Garment Storage Cool, Dry & Dark
Never store any garment unless it has been drycleaned or laundered first and all stains have been removed. Body oils, perspiration, invisible tannin stains, etc.. are all magnets for moths and other destructive pests. Always store in a cool, dry, dark, and well ventilated space. Attics and basements are not recommended as they can be damp, hot or poorly ventilated. When using storage chests, avoid plastic; if hanging your garments, select an unbleached ventilated cotton cover; and when packing your garments away, use an acid free storage box.

Hairspray Problems
Some advice for the ladies: When applying hairspray, attempt to avoid any contact with your clothing. Although the hairspray may dry invisibly on your clothing, the heat of cleaning and finishing the garment can cause the stain to oxidize and become visible as stiff, raindrop-like splatters.

Acrylic Knits
Although acrylic greatly enhances many sweaters and knits, it also stretches easily. Therefore, make sure to leave your acrylic garment lying flat while drying. The weight of the water could cause your hanging garment to stretch.

Baby Uh-Oh
Did your baby decide he wanted to show you what he ate for lunch? To remove the vomit stain, sponge with warm water containing a little ammonia. If extensive, dampen and sprinkle pepsin powder, leave half an hour, then rinse off.

Candle Wax
To remove candle wax from a garment or cloth, place multiple paper towels both above and below the stain. By applying a warm iron to the area, the wax will soften and transfer to the towel. Complete the removal process by washing with warm water.

Chewing Gum
Chewing gum on your new shirt isn't quite the sticky situation you imagine. Simply blot the gum with an ice cube. This will cause the gum to become stiff and brittle, allowing for easy removal. Complete the process with a rinse and launder.

Storing Knits - Hang Up the Hanger
You shouldn't hang knits for prolonged periods of time; however, if you feel you must hang your knit garments follow these tips. For tops, use a properly sized padded hanger. For skirts and slacks, do not use the hanging loops provided, they will distort the garment. Instead, use a soft, clip hanger and take extra care to position the garment so that it doesn't droop, sag or stretch which will lead to distortion. The best way to store your knits is to use tissue, gently fold them and store them flat.

Iron Stains
Having trouble removing coarse stains on your iron? If salt on a damp cloth doesn't work, try rubbing with a little toothpaste.

Jewels/Stones
Do you find your jewels and stones are falling out of the inexpensive (but oh-so-cute) piece of jewelry, belt, or even buttons you just bought? Next time, try lightly coating the stones with clear nail polish before wearing.

Linen
Linen is notorious for wrinkling; but whether you struggle to keep your linen looking pressed, or embrace the wrinkled look as your own, you still confront the age-old question - wash or dryclean?

Jackets, suits and dresses made of linen must be dry cleaned to keep their inner construction intact. Drycleaning also restores linen's crisp shape and finish.

For the same crispness on linen shorts and shirts, have them drycleaned; or wash them at home if you prefer a more relaxed look and feel. Always check the care label prior to washing. Mixes with other fibers can dictate the garment be drycleaned. Also avoid folding linen, and always iron it when it's damp.

Mildew
If you discover mildew on your clothes, do not throw them out. Instead, wash immediately and let dry in the sun. If the stain is still present or has a slight odor, add a small amount of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Nail Polish
Nail polish stains can be easily removed by applying nail polish remover to the back of the stain while laying the fabric on white absorbent towels, which should be replaced constantly. Once removal is complete, simply rinse and launder.

Holes in Oxfords
Tiny holes can appear at random on an oxford shirt due to the weaving process. These should not be confused with damage from bleach. Oxford consists of two, thin warp yarns to every soft, thicker yarn in the filling direction. The unbalanced construction causes the thin yarns to break, leaving tiny holes. While manufacturers could use a higher twist in the yarn to retard the development of holes, eventually any oxford weave will develop tiny pinholes.

Perfume
If perfume is spilled on your clothes, do not fret. First wet the area, then using equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water, gently sponge the affected area. If the alcohol in the perfume removed the color in the garment, add a few drops of wood alcohol and dab towards the middle of the stain. This will help distribute the color back into the area.

