Uneeda’s Charpentier completes suede/leather training

Houma’s Uneeda Cleaners staffer Carrie Charpentier recently completed training in suede and leather cleaning in Chicago.

Charpentier is the facility’s third employee to earn certification in successfully processing leathers and suedes in-house, according to John Conway, an instructor at Suede Products, a supplier of products and equipment for the cleaning industry.

Houma Uneeda Cleaners owners Matt and Chris Porche previously completed the training and have been offering the service locally for about six years.

The course included information on properly accepting garments at the counter; recognizing and treating garments; safe and effective pre-spotting methods; proper cleaning procedures featuring “wet” processing; pressing and steam/air finishing methods; and spray re-coloring procedures.

The cleaning process uses water and additives to clean leather and suede, Conway explained.

“We’ve gone back to the basics to bring you a cost-effective, yet more powerful, cleaning system,” he said. “This technology is superior in cleaning and preserving leather items.”

According to Charpentier, “This certification and its accompanying technology will fit nicely into our Disaster Restoration Service at Uneeda Cleaners. This is the cleaning of apparel and textile from fires and flood.”

Uneeda Cleaners dry-cleaning and restoration is located at 106 Mystic Blvd., and can be reached at (985) 872-5816.

Carrie Charpentier, pictured at right with two out-of-state classmates, at the Chicago, suede and leather cleaning facility at which she recently completed training. A staffer at Uneeda Cleaners in Houma, Charpentier is one of three team members certified in this type of cleaning. * Photo courtesy of UNEEDA CLEANERS