As the temperatures start falling in Highlands Ranch and the holiday season is near, we wish you warm and cozy gatherings. Winter in Colorado means sweater weather! Whether you wear sweaters every day or are preparing for an “Ugly Sweater” party this winter, proper care can keep your favorite winter garments in the best condition all season!

Wool
Wool is a common material used for winter sweaters because of its warmth. Merino, Shetland, and Lambs wool are great sweater material, but can be difficult to care for at home.

Wool garments can be easily damaged by heat, water, and cleaning chemicals like bleach. Instead of washing at home, bring your wool clothing to our organic cleaners for proper care.

Cashmere
Cashmere is extremely soft and lightweight, yet warm and delicate. These sweaters are often expensive. This material makes the most luxurious sweaters. Whether you save them for special occasions or treat yourself to this comfortable fabric, proper care is extremely important to protect your investment.

Cashmere sweaters should not be washed by your washing machine at home. The fabric must be handled with care to avoid twisting, wringing, and damaging the fibers in the fabric. Bring your cashmere items to Green Care Cleaners to avoid damaging the shape and feel of your favorite sweater.

Cotton
Cotton is a very common material for clothing in general, including sweaters, because it is durable and lightweight. While fall temperatures are changing, cotton is a good option for staying warm and comfortable in unpredictable temperatures.

Cotton typically can be cared for at home, but use caution. Cotton garments are more likely to lose their shape. Dry flat and store in a drawer, not a closet, to avoid stretching out the fabric.

Other sweaters are made from blended materials or a mix of multiple fabrics. For more advice on proper sweater care and washing your specific sweaters, bring your garments into Green Care Cleaners in Highlands Ranch or call our clothing experts at 303-798-0515.

It’s hard to believe that Halloween is almost here. The seasons really do fly by in Colorado! As you’re preparing for this year’s festivities, here’s a tips for last minute Halloween costumes: Turn to your closet!

Overalls. If you have a pair of overalls in your closet, you have the base for several outfits! With a red or green hat and a mustache, you become one of the Mario Brothers! Add a flannel shirt and a little straw to become a Scarecrow. Pair with a bright yellow shirt (and goggles) to be minion from “Despicable Me.”

Sportswear. Grab some athletic tape and a hoodie to transform yourself into a boxer. Have a favorite sports star? Mimic their look with your workout clothes. Or wear all black and a beanie to be an on-the-go burglar.

Striped T-Shirt. Black and white stripes can turn you into a number of characters. Grab a whistle to become a referee or try white gloves and face paint to become a mime. If you have colored stripes, turn yourself into a pirate! Red stripes? Did someone say, “Where’s Waldo?”

Jean Jacket. With this closet staple, you can easily become some recognizable characters. Grab a bandana to become Rosie the Riveter. With a puffy vest, turn your jacket into the wardrobe for “Back to the Future” Marty McFly.

Old sheets. A simple, time-tested classic. Boo!

Whether you find a hidden gem in your closet or re-purpose last year’s costume, make sure it is clean and fresh before Halloween arrives. Hidden stains may have surfaced if the costume wasn’t properly cleaned before going into storage, so get out the costume early to check.

For the best clean and care, bring your costume into our store in Highlands Ranch! Halloween costumes are often made from a variety of difficult fabrics, from polyester to velvet. Our cleaning experts will carefully handle even the most challenging fabrics for a fresh feel just in time for Halloween!

If you have questions about caring for your costumes or removing pesky chocolate and sugar stains, call our experts at 303.798.0515. Happy Halloween!

Autumn is in the air here in Colorado! Along with cooler temperatures, shorter days and leaves changing color, this time of year also means your wardrobe will be changing which gives you a good opportunity to do some cleaning out of clothes that are perhaps getting a little long in the tooth.

When you open the closet door and feel overwhelmed at the task ahead, here are five tips for faster, more effective fall wardrobe maintenance.

1. Make a list
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by fall cleaning as a whole, so instead divide and conquer. Split your closet cleaning into a collection of smaller tasks and write them down to tackle one at a time.

2. Declutter
There are plenty of nooks and crannies that can get stuffed full in your closet. Take a moment to clear them out, starting with the top shelf. Store small items using hooks or boxes to stay neat, tidy, and easy to find.

3. Swap out summer clothes
As we head towards cooler days, it’s time to put away swimwear and shorts. Before you do, bring them to Green Care Cleaners for a final cleaning to remove hidden stains and keep fresh for next summer.

