Clothes Care Gazette

December, 2004                                                                                                                Volume 1, Number 4

In This Issue

·    Unique Gifts:Ideas for All Seasons

·    Feature – Focus on Holiday Stains

·    Ask the Experts

·    Next Month Preview

·    And before I close...

             Happy Holidays!!

Now You Know…

   Need a last minute holiday gift? Why not a Reehorst Cleaners Gift Certificate. It is available in any denomination and can be used on any of our services. Gift Certificates may be purchased at any of our 4 convenient locations, or from your Route Driver.
 

Category of Links:

Stain Removal Tips

Better Homes and Garden Tips

Rug Doctor Stain Chart

Information about removing stains from carpets

Fabric Care

International Fabricare Institute 

Now You Know...

Holiday Shopping Tip

   Keep a watch out for people standing near you in the checkout line at retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. who have a camera cell phone in hand.  With the camera cell phones, they can take a picture of your credit card, which gives them your name, number, and expiration date.  CBS reported this type of identification theft is one of the fastest growing scams today.  Be aware of your surroundings.

Reehorst Cleaners

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27303 Center Ridge Rd

Westlake,  OH  44145

Phone:

(440) 871-6444

Fax:

(440) 871-5129

Contact Us
  E-mail: editor@Reehorstcleaners.com

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http://www.reehorstcleaners.com

We have four convenient locations:

     19441 Detroit Rd
     Rocky River
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     27105 Knickerbocker
     Bay Village               (Drive Thru)
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     27303 Center Ridge Rd
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Unique Gifts: Ideas for All Seasons

 by: Darlene Arechederra

'We Make a Living by What we Do,
But We Make a Life by What We Give.'
-- Winston Churchill

There's an alternative to buying gifts that sit on a shelf waiting for the next garage sale. For something completely unique, why not consider gifts that 'keep on giving' for your friends, co-workers or loved ones?

The Animal Lover
    Why not give a gift in the name of your favorite animal lover? Visit Heifer Projects International, http://catalog.heifer.org for more ideas and information.
    Animal shelters always need extra help. Ask your local shelter what its needs are. Donate the items, or have a bake sale, garage sale or other fundraiser to provide for the need.

The Crafter
    Why not give your crafter some craft supplies or gift certificates to a favorite craft store? The crafter can in turn create gifts to give away, or perhaps sell them for some extra bits of money.

The Gardener
    Know someone who loves to garden? Buy the seeds or plants (vegetable, flower, fruit, etc.) and tools that make it easier for them to garden. If they have a good year, they'll be able to share the abundance with family, neighbors and friends.
    Does your gardener like to 'can' or freeze their produce? How about providing them with canning jars, lids and other supplies.

Military/Soldiers
    Donate your unused frequent flyer miles. Help pay for soldiers who arrive in the states for a 2-week leave or emergency leave. These soldiers are brought into the US, but then have to purchase last-minute tickets at higher prices to travel the rest of the way back home to their families. Find more info at http://www.HeroMiles.org
    Send a care package to the troops. For ideas of what 'not' to send this year, follow this link: http://www.army.mil/operations/oif/FAQ.html
    For care package ideas, there are 2 downloadable and printable pages of ideas here. See top of page at this link: http://www.asa.themilitary.net
    Send Phone Cards for the soldiers, enabling them to call home. You can give them about 100 minutes for only $20. More info can be found at http://www.uso.org

For Children -- a Gift for the Future
     A $50 bond purchased today could be worth $100 in 20 years. For more info about other funds and ideas about growing kids' money over time, pop into this site: http://www.child.com/moms_dads/family_finance/gift_fund.jsp

The Parent/Grandparent/Senior
    A roll of Postage Stamps can last a long, long time. This is a great gift, especially for the elderly or those living on a limited income.
    Give a year's worth of TV Guide. Your kindness through this gift will never be forgotten. Many, especially those in nursing homes, cannot afford even a weekly newspaper.

For Those in Need
    Giving to your local food pantry helps those in need. Most pantries are reporting their donations have been down, so they'll need some extra help to replenish their shelves.
    Purchase groceries for a needy family. Help them plant a garden in the Spring. If they have no gardening area, consider sharing yours.
    A small donation can feed many people at your local Salvation Army Soup Kitchen.
    Look into Legitimate Charities. This site offers an alphabetical list of National Charities: http://www.Give.org/reports/index.asp

For Just About Everyone
    Find exactly the right gift at http://www.Surprise.com. Categories range from the Caffeine Fiend, to the Chocoholic to the Empty Nester. There are also ideas for particular occasions and personalities.
    Simple, targeted gifts mean more to the recipient -- and provide an inexpensive way for you to show your appreciation. Be different! Give a gift that keeps on giving -- and truly make a difference this year!

     'Tis the season to be messy.  It is always best to wash stained items or bring them to us, your professional cleaner, as soon as possible.  If your table linens are colored or have colored embroidery, check for colorfastness before using the various stain removal products.  Anytime a stain is not washed out before drying, it can become more difficult to remove. If eggnog gets spilled on your washable tablecloth, first blot the stain with cold water and a mild detergent.  Rinse.  If the stain remains, take a small amount of powder detergent and mix with about one ounce of regular household ammonia (the non-sudsing type) to form a paste and apply to the stained area.  Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then launder as usual. 
     Candle wax on the tablecloth?  After the wax has cooled, gently lift off the larger pieces (sometimes an ice cube will help). Treat with a solvent-based stain removal product.  Wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric.

Q. My metallic gold blouse turned silver when I got it back from cleaning.  What happened, and what can I do?

A.  Many high fashion garments or holiday outfits have gold or silver metallic surface coatings.  When these finishes are adversely affected by circumstances of wear and/or cleaning solutions,  they are removed, exposing the dark, base fabric.  Metallic finishes and designs are applied to the base fabric by using chemical bonding agents, which can be affected by conditions of normal wear, and/or acceptable cleaning.  Perspiration, food and beverage spills, or simple wear abrasion can also cause these delicate garments to lose their color.
     When metallic finishes fail on relatively new items from normally expected condition of use and proper care, the manufacturer should be held responsible.  The only way this could have been prevented is if the manufacturer had used more durable component materials and better methods of formulation during the original construction of the fabric.  Neither the consumer nor the cleaner can prevent this damage from occurring on poorly formulated fashions.

(If you have a question for our experts, just email us at editor@reehorstcleaners.com)

New clothes, losing weight, expanding waistline - all can lead to the need for alterations.  We'll cover our alterations service, maybe another recipe, and whatever else I come up with.
 

Here's a recipe that I've been serving my family for quite a few years (and it can be started the night before serving):

Holiday Sunrise Breakfast

 
   Combine sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon cinnamon on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Add apples and cranberries/raisins/cherries (optional). Toss to coat. Spread apples evenly.  Put bread on top.
   Mix up the eggs, vanilla and milk.  Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Pour over bread. Cover and put in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours.
  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 5 minutes.  Serve warm and enjoy!  Makes about 12 servings

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