National Clothesline

For over eight decades, the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute has helped drycleaners improve their professional skills with its comprehensive cleaning curriculum.

The coming year will be no exception as the association’s School of Drycleaning Technology will offer a multitude of courses that are accredited through the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Starting with the basics, DLI’s five-day “Introduction to Drycleaning” course is geared toward helping individuals new to the industry or with less than one year of experience.

Those who sign up will learn a little of everything: sorting loads for drycleaning; cleaning silk, satin and other fabrics; operating a drycleaning machine; removing coffee, ink, grease and other stains; pressing pants, coats and skirts; and using tensioning equipment to improve finishing.

Course dates are Jan. 25 to 29, April 19 to 23, July 19 to 23, and Oct. 18 to 22. Tuition is $795 for DLI members and $1,149 for non-members.

To complement the introductory course, DLI also offers a ten-day “Advanced Drycleaning” course that covers a greater scope of cleaning topics.

In fact, those who attend should bring a calculator with them to class.

Some of the topics will include: using bleaches; wetcleaning wool, silk and more; maintaining and changing filters; current regulations facing the cleaning industry; customer service techniques; and cleaning and preserving wedding gowns.

Students will also learn about the differences between solvents, including perc, GreenEarth and hydrocarbon.

The course is scheduled to take place from Feb. 1 to 12, April 26 to May 7, July 26 to Aug. 6, and Oct. 25 to Nov. 5. The cost is $1,249 for DLI members and $1,749 for everybody else.

Those who opt to take both the introductory and advanced drycleaning courses concurrently can save money. The overall cost is reduced to $1,595 for DLI members and $2,495 for others.

Another popular DLI course offering is its five-day intensive “Cleaning and Stain Removal” session that breaks down numerous cleaning topics, such as: identifying cotton, silk, polyester and other fabrics; troubleshooting problems with the drycleaning machine; using bleaches; operating a drycleaning machine; sorting loads; maintaining and changing filters; and removing coffee, ink, grease and other stains from clothing.

Course dates include March 15 to 19 and Sept. 13 to 17. The cost is $795 for DLI members and $1,149 for all others.

DLI has also added a new two-day wetcleaning course to its curriculum for 2010.

Those who attend will learn proper wetcleaning procedures, including how to handle beaded, sequined and other specialty items, as well as superior finishing procedures and stain removal techniques.

The class is slated to take place on June 10 and 11. The cost is $349 for DLI members and $249 for non-members.

Classes at DLI’s School of Drycleaning Technology begin at 9 a.m. and last until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

There is approximately $40,000 in scholarships available for those who meet the criteria.

For more information on upcoming educational courses offered by DLI or its scholarships, contact the association by phone at (800) 638-2627, ext. 1603.