4. Ask the tough questions
Do you have a tendency to hoard? It’s easy to hold onto clothing item that has sentimental value, but take a hard look at your wardrobe. If you haven’t worn the garment in over a year, it’s probably time to move on. Donate those pants that don’t fit and those band t-shirts from high school to charity and say goodbye to the items you no longer need.

5. Treat yourself!
It’s easier to stay organized than to go through the entire cleaning process again, so make a good hearted effort to maintain your fresh closet. Now that you’re organized, it’s time to celebrate! Buy a special new garment or two, and bring your favorites into Green Care Cleaners to get them fresh, clean, and ready for autumn!

As always, if you have any questions about caring for your garments, give us a call at 303-798-0515.

A lot of people claim to have “secret” or “special” solutions to taking care of stains on clothing, but here are several household cleaning solutions you should avoid at all costs:

Dishwasher detergent: You may have heard that the detergent you use on your dirty dishes will also work on your food stained clothing as well. However, this is far from the truth and is actually a bad idea. Dishwashing detergent fades colors, damages the fabrics’ fibers, and also causes skin irritation.

Shampoo: Keep colored or milky-looking shampoos away from your clothing. They have ingredients that will just cause a big foaming mess and result in a bigger stain.

Milk on washable ink: This doesn’t remove the ink and result in an additional protein stain. Have your organic cleaners handle this one and save the milk for your cereal.

Hair spray on ball-point ink: Ink stains are pesky ones indeed. Your colleagues may have suggested using your hairspray to effectively remove ballpoint stains. Unfortunately, you will just be creating an even stickier situation. The hairspray will leave behind a gummy residue and affect the fabrics’ color as well.

Salt to make dyes colorfast: You might have tried soaking your colorful clothing in salt water in an attempt to preserve their color and prevent bleeding. Doing this is only a temporary fix though, unless you plan on washing that article of clothing in salt water every time. As soon as the garment is wet again the dye will be free to pull away from the fabric.

White vinegar: Vinegar is actually an acid that may weaken rayon, silk, or cotton fibers and cause discoloration. The easiest way to ward off evil stains is not letting them happen in the first place. Your organic cleaners can apply Soybean Nano-Technology to your clothing, which makes them resistant to stains and will you save you a lot of time and grief!

Swimwear takes quite a beating in the summer. Whether you swim in the pool/natural water daily or just jump in every now and then for a quick dip, pool chemicals, the sun, sand, and lotions can all cause damage to swimsuits.

This is distressing as swimsuits aren’t cheap, and the perfect one is often hard to find. Learning to properly care for your suits can lengthen their lifespan significantly. The following are tips to keep your swimwear looking good for years to come.

Rinse ASAP
Sunscreen, chemicals, and body oils can do damage to the material that most suits are made of. Rinse suits immediately after being in a hot tub or chlorinated pool. Besides protecting the integrity of the fabric, the quicker you rinse harsh agents out of your suit, the less likely your swimwear will smell like chlorine, the beach, etc.

Hand Wash
Always hand wash your suits rather than machine wash them. The agitation from washing machines can damage all the delicate parts of a suit, leaving things bunched, stretched, or otherwise ill-fitting. In fact, machine washing is probably the worst thing you can do to swimwear.

Soap It Up
Be sure to use a very mild detergent, such as a little hand soap or baby detergent, to wash your suits. Never use anything with lotions or moisturizers in it as they are damaging to the material. Turn your swimsuit inside out and submerge in water. Swish it around for several minutes and then rinse well.

Dry Off
Never wring your suits out as this can damage the fibers of the suit and distort its shape. Lay your suit flat on a towel, roll the towel up and squeeze gently, then lay it flat to dry as hanging a swimsuit to dry can cause it to become stretched out. Also, avoid drying in the sunshine as this can cause the colors to fade, and never, ever put a swimsuit in the dryer.

Mix It Up
Spandex is a “memory fabric,” meaning it takes a full day to return to its regular form. Having more than one suit to wear means you give each one the chance to breathe and return to its original shape. Alternating suits also gives each a chance to dry thoroughly, reducing your risk of being exposed to the bacteria and mold that can grow from damp swimsuits.

Keep Cool
Hot water is bad for swimwear, and the combination of hot water and chlorine in a hot tub is even worse. Never use hot water to wash your suits, and avoid too many dips in the hot tub in your favorite suit. Instead, save an old suit, or your cheapest suit, for hot tub dipping. If you plan on spending a lot of time in a hot tub, choose a suit that is 100% polyester or chlorine resistant as cotton and natural fibers don’t hold up in chlorinated water.

