I had been searching for a cleaners in Oakland, after having some pretty costly bills when going to Martinizing in Alameda. I came across Ideal Cleaners and read so many great reviews. The neon sign of the location really adds a nostalgic, classic appeal. I had one pair of vintage Levi's cleaned after having acquired them on the resale market, and had challenges with getting them cleaned and thoroughly deodorized; even after three wash cycles, an overnight distilled white vinegar soak, and a direct sunlight air dry. After all that didn't work, I decided to bring my denim to Ideal for a final attempt. I dropped off on Wednesday and asked for Friday pick-up which the owner said was possible. I called on Thursday to see if an earlier pick-up was possible, and provided my ticket number to which I got a call back after checking on my piece. I was told that Friday morning would allow for service completion- which was fine. I picked the denim up first thing on Friday morning, and the scent I was trying to get out is completely gone. The quick turn around, friendly service and supporting a local business, Ideal is a great choice. For my one pair of denim, I paid $8. This is more than reasonable. Great service, quick turn around and much better than other cleaners. I will be going to Ideal for my pieces, and am interested in having a cleaning done on bigger pieces I have. Suggesting for anyone looking for a good cleaner to try Ideal. To note, with current construction in downtown Oakland, getting there is tougher than usual. And for new customers, push the door hard, it felt like it wasn't unlocked when I first came in. ahah read more

Ideal Cleaners - Love the neon sign at Ideal- such a classic element and great way to advertise the business. - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Oakland, California

Consistently on time and do a great job. Dry clean, press and alterations (alterations can take a week or more as there is only a pickup for them once a week). The other services I've researched charge the same prices so I believe they are average priced. Friendly front desk (the owner?) person, during Covid when they were set up outside I brought my dog and he gave me a roll of dog bags, just because :) read more

The dude is a scammer. I brought in 4 pieces for wash, I just picked them up and he said he did dry cleaning. I said I requested wash because they're just regular tshirts. He brought out someone else's polo shirt and said dry clean like these. I said mine are cotton tees, not polos. Even my receipt says laundry not dry clean but he still charged me $30 for 4 tshirts "dry cleaning" I'll be disputing this with my credit card company for sure. read more

Roughly about a week after the wedding, I brought in my wedding dresses for dry cleaning. One of the dresses was a traditional vietnamese dress designed and created in vietnam so without a label, he told me I should contact the designer for washing instructions before I make my decision on that piece. Some people will just accept the job so I felt this was a good place to proceed. He examined the bridal dress and gave me a very reasonable price, especially since I did not care to preserve it. It was estimated three weeks for completion. Upon picking up the dress, he had me examine it before actually taking it and to prevent wrinkles, he was so sweet and even carried it to my car. I will definitely return when I need dry cleaning services. read more

Alterations are impeccable, dry cleaning is always done with quality in mind, the pressing of items is top notch.

I highly recommend this dry cleaning business. The owner was warm and clearly communicated expectations like details and (very fair) pricing. My wedding gown had an espresso martini spill, and they did a great job removing the stain. The dress came back looking like new, and they had it ready within the 4-week timeline they promised. Excellent service, attention to detail, and professionalism. If you need a reliable dry cleaner, this is the place to go. read more

This place is my "go to" for alterations. A great job and a reasonable turn-around time. Good value.

On site cleaning and very friendly. $47 for four men's shirts and one suit jacket is rather expensive.

They shrunk my pants. They are 1.5 inches shorter and the waist and legs are narrower. They also did something to the fabric because it feels coarse and is pilling. This is my third time going here and first issue so maybe it's a fluke? read more

Two days before a fancy event, I checked if my silk dress still fit and noticed some stains! Freaking out last-minute, I ran to two different dry cleaners who both turned me down (walking in the pouring rain after these rejections made it feel extra dramatic). I finally took this dress to Ideal Cleaners, and the owner saw how stressed and desperate I was and was willing to deep clean the dress in such a short amount of time. The dress looked absolutely spotless and I was so impressed by both the cleaning ability and the kindness of the staff to rush my dress. This meant so much to me and I will definitely be giving them my business from now on. read more

Appreciated the attention and care they treated my items. It was reassuring to have them look at my items and give me a realistic estimate of what they can and can't do. Would return again! read more

