Don't Get Taken To The Cleaners

(Each week Bargain Hound sniffs around for values in and around San Leandro. Check out some of the hound's other discoveries by clicking here.)

Some things we just take for granted, like the cost of dry cleaning and basic alterations. Unfortunately it's hard to go to the cleaners without getting fleeced.

Here's what happened when I made a few phone calls.

I asked each shop what they charged to dry clean a basic dress, a two-piece man's suit, and a double blanket. In addition I asked about the cost to hem a basic dress and shorten a pair of men's pants.

Here's a little something to chew on -- even cleaners just around the corner from each other had very different prices.

You have to decide what price to put on loyalty and convenience.

Bancroft Cleaners charges $14.95 to clean a dress; men's pants are $11.50, and a basic double blanket is $28.00. Hemming that dress runs $18.00 plus, and shortening a pair of men's pants will cost you $13.00
Bancroft Cleaners
625 Bancroft
569-3895

Sunshine Cleaners, not far away, only charges $9.00 to clean a basic dress or man's suit, and $20.00 for the blanket. But it is $20.00 to hem your dress, or $12.00 for men's pants.
Sunshine Cleaners
223 E 14th St
562-2071

Russell Heath Cleaners charges $10.50 for the dress or men's suit, and $18.50 for the blanket. Their alterations prices are terrific: the dress is $10.00 and the pants $12.00
Russell Heath
1056 E. 14th
632-6580

For a real dry cleaning value step across the border to Dollar Cleaners in San Lorenzo. Cleaning that dress is only $3.75, the pants $6.18.  But the blanket is back up to $20.00 plus. And hemming a dress is not as big a bargain since they charge $20.00. But the pants are still a very reasonable $8.99.

Dollar Cleaners                                                                                                                                            15576 Hesperian, San Lorenzo (near Lewelling)                                               481-1888

There are a lot of dry cleaners in town but nothing, nada, zero, zilch, is consistent in this business. So figure out how much running around you want to do. But it may pay to call around.

If you want to skip the dry cleaners completely, and your things don't need to be pressed or spot cleaned, you may want to check out Woolite dryer sheets.

For a fraction the price of dry cleaning you can throw them in the dryer and be done a half hour later.

Anyone have any experience, positive or negative in this regard? Leave a comment.

For the other stuff, try dialing for dollars.

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