From soup disaster to spotless tuxedo

If you've attended a Winnipeg gala, there's a good chance you've witnessed at least one food or drink mishap. When a room is full of people carrying plates and glasses, accidents happen.

One of our customers experienced exactly that when a bowl of mushroom soup ended up all over his tuxedo. It wasn't just a few drops on the lapel. The spill soaked much of the jacket, leaving him worried that his tuxedo might be beyond saving.

Fortunately, it wasn't.

Mushroom soup creates a complex stain because it contains several different ingredients. The broth, oils, butter, and milk proteins all respond to different cleaning methods, so removing the stain requires more than a standard cleaning.

Our team began by treating the dried soup residue, followed by professional dry cleaning to remove the oils and butter. We then used specialized stain removal techniques to treat the remaining milk proteins before carefully rinsing the garment to remove any cleaning agents. After a final steam finish, the tuxedo looked ready for its next formal event.

When our customer returned to pick it up, he was amazed by the results. As a longtime Best Care customer, he already trusted our work, but he didn't expect his tuxedo to look so close to new again.

What to do if you spill something on formal wear

If food or a drink ends up on your tuxedo or formal wear:

• Blot the spill gently with a clean, dry cloth. Don't rub, as rubbing can damage or discolor delicate fabrics.
• Let the stained area air dry if you can't have it cleaned right away.
• Bring the garment to Best Care as soon as possible.
• Tell us what caused the stain and whether you've tried any home stain removers.

The more information we have, the better we can choose the right treatment. In most cases, fresh, untreated stains are the easiest to remove.