Fine Bed & Table Linens
Introducing French Laundry LinenCare for fine bed & table linens
Luxurious, distinctive European and American bed and table linens – antique, vintage, or modern – are costly and can be easily ruined. Accordingly, they require great care in cleaning and hand finishing — skills that the average dry cleaner is unlikely to possess.
At RAVE FabriCARE's French Laundry LinenCare division, we recognize that your fine bed and table linens deserve the same level of care we provide for your bespoke, made-to-measure, designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.
For almost 35 years, we have specialized in high thread count bed and table linens from Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and the USA.
By the likes of Anichini, Bonjour, Cotti Maryanne, DEA, Frette, Gish, Leron, Matouk, Peacock Alley, SDH/Legna, Sferra, Signoria, St Geneve, Schweitzer and Yves Delorme. Especially those with appliques, crocheting, cutwork, embroidery, hem stitching, lace inlay, quilting, scalloped edges and other unusual nuances.
Now residents of the USA, Canada and selected other countries who are looking for extraordinary care for fine bed and table linens no longer have to send their fine bed and table linens to your local “bang and hang” dry cleaner and laundry who typically subcontracts your fine linens a low cost third party.
With our Local Pickup and Delivery service, our Nationwide Clean By Mail service or our Worldwide Clean By Mail service, the art and science of caring for fine bed and table linens is, literally, right on your doorstep.
Old world techniques. New world technology.
RAVE FabriCARE has the old world techniques and new world technology necessary to gently restore your precious fabrics to their original beauty.
Using a combination of delicate dry cleaning, wet cleaning, hand washing, blocking and/or restoration techniques to remove anything from perspiration, body oils, bodily secretions and lotions, creams and cosmetics on bed linens to food fats, beverage spills, wine spills and candle wax on table linens.
Even old, oxidized yellow stains (in most cases). And discoloration caused by age or improper storage (in most cases).
What’s more, we do all this with obsessive attention to detail and a commitment to delivering best of class bed and table linen care. And we do this without brushing, bleaching, boiling and baking the life out of your investment linens.
At RAVE FabriCARE, our modern fabricare facility and specialized equipment are truly state-of-the-art.
Of course, best of class linen care cannot be delivered by facilities and equipment alone.
That’s why we operate the most labor intensive french laundry in the country with skilled artisans at every step of the linen care process.
Our labor- and time-intensive approach to caring for your fine bed and table linens is just one reason why our french laundry service is unmatched by any dry cleaner or laundry in Arizona and by few in the USA.
We are green
What’s more, our french laundry service is completely green.
All dry cleaning fluids and detergents and all wet cleaning detergents used in our dry cleaning and wet cleaning operations are environmentally benign or biodegradable.
By the way, there are technical reasons why we refrain from using the blatantly fraudulent term “organic” — a term that amounts to nothing more than green washing when used by the dry cleaners and laundries.
Don’t settle for average or subcontracted work
Truth be told, any ordinary cleaner can “clean and press” bed and table linens. In a few hours.
But there’s much more to crafting extraordinary linens than jamming them in a washer, injecting hot water and harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents, and running them through Mangle ironers like bathroom tissue through a Charmin factory.
Or, even worse, farming out your fine linens to some unknown, wholesale laundry that processes linens in bulk for Motel 6, Best Western and Sheraton.
This is the factory approach to cheap, fabric destroying linen laundry.
We’re different. Very different.
Examine and assess
We start by examining each item for soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains. And assessing the item’s age, fabric content, construction and condition including damage or defects.
Soak to remove oil-based stains
After pre-spotting, we soak your fine linens in our dermatologically-friendly, fabric gentle dry cleaning fluid. This is the only way to safely and gently dissolve oil-based stains – such as body oils, creams and lotions, and other grease deposits – without scrubbing your fine linens with nylon brushes.
This is also the only way to ensure that, when your fine linens are finally hand ironed, those body oils and grease deposits don’t transform or oxidize through heat into difficult-to-remove yellow stains.
And the dry clean fluid we use?
The same type of fluid – siloxane – that we use for dry clean only bespoke, made-to-measure, designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments.
Fact is, our dry clean fluid is so gentle it’s used as a base ingredient in many personal care products you drip into your eyes and apply to your skin on a daily basis. Such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants and moisturizing creams.
So gentle you can wash your face and hands in it.
Soak to remove soil and water-based stains
Next, we soak your fine linens in water-based solutions to relax the fibers. And release soil and water-based stains. For a minimum of 8 to12 hours.
Why is soaking critical to the care of high thread count linens?
Because soaking reduces the wear and tear on these heirloom textiles that would result from the use of conventional washing techniques (aka the scrubbing/hot water/industrial detergent/bleach method).
Here’s some background…
The tightness of the weave and the thickness of the fibers in high thread count linens requires an increase in the time it takes for the water and detergents to penetrate the fibers and release the soils and water-based stains.
In addition, the sensitivity of high thread count linens to bleaches and high temperatures requires the elimination of all bleaches and a lowering of wash temperatures.
Unfortunately, the removal of soil, oil-based stains and water-based stains using conventional commercial washing techniques requires an extended wash cycle, coupled with the use of aggressive detergents, bleaches and hot water.
All no no’s, in our opinion.
And the net result of these conventional washing techniques? An acceleration in the wear and tear on your fine bed and table linens.
Now you know why soaking is critical.
Launder. Very gently. And very briefly.
After soaking, we gently launder your fine linens – very briefly – in specialized, computer-controlled wet cleaning machines, where microprocessors control water temperature, cylinder speeds, mechanical action and moisture removal to exacting specifications.
What’s more…
- We launder your fine linens in pre-softened water only.
- Our water temperature is cold or warm. Never hot.