Ideal is located in downtown Oakland and next to a number of bars and restaurants. I took several items for both dry cleaning and tailoring services, which they offer! For the repair of ripped pants, a zipper replacement and hemming a rip in a shirt + dry cleaning for some suits and other women's clothing, the total turned out to be a little under $150. Full disclosure, I'm not really sure if that is expensive, but it seemed fairly reasonable to me given the number of items that I turned in. It took about four days to get the items back, but this was also due to a holiday weekend so overall I was very pleased with the timing. The owner was very kind and even offered to bring all of the finished clothes to my car, but I had walked so I didn't need it after all. After I got home, I looked at the clothing and found that everything looked perfect! The zipper was replaced, and the rips completely fixed - you couldn't even tell where the rips had originally been. Our dry cleaned clothes were also looking very fresh when we took them out of plastic. Not a wrinkle in sight. Overall, I would absolutely return to ideal cleaners for future clothing services. Thank you so much for such a great experience! read more

I love this place! Mr. and Mrs. Lee who run this place are super nice and it's always a pleasure picking up dry cleaning from them. I've dropped off coats, shirts and even down jackets and they always come back pristine. They have great hours, reasonable prices and great customer service. I highly recommend Ideal Cleaners! read more

New place we tried since moving to Oakland. It did not disappoint. The prices were great, the service was good and everything was on time.

This place is legit. Turned around a bunch of items for me on 24 hours before I had to leave town for a trip. Really nice service too. Always feels good to support a real deal Oakland small business too. Will return. read more

I don't need dry cleaning services very often but as long as I live in this area I'll go here. My clothes were returned on time and in perfect condition. Both of the people I interacted with were very friendly and personable. The inside of the store has lots of older certificates and photos and is generally a really good vibe- you can tell you're supporting a local business that has been part of the community for a long time! read more

After getting finishing up my alterations for my wedding dress before my wedding, my tailor suggested that I take my dress to Ideal Cleaners, and that she only trusts them to clean the wedding dresses she alters. I took my precious dress to them, and was not disappointed at all! They were upfront about pricing, and my dress was beautifully in tact without any lace out of place ( I was worried because the material on my dress is so delicate). Thank you so much for the special care you have given my dress! read more

Ideal Cleaners - Professionally cleaned and pressed by Ideal Cleaners. Thank you! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Oakland, California

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Took a jacket here to have the arms shortened and they did a great job. Super friendly, very reasonable price and good work. Will definitely be back. read more

Ok. So I have been coming here ever since I moved to the bay. Great cleaners. Their professionalism and service has not changed in 12 years. Prices are right. From shirts to bedspreads to wedding gowns, they got you covered. Family owned and run. I hope it stays in he family for another 30 years. I need my shirts and slacks done right. Thank you Mr. Lee. read more

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The owner of this place is an angel among men. He is very professional, kind, and knowledgeable. He examines pieces thoroughly when you drop them off and he will warn you of any issues or risks in cleaning your items. He is honestly such a delight! Now that we are allowed into the building post-Covid, I have also seen framed newspaper articles chronicling how he is a longstanding member of the Oakland community (20+ years). I am a huge fan of him and his business! read more

The best dry cleaner in my life. Incredibly friendly family business. Great service. Great repairs to my custom suits. Can't imagine going anywhere else. read more

Nice folks, but amazing prices. $74 for what cost about $49 at my previous cleaner. My last visit to Ideal

I want to give this place 10 stars!!!! I had a beach wedding in Costa Rica in December and came back on a Monday and had a Wednesday afternoon flight to japan and Bali for honeymoon. I wanted to take my wedding dress with me to Japan to take photos with it. I had two days and desperate for someone to help me clean it. After my ceremony we took beautiful photos on the beach and my dress was pretty much trashed. This place did not want to take my dress either because it usually takes about a month to clean. As I was losing hope I told the man that if he didn't help me I would end up in my bathtub doing it myself and it wouldn't be any better than their work. He thankfully took my dress in and honestly I would have understood if the job wasn't perfect because of the timing. But let me tell youuuuu, he was amazing!!! I can't thank them enough for taking in my dress and my photos turned out beautiful!! Thank you thank you thank you!! read more

Ideal Cleaners - Japan! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Oakland, California

I get my vintage pieces cleaned here and I will remain a loyal customer to this business. They are always on time, the prices are fair, and their work is satisfactory. The biggest bonus is the owner, who is is pleasant and kind to his customers. read more

With reasonable prices and really great service Ideal Cleaners earns five stars from me. I went to pick up my cleaning last week just as they were opening and one employee (maybe the owner?) was out sweeping the sidewalk. He saw me get out of the car and head toward the shop so he stopped what he was doing and opened the door for me. After I paid he carried the cleaning back out to the car for me! I'm glad they're in my 'hood! read more

