your cleaning with Davis Imperial today and experience a fresh new house for a fresh new year!

 

How to Properly Clean Your Table Linens After the Holidays

table linen cleaning

Holiday tablecloths and table linens are often cherished heirloom items. Even with a single annual debut, a holiday tablecloth is a statement piece of the table setting. Maintaining the longevity and quality of your table linens ensures that they will wow your guests year after year. While your Christmas linens may be the finest you have, they are unfortunately not immune to the mess of a lively family celebration. Davis Imperial believes that fine linens shouldn’t compromise good holiday fun. Our table linen cleaning services ensure that the red wine spill, gravy stain, and grease spots are all gone by the time we return it to you. 

Post-holiday cleaning is a rite of passage into the new year, and with this comes a refresh of your space. Often, our customers will opt for a full home reset, including bedding refresh, table linen cleaning, pillow cleaning, drapery cleaning, and dry cleaning of winter clothes. With these tasks out of the way, you can go into your new year clean and refreshed. 

 

Common Holiday Stains and Their Challenges

The holidays are notorious for hosting some of the most famous stain culprits and the presence of these elements and a few too many spiked egg nogs is a recipe for disaster. Your linens bear the brunt of the mess as they are at the front lines of the mess. Some of the most common tablecloth and table linen stains include:

Red Wine Stains

A common misconception is that red wine stains are hard to remove. In reality, even if the stains are ‘se,’ you can bring them to a professional dry cleaner and have a tablecloth returned as good as new.

Grease and Food Stains

Rich and delicious holiday dishes often leave grease and food stains on your tablecloths. These food stains on your tablecloths may seem like a burden after the party is over, but a quick drop-off at a local dry cleaner can have them gone in no time.

Candle Wax Stains

With a candle wax drip, you should wait for it to dry completely before addressing it. Anything done before drying will simply smear the wet wax around to a larger area. Once it is dried, you can gently scrape it off. After this, you should bring your tablecloth to a professional cleaner to treat the deep-set stain. 

 

Why Professional Cleaning Is Essential for Fine Linens

It’s best not to leave the fate of your most prized tablecloths and table linens to chance. Your linens can face shrinkage, color fading, unraveling and even ruin depending on the fabric and your cleaning regiment. Professional cleaners like Davis Imperial have decades of experience in treating and reviving dirty and worn table linens. Our advanced stain remove and fabric restoration service simply cant be matched by a home spin cycle.

 

How to Store Your Linens After Cleaning

Even when the holiday season is over and your linens are dry-cleaned, the show’s not over. Proper storage can be the difference between a tablecloth that lasts generations to come and one that eventually becomes an old rag for kitchen table art projects. In order to keep your tablecloth safe and clean, fold your linens and store them in a dark place with low humidity.

 

Why Choose Davis Imperial for Post-Holiday Table Linen Cleaning?

Davis Imperial Cleaners has been a long-trusted professional cleaner in Chicago. With a Chicago and Evanston location, we serve much of the city, bringing the highest quality luxury dry cleaning and garment repair. Trusting Davis Imperial with your precious linens ensures that these items can be cherished for years to come. For linen laundering and dry cleaning services, contact us at 866-740-0059 or info@davisimperial.com.

 

Avoiding Sun Damage and Dry Rot in Vintage Textiles

sweater damaged from sun damage

The beauty of vintage clothing is the stories held within the threads of your garment. Sourcing and buying quality vintage clothing is not an easy task, and preserving said clothing is even harder. The standards for clothing creation have changed greatly over the years, and while we may have a larger quantity of clothing produced now in the 21st century, this doesn’t mean that the quality of this clothing is better. Vintage clothing is known for being made with a higher standard of quality with more natural and lasting materials. But, as with everything, vintage clothing is not immune to the trials of time. Beautiful vintage laces will crumble if not carefully preserved, even wool suits will unravel and deteriorate if not properly cared for. At Davis Imperial, we pride ourselves on our ability to restore, clean, and preserve even the most delicate of vintage garments. To avoid ruining your heirloom dresses and vintage finds, we recommend taking special precautions to avoid sun damage and dry rot – the two most notorious killers of all things beautiful and vintage.  

Understanding Sun Damage

Sun damage is one of the primary threats to vintage textiles. UV rays form the sun break down the chemical bonds in fibers. Vintage clothes weren’t made with the same petrochemicals today, which makes our garments very difficult to dissolve and break down. This process of sun degradation can cause fading, discoloration, weakening of fibers and texture changes to the garment. 

