How Much Does It Cost To Dry Clean Dress Pants

09-19-2016, 12:40 AM

Today I saw a dry cleaner open on Sunday and went in to ask how much it would be to clean a pair of pants. I was rather surprised when I was quoted $5.90, but it looked like the place was full. I know there's a delivery services where I work that charges $8.00, but the cabinets are normally empty. I almost thought I was quoted a higher price because of how I looked, but then I thought...maybe. My usual place has charged $3.00 forever and I get them late the next day.

So I thought I'd ask....how much do you pay to have a pair of pants dry cleaned?

(Of course there's more backstory, but I'll keep the question simple.)

09-20-2016, 11:35 AM

I live in VA and you can get dry cleaning for $2 per garment.

In Kentucky (Louisville and Ft Knox area) you are looking at $4 a garment.

09-21-2016, 07:41 AM

Thanks. My normal place that charges $3 is my wife's place. She's 1 of 11 independent (but family relation) agencies feeding into the head of the family's plant, which for years has served as the unofficial first stop for those coming off the boat to get started while they learn English etc. Everyone's charged $3.00 for dry cleaning on pants, sweaters, dress shirts that need chemical clean instead of laundry etc for at least 10 years. We cover the east side of San Jose from Evergreen to Milpitas, which has been traditionally the poorer part, so cost was always important.

The family head got sick with Parkinson's and needed to sell the plant. Supposedly the new owner is still family, but nobody recalls this "cousin", and the first move has been to raise prices giving him all the popularity of a kick to the crotch. Last schism happened when the original patron sold some of his plant capacity in the .com boom and focused on nearby Fremont, hence the now leader stepped up and built a new plant.

Anyway, in seeing different prices in the area I'm now wondering if we've significantly lagged everyone in raising prices and perhaps the plant wasn't making as much as everyone assumed it was. CA also has banned perc, so costs will be less in states still allowing perc. (Yes it cleans well, but it's a known carcinogen and can contaminate the soil if it's spilled....or dumped as some of the really old school outfits are rumored to have done.)

Anyway, thanks for the responses.