The pricing was outrageous (note that their pricing sign shows only minimum pricing) for this sketchy looking shop and couldn't be justified. I normally dry clean twice a week at other shops and for the first time, my thin cashmere cardigans were charged double of what this shop charges for normal sweaters for the reason that they're hip length and thus take up a bigger surface area. The skirt was double priced as well for pleats. I'm used to shops charging a dollar or two more for pleats, but not double. In an attempt to ask in what ways buttons were protected during the cleaning process, I was told they had many ways but no time to show me. I was simply told they were the Hyatt of dry cleaning and asked to take my business to a cheaper shop. I would have been okay with the pricing were they able to prove their quality, but it's difficult not to judge based upon the lacking appearance of the shop since I'm accustomed to dry cleaning in major cities. It's the first time I've encountered this sort of belittling treatment at a dry cleaners. read more

I brought my and my fiance's clothes here for a few months as an audition for the big job (wedding dress). They were okay the first few sets of pants and work shirts, but the most recent loads had issues, including a stain on the seat of my beige Banana Republic work pants that was not there when I dropped them off, a much too aggressive press on a white silk blouse with hidden buttons (I'll never get the impression of the buttons out of the delicate placket), and this broken button on my J Crew blouse (washed maybe twice before). Not coming back again, despite the always very kind service - in the end, it's a clothing business, so it makes sense to evaluate them on how well my clothes are handled. *edited to add: my fiancé put on a pair of his pants this morning from the most recent load, and they have a new stain on the front as well. Both this and the stain on the bottom of my beige pants mentioned above are right along the edge of the interior pocket (his the front right, mine the back left), as if they had been cleaned unevenly where the fabric is thicker vs thinner, around the pocket area. Really disappointing- mine were $90 BR, but his pants are nice ones from Nordstrom ($200+). He's an attorney and will need to replace them, they aren't suitable for work now. It's clear the cleaning mistakes are just carelessness, which is such a downer. The clothes that need dry cleaning are the ones that by nature need the most care, so it's reasonable to expect that from a dry cleaner. read more

Ideal Cleaners - Broken button. Wasn't broken when I dropped it off, and has only been worn a few times. - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been coming to Ideal Cleaners for ages (over 20 years) and I can honesty say they have never let me down. I especially appreciate that they do men's formalwear properly..to your preferred starch level. I used to live nearby but even though I've moved I still go to them for proper cleaning of both vintage and modern clothes. read more

Always fast, friendly, and reliable! I've brought many items here over the years and had several pants hemmed. Each time, the job was top quality! Such a wonderful neighborhood spot that reminds me of the laundromat that my family had growing up. read more

I have used them for years and years (before Oakland was in Vogue) and have never had any problems. They are gentle, kind and very honest people who are not magicians but always do their best and are straightforward about what is possible which is all anyone can ask for. A big thank you to the consistent steady service this great business provides. read more

Before I discovered the act of hemming your clothing, I was so lazy that I would just wear stillettos to keep from stepping on my pants. It's a terrible form of footwear for riding a bicycle and pulling a trailer. The neon sign out front drew me in, and I decided to have a pair of newly purchased pants taken care of. Mr. Lee is the kind of gentleman that is scarce in today's society- friendly and polite, yet exceedingly gentle. I have my vintage clothing cleaned here.Everything the staff does here is with such precsion and care. And seriously, now that I've hemmed all my trousers, I can chuck the killer heels, which I never could walk in anyway, and my bicycle riding is not a menace to myself and society at large. Thank you Mr. Lee!!! read more

One of my super awesome coworkers lent me her ski pants and jacket for my one-day trip to Sierra-at-Tahoe this past Monday. When I got back to work on Tuesday, I searched on Yelp for a dry cleaner close to work. Ideal Cleaners had way better reviews than One Hour Dry Cleaner, so I opted to go with them even though they are a couple more blocks away from my office. One Hour also doesn't accept credit cards, but Ideal Cleaners does (Mastercard and Visa, I believe). Lastly, Ideal Cleaners and I have the same initials, ha! I stopped by in the afternoon and was greeted by an older gentleman with a warm smile. He took down my last name, first initial and phone number, and then asked if a Friday pick-up would be alright. That was perfectly fine with me so he gave me a pink slip and took the pants and jacket. Fast forward to this (Friday) morning, I call at around 10 AM to see if everything is ready. The man on the phone seems a little flustered and I can hear him speaking with another customer in between. He gets back to me, though, and lets me know that I can pick the items up whenever I'd like. Sweet. I take a quick walk down, hand over my pink slip, pay ($24), and I'm out the door with clean, fresh smelling ski pants and jacket on two different hangers, covered in a clear garment bag. I'm normally the gambling neanderthal who throws "dry clean only" clothes in the washer and prays for the best, so I'm not really sure how to rate this place in comparison to any others. I do know, though, that the service was really friendly, responsive, thorough, and they kept to the date they gave me. Thanks, IC! read more