Preventing Sun Damage in Vintage Clothes

But not all hope is lost. Vintage lovers arent bound to staying in dark rooms away from the light of day. If you have garment pieces you wear rather than use just for show, there are work-arounds. One of these is a UV protection spray made specifically to prevent sun damage to garments. Additionally, if you are displaying your garments in a room that gets natural sunlight, you can use UV filtering curtain or blinds to prevent the amount of UV rays that reach the pieces. 

We also recommend storing your articles in a cool, dark place. For extremely delicate pieces, we recommend wrapping them in acid-free tissue paper to prevent them from exposure to dust and light. 

Understanding Dry Rot

Another notorious silent killer of fine vintage garments is dry rot. Dry rot is a form of decay that is caused by fungi enzyme secretion. Despite the name, dry rot does take a small amount of moisture to trigger the degradation. Over time, the fungi enzymes weaken the fibers of the garment to the point where they eventually disintegrate. 

Preventing Dry Rot in Vintage Clothes

To prevent dry rot in your vintage garments, store your piece in a cool, dry environment with controlled temperature and humidity. Ensure good ventilation in storage areas to prevent trapped moisture. Additionally, avoid storing your clothes in sealed plastic bags. Cotton or linen bags offer both ventilation and protection.

Davis Imperial Vintage Garment Care and Restoration

Davis Imperial Cleaners have decades of experience in the meticulous care of couture and vintage garment care, maintenance and restoration. Don’t let the fate of your beloved garments fall victim to the elements; trust in your local professionals to handle your articles. 

 

What Is the Best Way To Clean My Curtains?

Drapes cleaned by Davis Imperial Cleaners

Many overlook drapes when they do their monthly or weekly cleaning. However, drapes and curtains hold a lot of dirt, dust, and pet dander and can even harbor dust mites.  In fact, drapes and curtains are known for catching much of the dust in the room circulated by vents and fans. So, while you may think that your home is clean after dusting, sweeping and vacuuming, the majority of dust and dirt in your home is still living in your curtains. Let’s take a look at the best way to clean your curtains.

 

Benefits of Curtain and Drapery Cleaning

Cleaning your curtains and drapery may be the last thing on your mind after cleaning your whole home, but the benefits go way beyond cleanliness. Some additional benefits of cleaning your drapery include: 

  • Removal of allergies
  • Eliminates odors
  • Improves air quality
  • Enhances longevity of curtains

 

Steam Cleaning Your Curtains

Steam cleaning is a great way to clean your curtains without using harsh and potentially damaging chemicals. It also releases wrinkles while disinfecting. Test your fabric steamer on an inside portion of the curtain to test for damage. Steam curtains, continuously moving your steamer up and down without making contact with the fabric. The hot steam is able to penetrate the fibers of the curtains to release deep fur, first, dust and dander.

 

Washing Your Curtains

Before throwing your curtains through a spin cycle, take a look at the care label. The fabric may be too delicate to withstand a washing. However, if they are cotton or nylon, washing is likely the easiest way to clean them. The biggest concern associated with laundering your curtains is the wrinkles that follow. To prevent wrinkling, use cold water and a mild detergent. Afterward, hang dry your curtains.

 

Dry Cleaning Your Curtains

The best and safest way to clean your curtains is to bring them to professional cleaners. They can use advanced and safe methods to get the deepest clean. Dry cleaning experts know the right methods for each fabric type to ensure the best clean with no damage. Dry cleaning also extends the longevity of your curtains because it best maintains the natural state of the fabric.

 

Chicago Onsite Drapery & Curtain Cleaning

Davis Imperial Cleaners offer on-site in home drapery and curtain cleaning for those who want to spend the least amount of time and effort dealing with bulky curtains. Davis Imperial is an expert at in-home interior cleaning to leave your home fresh and pollutant-free.

 

Our On-Site Services

  • Draperies
  • Cornices
  • Valances
  • Fabric Shades
  • Blackout Linings
  • Swags & Jabots
  • Roman Shades
  • Balloon Shades

Ready for a home refresh? With Davis Imperial’s on-site curtain and drapery cleaning services, you won’t have to lift a finger. Contact us today to schedule your cleaning!

How Clean and Care for Your Canada Goose

Canada Goose Jackets at the dry cleaner

With consistently freezing temperatures and strong winds for several months of the year, Chicago stands out as one of the coldest places to live in the United States. Residents, however, are well-equipped to bear the cold. Many who brave the cold wear Canada Goose coats. As a high-quality, durable and warm outerwear, Canada Goose is a revered staple for residents of the Windy City.

