Dry Cleaning Uniforms

A

an654

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DS is on a fishing trip with buddies. His summer whites and service khaki uniforms are in our laundry room. I have a feeling he forgot to take them to the dry cleaners as he intended. I’d like to do this for him. What do I say to the dry cleaners regarding starch and crease and whatnot? He is incommunicado right now, so I can’t ask him this. He leaves next week for Annapolis for second set detailing, so I bet he’d like this to be done when he gets back, so there’s no time crunch. TIA.
 
I kinda agree with @NeverSayNever related to uniforms. I can see being nice and doing his other laundry that is not too "important". I wouldn't touch DS's uniforms for fear of doing something wrong and causing more problems than good. Especially if he didn't ask you to do it. I'm sure he can get it figured out before having to report back to USNA.
 
NeverSayNever said:
Sounds like you are being a nice parent. It also sounds like not your problem.

Let the adult that is training to lead sailors of all types out in combat who chose to go fishing solve his own problems please.
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Oh, for crying out loud. Lol.

DS helped my dad with some downed trees after a bad storm the other day and spent another day helping my sister drive around her kids while she worked. I'd like to repay him for helping out while he's gone. I don't think dropping off some uniforms at the dry cleaners is going to curtail his ability to lead sailors into combat. I love SAF, but some of the people on here seriously need to get over themselves sometimes.
 
As mentioned above there is dry cleaning at the academy that is free that usually takes 5-7 days to dry clean your uniforms.

However, if your son is detailing I highly recommend he looks at ZIPS to drop off his stuff. You can get a bag from them that you can throw all of your stuff in (and your fellow detailers as well) and they should have it done in 2-3 days and sometimes even quicker. It’s very cheap and they do a great job and are very quick.

When I was a detailer and TAD it helped using ZIPS because I needed to get my uniforms dry cleaned after only wearing them once or twice.
 
an654 said:
DS is on a fishing trip with buddies. His summer whites and service khaki uniforms are in our laundry room. I have a feeling he forgot to take them to the dry cleaners as he intended. I’d like to do this for him. What do I say to the dry cleaners regarding starch and crease and whatnot? He is incommunicado right now, so I can’t ask him this. He leaves next week for Annapolis for second set detailing, so I bet he’d like this to be done when he gets back, so there’s no time crunch. TIA.
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My dark side says, “That is his to manage.” I only say this because my mom declared me fully laundry-certified at 13, and I was always ridiculously perfectionist when it came to uniforms, never let anyone touch them. My lone exception: my dad was an absolute ace at spit-shining shoes, a skill from his wartime Navy enlisted days. I still have his old wooden shoeshine kit that has a little screw-in stand to put the shoe on, plus little drawers for polish, and long ones for brushes, and pouches for cleaning, buffing and polishing cloths. His classic wingtips were always flawless. Every Sunday afternoon was shoe time while he was watching sports. Sorry. I still miss him.

My kind side won. But extract a price - are there old storage boxes of his to clean out? Or old clothes to sort for donation? A manual labor chore to do? 🤣

If these are the short-sleeved 100% polyester uniforms, I always did my own, occasionally sending them to the dry cleaners to get creases refreshed.

- Whites. Pre-treat spots, look at hems, pocket entrances and top of zipper/belt buckle area. Cold water. Use some Oxyclean Pure White (real bleach yellows them). Zip-up zipper. Launder by themselves. Transfer immediately to dryer at low setting. Hang up as soon as they are dry. Use iron at appropriate fabric setting, look for existing pant leg creases and any creases on the shirt back as your guide. Steam them in. ** If there are 3 vertical tiny rubbery strips attached on the inside, making a crease on the outside, do NOT iron them! No starch. I use Arm & Hammer “Odor Blasters” detergent, pre-treating as needed in armpits.

White belt: Remove buckle. Pre-treat any stains. Put in a small mesh bag and wash with uniforms. Air dry on top of dryer. Let him do metal polishing; he probably has his method.

- Khakis. Same method for uniform and belts.

Bonus points: Use small manicure scissors to snip any visible stray threads on seams, buttonholes, buttons, collars, etc. Use a fuzz shaver to gently remove fabric pulls.

Ink stains. Blot with acetone (plain nail polish remover), until ink is dissolving. Keep blotting with fresh old white cotton t-shirt or paper towels to lift out as much ink as possible. Pre-treat and launder. The acetone is essentially a dry-cleaning fluid.

Black smudges on white leather shoes (non-Corfam). Use Arm & Hammer white baking soda toothpaste with peroxide (not the gel type) and a damp soft toothbrush. Using circular motions, brush at the stain. This can also be used on white short-sleeve polyester uniforms before laundering. And white combo covers!

