Launderette ruined our clothes

Flippyfloppy

Hi all.

Dropped in two big bags of laundry to a dry cleaners the other day. There was some woolens in the bag.

My OH collected & put everything away on Saturday, now I'm discovering that some of the fabrics are either shrunk or all stretched and thinned out. They're all new clothes, so far totalling 100 euro.

I was meant to be bringing these clothes to a different dry cleaners who said they would seperate my clothes for me but at last minute I changed to this cleaners, and I assumed with it bring two big bags that they would wash everything correctly as obviously they would all have seperate requirements.

Has anyone any experience in this area? Will they say they just throw what they're given into the wash as is?

OH said loads of stuff was wet as well, annoying because the reason we gave it to them is because our dryer is broke.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Was this for laundering or dry cleaning?

Flippyfloppy

Priscilla Shallow Gateway wrote: »

Was this for laundering or dry cleaning?

Just for laundering

SpaceTime

If they washed your woollens with normal washing powder / liquid, that's exactly what will happen as the enzymes that digest the stains also digest wool and silk and cause it to shrink and become weird.

Flippyfloppy

SpaceTime wrote: »

If they washed your woollens with normal washing powder / liquid, that's exactly what will happen as the enzymes that digest the stains also digest wool and silk and cause it to shrink and become weird.

So shouldn't they have washed them separately with something else? I left them all in a pile at the top of one of the bags, there was silk in there too, also ruined.

whomitconcerns

So you have dry clean clothes to a launderette to clean and it's their fault? They probably just assumed you wanted to save some money.

Flippyfloppy

whomitconcerns wrote: »

So you have dry clean clothes to a launderette to clean and it's their fault? They probably just assumed you wanted to save some money.

Well being 100 euro out of pocket doesn't save me money, plus they're not dry clean clothes, they're woolen. I wash them all the time at home, our machine broke so I had to give them in.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

For laundering you should have separated the clothes. What about coloureds versus whites, dry clean only items etc? You seem to have just left a bag and said "wash these please".

runawaybishop

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

So shouldn't they have washed them separately with something else? I left them all in a pile at the top of one of the bags, there was silk in there too, also ruined.

No, not unless they told you they would. This is on you.

SpaceTime

They don't generally sort anything they just throw the whole lot into a washing machine and turn it on.
Dry cleaners do sort everything and charge a HUGE amount more.

Also, with dry cleaning you're generally handing in items like suits, jackets and not used socks and underpants.

I wouldn't really expect someone to sort my general laundry to be honest.

But, I'd probably expect them to notice woollen items too as that's kinda what they do as a job.

Galadriel

Yep, in our laundrette it's up to you to sort the clothes out before handing them over, they just stick them in a machine and wash them, they couldn't possible go through each item and separate it into different washes.

SpaceTime

I handed laundry in in Spain once and they tagged every sock and pair of underpants.

It cost me about €58 !!

In general though, I think 'service wash' just means they basically put the powder in in most contexts.

Flippyfloppy

SpaceTime wrote: »

They don't generally sort anything they just throw the whole lot into a washing machine and turn it on.
Dry cleaners do sort everything and charge a HUGE amount more.

Also, with dry cleaning you're generally handing in items like suits, jackets and not used socks and underpants.

I wouldn't really expect someone to sort my general laundry to be honest.

But, I'd probably expect them to notice woollen items too as that's kinda what they do as a job.

Thanks for all the replies so far. It is a dry cleaners and I did have the delicates left on top. I thought it being their job they would be able to tell the difference.

I was meant to be going to a different launderette that day, but my baby was feeling poorly so I just went to the closest one, then when I got there she wasn't going to take them because she said she wouldn't have it ready, then she changed her mind and I had to go off and find an ATM and there was loads of customers, it was a bit hectic to be honest.

I'm just so shocked as a good friend of mine who used to run a cleaners used to do my stuff on occasion and they always took such care and looked out for stuff like that, and even then they were held liable for mistakes and used to even contact big brand clothes makers regarding washing instructions!

Flippyfloppy

SpaceTime wrote: »

It cost me about €58 !!

In general though, I think 'service wash' just means they basically put the powder in in most contexts.

Well this has set me back 30 euro plus replacing those clothes, which I bought myself as a treat before Xmas. Now we need a new machine and new clothes

foggy_lad

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Just for laundering

They threw everything into the machine in what would be called a service wash, If there were delicate items it is up to you to keep them separate.

Flippyfloppy

foggy_lad wrote: »

They threw everything into the machine in what would be called a service wash, If there were delicate items it is up to you to keep them separate.

Thanks for replies everyone.

I obviously let the conversation I had with the other launderette who said they'd separate things and my experience with my friends launderette cloud my judgement on whether to be explicit with this woman about my woollens being kept on the top. I'm absolutely gutted about this.

endofrainbow

that wouldn't have happened in Mr. Oppodopolous's laundrette....

seriously though - was there a sign stating they don't take responsibility for lost/damaged items?