Prep a New Suit
Prepping a new suit before taking a dip at the beach or in a hot tub can help lengthen the life of the suit. A 30-minute soak in a vinegar and water mixture (one tablespoon white vinegar per quart of water) should prevent dye from bleeding.

Watch Where You Park It
Whether you’re sitting on the ground, on a wooden bench, or on some other rough surface, try to always sit on a towel. These surfaces can snag and tear material, causing it to look worn and old before it’s time. If you don’t have a towel handy, wrap up in a sarong or scarf when you leave your lounge chair or the pool so that when you sit down, the bottom of your suit is protected.

Have you ever put on your socks and thought, “Gee, these used to be a lot whiter. I guess it’s time to get some new ones?”  It can be a hassle to keep your whites white, so Green Care Cleaners has a method to help you prolong the life of your white socks which, in turn, will put some extra cash back in your budget.

1. Always make sure your socks are right side out. A common misconception is that both sides of a sock will be equally washed regardless if it is inside out or not.  Since most of the dirt will collect at the bottom of the sock, being mindful of the correct position of a sock will get them as white as possible in the wash.

2. In a bucket, add two tablespoons of dishwasher detergent to a gallon of hot water. You can then add your load of WHITE SOCKS ONLY to the bucket, adding more water and detergent depending on the size of the load. Let them sit for at least two hours afterwards.

3. After they’ve have finished soaking, wash the load of white socks separately as a small load and finish them off in the dryer.

Another method to ensure longer sock life is to visit Green Care Cleaners in Highlands Ranch. Dry cleaning will always keep your whites brighter, longer. Feel free come on down today, or call us at (303)-798-0515

Spring is here, which means everyone is working out more! No matter where or how you exercise, your workout clothes always put you at risk for locker room syndrome… Locker room syndrome is when your gym bag, closet, car, and house smell like a high school boy’s locker from sweaty, damp workout clothes.

Instead, learn the proper way to care for your workout clothes so the garments (and your house) stay clean and fresh, no matter how hard you work!

Post-Workout
After the hardest workout, wash your clothing as quickly after vigorous exercise as possible. A quick rinse will help stop stains and smells from setting if you can’t get to the load quickly.

Instead of placing your sweaty garments in a heap on the floor (to become a breeding ground for mildew), lay out or hang the clothes to air out.

Gym shoes are often ignored, but can be the biggest culprit for damp, smelly gear. Always let your sneakers dry out completely between wears. If needed, use a tablespoon or two of baking soda to soak up moisture and odor from your shoes.

Washing
Gym clothing is often designed to be moisture wicking or water repellant to avoid becoming saturated with sweat as you exercise. But this also makes it more difficult to wash these garments as the water must penetrate into the fibers.

Even though gym clothes are often smelly or stinky, avoid the impulse to use extra soap and skip the fabric softener. Soap and laundry detergent can form a barrier that prevents the water from effectively cleaning the clothes. Follow the instructions on the garment for best results or call our experts for tips: 303-798-0515.

Drying
Workout clothes are often made from spandex and lycra fabrics. The heat from the dryer may damage the fibers in your garments, meaning they will lose their elasticity over time. Always use the lowest setting or air dry.
If you have the option, try line drying your clothing outdoors. Direct sunlight acts as a natural bacteria deterrent to leave your clothing fresher and cleaner for longer!

For the toughest stains, persistent smells, or advice on cleaning your favorite gym clothes, call Green Care Cleaners at 303-798-0515. Our clothing experts use precise wet cleaning methods to leave your garments cleaner, fresher, and healthier than ever.

Spring cleaning might have you turning your whole house upside down for the sake of a fresh living area, but that doesn’t mean you can’t seek help along the way. As your local dry cleaner, we’re here to help you clean the tough stuff that you don’t have time for. Here’s a short list of items you may want to consider dropping off at Green Care Cleaners this spring:

Bedding

Dry cleaning your bedding will prevent your comforter from puckering and shrinking, preserving it for years to come. Most comforters are simply too big for home washing machines, which means they won’t get completely clean if you run them through a normal cycle.

Curtains

Draperies and curtains collect a huge amount of dust over time, retaining everything that blows through the window throughout the year. Clean curtains are a necessary part of spring cleaning, and bringing them by a dry cleaners is integral to removing the oil and dust that degrades the fabric over time.

