ARA Garment Care Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
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Care & Service FAQ
Booking & Timing
Is my pickup automatically confirmed?
No. Submitting a booking request does not automatically confirm your pickup. Your booking is confirmed once you receive an ARA confirmation by email or text with your pickup date and window. All bookings are subject to service-area eligibility and daily capacity.
What does same-day service mean?
Same-day service means your order is collected, processed and returned on the same service day:
Pickups completed between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. are scheduled for return by 6 p.m.
Pickups completed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are scheduled for return by 8 p.m.
Same-day availability is limited and must be confirmed.
Large orders, Hang Dry items, contaminated items and garments requiring special handling may need additional time.
What happens if I request service after 3 p.m.?
Requests received after 3 p.m. are considered for pickup by 10 a.m. on the next service day, subject to availability. You will receive confirmation of the actual pickup date and window.
What happens if the day is fully booked?
The booking system will offer the next available pickup window. Same-day capacity is limited so that every confirmed order can be processed properly and returned on time.
How far in advance can I book?
You may book an available pickup in advance through our online booking system. Same-day bookings are accepted until the applicable cut-off or until that day’s capacity has been reached.
Do I need to be home for pickup?
Not necessarily. Your order may be left with a concierge or in another secure, approved location. You must provide clear access instructions when booking and accept responsibility for the order until ARA has collected and documented it.
How should I prepare my order?
Place your clothing in securely closed laundry bags and make sure each bag is ready before your pickup window begins. Please do not use open baskets, cardboard boxes or containers that cannot be securely transported.
Can I change or cancel my pickup?
Yes, provided you contact us before the cancellation or rescheduling cutoff shown in your confirmation. Late cancellations, failed-access visits or missed pickups may be subject to a service fee.
Do you offer recurring pickups?
Yes. Recurring service may be available for households and commercial clients. Contact us to discuss your preferred schedule, expected volume and service requirements.
Pricing & Payment
How is my laundry priced?
Your final price is calculated after your order is collected and weighed or itemized.
The total may include:
- The applicable per-pound or per-item service rate
- Your selected wash service
- Hang Dry, Extended Dry or other care options
- Contamination or specialty-processing charges
- Pickup and delivery fees
- The minimum-order adjustment, if applicable
- Applicable taxes
Current starting rates and fees are listed on our Services and Pricing page.
Can you tell me the final price before pickup?
We can provide an estimate based on the information you enter when booking, but we cannot confirm the final total until your order has been collected, inspected and weighed or itemized. You will receive an itemized invoice before your order is returned.
Is there a minimum order?
Yes. A minimum order charge applies to each pickup. If your laundry weighs less than the minimum, the minimum charge will still apply. The current minimum is displayed on the Services and Pricing page and during booking.
Do you charge for pickup and delivery?
A round-trip pickup and delivery fee applies, but it is waived on orders over $85.
Are care upgrades charged separately?
Yes. Signature Wash, Hang Dry, Extended Dry and contamination processing require additional time or handling and may carry an added charge. Available upgrades and their prices will be shown when you book.
How do I pay?
You will receive a secure, itemized invoice by email or text after your order has been weighed or itemized. Payment must be completed through the secure payment link before your order is released for return delivery.
Can I pay the driver with cash?
No. Drivers cannot accept cash payments for orders. All service charges, upgrades, fees and applicable taxes must be paid through the official ARA Garment Care invoice before return delivery.
If you choose to give your driver cash, please make it clear that it is a personal tip and not payment toward your outstanding invoice.
Can I tip my driver or garment care team?
Yes. Tipping is optional but always appreciated. You may add a tip when paying your invoice or give a cash tip directly to your driver. Cash provided as a tip is separate from payment for your order.
When will my card be charged?
Your final charge is processed after your order has been collected, weighed or itemized, and any applicable care options have been added. A receipt will be sent after payment.
Are taxes included in the displayed prices?
Unless specifically stated otherwise, displayed prices do not include applicable taxes. Taxes will appear separately on your invoice.
Do you offer refunds?
Because garment care is a completed service, we do not generally issue refunds simply because a customer has changed their mind. If something is wrong with your order, contact us within the time stated in our Garment Care and Claims Policy so we can investigate and provide an appropriate resolution.
ARA GARMENT CARE
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Garment Care & Protocols
01. Care Options
How is my laundry priced?
Basic Wash means your clothing is washed together as it is received in the bag. The items are not sorted by colour and do not receive individual stain treatment. Standard drying and folding are included unless another drying option is selected.
Signature Wash includes sorting by colour before washing and treatment of identified stains. Stain treatment is included, but complete stain removal cannot be guaranteed.
Customers are responsible for choosing Basic Wash only when all items in the bag can be safely washed together.
Can you guarantee stain removal?
No. We will treat identified stains when Signature Wash or an applicable stain-treatment service has been selected, but we cannot guarantee complete removal. Results depend on the substance, fabric, colour, age of the stain and any treatment previously attempted.
Aggressive stain removal can damage some fabrics, so we prioritize protecting the garment.
Do you offer fragrance-free service?
Yes. Fragrance-free detergent is available upon request. Select this preference during booking. While reasonable precautions are taken, our processing environment may also handle scented products, so we cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free or fragrance-free environment.
What does Hang Dry mean?
Hang Dry means selected items will not be placed in a tumble dryer. They will be hung to air dry instead. Hang Dry requires additional space and processing time, carries an extra charge and may prevent an order from qualifying for same-day return.
