Quick answer
If a dry cleaner damages or loses a garment, check your order as soon as it is delivered and report the problem with photos and your order details. At Swan Clean, issues should be reported within 24 hours of delivery, and liability is up to 5x the cleaning charge of the affected item. Pointing out stains, loose trims and existing wear at handover is the best way to avoid disputes.
Key takeaways
- Open and check every order soon after delivery, against your own count.
- At Swan Clean, report any issue within 24 hours of delivery, with photos and your order details.
- Liability is up to 5x the cleaning charge of the affected garment.
- Many problems come from hidden weak spots, missing care labels or stains treated at home, so mention these at handover.
- Tagging every garment at inspection is what makes a missing item traceable.
A fair question to ask before you choose a cleaner
Most people only think about this after something goes wrong: a shirt comes back with a missing button, a silk dupatta looks dull, or one piece of a set is not in the bag. It is worth knowing the answer before you hand over a wedding lehenga or a good suit, because a clear policy tells you a lot about how a cleaner works.
This guide explains what to check, what to do if there is a problem, and how liability works at Swan Clean.
What to do if a garment comes back damaged or missing
First, check your order as soon as it arrives.
Whether your clothes come back to a store counter or to your door, open the package the same day. Check:
- The count: compare the pieces with the number you sent and with the order details.
- Each garment: look for marks, shine, shrinkage, colour change, missing buttons or loose trims.
- Sets: make sure both pieces of a suit, or the full lehenga or saree set, have come back together.
Checking early matters. A problem reported the same day is far easier to trace than one found weeks later, after the garment has been worn or stored.
Then report it within 24 hours, with details.
If something is not right, report it within 24 hours of delivery. At Swan Clean you can WhatsApp or call 9115-505-505. It helps to share:
- Your name and order details.
- Clear photos of the garment and of the problem area, in daylight if possible.
- A short note of what you noticed and anything you told the store or pickup executive at handover.
Please do not wash, iron or try to fix the garment at home before reporting it. Home treatment can make the issue worse and makes it harder to work out what happened.
How liability works at Swan Clean
If a garment is damaged or lost while in our care, Swan Clean’s liability is up to 5x the cleaning charge of that item. This is common practice in the industry, because a cleaner cannot know the purchase price, age or condition of every piece it receives.
For very valuable or sentimental pieces, such as bridal wear, heirloom sarees or designer outfits, mention this at handover so the item can be inspected carefully and handled with extra attention. Heavy items, wedding wear, repairs and stain treatment can take longer than a regular order, and it is better to allow that time than to rush a delicate piece.
Why some damage is not really caused by cleaning
Not every problem that shows up after cleaning was caused by it. Common examples:
- Hidden weak spots: fabric thinned by wear, sweat or moths can tear or show holes once it is cleaned.
- Stains set at home: hot water, ironing or strong soap can fix a stain before it reaches the plant. Our guide on why some stains never come out explains this.
- Poor-quality trims: some glued beads, sequins and cheap dyes are not made to survive any cleaning.
- Missing or wrong care labels: without a label, the cleaner has less to go on. See our care label symbols guide.
This is why inspection comes first in our ten-step plant process: inspection, tagging, sorting, spotting, cleaning, temperature treatment and sanitising, steam pressing, final check, packing and out for delivery. Existing damage noticed at inspection can be recorded before the garment is cleaned.
How to lower the risk before you hand clothes over
- Empty pockets and remove pins and brooches.
- Point out every stain and what caused it.
- Show any tears, loose buttons or loose embroidery at handover.
- Send sets together so colours stay even.
- Count your pieces and keep a photo.
Our checklist on what to do before sending clothes for dry cleaning covers each step in detail.
What a clear damage policy should tell you
Before you trust any laundry or dry cleaner with an expensive outfit, it is reasonable to ask a few simple questions. A good service will answer them without hesitation:
- How long do I have to report a problem? A fixed window, such as 24 hours from delivery, keeps things fair for both sides.
- What is the liability limit? It should be stated plainly, not decided case by case.
- Are garments tagged and tracked? Tagging at inspection is what lets a cleaner trace a missing piece back to your order.
- Is existing damage noted before cleaning? If it is, you will not be surprised later.
- Who do I contact? One number for questions, bookings and complaints makes it easier.
If a cleaner cannot answer these, treat it as a warning sign, especially for wedding wear, silks and woollens that are hard to replace. Our guide on how to choose a laundry service in Chandigarh lists more points to compare.
Booking with Swan Clean
Swan Clean offers free doorstep collection and delivery across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, with slots from 9am–12pm, 12–3pm, 3–6pm and 6–9pm. On the schedule collection page you pick your return date: Regular is 2–3 days (36–72 hours) after collection at no extra charge, and Express is next-day delivery in the second half of the day at an additional charge confirmed before collection.
You can also visit our stores at Booth 37, Inner Market, Sector 35-C or Shop 239, Inner Market, Sector 37-C&D Chandigarh, Sector 11 Panchkula, or Homeland Heights, Sector 70 Mohali. For any question about an order, WhatsApp or call 9115-505-505.
