Snow White Alterations

Nice people, good cleaning, decent turn-​around time.
But if you’re looking for alterations, look elsewhere. I asked if they could see buttons for suspenders and they said they couldn’t. I’m sorry, but if you can’t sew 6 buttons, I’m not going to trust you with any alteration.
But a good place for strictly cleaning.

Not very many dry cleaners in the area, but this is def my go to in the inner sunset. Usually fast and efficient and I haven’t had a problem there regarding my shirts and suits I’ve had sent there. Reasonable pricing as well.

I recently moved to the area, and need to find a drycleaner. I took in two items to give Snow White a try: a pair of pants and a cotton, dryclean only dress.
Service: Friendly. The lady was nice and efficient.
Price: The pants and the dress came out to a total of $ 12. Reasonable.
Cleaning: Both items had a slight chemical smell. I’ve had drycleaning that leave a strong odor (where when I’m wearing clothes, people are asking «what’s that smell?»), but I also have had it where there’s zero odor. I’m obviously looking for the latter. The pants were pressed perfectly but the dress had some wrinkles. Not super happy about it.
I’ll be looking for another drycleaner primarily because of the odor and the job done on the dress.

I’ve been coming here for 20 years. No problems!

Always happy, smiling, pleasant, goes over my stuff with a fine tooth whatever and marks it w/​colored tape, and in 8 yrs I’ve never been displeased with the svc. Always done right, including my ridiculous collection of delicate scarves.
And Snow White’s affordable. What’s with the $$$ rating? It’s $$ for sure.
Some of you have made comparisons to Sunshine cleaners: they are $$$, and also not friendly/​contentious even, and did a mediocre job. So there.
Extra points for the fact that even though I roll in here abt once every 3 mos, the manager remembers my very strange last name and knows all my clothing by heart. Go figure.
I only wish that they delivered. That said, I go out of my way to get to this place (a mile up/​down hill and *I do not drive*) rather than give my stuff to the delivery service that launders my linens.

We were using another cleaner a few blocks away, and it did not do a good job. We gave them three chances, because cleaners can make mistakes and some issues aren’t their fault. But after a mystery oil stain appeared on a suit (and couldn’t be removed) and two shirts came back with tears, in about a three month time period, we called it quits with those folks.
In five visits so far, Snow White has had a perfect track record. My wife and I wear business attire every day, so we are heavy users of dry cleaning services. This shop is now our regular shop.
I know they have had some negative reviews, too. I would place those in perspective in two ways. First, it’s a small business. They are a mom and pop operation. You’ve got to cut these small business some slack. Second, the quality of their work is better than their competitors. It’s all relative. They are not a giant chain, but then nothing in this city is (and that’s a good thing).

As I ate the last bite of scrumptious tiramisu, I realized the cocoa powder spilled all over my favorite white wool coat. I was devastated. I tried to brush the powder off. The spots became worse. I tried to dilute the spots with water. They continued getting worse.
Dry cleaning became the clear answer. Not having stop by Snow White Alterations before, I was happy to find out it was still open on a Friday at nearly 7 PM.
When I received my coat back, it was spotless. WHEW.

My husband and I have been going to Snow White for years. I really appreciated the quality and value of their services. However, the woman at the counter, Helen, has been rude to my husband on several occasions. At first, we found it humorous and brushed it off. We affectionately referred to her as the «Dry Cleaning Nazi», but her last statement was completely inappropriate, and as a result, we will no longer patron this business. She told my husband that he brings in too much dry cleaning and called him fat to his face (and my husband is clearly NOT fat!)! The remark was completely unacceptable, especially since we spend hundreds of dollars at this business every 4 – 6 weeks. Customer service is pathetic!