Please identify every item that must be hung to dry. Do not assume we can determine this without instructions.
Does Extended Dry guarantee zero moisture?
Extended Dry provides additional drying time for customers who prefer their laundry more thoroughly dried than our Standard Dry service. We aim to eliminate noticeable residual moisture, but absolute zero moisture cannot be guaranteed for every fabric, seam, filling or oversized item..
What is Standard Dry?
Standard Dry uses a regular drying cycle intended to dry everyday garments without unnecessarily over-drying them. Heavy fabrics, waistbands, seams or layered items may retain slight residual moisture.
Can I choose my wash preferences?
Yes. Available preferences may include fragrance-free detergent, fabric softener, wash temperature, Standard Dry, Extended Dry and Hang Dry. Some requests may require an additional charge or longer turnaround.
Will you follow the garment care label?
We use the manufacturer’s care label as the primary handling guide. Items without readable care labels may be declined, processed only with the customer’s authorization or excluded from certain services.
Can you accommodate allergies or sensitivities?
Tell us about any allergies or sensitivities when booking. We can follow the available product preferences, but we operate in an environment where other detergents and products may be used. We cannot guarantee the complete absence of allergens or cross-contact.
02. Items & Safety
Can you handle urine, faeces or blood?
ARA may accept laundry contaminated with urine, faeces or blood when the contamination is disclosed during booking. These orders require separate handling and an additional contamination-processing charge.
Contaminated items must be securely double-bagged and clearly identified. For safety reasons, we may decline items that are heavily contaminated, contain sharp objects, present a biohazard risk or cannot be safely processed using our available procedures.
Undisclosed contamination may result in service refusal, additional charges or suspension of the customer’s account.
Will my order be mixed with someone else’s?
No. Each customer’s order is identified, tracked and processed separately. Your clothing will not be washed in the same machine load as another customer’s clothing.
What should I remove from the bag?
Please check every garment and remove:
- Money, jewellery and keys
- Identification and bank cards
- Medication
- Electronics and earbuds
- Tissues, pens and cosmetics
- Lighters, batteries and vaping products
- Food, garbage and loose personal items
- Pins, needles, blades or other sharp objects
ARA is not responsible for personal property left inside garments or laundry bags.
Items that damage equipment or other garments may result in additional charges.
Do you accept bedding?
Yes. We may accept sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, blankets and certain comforters. Bulky or oversized bedding may be priced per item, require additional drying time or have a longer turnaround.
Pillows, weighted blankets, sleeping bags and specialty-filled items must be approved before pickup.
Can I include delicate or designer garments?
Delicate, designer, vintage or high-value items must be disclosed during booking. Some items may require an alternative service, special authorization or processing by an approved specialist. ARA may decline any item that cannot be safely processed.
Do you accept dry-clean-only items?
No we do not accept dry-clean only items at this time.
Are there items you do not accept?
ARA does not accept items that are unsafe, illegal, pest-infested, soaked in flammable or hazardous substances, or contaminated beyond what our procedures can safely handle. We may also decline items with no safe cleaning method, severe mould, active bedbugs or other conditions that could affect staff, equipment or customer orders.
Do I need to separate Hang Dry or special-care items?
Yes. Place special-care items in a separate, clearly labelled bag whenever possible and list them in your booking instructions. If special handling is not disclosed, the items may be processed according to the selected general service.
What happens if colours bleed or an item shrinks?
Some fabrics, dyes and garments may bleed, shrink or change despite being processed according to their care instructions. This risk is greater when incompatible items are placed together under Basic Wash. Signature Wash reduces this risk by sorting colours, but it cannot eliminate every fabric-related reaction.
03. Delivery & Issues
Can my order be left with a concierge?
Yes, if your building permits it. Include the concierge’s location, building access details and any collection or return instructions when booking. The concierge must be willing and authorized to receive the order.
What if I am not available for delivery?
You may authorize delivery to a concierge or another secure location when booking. If no approved location is available and our driver cannot complete the delivery, your order will be returned to our care and a redelivery fee may apply.
How will I know when my order is arriving?
You will receive a return notification by text or email. Where available, we will also provide a more specific estimated arrival time once your order is assigned to the return route.
What happens if my delivery is delayed?
We will contact you as soon as possible if traffic, weather, processing requirements, access problems or another unexpected issue affects your scheduled return. Some circumstances may require a revised delivery time.
What if something is wrong with my order?
Contact ARA within 24 hours of delivery and provide:
- Your order number
- A description of the concern
- The name or description of the affected item
- Clear photographs, where applicable
Keep the garment and its packaging in the condition received while we investigate. Do not wash, repair, alter or discard the item before contacting us, as this may affect our ability to assess the concern.
What if an item is missing?
Check all returned bags before submitting a report. If you believe an item is missing, contact us within 24 hours with your order number and a description of the item. We will review the order record, bag count, processing notes and delivery documentation.
What if an item is damaged?
Stop using or treating the item and contact us within 24 hours. Send photographs of the garment, the affected area, its care label and any relevant packaging. Claims are reviewed under our Garment Care and Claims Policy.
What happens if the driver cannot access my building?
The driver will attempt to contact you using the telephone number on the booking. If access cannot be obtained within the allotted pickup or delivery time, the visit may be marked as unsuccessful and a failed-access or redelivery fee may apply.
How is an unattended pickup or delivery documented?
When you authorize an unattended pickup or return, the driver will take a photograph of the bags in the approved location. The photograph documents the collection or delivery without intentionally capturing people or unrelated personal information.