National Clothesline

Cleaners looking for a comprehensive crash course on everything about drycleaning may want to consider the General Fabricare course offered by the Southwest Drycleaners Association.

The class will meet from June 12-16 at the association’s school, the International Textile Center, located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

The one-week course will cover many topics, including: basic customer service; fibers and fabrics; basic stain removal; drycleaning technology; proper classification of garments for quality cleaning and reduced claims; wetcleaning procedures; and dye stripping.

Attendees will learn finishing/pressing techniques for drycleaning and tips for producing the “perfect” shirt.

The class meets from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Instructor Jane Zellers will divide the class time between classroom presentations and hands-on, practical application.

The “all-around” class is a good fit for cleaners who are new to the industry, as well as veterans who need a refresher course.

Tuition, which includes a box lunch with each full day of class, is $495 for SDA members, $520 for other IFI members, and $585 for everybody else.

Cleaners can register for the course by calling (210) 826-4684 or they can visit online at www.sda-dryclean.com for more information.

SDA will also offer basic and advanced stain removal classes with Jane Zellers as the instructor in November.

A full schedule is available at SDA’s web site under the “School Schedule” link on the lefthand column.

Leather cleaning can be a profitable source of diversification income provided the cleaner has the right knowledge and experience. Both can be gained in spades at the Royaltone Leather Cleaning Academy in Tulsa, OK.

Cleaners can take advantage of two upcoming opportunities at the school as it will host two-day weekend sessions on May 11-12 and Sept. 14-15.

The courses are suited for drycleaning owners and managers who want to learn how to dryclean and wetclean suede, leather, fur and fabric with any new, existing or idle equipment that utilizes perc, petroleum, Exxon 2000 or water.

Those who attend should already have a basic knowledge of how to spot, clean and press cloth garments.

The training program will consist of both classroom training and in-plant, hands-on sessions taught by Frank Lucenta and his staff. Students are encouraged to bring two suede or leather garments to work on.

Lucenta will focus his discussions on how to increase profits and cut cleaning costs, as well.

Class sessions will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day. Enrollment is limited to seven students and is filled on a first-come basis.

The cost of the instruction manual for the two-day program is $400 per attendee with 50 percent discounts for early enrollment and multiple attendees.

To enroll call (800) 331-5506.