What’s On and Good magazine have a guide to some of the best dry cleaners in Dubai, including reviews, price, contact details and more.

Our pals over at Good magazine have taken the pain out of banishing stains by putting ten of Dubai’s top dry cleaners to the test, sending them each an identical T-shirt marked with ketchup, fake tan, biro, marker pen and grape juice.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Easiest to deal with: Champion Cleaners (and you can order online)
Trickiest to deal with: Atlas
Friendliest service: Monarch
Most disappointing service: Primavera (they didn’t show up)
Best stain removal: Monarch
Worst stain removal: Blossom Dry Cleaning
Fastest: Monarch (one day)
Slowest: Eastern Rose (three days, plus lots of chasing)

Most expensive for…
T-shirt: Dhs15, Atlas
Shirt: Dhs19, Champion Cleaners
Dress: Dhs28, Primavera
Suit: Dhs60, Champion Cleaners

Cheapest for…
T-shirt: Dhs7
• Eastern Rose
• Dubai Laundry
• Four Ways
Shirt: Dhs6, Atlas
Dress: Dhs8, Altas
Suit: Dhs25, Atlas

**This article first appeared in Good magazine in January 2014.

Champion Cleaners

Door to door delivery? Yes, delivery can be ordered easily online or by telephone. You can also drop into any of 35 branches located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.How easy was ordering? An absolute dream, they were incredibly helpful and turned up to collect the item just ten minutes after we placed the call.
Any other services offered? Champion Cleaners have a handy alteration service to fix those pesky jobs such as loose buttons and fallen hems. We also liked their hanger amnesty policy, which encourages customers to drop in their unused hangers to be recycled.
Time taken to clean the item? Two days
Price? Dhs13. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs19), suit (Dhs60), dress (Dhs15)
The results? A little bit of marker pen remained and several large creases had been pressed into the front of the T-shirt.

Tel: 8004556
champion-cleaners.com

Eastern Rose

Door to door delivery? Although they have seven branches around Dubai, they offer a free pick up and delivery service.
How easy was ordering? It was very straight forward and the delivery guy was inquisitive about what each stain was so he knew how to tackle it best. Eastern Rose have a Dhs60 minimum delivery charge and will not accept anything below that.
Any other services offered? Had a bit of a spilling mishap hours before that big meeting? Head down to their workshop in Al Barsha and Eastern Rose will dry clean your garment within an hour.
Time taken to clean the item? We were informed on the night it was due to be delivered that they were having problems removing the stains, and needed more time, making it three days in total.
Price? Dhs7. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs10), suit (Dhs33), dress (Dhs20)
The results? The T-shirt was due to be delivered before 11am, which it wasn’t. Several frustrating phone calls later, it eventually turned up three hours after the agreed time. The results were good, with only a slight hint of grape juice showing and we were told that we could send it back if not satisfied.

Tel: 050 6580811
easternroselaundry.com

Primavera

Door to door delivery? There are 10 locations throughout Dubai but door to door delivery is available.
How easy was ordering? We struggled to find a website for Primavera but eventually found a telephone number with some old fashioned Googling. A list of automated options will take you to the direct pick up service but we were disappointed when nobody turned up that evening as promised and had to re order the following day.
Any other services offered? Primavera can tackle leather goods that need sprucing up and extend their dry cleaning to (oddly) include rugs. Alterations can also be done.
Time taken to clean the item? We have no idea as they failed to collect the item despite constant calls.
Price? N/A Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs14), suit (Dhs47), dress (Dhs28)
The results? We’ll never know.

Tel: (04) 3339901

Dubai Laundry

Door to door delivery? Nine branches are scattered across Dubai but pick up and delivery is free of charge.
How easy was ordering? The number we found on the web site was not the correct number for our area but we were soon pointed in the right direction. However when the delivery guy arrived, he refused to take just one item, forcing us to place the minimum order of Dhs50.
Any other services offered? Like most dry cleaners, Dubai Laundry offers an express service (under 24 hours) but be warned, you’ll be expected to pay 50% more.
Time taken to clean the item? Two days.
Price? Dhs7. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs8.50), suit (Dhs30), dress (Dhs18)
The results? Not a stain in sight; the T-shirt looked fresh and well pressed.

Tel: 055 9215671
dubai-laundry.com

*GOOD STAMP OF APPROVAL*

Monarch

Door to door delivery? There are four branches across Dubai but not only is the pickup and delivery free, they’ll helpfully coordinate the drop off time to suit your schedule. Music to our ears.
How easy was ordering? Monarch had some of the friendliest staff we came across and the delivery guy was cheery and well informed on the questions to ask on each stain. He promised he would do his very best and return it to us the following day.
Any other services offered? Monarch offer a same and next day delivery service along with alterations. What tickled us the most was the quirky blog on the website offering lots of great tips on how to remove stains.
Time taken to clean the item? Just one day.
Price? Dhs10. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs9), suit (Dhs30), dress (Dhs21).
The results? Prstine to the point it looked than before. Monarch offered great service, knowledge and best of all stuck to their promises.

