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2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, October 30, 2009 12:00 PM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Ted and Shirl Ammerman have owned and operated Royal Cleaners in Ottawa for four years. “Anything you wear on your body we can wash,” Shirl said.

A day in the life: Getting the dirt on dry cleaning

Pressed for success

By VICKIE MOSS, Herald Public Affairs Editor

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Ted and Shirl Ammerman work Thursday at Royal Cleaners, 125 S. Main St., Ottawa. For the Ammermans, most work days begin before 6 a.m.

Stains happen.

Maybe it was the salsa that dribbled off a tortilla chip at lunch.

Or the dog’s muddy paws when she welcomed you home.

Maybe Junior got more paint on his pants than his latest masterpiece.

However stains happen, Ted Ammerman does his best to get them out.

“There’s not a lot of pixie dust around here, but we do try,” Ammerman said.

“Ted can get most stains out. Not everything, but some you wouldn’t think would come out,” his wife, Shirl Ammerman, added.

The Ammermans have owned Royal Cleaners, 125 S. Main St., for about four years. The business has been in operation at the same downtown location since at least 1951, Ted Ammerman said.

It’s a family business — Ted and Shirl Ammerman clean and press clothes in the morning, and Ted Ammerman continues to clean in the afternoon while Shirl Ammerman works at their Gardner location. Even their sons work at the business, helping with chores like picking up and delivering dry cleaning at satellite locations throughout Anderson, Franklin, Douglas and Johnson counties.

They process more than 200 pieces of dry cleaning each day, not to mention about 150 shirts and about 100 pairs of pants.

They also clean rugs, wedding dresses, blankets, leather jackets, suits, suede and more. They provide laundry service, which is popular with temporary workers like those constructing a new highway between Ottawa and Lawrence.

They also have contracts to clean uniforms for area law enforcement agencies and businesses.

“We can process just about anything,” Ted Ammerman said. “Shoes and hats are just about the only things we don’t do.”

Clothes are an investment, especially when times are tough, as with the current economy, Shirl Ammerman said.

That’s when a professional cleaner can help.

“Clothes aren’t cheap,” she said. “If you go to that next step, it helps maintain the clothes.”

The Ottawa business felt an impact from the sluggish economy this summer, Ted Ammerman said. But that’s also the business’ slow time.

“Even when the economy’s bad, people still need clean clothes,” he said.

The Ammermans said people can take steps to help prolong the life of their clothes, like having them professionally cleaned, mended or altered.

Royal Cleaners offers an alteration service, working with Melissa Brooks, of Pomona.

They recommend people have clothes cleaned and stains treated before the items are packed away when seasons change. Most people pack away clothes without cleaning them, Shirl Ammerman said. When the clothes are pulled out of storage months later, it can be more difficult to treat the stains, she said.

And for those times when clothes get stained by lunch or the dog or any number of things, Ted Ammerman advises people to use a damp cloth — and nothing else — on the stain. Then, bring it to the shop.

“We’ve been known to go overboard to try and get something out,” Ted Ammerman said. “Sometimes we can.”