  However, such a high-quality coat comes with a price tag. A fine piece of outerwear at a cost that will make you hesitate before buying another, you’ll need to know how to properly care for your coat so that it will last more than one winter.

How Do I Care for My Canada Goose Coat

Canada Goose Coats has been leading the fine outerwear industry for decades because of its iconic down insulation technology, which uses the most premium down blends. Goose down brings extreme warmth but necessitates special care. 

Understanding the Material

The jacket is filled with Canadian Hutterite goose down, which is specifically chosen because of its exceptional protection and warmth. The outer layer of the coat is made of synthetic fibers that provide water resistance. With a delicate exterior and a hardy and durable exterior, the cleaning method becomes a bit tricky. A spin cycle may remove mud or dirt from the exterior of the coat but can severely damage the delicate down feathers inside.

Storing Your Coat

Storing your coat properly in the summer months will ensure that is still in good condition when the first snow of winter rolls back around. There’s nothing worse than realizing that your coat has been damaged and ruined over the summer and having to go into the winter without your favorite coat. Keep your coat in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Use a wide and sturdy hanger for your coat and avoid compressing it. 

How Do I Clean My Canada Goose Coat

Parkas

Canada Goose recommends never machine washing your parka. It is important that you take it to a trusted dry cleaner. They warn that machine washing your coat will void your warranty! Before you bring your coat to a dry cleaner, remove any fur lining accessories.

Shells and Lightweights

Your shell or lightweight down jacket can be machine washed on a cold setting with bleach-free detergent. No need to dry clean! Hang dry your jacket!

Dry Cleaners in Chicago

We make it easy! Does your coat need a refresh before winter comes? Our legacy cleaning techniques prove our skill in our field. We are trusted by many in the Chicago area for Canada Goose coat and jacket cleaning. Call us at (866) 436-0257 to schedule a pickup and cleaning! 

Complete Guide to Wedding Dress Alterations

Dress alterations at Chicago Dry cleaners

It’s your prized possession, your biggest investment, and the dress your daughter and granddaughter will wear on their wedding days. It’s a BIG deal. We know it, too! Brides spend hours finding the perfect dress and some break the bank when they find ‘the one.’ But chances are the dress you found won’t fit you perfectly right off the rack. It’s a bittersweet experience finding your perfect dress and immediately handing it off to a stranger to undergo alterations. We’ve compiled a guide to wedding dress alterations so you know exactly what to expect out of the process.

Length of Alteration Appointment

Your alteration appointment, in short, will give the tailors all the information they need to handle your dress properly. The best advice we give is to not rush this process; you may have to attend two or three fittings after each step of alteration to ensure that everything is perfect. After each change, the dress will fit slightly differently because of the fabric being taken in and out. And naturally, these changes will effect other parts of the dress. It is customary to be refit after each step. The first appointment will take close to an hour as your seamstress will work with you through all of your preferences. Each subsequent fitting will take a shorter amount of time as the dress becomes better fitting.

Cost of Alterations

The cost of alterations will vary depending on the extent and complexity of the alterations needed. Generally, alterations can cost anywhere from $150 to $1,500. At Davis Imperial, our seamstresses offer a free initial consultation and can provide a better estimate after decisions are made. Keep in mind that labor-intensive details like lace or beading additions will take more time and, thus, will cost more. 

Types of Alterations

On your wedding day, you want your dress to fit you like a glove. Everyone’s unique bodies necessitate different changes to the dress. Here are some of the most common alterations we see for wedding dresses.

Hemming the Length

Hemming the bottom of your dress ensures that you can move around freely on your big day without stepping on your dress or dragging it on the floor. It is extremely important to bring the shoes you plan on wearing with your dress to your fitting so that our seamstresses can know exactly where it will hit. 

Taking the Dress In or Out

Taking in the dress means adjusting the size to that it is more fitted to your body. This can be done in the hips, waist, and bust to create a more flattering fit. This also ensures that the dress won’t shift or fall when you’re out on the dance floor.

Adding Details

Adding details to your dress can definitely increase the cost of your alterations, but in some cases, it is very much worth it. Many brides-to-be add sleeves or straps for aesthetic purposes or comfortability. Some add a bustle so that the long train can be tucked away during the reception. Others opt for a corset to keep the silhouette of the dress. Brides also may remove unwanted details.

