Dry cleaning is the name for a process that cleans clothes and other items using an organic solvent rather than detergent and water. The compound that is generally used is called perchloethylene. Dry cleaning is necessary for any fabric that would be damaged by using water and detergent. You may also wish to use a dry cleaner if you have a stain on your clothes that you don’t know how to get out. Dry cleaners are expert in the care of clothes and they should know how to get out difficult stains. As well as cleaning clothes, dry cleaners can offer a number of other services such as carpet and rug cleaning, fabric restorations, repairs and alterations and duvet cleaning.

It should be noted that although some fabrics such as suede and leather or sequin and beaded materials are best dry cleaned, others are best washed at home. Silk clothes may either need to be dry cleaned or washed carefully at home; it depends on the dye, the finish and the garment style. Knitted clothes are not suitable for dry cleaning as they may stretch when they are exposed to the steam that the dry cleaner uses. Always check the labels inside your clothes to see what the manufacturer recommends.

When choosing a dry cleaner it is important to get one who is skilled in the care of clothes, as well as one that is convenient. If, for example, they are unable to explain to you the difference between pressing silk and linen versus wool then you should not entrust your garments to them. If you have stains on your clothes that you want removed, you should discuss this with the dry cleaner. Dry cleaning is a very effective form of cleaning, but it may not be possible to completely remove all stains.

Laundries may be establishments where you can take your clothes to wash them in the machines provided or companies who offer laundry services to domestic and commercial customers. Domestic laundry services will include washing bed and table linen, shirts, towels and duvets as well as stiff shirts, collars and waistcoats. Many of the laundry companies offer both a dry cleaning and a laundry service, and they may also cover items such as curtains and furniture covers. Items for cleaning are either collected by delivery van or sent via the post.

A car is a major investment and should be looked after. This includes not only the engine of the car, but also the bodywork and the interior. If you are trying to sell your car then a clean car makes a good impression on a buyer. It may be worth using a professional car valeting service. If you don’t have the time to take your car to a garage there are mobile valeting services that will come to you.

Car valeting companies offer a range of services from exterior valets to cleaning the engine. You can tailor the service to your requirements. Some examples of the types of valeting service on offer are:

Wash and Leather – the bodywork is washed using wash and wax shampoo. The wheels, mud flaps and rubber dress tyres are cleaned. Tar spots, traffic film and bugs are removed.

Exterior Valet – the bodywork is washed and waxed and all the exterior vinyl surfaces are cleaned and treated with a vinyl dressing. The wheels, mud flags and rubber dress tyres are cleaned. Tar spots, traffic film and bugs are removed.

Mini Valet – the bodywork, wheels, tyres, mud flaps and rubber dress tyres are cleaned. The interior upholstery and carpets are vacuumed. The windows are polished on the inside and the outside. Rubbish is removed and the ashtrays emptied. The dashboard and door trims are cleaned with a vinyl dressing. Sometimes a wax is also included or it may be an additional option.

Interior Valet – all carpets are vacuumed and shampooed including the boot. The seats are either shampooed or, if they are leather, are cleaned using a leather seat cleaner. All the door panels and the dashboard are cleaned as well as the sun visors, dashboard, mirrors and door trims. The windows are polished inside and outside. Floor mats are also vacuumed and shampooed. The air vents are cleaned.

Full Valet – this service covers all the items in the exterior and interior valet.

Engine Cleaning – the engine and its housing are pressure washed, dried and the hoses and rubbers are treated with engine lacquer.

Leather Seat Treatment – leather seats are treated with a liquid leather treatment to restore them, soften them and protect them.

The services may be called something different by each company, but they will generally include the same treatments. Some companies will offer additional services such as paint protection, paint restoration, soft top restoration and de-odorising.

There are many cleaning services available on the market and which one you choose will depend on whether you want cleaners for a domestic or commercial setting, and what you actually want cleaned.

Cleaners may be employed directly by the person whose home is being cleaned or they can be employed by a company to clean offices, factories, shops, flats or public buildings. If you want to employ a cleaner to clean your home you can advertise in local papers or local shops, look on websites, or put an advert in your local job centre. There are also companies that specialise in supplying domestic cleaners. If you are employing the cleaner directly then you must make sure to clearly set out what you will expect the cleaner to do and how much you are prepared to pay. Cleaners provided by companies are more likely to have been trained and they will be insured.

Commercial cleaning service refers to the cleaning of commercial properties such as offices or the communal areas of blocks of flats. The owner of a building or an employer is responsible for ensuring that the property provides a clean and healthy environment for their employees and customers. There are many companies that offer commercial cleaning services.

Contract cleaning refers simply to the cleaning of a building done under a contract. Usually these will be commercial buildings. The contract is between the cleaning company who supplies the cleaners and the owner or occupier of the property. The buildings being cleaned can range from NHS hospitals to small factories, from laboratories to schools.

Domestic cleaning refers to the cleaning of residential homes. Domestic cleaners may work independently or they may work for an agency or a company. Domestic cleaning companies will offer a variety of services including carpet cleaning, soft furnishings cleaning, kitchen and bathroom cleaning, internal window cleaning, ironing and handy man services. They will also offer one-off cleans and full or part cleans depending on what the customer requires.

Window cleaning is a specialist form of cleaning. Window cleaners can work independently or they may work for a company. Usually window cleaners are employed to clean the outside windows of offices, shops or blocks of flats. If the job involves multi-storey buildings then the cleaner will require special equipment to allow them to scale the side of the building.

Cleaning supplies refers to the items used in cleaning. These can range from basic items such as floor polish and dusters to more advanced products used in special cleaning tasks such as steam cleaning carpets or stain removal. Cleaning supply companies provide cleaning products and equipment for commercial cleaning companies and they may also sell directly to the public. They will also provide special equipment used by commercial cleaning companies. If you have a large one-off cleaning job you can hire industrial cleaning equipment, which is cheaper than buying it.