Problem with dry cleaner - suggestions?

[austin]

Over a month ago I sent out a valuable Indian rug to be cleaned by a dry cleaner (5 a Sec). The rug was promised to be cleaned within two weeks max. Over a month has transpired and the cleaners give excuse after excuse as to why it is not ready. Among the excuses: "next week", then "it's drying - the weather is cold. Takes time", then "The delivery man is sick" etc. I am beginning to think that they have stolen or robbed it. I've heard about the Subsecretaria de Defensa del Consumidor. Is this the way to go? File a claim? Has anyone done this? Any suggestions about what to do. The company, cleaners, acts really indifferent.

 

[cbphoto]

How old was the rug? Was it Natural dyes? Are you confident they did not ruin it? (don't know how to clean)Maybe they just wanted your money? (Often I had to pay for dry cleaning up-front in BA)
To clean a rug, from my own experience, about 3 days in Turkey, 7-10 days in USA... so 1 month might not be too crazy long in Argentina...

 

[AlexfromLA]

I don't think 5asec has robbed your rug. They are a well known international company.

Just go with the receipt and ask them to return it unfinished if you are tired of waiting.

 

[SaraSara]

It is too late for this rug, but the best place for rug-cleaning is Dandolo y Primi. They will celebrate their 100th. anniversary this year.

They pick up and deliver - may charge a bit more than the local dry cleaner, but they are tops. They also do antique rug restoration - did a great job repairing some moth-eaten Orientals I inherited.

 

[French jurist]

Since 5àSec is a franquicia, you can too threaten to contact the main 5àSec office :
5 à Sec Argentina S.A.
Av. Santa Fé 1752, 6 piso B, Capital Federal
1060, Buenos Aires
Andrea Alvarez Burgos
5811-0595 / 5811-0582

By rug, do you eventually mean a kilim since it's indian ? If a kilim, like cbphoto asked, it's probably natural/vegetal dyes and I wonder how they would react to a dry cleaning (not an expert though).

 

[austin]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions!

 

[Rossiebloom]

5 a sec! Has anyone else had a problem with them? The last time I got my clothes back I had 2 bras in 4 pieces, a pair of jeans with some sort of brown dye down the leg (which are now ruined) and the majority of the clothes have shrunk!

Seriously I am not fussy about these things usually, but just want to warn you all! If there is anything you don´t want getting ruined don´t take it there! Maybe they were just having a bad day when I took my things! Who knows?!

PS- I hope the rug survives!

 

[SaraSara]

5 a sec is a franchise chain, and its employees know nothing about delicate fabrics, stain removal, etc. They just throw everything together into one of their machines.

Neighborhood "tintorerias" are much better - they are individually owned by people who have been in the business many years, know what they are doing, and are interested in their shops' reputation.

 

[ReemsterCARP]

The tintoreria on Santa Fe and Larrea used to be excellent too (will check promptly if it is still open).

 

[ghost]

It is too late for this rug, but the best place for rug-cleaning is Dandolo y Primi. They will celebrate their 100th. anniversary this year.

They pick up and deliver - may charge a bit more than the local dry cleaner, but they are tops. They also do antique rug restoration - did a great job repairing some moth-eaten Orientals I inherited.

I will second this suggestion. I have used these folks and they are super pros.