Pilling
Ever wonder what those little balls are on your winter fleece? Due to polar fleece's fabric construction, garments made from this material may "pill" during wear and handling. In order to minimize this effect, clean your fleece in a net bag on gentle cycle. A soft brush can also improve its appearance.

Drycleaners Plastic Covers for Short Term Use Only
Yes, you want to protect your stored clothes from airborne dust and particles, but NO, you do not want to use the plastic covers that drycleaners place over your garments. This plastic is strictly designed for short term, in transit protection! Long term use of these plastic covers will suffocate the garment, possibly causing staining, mildew or other mishaps. To protect your stored garments, remove the plastic and cut a hole in a clean, unbleached white sheet and place over your garments.

Raincoats and Water Repellency
Like everything else in life, rain resistant finishes get old, tired, and weak. Normal wear and tear, abrasion, spills from hot beverages and cleaning will affect these coatings and finishes so that they no longer perform their rain repelling function. Don't dismay, TipTop Cleaners can reapply a water resistant finish to your CLEAN raincoat. Ask about water repelling at the first sign your raincoat is losing its touch.

Business Shirts Life Expectancy
Determining how long a shirt should last is difficult due to the variances in frequency of wear. Industry experience shows that, on average, shirts have a two year wear expectancy. However, the number of launderings is a better measuring method. The average shirt should have a wear life of 35 to 50 washings. This will fluctuate depending on the amount of abrasion and strain placed on the shirt during wear, the fiber content, and the type of fabric.

Snow and Salt
When the snow starts to fall, we have got to thank heaven for salt. It keeps the sidewalks and driveways from icing up, and us from slipping and sliding.

Unfortunately, snow + salt = slush, and that can wreak havoc on your clothes!

When salt saturated snow and water (aka slush) splashes on your clothes, the salt can pull color, leave rings and permanently stain your winter garb. That is why it is so important to clean or launder your snow splattered clothes promptly! Protect your winter wardrobe and preserve it for use again next season by cleaning often during the sloppy cold season.

Spandex
Garment manufacturers often blend a small percentage of spandex to tops, suits, slacks and skirts. The blend offers a great, sleek look and gives you the ability to move with a little more ease.

Spandex is susceptible to abrasion and the fibers can snap and protrude through the fabric often looking like lint. To minimize this problem, avoid handbags with a shoulder strap, or wearing a light fitting belt that will create friction. In addition, stick to overcoats with smooth linings which will also minimize the harmful effects of abrasion.

Sun Damage to Drapes
While you may not think of sun damage as it impacts your home, the fact is sunlight takes its toil on your draperies. Here are a few tips to help prevent sun fading.

• Incorporate blinds or shades into your decorating scheme
• Fully close blinds or lower shades when the draperies are drawn for further protection
• Rotate your draperies that are exposed to direct sunlight with draperies that are either protected by walls or have a different exposure
• Lined draperies have a longer useful life than unlined draperies. The lining will succumb to the sun's effects before the face fabric. Often this lining can be replaced extending the life of your draperies.

Beware of Toothcare Products
If you are using tooth brightening dental pastes or treatments, use them before you dress in the morning or after you have changed when you get in at night.

Why? Because these new tooth whitening products are such effective bleaches that when they splatter on to your clothes they can remove the color! What you may see as a tiny white mark that you think will just brush off, is in fact, a colorless spot that is permanent.

Taking precautions to protect your garments from these products will preserve and protect your wardrobe from the harmful effects of.., would you believe it, toothpaste!

Wedding Dress
When shopping for your wedding dress, be sure to ask if both the dress and the trim are able to withstand the dry cleaning process. Cleaning your dress may be impossible if the trim is glued rather than sewn, or if the beads and pearls will dissolve in the dry cleaning solvent.

The Word on Wool
Wool is a wonderful fiber, resilient, long wearing and depending on the weave and weight, it is a natural insulator to keep you warm in winter and naturally breathable to keep you cool in summer.

However, you need to take care to avoid friction situations which can result in pilling. Avoid cinched belts, shoulder bags, crossing your knees so that they do not scrape the underside of a desk or table, and a poor fit that results in excessive rubbing when you walk or swing your arms.