Davis Imperial’s Wedding Dress Alteration Tips

  • Bring the undergarments you plan on wearing
  • Bring the shoes you plan on wearing on your wedding day
  • Bring a friends with you
  • Give yourself plenty of time
  • Read reviews

Wedding Dress Alterations in Chicago

At Davis Imperial, we understand that your wedding dress is probably the most special and costly piece of clothing you’ll ever wear, and we treat it as such. Our alterations staff is grateful and honored when entrusted with the important task of fitting your gown for your special day, and it is reflected in their meticulous approach to their work. We recommend coming for a consultation anywhere from three to six months before your wedding day so that our expert seamstresses have ample time to create the dress of your dreams. For questions about wedding dress alterations or to book a consultation, visit our Davis Imperial website or call us at (866) 927-1694.

What Is the Best Way to Clean a Wedding Dress?

Wedding gown cleaning, restoration and preservation

A bride’s big day consists of many planned and prepared details such as invitations, flowers, the cake, food and drink, and more. The wedding dress though, is arguably the most significant detail for a bride. A wedding dress is a piece of memorabilia that can be a keepsake for years to come. Because a wedding dress is so important to many brides, it must be taken care of properly. Many are made with delicate fabric, intricate detailing and design, and other features that cannot just be cleaned like any other garment. To clean it appropriately, a wedding dress requires special cleaning and storage. But with wedding dresses requiring close attention to deal, what is the best way to safely clean them?

Here are some best practices for wedding dress cleaning:

Dry Cleaning

With wedding celebrations comes food, drinks, and cake. It is inevitable that you might get your wedding dress a little dirty on your big day. Dry cleaning is one way to take care of this, especially if the dress is made of rayon, silk, or acetate. Dry cleaners have special cleaning solutions that can degrease stubborn oil-based stains. Dry cleaning solutions will also prevent discoloration of the dress because of their non-toxic formula. 

Wet Cleaning

A wedding dress can also be wet cleaned. This is a method of cleaning your wedding dress with only water, no solution. Wet cleaning is best for water-based stains like sweat or beverages. The dress is submerged in water, helping any dirt or debris to be flushed away. Wet cleaning is especially good for fabric like silk and polyester.

Dependable Wedding Dress Cleaning Provider

There are different ways to clean your wedding dress but dry cleaning and wet cleaning are two of the safest and effective cleaning methods. Due to the delicate materials and details of dresses, we recommend avoiding washing machines and harsh chemicals to prevent damage. At Davis Imperial, our team of garment care experts is knowledgeable about delicate fabrics and has been a trusted cleaner by brides throughout Chicago Our methods include gentle handling, non-toxic chemicals, and an odorless cleaning solution. We also provide pickup and delivery services for added convenience. Contact Davis Imperial at (866) 267-4560.

DAVIS IMPERIAL SELECTED AS “BEST COUTURE DRY CLEANER”, MODERN LUXURY “BEST OF THE NORTH SHORE”

From Modern Luxury Magazine

Best Couture Dry Cleaner

You don’t entrust just any hand with precious wardrobe pieces like designer evening gowns or your wedding dress.  Cleaning high-end pieces with delicate details, like leather trim or intricate buttons, requires heightened attention to detail – something Davis Imperial Cleaners (1920 Harrison St., Evanston, davisimperail.com) excels in.  Specializing in couture garment care, Davis Imperial sends each garment through 13 hands from start to finish, plus additional points of inspection.  The process can even become so meticulous that individual buttons on a gown are removed and re-sewn.  “We do a lot of things differently,” says owner Jordan Wood.  “We combine old-world techniques with state-of-the-art equipment to produce the very best product.”  -AZ

DAVIS IMPERIAL SELECTED “BEST OF THE CITY,” CHICAGO SOCIAL (CS) MAGAZINE

From CS Magazine

CLEANING UP

Davis Imperial Cleaners (davisimperial.com) is not your typical dry-cleaning service. This family-run business goes above and beyond to deliver the best cleaning services for high-end garments–including emergencies and restoration–to their clients (like Nate Berkus and Michelle Obama, to name a few.) Whether restoring $2,220 Roman shades that have been burned or expunging a coffee stain from a designer dress, the dedicated approach remains the same.

“There’s no large production,” co-owner Jordan Wood says. “If we move too quickly, we aren’t doing what we’re supposed to do.” –EG

Davis Imperial Cleaners, 3325 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., 773.267.4560, davisimperial.com.