Tel: 050 4003368
monarchlaundry.com

Blossom Dry Cleaning

Door to door delivery? Free home delivery is available with an emphasis on sticking to the schedule arranged as closely as possible.
How easy was ordering? We were promised that somebody would be round to collect within the hour and that was what we got along with a smiley chap who didn’t look appalled by the challenge of the t-shirt.
Any other services offered? There’s pretty much nothing that Blossom won’t dry clean from a couture gown to drapes.
Time taken to clean the item? Three days. We waited all evening for the T-shirt to be delivered as promised, but had to follow up the next morning.
Price? Dhs10. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs9), suit (Dhs30), dress (Dhs21)
The results? Not the best. We could see the remains of all five stains.

Tel: 877371
blossomcleaners.com

Atlas Laundry

Door to door delivery? Atlas boasts that it has over 800 customers thanks to the promptness of their drivers.
Any other services offered? Atlas offers a carpet shampoo and curtain cleaning service in your home.
How easy was ordering? Not easy in the slightest. We spent a good five minutes on the phone repeating our address and then found it frustrating that nobody arrived. When followed up we were told that the driver was busy and would come the following day. It was disappointing not to have had a courtesy call.
Time taken to clean? One day.
Price? Dhs15. Useful prices: Shirt Dhs6; suit Dhs25; dress Dhs8.
The results? We were surprised to receive a phone call two hours before delivery from a rather angry gentleman who told us it was not worth his time to clean one T-shirt and demanded orders of Dhs100. Permanent marker remained on the shirt and our nerves remain frayed by the whole experience.

Tel: (04) 3969716.
callmylaundry.com

Fourways

Door to door delivery? Yup, if you don’t fancy popping into one of the four branches in Dubai they will come to you.
How easy was ordering? Super fast, thanks to the member of staff on the end of the phone who sent somebody round in 20 minutes. Perfect if you don’t have all evening to wait.
Any other services offered? Minor alterations such as missing buttons and fallen hems.
Time taken to clean the item? Two days.
Price? Dhs7. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs10), suit (Dhs33), dress (Dhs18)
The results? We could still see biro and permanent marker on the T-shirt.

Tel: (04) 4222490

The Concierge

Door to door delivery? Deliveries are carried out every evening after 5pm, and there is the option to place special timing requests with customers advised to call 24 hours in advance.
How easy was ordering? Absolutely no problem with somebody ringing the door bell in 30 minutes as promised.
Any other services offered? Just dry cleaning, but with an emphasis on delivering premium results.
Time taken to clean the item? Three days. It was another no show on the delivery front on the evening agreed and required several follow up calls.
Price? Dhs8. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs10), suit (Dhs30), dress (Dhs18).
The results? Although faded, we spotted the biro and marker pen. Average results given the time they had to work on the T-shirt.

Tel: 800848
theconcierge.ae

Black and White

How easy was ordering? Pain-free service with a great level of politeness. The same thing applied to the member of staff who collected the item with a smile.
Any other services offered? Minor alterations and loose buttons can be fixed but will take up to one week to complete.
Time taken to clean the item? Two days.
Price? Dhs10. Useful prices: Shirt (Dhs7.50), suit (Dhs29), dress (Dhs18).
The results? A little bit of marker pen remained, but we forgive them for delivering with their sunny nature.

Tel: (04) 3375111
blackandwhite.ae

TOP TIPS IN DIY STAIN REMOVAL
1. Always treat a stain before popping it in the washing machine.
2. Blot gently and never use hot water when blotting.
3. To remove mud, let it dry before brushing it off and then pre-treat with a paste of powder detergent and water.
4. Ink can sometimes be removed by stretching the fabric over the mouth of a jam jar and drip cleaning detergent mixed with water through it so the ink falls through into the jar. If you prefer a greener alternative make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar and leave on the stain for 20 minutes to remove it.
5. Grass stains will come out more easily when laundered with sodium hypochlorite bleach.
6. Bloodstains should be soaked in cold water for one hour before washing the garment as normal.
7. Rust can be one of the trickiest stains to remove but can be tackled with two cupboard staples- vinegar and salt. Simply mix them together, place onto the stain and leave the garment in the sun to bleach.
8. Knocked over the gravy boat? Act quickly, and pour on salt to absorb as much of the grease as possible, before brushing it off and dabbing with a cloth dipped in vinegar.
9.  Candles may be pretty but wax is anything but when it spills. Put an ice cube on it to harden and remove it with a knife, if there is any wax remaining place a paper bag over it and iron it.
10. Always remember, the longer a stain remains, the harder it’ll be to remove.

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