RAVE FabriCARE'S True Quality Cleaning Blog

Do-it-yourself handbag cleaning: Exercise caution

If you’re going to clean your leather or leather trimmed handbag, purse, wallet or backpack at home with any type of “cleaning product”, we’d suggest that you proceed with caution.

Why?

Because there is an element of experimentation involved with using these cleaning products. The outcome is often a crap-shoot. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. You’ve got a 50:50 chance of getting it wrong and the consequent results can be disastrous.

In this blog post, we illustrate this point with a Tory Burch leather handbag that was cleaned at home with one such “cleaning product”. Then we show you the results that can be achieved with the application of the right skills, judgement, products and processes.

Cleaning and restoring garments: A Dairy-Saturated Suit Used in a Commercial

In 2012, Put This On, released a series of videos covering various aspects of men’s wear and styling. The series was sponsored by Lifeway Kefir, a cultured, probiotic dairy product available throughout the USA.

In a web commercial for the series, Jesse Thorn pours 3 bottles of Lifeway Kefir over his head, saturating a black pin stripe Dolce & Gabbana suit in the process. Jesse then sent the suit to RAVE FabriCARE for restoration to “like new”.

This blog post illustrates the results that can be achieved with the application of skill, judgement and process.

Enjoy the journey.

Cleaning and restoring sports memorabilia: Major League Baseball uniforms

Ron Davis is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 5 different teams from 1978 to 1988.

In 2011, Davis discovered that rats had eaten through his 30 year old equipment bag and had nested amongst the 3 MLB jackets in the bag.

This blog post focuses on the transformation of these heavily-stained jackets and 1 equipment bag.

Enjoy the game. Oops, I mean enjoy the transformation.

Don’t dry clean your handbag, purse, wallet or backpack. Ever.

High-end handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks should always be hand cleaned.

High-end handbags, purses, wallets and backpacks should never be dry cleaned in a dry cleaning machine, irrespective of the type of dry cleaning machine or the type of dry cleaning solvent used.

Now, there are some dry cleaners who will tell you that they have a “special” dry cleaning machine that uses a “special” dry cleaning solvent. And to reinforce their argument, they’ll tell you that they clean leather and suede garments in that machine and with that solvent all the time.

Don’t buy that line.

In this blog post, we provide you with an example of the disaster that awaits you.

Cleaning and restoring military memorabilia: Nimitz’s WW II uniform

Cleaning and restoring military memorabilia requires the application of skill, judgement and process.

In 2011, RAVE FabriCARE was entrusted to restore Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz’s white summer uniform to as close to original condition as possible. In the photo accompanying this blog post, Fleet Admiral Nimitz is wearing that summer uniform. In the photo, President Roosevelt and General McArthur are seated to his left.

This blog post demonstrates how the application of skill, judgement and process can transform the condition of a military uniform from poor to extraordinary.

Cleaning and restoring exhibition-quality garments for a museum

The Phoenix Art Museum houses one of the finest collections of American and European couture garments and accessories in the nation.

The museum’s 2007 exhibit, entitled “Autovotivated”, featured a new acquisition: a men’s two piece, off-white, wool and cotton blend suit from the early to mid 1930’s.

The suit required extensive restoration.

This blog post demonstrates the results that can be achieved with the application of the right blend of skills, judgement and restoration techniques to a museum-quality garment. Or any other vintage or heirloom piece, for that matter.