All service dress and dress uniform pants/skirts and jackets: dryclean. The dress shirts that go with them can be laundered.

Khaki garrison caps, 100% polyester. Remove devices. Pre-treat, especially forehead oil/sweat stains. I ironed mine.

As usual, I write for the larger audience. I hope this detail helps someone.
 
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an654 said:
Oh, for crying out loud. Lol.

DS helped my dad with some downed trees after a bad storm the other day and spent another day helping my sister drive around her kids while she worked. I'd like to repay him for helping out while he's gone. I don't think dropping off some uniforms at the dry cleaners is going to curtail his ability to lead sailors into combat. I love SAF, but some of the people on here seriously need to get over themselves sometimes.
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lol! Keep being a good mom. We don’t stop doing nice things for our kids just because they are adults. I’m thankful my parents still do nice things for me and I’m almost 50! 😂
 
Capt MJ said:
my mom declared me fully laundry-certified at 13, and I was always ridiculously perfectionist when it came to uniforms, never let anyone touch them. My lone exception: my dad was an absolute ace at spit-shining shoes, a skill from his wartime Navy enlisted days. I still have his old wooden shoeshine kit that has a little screw-in stand to put the shoe on, plus little drawers for polish, and long ones for brushes, and pouches for cleaning, buffing and polishing cloths. His classic wingtips were always flawless.
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I was about the same age when my USNR Chief Petty Officer father appointed me to a uniform valet service starting with his shoes. I had just joined the sea cadets and first he gave me instruction in the care of the USN "crackerjack" uniform and when I showed promise on the shoes, was handed his to care for as well. Within a few months, it included the rest of his uniforms both those that I washed at home and getting his devices switched to a different uniform when his blues, etc were being sent out for dry cleaning. That was the norm until I departed for plebe summer.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I was about the same age when my USNR Chief Petty Officer father appointed me to a uniform valet service starting with his shoes. I had just joined the sea cadets and first he gave me instruction in the care of the USN "crackerjack" uniform and when I showed promise on the shoes, was handed his to care for as well. Within a few months, it included the rest of his uniforms both those that I washed at home and getting his devices switched to a different uniform when his blues, etc were being sent out for dry cleaning. That was the norm until I departed for plebe summer.
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That is a slightly different take on "PLO" - Permanent Laundry Orderly, as opposed to

 
an654 said:
Oh, for crying out loud. Lol.

DS helped my dad with some downed trees after a bad storm the other day and spent another day helping my sister drive around her kids while she worked. I'd like to repay him for helping out while he's gone. I don't think dropping off some uniforms at the dry cleaners is going to curtail his ability to lead sailors into combat. I love SAF, but some of the people on here seriously need to get over themselves sometimes.
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Hear, Hear. No kidding.
 
an654 said:
DS is on a fishing trip with buddies. His summer whites and service khaki uniforms are in our laundry room. I have a feeling he forgot to take them to the dry cleaners as he intended. I’d like to do this for him. What do I say to the dry cleaners regarding starch and crease and whatnot? He is incommunicado right now, so I can’t ask him this. He leaves next week for Annapolis for second set detailing, so I bet he’d like this to be done when he gets back, so there’s no time crunch. TIA.
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A quick internet search revealed the following:













To properly instruct a dry cleaner on handling a Navy dress white uniform, you must give them explicit commands regarding crease geometry, stain pretreatments, and heat limitations. Because these uniforms are typically made of structured polyester (Certified Navy Twill), standard commercial laundering methods can easily scorch the fabric or ruin the strict military specifications. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Pre-Drop-Off Requirements
Before you hand the uniform over to the cleaner, you must prepare the garment to avoid permanent damage or loss of military hardware: [1]
  • Strip all hardware: Completely remove all medals, ribbons, rank insignia, collar badges, unit tapes, and untwist the shoulder boards.
  • Document placement: Take a photo of the emblem placement before removal so you can pin them back accurately later.
  • Empty and seal: Empty all pockets to avoid trapped ink pens, and button all buttons and zip all zippers so the uniform holds its structural shape during transit. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Specific Verbal & Written Instructions
When you speak to the clerk, request that they write these exact notes directly onto the care ticket:
  • No Chlorine Bleach: Instruct them explicitly to use oxygen-based whiteners or mild solvents only. Chlorine bleach will permanently turn the uniform's polyester fibers yellow or gray. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Strict Crease Directions: Do not let them press the uniform using standard civilian configurations. Provide these exact blueprints:
    • The Jumper Top: It must be pressed flat inside out. The collar flap requires exactly three sharp creases. The torso requires an outward center crease down the front and an inward center crease down the back.
    • The Trousers: They must be pressed inside out so that the finished sharp creases sit cleanly on the outer edges/sides of the legs, rather than down the front center. [1]
  • Low Pressing Heat: Require them to use a synthetic-safe low temperature setting with a pressing cloth. High direct heat will burn, melt, or leave a permanent glossy "shine" on the polyester fabric. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Spot Clean First: Point out any specific grease, dirt, or ring-around-the-collar markings. They must use specialized spot-boards to pull the stain out from the fabric fibers before the uniform enters any ambient drying heat, which permanently bakes stains in. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
To ensure the best result, look for a dry cleaner located directly outside a military installation or check community forums like the Lynchburg Military Uniform Discussion or local base tracking pages. Cleaners in these military-heavy areas handle hundreds of "Cracker Jacks" weekly and already possess the specialized pressing boards and knowledge required to meet strict inspection standards. [1, 2, 3]
 
