Eight questions to ask
These separate a specialist from a volume laundry. Any good operator will answer them without hesitation.
- Do you photograph the garment’s condition at pickup? (Without photos there is no honest way to settle a dispute.)
- Is each garment individually tagged and tracked? (Batches lose things.)
- Do you test stain treatments on a hidden seam first?
- What solvent do you use? (Modern hydrocarbon or silicone-based processes are gentler than perchloroethylene.)
- Is there a quality check before return, and by whom?
- What exactly happens if something is damaged or lost — and is it insured?
- What is the realistic turnaround for this kind of piece?
- Will you quote before pickup, and does the receipt match the quote?
Red flags
A price quoted without seeing the garment. “We clean everything the same way.” No intake record. A vague answer about damage. A promise that every stain will come out — an honest specialist will tell you some cannot be removed safely, before the garment comes back.
What it should cost
In Surat, specialist care for everyday pieces sits roughly at ₹499 for a suit, ₹599 for a silk saree and ₹799 for a pair of sneakers, all including GST. Couture is quoted after inspection because two lehengas can differ by an order of magnitude in work. Anything dramatically cheaper for embellished couture is a warning sign.
How SKVO answers these
Photographed at pickup, individually tagged, test-first spotting, hydrocarbon or silicone-based solvent, a hard quality gate under inspection light, and a guarantee — repair or compensation up to the declared value, backed by insurance. Quotes before pickup on WhatsApp; the receipt matches the quote.