Dry cleaning not just blowing air
Anant Jawalkar, 62, runs Glen Eden Drycleaners with his wife Vandana.
How did you get into the dry cleaning business?
When we came to New Zealand I worked for three years as an engineer – but I was not getting good jobs because I had an overseas qualification. I was also away from home working in Tokoroa and my wife in Auckland couldn’t get a job. She requested that we both did something together to support our family.
What is the best thing about dry cleaning?
One is that my wife and I are always together. The other thing is that we both like to meet people and talk with them. In this business we meet at least 25 to 30 customers every day.
And what is the worst thing? There is no ‘‘worst thing’’ but there’s a lot of risk in handling people’s expensive garments, such as wedding dresses or 100-year-old clothes. Also many fabric labels say ‘‘dry clean only’’ but cannot be dry cleaned. For example, many have low-quality plastic parts that melt in the solvent and create a mess on other clothes. The thermal backing on curtains also disappears. Because of this we have to be careful.
What do people not realise about dry cleaning?
People have a vague idea that it’s just blowing some air or some powder to make things clean. That’s not fact. A dry cleaning machine is similar to a huge washing machine but the clothes are cleaned in solvent and dried with the heat of the steam. How is the business changing? It’s definitely going down because a lot of fabrics are washable at home. But things like wool duvets and suits, even if they are done at home, can not be dried and pressed. We use a sandwich press and that gives a fantastic finish. In the future we will use hydrocarbon cleaning, which is more environmentally friendly.
Do you have any advice for someone who might like to get into it?
You need to have a little bit of investment to get set up. It’s a fantastic business though as you get to meet people and it’s not non-stop. At the same time you can fulfil your financial requirements.
Do you find things in pockets? Yes, people forget to check. We find credit cards, identity cards, pen drives and money sometimes. We return them back to the customer.