Mallard Duck said:
A quick internet search revealed the following:













To properly instruct a dry cleaner on handling a Navy dress white uniform, you must give them explicit commands regarding crease geometry, stain pretreatments, and heat limitations. Because these uniforms are typically made of structured polyester (Certified Navy Twill), standard commercial laundering methods can easily scorch the fabric or ruin the strict military specifications. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Pre-Drop-Off Requirements
Before you hand the uniform over to the cleaner, you must prepare the garment to avoid permanent damage or loss of military hardware: [1]
  • Strip all hardware: Completely remove all medals, ribbons, rank insignia, collar badges, unit tapes, and untwist the shoulder boards.
  • Document placement: Take a photo of the emblem placement before removal so you can pin them back accurately later.
  • Empty and seal: Empty all pockets to avoid trapped ink pens, and button all buttons and zip all zippers so the uniform holds its structural shape during transit. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Specific Verbal & Written Instructions
When you speak to the clerk, request that they write these exact notes directly onto the care ticket:
  • No Chlorine Bleach: Instruct them explicitly to use oxygen-based whiteners or mild solvents only. Chlorine bleach will permanently turn the uniform's polyester fibers yellow or gray. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Strict Crease Directions:Do not let them press the uniform using standard civilian configurations. Provide these exact blueprints:
    • The Jumper Top: It must be pressed flat inside out. The collar flap requires exactly three sharp creases. The torso requires an outward center crease down the front and an inward center crease down the back.
    • The Trousers: They must be pressed inside out so that the finished sharp creases sit cleanly on the outer edges/sides of the legs, rather than down the front center. [1]
  • Low Pressing Heat: Require them to use a synthetic-safe low temperature setting with a pressing cloth. High direct heat will burn, melt, or leave a permanent glossy "shine" on the polyester fabric. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • Spot Clean First: Point out any specific grease, dirt, or ring-around-the-collar markings. They must use specialized spot-boards to pull the stain out from the fabric fibers before the uniform enters any ambient drying heat, which permanently bakes stains in. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
To ensure the best result, look for a dry cleaner located directly outside a military installation or check community forums like the Lynchburg Military Uniform Discussion or local base tracking pages. Cleaners in these military-heavy areas handle hundreds of "Cracker Jacks" weekly and already possess the specialized pressing boards and knowledge required to meet strict inspection standards. [1, 2,
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Thank you so much for this.
 
Speaking of laundry - some added humor to get through the day.
There is a FB group for parents of kids at NSI. One mom asked who does their laundry while they are there - legit question but honestly who care. The follow up question….

“Do you know what type of detergent do they use? Is it unscented?“
 
2030GoNavy said:
Speaking of laundry - some added humor to get through the day.
There is a FB group for parents of kids at NSI. One mom asked who does their laundry while they are there - legit question but honestly who care. The follow up question….

“Do you know what type of detergent do they use? Is it unscented?“
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DS is headed to NSI next week. Do you know whether the FB group is specific to each session or all of NSI? Can you share the group name or link with me? Thanks!
 
Mallard Duck said:
A quick internet search revealed the following:

Strict Crease Directions:Do not let them press the uniform using standard civilian configurations. Provide these exact blueprints:
  • The Jumper Top: It must be pressed flat inside out. The collar flap requires exactly three sharp creases. The torso requires an outward center crease down the front and an inward center crease down the back.
  • The Trousers: They must be pressed inside out so that the finished sharp creases sit cleanly on the outer edges/sides of the legs, rather than down the front center. [1]
Click to expand...
One more example of how bad internet info can be. These pressing directions are for the ENLISTED uniform, not the uniforms that mids will need to get cleaned and pressed. Before someone pipes up to correct me, yes, I know that Whiteworks look like these but they are NOT certified Navy Twill and DO NOT need to be pressed as described.
 
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