TheCleaners.net

"You can't keep 'em down on the farm!"  That used to be the lament of the older generation when their offspring discovered cars... and cities... and then planes.  It's more true today than ever before.  Though you will occasionally encounter someone who has never flown, it's usually enough to drop your jaw.

So, since we're all on the go, we're all lugging clothes with us all over the world.  We're spilling pasta sauce on a lapel in Rome, beer on a lap in Hamburg, saffron curry on a shirt front in Delhi.  And it all adds up to one big mess to be cleaned out of your suitcase when you get home, doesn't it?

Today we're offering tips to make your journey more carefree where your clothes are concerned -- so bon voyage, and send us a post card!

I'm off to New York City on Thursday - see you at DIA or perhaps the security check-point!

Jim Nixon
The Cleaners
www.thecleaners.net

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It was a great trip, wasn't it?  And now you've opened the suit case and boy, do you need to dump a lot of dirty clothes SOMEWHERE.  Relax, we're here to help out!  Just bring us your tired, your wrinkled, your over-folded yearning to breathe free....  and we'll clean them for HALF PRICE. 
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(Include a copy of the first page of this e-mail with your order.  Offer expires July 29, 2004 and cannot be combined with other offers.)

It ain't your grandmother's travel anymore!

Let's face it, traveling is different than it was 5 years ago.  There are lines for the check-in desk, lines for security, sometimes lines to get in lines!  There's also no such thing as privacy any more.

It used to be that you could go on your trip, wad up all the dirty clothes in your suitcase for the return trip, and deal with it all when you got home.  Now days, however, you may be blushing when the security screener has to lift aside your clothes-hamper-ready stuff to do a thorough check of your bag.

Travel Smart

They add new items to the "banned" list every day and restrict what you can carry on to a plane as never before.  Here are a few tips for having a trouble-free security experience:

• Go through everything at home, before you pack.  If it's sharp, it probably isn't going to get on the plane with you in your carry-on -- and that includes tiny little sewing set scissors, finger nail clippers, metal nail files, pocket knives, or anything similar.
• Don't forget at your key chain.  If you're like most people, you handle your keys so much you don't even realize what you've got on the ring any more.  If you've got a little utility knife or other sharp instrument there, it will be confiscated.  Leave it home.
• If you MUST carry something like scissors, stow them safely in your checked luggage.
• Plan ahead!  If you don't like the screeners looking through your garments (especially with other people looking on) then invest in some of the plastic vacuum bags (the kind you roll to squeeze the air out of are most practical) and put your things in them.  Not only will this help you fit everything in the bag, but the screener can x-ray the whole packet and see that it's OK.  Keeps the dirty laundry in its place, too.
• Mark your bags in a distinctive way -- especially if you're one of the half a billion people who have BLACK luggage with wheels on it!  Use bright tape, tie a scarf on the handle, or put stickers on the bag so that you can easily identify it.
• Call your airline for any last-minute rules.  All the airlines have recorded messages that will help you weed out anything that will cause a problem when you go through security.

The Rumpled Look is Out

Don't let anyone fool you -- looking tidy and pressed is back.  The "casual" look really didn't last as long as some wished it would because that soft-around-the-edges appearance detracted from overall presentation.

All hotel rooms come with an iron and an ironing board, though, right?  So you'll be fine.  Maybe not!  If you've been overseas, you've encountered "pants pressing units" in the rooms, but nary an iron to be found.  Some of these units require you to put the garment into the press and leave it all night!  And they're pretty useless when it comes to a collar that just won't lay flat, a sleeve that got twisted in your bag, or a gament with any kind of fancy trim that needs pressing.  Many upscale US hotels are following the European equipment trend, to the dismay of travelers who expect to be able to iron out any wrinkles before they give that big speech.

Forewarned is Forearmed

That old saying goes double today.  You know where you're heading before you step out the door, so do a little research.  If you book your tickets on one of the travel portals like Travelocity, Orbits, or PriceLine, you should be able to click on information about the hotel's amenities.  This will tell you whether the room has hair driers, offers complimentary toiletries, has an iron and ironing board in every room, etc.  Double check it with the hotel's own website, just to be sure the information is current.  If you book using a travel agent, ask him or her for full amenties at each location, or call the hotel and ask yourself.

Garment Care Tips for on the Road

• To minimize luggage, coordinate your colors as you pack, with plenty of interchangeable pieces to make multiple outfits.  Always take one more outfit than you think you'll need.
• Using the vacuum bags actually gets your garments there in pretty good shape with minimal wrinkles, if you take time to put garments in carefully before squeezing out the air.
• If you'll be gone longer than a few days, consider getting your clothes cleaned through your hotel.  They'll pack better when clean, and be ready to hang up instead of giving you one more chore to do when you get home.
• If you have pets, toss in a lint roller or two when you pack.  It's amazing how persistently Fluffy tags along on your garments!
• If you spill on a garment while traveling, resist the temptation to try to get it out with some shampoo or hand soap or other things you have within reach.  Either have it professionally cleaned there or bring it home and let us do it.  Ruining a garment can turn a fun trip into an expensive one.
• When you return from your trip, bag your garments and put them at the door so that you'll remember to drop them off promptly.  Time is your enemy when dealing with soiled garments and stains.  The sooner we get them, the sooner you have them back to enjoy and remind you of the good time you had on your trip while wearing them.