A shirt that I had laundered and pressed there was damaged. I saw really noticeable bleach stains on the shirt when I took it out of the closet.
I brought the shirt back to Snow White Cleaners to show them the damage. They denied damaging the shirt. They first said it was sweat stains caused by deodorant.
I responded by showing them that the stains are near the shoulder, not where the armpit is. And also on just the right side, not the left. Plus their explanation doesn’t explain the stains on the back.
[UPDATE– I worked thru the Better Business Bureau and Snow White Cleaners bought me a new shirt to replace the one that got damaged. I’m giving them another star as a result.]

When you’re in a hurry and you need to deal with your dry cleaning on your way to work, the last thing you want to see is a sign that says, «Will be back in 15 minutes» when you show up during posted business hours.
Someone was in there too– I just needed to drop off a pair of slacks and I was out of luck.
I hope whatever she was doing was worth it– they lost me as a customer forever.

This is place is pretty inexpensive, very quick, and only 3 blocks from my house. So far they have successfully gotten out any stains I may have had. They dry clean anything from silk and chiffon to a solid-​sequined top (though they did charge extra for it as it had to be sent out). Also, if a button or 2 fell off or is loose, just let them know, and they’ll sew it up.

She remembered my name after the first time I went in here years ago. This was, btw, one of the first times I had realized how functional Unilocal was. About 10 minutes of reviews and i knew she was the bomb. Straight up what Amit said… quick, dependable, and do a darn good job. And the owner lady works so hard, is always kind, and is quick to boot with adding it all up and getting you out of there. THANKS!

They’re quick, dependable, do a darn good job, reasonably priced and are in my hood. So all that takes the cake, puts whip cream on it and places a cherry on top!
OK, the lady at the counter is cool (imagine Asian mommy meets Brunhilda but with such a sweet demeanor) and I’m a flower power, tree hugging, label wearing, brown on the outside and white on the inside, sarcastic, dysfunctional, chaiwallah guy… so, I tend to be all friendly and shit.
REASON #1 (why I like SWA, not why I’m all of the above)
ALL my 100% pure cotton clothes, table cloths, bed spreads, covers, napkins etc. that I purchased when in India, these gals have dry cleaned and none of them shrank or lost color. CONFESSION — yeah! until I found SWA, some of my indian thangs had not been washed in years… Yes! I was the source of that rank smell on the N morning commute. kidding.
If you are unsure about something, just ask the lady and she’ll help you out between mouthfuls of chowmein as she eats her dinner.
REASON #2
When you say potato, I say potahto; you say tomato, I say tomahto… oh! wrong review. When I say low starch, they actually keep it at low starch. No more clothes so stiff that you could whack someone on the head with it.
REASON #3
All my designer clothes (including ones that have not a shred of natural fiber… no, not my latex tights) have been cleaned very well with no problems around missing buttons or bad ironing.
REASON #4
Yes, mom! I know you’ve taught me a kazillion times how to sew a button, patch a rip and reinforce a button… but I still take all this to them and act all lost and they do a good job of altering.
Have also taken a couple of shirts to be brought in around the chest and belly line (yes, I’m trying to get that Vivien Leigh 20 inch waistline!) and they all came out looking good.
If you live in the hood, give them a try. If you don’t live in the hood… sorry, your SOL. :)

This was my first wash and fold experience, so I was really excited at first. But soon I was getting more and more loads back with holes in my shirts that then I had to get mended. I’m off to find a better wash and fold. Their dry cleaning service is fine, but pricey

My experience at this cleaners has prompted me to write my first ever Unilocal review.
I have used them 3 times. Sure each time they wash my stuff on extra searing hot temperature but given the price and speed of service I knew there would be a trade off.
I bought a whole set of very nice and expensive towels. I noticed they came back with huge spots of bleach on them.
I brought them back in and the woman behind the counter insisted that I was bringing her old towels and would not even hear anything else. I really was going to use them if they would work with me on it but NO going. 6 expensive towels ruined and just bad business behavior as well as just RUDE and mean. I will never go back.