Rugs

Though a handmade rug can be a work of art, it’s still meant to be used in the household. We scuff them, spill liquids on them, and drag mud over them throughout the year. While spot-cleaning rugs is a great habit, the only way to completely clean and preserve your area rug is to have it dry cleaned by a professional.

Couch Cushion Covers

It’s easy to throw couch cushion covers through the wash when a stain occurs, but often this disrupts their shape, making it difficult to fit back on the cushion. When you have your couch cushion covers dry cleaned by professionals, they won’t just fit right—they’ll be preserved for years to come.

If you need help cleaning any of these items, don’t panic! Green Care Cleaners is here to help. Bring these hard-to-clean household items by so our gentle wet-cleaning process can preserve and protect them for the rest of the year. Call (303) 798-0515 today or visit our organic wet cleaners in Highlands Ranch.

For many Coloradans, the best thing about winter in Colorado is Ski Season! Whether you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing or are a sledding enthusiast, you probably rely on warm winter sports clothing to keep you dry and warm through your favorite activities.

Keeping your snow pants, ski jackets, and your warmest layers looking and performing their best requires regular cleaning and care. For best performance, it’s recommended to clean your gear at least twice per season.

For specific advice on the best care for your winter sports wear, visit our store or call 303-798-0515.

Gore-Tex shells have been known to last and keep their technical abilities for 30 years with proper care. And with the cost of a new jacket costing upwards of $350-500, the regular care is the cost-efficient way to achieve longevity and extend the life of your quality winter gear.

In order to keep you warm and dry without trapping in perspiration, most ski wear is treated with special finishes to be both waterproof and breathable.

Ski wear and active winter jackets are typically coated with a water repellent finish. This coating has tiny holes that allow water vapor (from your sweat and body perspiration) to escape. At the same time, the holes are so small they prevent liquid water from getting through.

As you use your ski garments, dirt, grime, and body oils can get trapped in these holes and obstruct the finish from working properly. Clogged pores trap your body heat inside the garment, while the dirt and grime can wear down the finish.

Periodic cleaning will leave your jacket like new! Removing the accumulated dirt will open up the holes in the finish again to restore water proof properties and breathability.

Between washes, use a clean, damp cloth to brush away any visible dirt and stains. Always remember to hang, air out, and dry your ski wear completely before storing.

If you wash your ski wear at home, always follow the care instructions on the label. Avoid using heavy detergents, bleach, and fabric softener, and DO NOT dry clean. The harsh chemicals will damage the water proof or resistant coating on your best gear.

Our organic wet cleaning is a safe alternative for your ski wear, without the harsh chemicals that typical Dry Cleaners use. Your ski gear will be fresher, cleaner, and last longer!

With proper care and cleaning, your winter sports clothing and ski wear will last from season to season! For the best, freshest, and greenest cleaning, bring your winter garments into Green Care Cleaners – call 303-798-0515.

Have you ever washed a colorful shirt only to discover that your washing machine and detergent have turned it a few shades lighter? It’s as if they’ve teamed up on you and decided to fade your wardrobe. The new, brightly colored top you just bought for spring is now dull and lifeless. It’s an unfortunate situation and it can be extremely irritating when your clothing comes out looking a decade older after one wash. How do you stop this viscous cycle of abuse and protect your colorful clothing?

To keep your colorful clothing more vibrant and happy, send them to your professional organic cleaners in Highlands Ranch! Organic cleaners are the authorities on keeping your dress the most electric shade of blue, or making sure your jacket stays that perfect shade of jet black. The same can be said for your dingy whites.

You can’t deny the fact that your white button up is not as flawless looking as the first time you wore it. Yes, dumping them in chlorine bleach might fight off the grunge, but at what cost? This harmful chemical can cause eye and skin irritation and give you headaches as well. Not to mention that an accidental spill could ruin a nearby pile of laundry. Sometimes, whites accidentally find their way into the colors basket which can cause a fade effect. You didn’t want a new pink button up, but you’ve got one now. Instead of dealing with these potential disasters you can just have your garments picked up and delivered for FREE by your caring and professional organic cleaning experts!

Think of your organic cleaners as the guardians of your closet/dresser. They vigilantly defend your honor and keep you from looking like you got dressed in a dumpster. Organic cleaners that use soy-bean technology have the capability to preserve the colors of your intensely hued garments. Only sophisticated cleaners will use Soybean Nano-Technology to make your garments resistant to stain. Whether you realize it or not, maintaining the vibrancy of your clothing makes a statement to your friends, family, and coworkers. Failing to acknowledge your dinginess also makes a statement. What does your clothing say about you?