- We only use gentle enzyme detergents from Sanitone®, the premier manufacturer of fine dry cleaning and wet cleaning detergents in the USA.
- Our Sanitone enzyme detergent is pH balanced. Because it’s free of alkaline detergent residues, your fine linens will have a pH close to that of human skin. This makes them hypoallergenic.
- RAVE FabriCARE has been a Sanitone licensee for almost 35 years.
- Fragrance free. So it’s suitable for the chemically sensitive.
- Phosphate free. So it’s biodegradable.
- We never use brighteners or bleaching agents such as chlorine or peroxide in our wash cycle. Brighteners and bleaching agents fade colors and weaken fibers.
- We never use fabric softeners.
- We never overload our wet clean machines. This reduces the possibility of abrasion which can damage the fibers of fine linens.
- We never launder your fine linens together with other items to be wet cleaned. Zippers, metal buttons and other rough surfaces can damage fibers and cause pilling.
- We never mix polyesters with cottons and linens. Polyesters pill easily and can shed its pilling on natural fibers such as cottons and linens, which, in turn, can diminish the smoothness and softness of your fabrics.
Rinse
We rinse your fine linens multiple times in cold water to ensure that they’re free from any possible irritating chemical residues.
Iron to perfection
Finally, we iron your fine linens to perfection, paying particular attention to appliques, crocheting, cutwork, embroidery, hem stitching, lace inlay, quilting, scalloped edges and other unusual features.
Please note:
- Unlike ordinary cleaners and wash/press/fold services, we’d never use industrial roller presses. And we’d never subcontract your fine bed and table linens to unknown, industrial laundries.
- We press your fine bed and table linens using large, modified drapery presses for a smooth finish. Then we hand iron the delicate areas such as appliques, crocheting, cutwork, embroidery, hem stitching, lace inlay, quilting and scalloped edges.
Starch. Or no starch?
As a matter of routine, we never starch any of your fine bed and table linens. Ever.
There are many reasons not to starch:
- Texture (even the finest wheat starch can irritate the skin)
- Color (starch can yellow fabrics that are stored for an extended period of time)
- Storage (natural corn and wheat starch is a nutrient for moth larvae when they hatch).
Another reason is that many bed and table linens are pressed when slightly damp. This ensures a smooth, slightly crisp feel to the fabric reminiscent of a “very light starch” look and feel.
On the other hand, if you insist, we’ll be happy to accommodate your request for very light starch.
Were you to ask for medium or heavy starch, we'd have to politely decline to service your fine linens -- all in the interest of protecting your investment in your fine linens..
Block or reshape to size
Matelasse coverlets and lace tablecloths often require a wet cleaning as part of the restoration and cleaning process. These items can shrink up to 10 percent when wet cleaned.
At RAVE FabriCARE, we measure every coverlet and lace tablecloth prior to any work being performed. After cleaning, we block (or reshape) them to those original measurements.
This brings us to another point: one way to assess a french laundry’s technical capabilities is to call and ask them if they have the skills and specialized equipment necessary to whiten and/or block a matelasse coverlet that has yellowed and/or shrunk due to improper cleaning.
Ask the question.
Then assess their response.
Packaged to perfection
Bed linens can be returned hung lengthwise on 18″ tube hangers. Or hand folded on an acid-free board (with a minimum of folds).
Table linens can be returned hung lengthwise on 18″ tube hangers. Or hand folded on an acid-free board (with a minimum of folds). Or rolled on a reusable, acid-free roller for a creaseless presentation (there is an additional charge for these archival, acid-free rollers).
Table napkins, placemats and coasters can be returned flat on an acid-free board (with no folds). Or hand folded over a small tube hanger (with a maximum of one fold). By returning your table napkins flat on an acid-free board, this allows you to create your own designer folds when setting your table.
When packaging your linens we only use white acid-free tissue, acid-free board, tube hangers covered with white acid-free tissue, and white acid-free rollers. All these packaging products are designed to prevent your linens from yellowing or browning over the short or long term.
Compare our process to that offered by anyone
Curious about how our french laundry compares to others?
That’s difficult to assess.
If you were to conduct an internet search, you’ll find that very dry cleaners or laundries provide accurate, written information that would allow you to make such an informed assessment. And even if you were to call for information, they’ll often cite “trade secrets” as an excuse for their short, cryptic answers.
The best alternative is to assess how our process compares to the process recommended by high-end bed and table linen manufacturers.
Almost all manufacturers of high-end bed and table linens have a section of their websites dedicated to caring for their fine bed and table linens. For example, consider the care instructions offered by Anichini and Sferra Bros.
Pricing
Our Nationwide Clean By Mail and Worldwide Clean By Mail prices are identical to the prices you would pay if you were a local in-store client or a local pickup and delivery client.
Unlike ordinary cleaners, we do not add a 3% to 6% “environmental surcharge” to each service order (these surcharges nothing more than a sham device intended to extract additional revenue).
There is no sales tax on dry cleaning and related services in Arizona.
For more information about pricing, please click here.
Trusted Nationwide. Trusted Worldwide.
Sleeping on freshly laundered, perfectly hand finished bed linens is one of life’s little luxuries… the ultimate bedtime indulgence.
Dining on table linens that have been cleaned and hand finished to perfection is a must for any table setting — casual or formal.
In this age of highly automated, low priced, high volume, fast turnaround, sub-contracted “cleaning and pressing” services for bed and table linens, our approach to caring for your fine bed and table linens might seem a little old fashioned.
But that’s ok with us. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Whether you live in the metro Phoenix area, or anywhere else in the USA, Canada or selected other countries, you can trust RAVE FabriCARE to keep your fine bed and table linens looking and feeling their best for years to come.
Rest assured.
