Do Dry Cleaners Do Alterations and Repairs?

It is one of the most common questions people have when they are standing at the counter with a pair of trousers that are too long or a jacket with a broken zip: can the dry cleaner actually fix this, or do I need to find a separate tailor? The short answer is yes, many dry cleaners do alterations and repairs, often with a skilled tailor working on site. But it is worth knowing what they typically handle, what is better left to a specialist, and how to get the best result.

Here is a clear guide to what a dry cleaner can and cannot do when it comes to altering and repairing your clothes.

Yes, many dry cleaners do alterations

Plenty of dry cleaners offer alterations and repairs alongside their cleaning, and the good ones have an experienced tailor on site rather than sending the work away. It makes sense: you are already dropping clothes off, so having one place that cleans, alters and repairs saves you time and a second trip. At Ilford Dry Cleaners, for example, our on-site tailor handles alterations and repairs right alongside the cleaning.

The thing to check is whether a cleaner actually does the work in-house. Some only offer cleaning, and others pass alterations to a third party, so it is always worth asking when you drop off.

What alterations can a dry cleaner do?

A dry cleaner with a tailor typically handles all the everyday alterations, including:

• Trouser and jeans hemming — shortening or lengthening to the right break
• Taking in or letting out — adjusting the waist, chest or back for a better fit
• Sleeve shortening — on shirts, jackets and dresses
• Dress and skirt shortening — hemming to the length you want
• Tapering — slimming trouser legs or a jacket for a sharper line
• Suit alterations — reshaping a jacket or trousers for a tailored fit

These are the bread-and-butter jobs, and most are quick. We cover each of them in more detail in our guide to the most common clothing alterations.

What repairs can a dry cleaner do?

Repairs are the other half of the job, and they can rescue an item you might otherwise throw away:

• Zip replacement and repair — on trousers, jackets, dresses, skirts and more
• Seam and tear repairs — restitching splits before they get worse
• Button replacement — matching and sewing on a new button
• Lining repairs — fixing or replacing a worn jacket lining
• Hem re-sewing — putting a dropped hem back in place

A broken zip or a split seam is often a quick fix for a tailor, and far cheaper than replacing the whole garment.

Do dry cleaners do wedding dress and formal alterations?

Many do, including ours, but this is where it pays to choose carefully. Bridal and occasion wear combine delicate fabrics, structure and detail, so it needs a tailor who is confident working with them. If you are having a wedding dress or formal gown altered, ask whether they have experience with that kind of garment. Our tailor handles occasion and bridal alterations, and we clean the gown too if needed, which you can read about on our wedding dress cleaning page.

When you might want a specialist tailor instead

To be honest about it, a dry cleaner’s tailor is perfect for the vast majority of jobs: hems, zips, taking in, repairs and standard suit and dress alterations. For something highly specialist, like completely remaking a garment, major restructuring of a tailored suit, or a bespoke build from scratch, a dedicated bespoke tailor may be the better choice. For everything short of that, a dry cleaner with an experienced tailor does the job well and saves you the extra trip.

How long do alterations take, and what do they cost?

Simple alterations like a trouser hem or a zip replacement are often ready within a couple of days, while more involved work such as reshaping a suit takes a little longer. Cost depends entirely on the job: a basic hem is inexpensive, while resizing a suit or dress is more, because it takes more time and skill. A good tailor will always give you a price before starting, so you know where you stand.

Clean, alter and repair in one place in Ilford

If you would rather not run between a dry cleaner and a separate tailor, we do it all under one roof. At Ilford Dry Cleaners, our on-site tailor handles hemming, resizing, zips, repairs and suit and dress alterations, right alongside our cleaning. Bring your garment into 85 Ilford Hill or call 07774 694552, and we will take a look and give you a price. We also offer free collection and delivery on orders over £100 across Ilford and the surrounding areas.