Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The laddies in the store front are VERY nice; nothing bad to say about them.
  
  The man that runs the business WILL NOT make anything right with the customer when he messes up their items. They over starched the collars of my dress shirts for work to the point they felt like plastic on the inside and the top looked wet. I dropped them back off (unworn, still on the hanger with tags) to get remedied, and instead of washing the starch out, he returned them to me in the same condition and charged me again.
  
  When I spoke to him about it, he insisted it was sweat, even though it is early April and they did not look like that when I dropped them off. He insisted they do not have starch in them, so it can't be starch. However, when I lay them down the collars stand up stiff and feel like plastic.
  
  This guy has ZERO integrity or care for his customer.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2025

  Dear XXXXXX, Dispute Resolution Specialist,
   
  I am writing in response to a customer complaint we received regarding a shirt that was brought to our store for cleaning. I’d like to clarify the situation and provide the steps we took to address the customer’s concerns in a professional and responsible manner.
  The customer initially brought in eight shirts, all of which had noticeable discoloration and staining around the collar area—a condition commonly referred to in our industry as “ring around the collar,” typically caused by body oils and sweat. The customer specifically asked our staff to pay extra attention to the collars, which we took seriously.
  
  We pre-treated the collars using a variety of professional stain removal techniques and then laundered the shirts carefully. We did not apply any starch, as the customer did not request it. Our policy is to only starch shirts when the client specifically asks for it, as there is an additional cost associated with starching. After cleaning, the shirts were sent to our pickup location. When the customer arrived to collect them, he expressed dissatisfaction with the results, stating the collars were still stained. Although the stains were pre-existing and deeply set, we agreed to re-clean the shirts at half the normal charge, as a courtesy.
  
  During the second attempt, we again pre-treated and scrubbed the collars using all the resources available to us in our cleaning process. Despite our efforts, the discoloration remained. We explained to the customer that the stains were old and deeply embedded, and that even commercial cleaning methods have limitations with certain types of body-soil stains. After the second cleaning, the customer again stated he was unhappy with the results and claimed the stains were caused by starch. However, we did not use starch on his shirts—this was confirmed by our records and staff. Starch would not cause a brown discoloration; in fact, starch is white and is applied evenly throughout the shirt using commercial equipment, not just on the collar.
  
  We explained all of this to the customer calmly and respectfully. At no point did we neglect his concerns, and we made every reasonable effort to address them, including re-cleaning the items and offering a discount. However, the issue seems to stem from pre-existing stains that are unfortunately beyond our ability to remove completely.
  
  Please let us know if you need any additional information. We stand by the quality and integrity of our service and always strive to treat our customers fairly.
  
   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******
  ********* 
  ****** ********
  *** ***** ********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/24/2025

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I DID NOT ask the staff to pay particular attention to the collars when I first dropped them off; only after I received them with what looked wet around the collar and the inside felt like plastic. It was obviously starch as the stood up on their own and no longer felt like fabric. I DID ask for attention to the collars when I asked for THEIR starch issue to be rectified, which it WAS NOT but I was CHARGED AGAIN.

  After speaking with ****, who rudely just tried to blame it on me but also told me what kind of starch he used, I was able to look up what the starch was soluble in (cold water). My size shirts are difficult to find/replace, so I did my best to salvage them. I had to soak them over night, every night for a week in cold water and fabric softener with NO detergent to REDUCE the starch in my shirts. This is NOT a tactic that would work for oily stains by the way. I have date stamped photos of what I received from Gene’s Cleaners with after photos showing the Stains gone after the starch removal treatment. However, I’ve found it was not just the 5 shirts from that pickup. I had the same thing happen to everything in a 2 week time span, 15 shirts in all, and I am still having to treat some of them to get the SYNTHETIC STARCH fully removed.

  I would expect him to admit that he was wrong and not only compensate me for the money I payed for the laundering of shirt when THEY made them unfit to wear in a professional environment, but also for the time I had to spend and the inconvenience/work I had to do to correct the issue they caused.

  I do not have a problem going back to them if they take ownership for THEIR mistake and give me credit for the money I PAID THEM ALREADY and WORK I had to do to FIX THEIR MISTAKE.

  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ***

  Business Response

  Date: 05/07/2025

  Dear xxxxx,
  
  Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond to Mr. ***** ***’s follow-up regarding complaint #********. We respect every customer’s concerns and want to clarify the facts from our perspective, as Mr. *** has introduced new claims.
  
  First and foremost, we do not apply starch—especially heavy starch—to any garments unless it is specifically requested by the customer. Mr. *** did not request starch, and we did not apply starch to his shirts. Our staff confirmed this, and our procedures are consistent across all orders. Starch is not part of our standard laundry service and is only used upon direct request.
  
  When the shirts were initially dropped off, Mr. *** pointed out stains around the collars—commonly known as “ring around the collar”—which typically result from body oils and sweat. Our team gave the garments special attention, including stain treatment, pre-washing, and laundering. We then returned the shirts to the pickup location. Upon Mr. ***’s complaint that the collars were still stained, we re-cleaned the items and treated them again with care, even offering the service at a discounted rate as a courtesy.
  
  Following the second cleaning, Mr. *** alleged that the stains were caused by starch. Again, we confirmed that no starch—heavy or otherwise—was used. Additionally, starch is a white, water-soluble substance that would not cause a brown or discolored ring. If starch had been applied, the entire shirt would have felt uniformly stiff, not selectively on the collar area.
  
  We also wish to note that Mr. *** returned with additional garments for cleaning on April 25th and picked them up on April 26th. We appreciate his continued business and took this as a sign of trust in our service. However, we also understand that he remains dissatisfied with the prior cleaning and has expressed frustration.
  
  While we value every customer, we feel that at this point it may be best to respectfully part ways. We appreciate Mr. *** returning for further service, but given his ongoing dissatisfaction and the breakdown in trust, we believe it would be in both parties’ best interest to no longer continue business together.
  
  Lastly, I would like to address Mr. ***’s claim that I was rude. At no point have I acted unprofessionally. I have spoken with Mr. *** courteously and explained the limitations of what we could do with the condition of his garments. I stand by our efforts to handle this matter with honesty and respect.
  Due to the time, resources, and efforts we have already invested—including multiple cleanings and a discounted service—we will not be offering any reimbursement or credit. We made every reasonable attempt to satisfy the customer and fulfilled our responsibilities under our service standards.
  
  Please let us know if any further documentation is needed.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******
  President 
  Gene's Cleaners 
  *** ***** ********