Only ON SITE DRY CLEANERS that I know of. I asked one of the other dry cleaners in the area and they pointed me to here. John is amicable and accommodating. Dropped my stuff off at 11 and got it by noon the next day. No one else could do that. I called all the other cleaners in the area. read more

Prompt and competent dry cleaner. Ideal Cleaners came recommended by my wedding gown seamstress, Louise Austrie. I dropped off my [admittedly simple, unadorned] silk wedding dress on a Monday afternoon for a $45 steam press and was able to pick it up on Friday, the day before my wedding. As a plus, my parents were able to pick it up for me while I was at work that day, even without the original order slip (I had it with me in my purse)! I just had to phone in and make a special request, which they agreed to without any trouble. Dress looked nicely pressed and there were no snags. read more

This review is subject to update after I receive my items from them. Just brought in a shirt, tie and dress pants. I told them that I needed to get it by tomorrow. The lady working said " No pick up Thursday better ", but I told them I need it by 3 tomorrow because I have to wear it and get to somewhere by 4. I said, "If you're unable to do it, thats fine I can just get it done elsewhere because I need this rushed." A man started talking to me and told me that they couldn't dry clean and press it the same day because of the colors. Clueless, I said " Okay, can I just get it pressed? " and the man said it was fine and told me to pick it up at 3 tomorrow and that the price for pressed only is similar to dry clean + pressed. Came out to $13.50. Which I felt was kinda pricy or the exactly the same price as dry clean+pressed. So I guess they're friendly, and accommodated me. Or they just wanted the business. If the items come back on time and nice, I'll change it to a 5 maybe. If its bad, I'll change it to a 3. read more

These guys not only took me last minute but they pressed my wedding dress and steamed my veil at a super reasonable price ($75 and my dress had a LOT of layers!) Thankyou so much for the great service, my dress and veil were perfect! read more

Ideal Cleaners - Pressed my dress! - Sewing & Alterations Near Me - Oakland, California

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This review is tentative and subject to change. I had dropped off 2 dark coats, 2 dark slacks and sweater cardigan on a Thursday and was able to pick up on Saturday for $36. At first they said pick up next Wed because of the holidays; however, because I had brought in dark items, it was easier to clean...hmmm...not sure about that..or is easier to not see the stains? I had pointed out a few stains on my blue coat, but when I went back to pick up on Sat, it still had some stains. So they kept it for another 5 days without a charge, of course. I will pick it up tomorrow and may change my mind.. read more

I took my wedding gown here to get pressed after it had been altered. I was expecting to pay about $50 for the press, but when I picked it up, it was $100. I was like WOW that was pretty expensive for a press, but I paid it and didn't put up a fuss because I just wanted to get the dress and get out to do the plethora of other things I had to do on that day. I likely will not go back, mainly because the place is out of my way (I went here on a recommendation because I don't have a regular dry cleaner I use). The quality of the press was good--the dress wasn't wrinkled like it was when I took it in, so all-in-all things turned out okay--I just don't think the amount of work to perform the press was worth $100! read more

Thank you, Yelp, for leading me to this gem of a drycleaner! I needed a suit drycleaned within ~20 hours, and they accommodated me with no issues. Very friendly folks and a good price, especially for turning around my suit so quickly. The art deco lights outside are also pretty neat, and apparently a bit of a local landmark judging by all the clippings about them inside. read more

A well deserved 5 stars! In an era of app driven everything it's refreshing to know family run businesses like this not only still exist but are thriving and drawing loyal customers from across town. We just moved to oakland and on asking our new neighbors which of the few cleaners walking distance from our place they've used we were suggested to make the trek to Ideal ~2 miles away and with many other options along the route. "Good" and "honest" as our neighbor put it. 'Nuff said. One large accumulated pile of dry cleaning and laundry later I totally get the praise...every piece came back immaculate... and let me tell you with a nine month old daughter they didn't look anything close to this going in! Friendly service and obvious years of experience plus a plant on premise (no worries of clothes gone lost en route...) all put us at ease immediately. You can't replace this or the pleasure of the smiling faces from the owners here with an app service. Happy to have found the Lees and happy to be joining the ranks of other long time patrons and reviewers here. Oh and the Art Deco facade/theater-like marquee is seriously cool! read more