National Clothesline

At its winter convention in Brookfield in February, the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute inducted Edward Miller, founder and past chairman of Spic and Span, Inc., into its Hall of Fame.

Charter members of the Hall include: Charlie Cass, Herb Fitzgerald, Jim Fitzgerald, Sr., Ron

Kantor, Imogene Marks, Joe Phillips, Gerald Rauwald and Robert Wellsfry.

“It is truly an honor that I am proud to accept on behalf of my Dad,” said Robert Miller, current president of Spic and Span.

In all, Edward Miller spent over 70 years in the drycleaning industry.

For his education, he spent two years at the University of Southern California and two years at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, graduating in 1929. He majored in marketing and advertising, two fields that would play a significant role in his future business dealings.

After graduation, Miller moved to Kenosha, WI, where he began his lifelong career in drycleaning at the Union Dye Works, owned by the Plous family.

In 1932, he established Spic and Span in Milwaukee, determined to someday be the largest drycleaning operation in the city. Six years later, he and the Plous family accomplished that. At one point, they had more than 60 stores.

The Plous/Miller corporation expanded more in 1951 when it purchased the Old Ideal Laundry and branched out into the uniform rental and industrial laundry business.

By the 1960s, Spic and Span expanded nationwide with drycleaning retail outlets established in JC Penney’s Treasure Island discount stores. The Spic and Span name reached major cities such as Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles.

In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Miller also fostered an innovative nature. In the 1940s, he invented the Suzie.

Miller also found time to volunteer in an effort to help the industry. He was one of the founders of Varsity International, an organization of highly successful cleaners, and he served as president of the Wisconsin Drycleaners Association in 1946.

In Wisconsin, two drycleaners were recently added to the ranks of Five-Star cleaners in the Department of Natural Resources’ Five Star Recognition Program.

Lindeman’s Cleaning of Green Bay and Packard Way Cleaners of Cudahy, WI, earned the state’s highest standard for environmentally-friendly cleaners. Plants who have previously earned the Five-Star distinction include: Stannard Dry Cleaners and Launderers of Oshkosh and One Hour Martinizing of Hartford.

“We continually educate ourselves to improve our standard of service to our customers and care for the environment,” said Dennis Schmitt, owner of the plant.

Schmitt has instituted numerous environmental policies at Lindeman’s, including: recycling water for use in two place in the plant; offering easily accessible brochures for customers which detail the business’s environmental efforts; receiving solvent delivered in barrels; and recycling hangars and used spotting chemicals to a recycling company.

Sue Doolin, owner of Packard Way Cleaners, who first purchased the plant in 1980 from her mother. Doolin has been a board member of the Wisconsin Fabricare Institute since 1992 and currently serves as the association’s vice president/secretary/treasurer.

Members of both plants have earned the credentials of Certified Professional Drycleaner, Certified Environmental Dry-cleaner and Certified Professional Wetcleaner through WFI.

The Five-Star program was designed to help customers recognize cleaners who voluntarily work to minimize waste and attempt to make a difference in the environment. Stars are awarded on various criteria that cleaners must satisfy before moving up to the next level.

To achieve the coveted Five-star status, cleaners must meet all the requirements of One-, Two-, Three- and Four-Star status plus do something extraordinary for the environment related to the field of drycleaning.

Additionally, to earn five stars, plants must implement and maintain an employee health and safety air monitoring program, achieve 25% wetcleaning, pass a facility compliance audit and achieve a solvent mileage of 800 lbs/gallon.

Choice Cleaners held its 5th Annual Food Drive at its two locations in Janesville, WI.

The drive, which concluded on March 15, collected food to benefit ECHO (Everyone Citizen Helping Others) and the Salvation Army. In all, over 28,000 pounds of food was gathered, which included 11.7 tons of canned goods.

Plant owners Tom and Karolyn Upham stored the food in the back of its plants until volunteers from the charities could come pick it up.

Additionally, Choice Cleaners offered a “Customer Appreciation Day” that coincided with the food drive. The company offered a 40% discount on all incoming drycleaning and shirt orders.

In the past, Choice has opted to help its community by cleaning costumes for the Janesville Little Theater and Spotlight on Kids theater groups and have cleaned coats for free as part of a “Coats for Kids” program.