# WTF, dry cleaners?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 29, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293 "2010-11-29T17:11:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/1 "2010-11-29T17:11:46Z")
We had a cold snap and then a long warm snap, so now is really the first time this fall I’ve hauled out winter work clothes, some of which I had dry cleaned at the end of last winter and haven’t worn since.
WTF, dudes? I have this gorgeous royal blue silk sweater I was looking forward to wearing today. Strike that - _am wearing._ And just now, when reaching over my head to put some newspapers up, I smelled… something whiffy. Well, what else is new - I work in a public library, you know?
No! It’s me! I have _one smelly armpit!_ Which is not, you know, _today’s_ smelly armpit. The dry cleaners gave me back my sweater with a smell! They did not remove the smell! That is the only reason I take my stuff to the dry cleaners - it’s not like I drip mustard on it, I want them to de-humanize my clothes!
And since it was months ago I can’t really call them up and yell at them, you know? And there’s nothing I can do! I’ll have to spend the rest of the day with my right arm clamped down at my side so nobody knows I have one smelly armpit!
Please make me feel better about telling me about the times your dry cleaner has left you in the lurch? Please? (And also if you know how to deodorize a silk sweater with common office supplies, that would help.)
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### Author:  [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/2 "2010-11-29T17:17:07Z")
Can’t do this right now, of course, but fold it loosely into a paper bag and put it in the freezer for a few days. That should diminish the smell. I saved a winter coat that way.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/3 "2010-11-29T17:18:54Z")
Somehow it’s grosser knowing that these are _mature_ bacteria, hanging out getting fat on _last year’s sweat._ Nasty!
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/4 "2010-11-29T18:44:30Z")
Anything wrong with using Febreze?
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### Author:  [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/5 "2010-11-29T18:48:27Z")
Dryel should work easily and cheaply to get the smell out. Can’t tell ya anything but to change drycleaners. My family’s first drycleaner lost something like a dozen of my dad’s shirts. Offered him…$100. Needless to say my mom took them to small claims and won.
I had a drycleaner that reeked of cigarette smoke and overcharged from what the listed prices were.
Boyfriend got won the consignment find lottery with a Burberry trench (retail $1500). So we took it to the “fancy” dry cleaner - who charged $25 and _broke a goddamn button_. Didn’t offer to replace it, and just stood there while we both looked at the freaking broken button.
**Me** : Are you…going to say something about it?
**Them** : What?
**Me** : The…broken button!?
**Them** : _points to sign_ We’re not liable for broken buttons.
**Me** : WTF?
**Them** : We can repair it…
**Me** : No charge, right?
**Them** : Oh we’ll charge what we would for…
**Me** : You will regret this.
Whatever. They have a horrible detailed review left for them on every review site known to man. Not good, consider they only have 5 reviews to begin with.
You should be thrilled you didn’t get moths from the uncleaned armpit. Me, I had moths ☹
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/6 "2010-11-29T18:53:32Z")
Oh, god, y’all, it’s getting worse since I started sweating a tiny bit from shelving. Now I have a tissue stuck in my armpit. Please don’t come to the library today.
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### Author:  [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/7 "2010-11-29T19:02:49Z")
Hey, take heart! I worked in the library last year. You can’t _possibly_ smell worse than the patrons 😉
Seriously, don’t worry about it. Unless you’re at the gym and you shower regularly, the only person who can smell you is your SO, because he’s the only one who gets close enough.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/8 "2010-11-29T19:08:46Z")
Hmm, office supplies to mask a smell - do you have a royal blue jiffy marker? You could mark up your sweater’s armpit and it might smell like delicious jiffy marker. 🙂 Mmmm, jiffy marker. Heck, forget about marking up your sweater - just sniff the marker until you don’t care about your smelly armpit.
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### Author:  [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-dry-cleaners/562293/9 "2010-11-29T19:23:13Z")
> [@tdn](#):
>
> Anything wrong with using Febreze?
> [@lindsaybluth](#):
>
> Dryel should work easily and cheaply to get the smell out.
I’d be cautious about chemicals b/c of how picky silk can be when it comes to the color-fastness of dyes.
As for the right now smell - a smidge of talcum powder in your armpit will lessen it. Just a smidge though, you don’t want BO-scented paste mushed into the silk.