We’ve been taking our dry cleaning and wash and fold here for a few years now and they always do a great job.
The prices are very good, they have it ready in 2 days, or same day, it always feels clean and is so nicely wrapped and folded!
The lady is always very sweet, she’s there all the time but remembers who we are so all we have to do is drop off the bag and she has the ticket ready!

This place is very good. Their prices seem mid-​range, but they are prompt. I’ve never had anything ruined. Their detergent seems ok on my skin (usually, I’m sensitive to anything with perfumes). I have used both wash & fold and wash & press for shirts.

I have been going to this dry cleaner for nearly 10 years, that pretty much says it all.
In all of that time, they have never lost, ruined or damaged anything.
Great service and fair prices. What more could you ask for.

Where in the hell are my keys?
Where did I leave my phone… argh!
Fuck!!! Shit!!! Where in the hell is that receipt???
I forget, leave behind and/​or LOSE everything that isn’t big enough to trip over. I really do mean trip over cuz my floor is crazy cluttered with crap I don’t put away.
Trying to find a dry cleaning receipt is an exercise in futility because my room is where small square pieces of paper come to die. I have boxes, drawers, purses FULL of receipts.
So when I FINALLY remembered that I had left clothes at Snow White I ransacked my room trying to find that one little paper. A half hour later and after a hurricane of emotions and tears I decided to just go. I figured maybe they’d turn the wheelie thingy and I’d shout…
«Hey that’s mine!!!»
I get there and looking dejected and completely stupid I tell them I don’t have my receipt.
«That’s okay what’s your last name?»
Oh my god!!! They have a computer! I completely forgot they had my info in their database! They even had the description of the clothes I had dropped off.
They found my dry cleaning and hung it up on the hanger while I paid.
«Thank you so much! Gosh that was so easy!!» I walked out of there happy as a clam.
Until about two minutes later when I realized I had completely forgot to TAKE THE DRY CLEANING WITH ME!!!
I ran back to pick up the clothes I forgot. I smiled sheepishly and she just smiled at me.
I’m lame.

Every time I drop off wash and fold I give myself a huge guilt trip.
Me: «Who the fuck are you, Dame Judi Dench? You can’t just do your laundry like everyone else??»
Me: «But we don’t have laundry machines in the building! There’s no good laundromats close by!»
Me: «You should be taking it to that nice place on Hayes. You know what I’m talking about. The clean one.»
Me: «But I have a busy social schedule! I don’t have time to sit in laundromats all day! And coin laundry is really not that much cheaper… (whine, whine)»
Me: «Fine. But you have got to stop paying Zipcar to cart your shit across town. Find a place in the neighborhood. BECAUSE I SAID SO, THAT’S WHY.»
Enter Snow White. Snow White Cleaners rules about as much as Sunshine (Suck-​shine) on 9^th and Kirkham sucks. The lady behind the counter is friendly, not mean. And if she doesn’t remember your name, she at least remembers that fabric softener is your biggest pet peeve and you will fry a nerve ending if they use it. Perhaps coolest of all, there’s a little star above the «i» in Snow White, instead of a dot. To me, that says, «Come on in, we’re snazzy!»
Also, they have a nifty little computer system that helps them remember things (like the fabric softener thing), and prints the date and time that it will be ready. Which is 5pm on the same day, if you drop it off in the morning. It’s $ 0.80 per pound, which is totally fair and normal, and it comes back all fresh-​smelling (but not like fabric softener, because we. can’t. have. that.) and folded up nice.
A mere two blocks from la casa, and a half-​block from my train stop. If that’s not neighborhood small business in action, I don’t know what is.
PS. They close at 7:00pm on weekdays. But not really. See, the other night I busted my ass to get there by 7:00, and I ran up to the door at 7:03 panting and sweating, and the nice lady was like, «Did you run?» And when I said yes, she said, «You could call me. I stay open for you.» I could have cried. Neighborhood small business at its very finest, people.