Hermès pieces cleaned and hand-finished by Alex's Dry Cleaning Valet.
Heritage & Expertise
Hermès, Cared For by Alex's Team
Founded in Paris in 1837 by Thierry Hermès as a maker of fine harnesses and equestrian leather goods, Hermès built its name on saddle-stitched leather worked entirely by hand — a single artisan completing each piece, from the Kelly and Birkin to its lambskin jackets and silk twill scarves. It remains the global standard for leather craftsmanship.
That same construction is also what makes Hermès so unforgiving of careless cleaning: solvents and machine processes strip the natural oils from full-grain calfskin, flatten the nap of suede, crack untreated edges, and bleed the hand-screened pigments of a silk carré. Alex's specializes in exactly this kind of delicate, hide-specific and fiber-specific care.
Specialist Care
How Alex's Cares for Hermès
Every Hermès piece is assessed and treated by hand — cleaned, conditioned, and finished according to its precise leather, suede, or silk, never run through a one-size-fits-all process.
Full-grain calfskin
We clean and recondition Hermès calfskin by hand with pH-balanced leather treatments that restore the natural oils a solvent bath would strip, keeping the grain supple and the color even.
Saddle-stitched leather
Hermès's hand-stitched seams and burnished edges are inspected and protected throughout — we avoid the harsh agitation and heat that loosen waxed thread and crack edge finishing.
Suede and nubuck
Suede and nubuck are dry-cleaned by specialist hand methods, then brushed to lift and re-set the nap so the surface stays velvety rather than matted or shiny.
Lambskin jackets
Soft Hermès lambskin garments are spot-treated and conditioned individually, never tumbled, so the buttery hand and drape that define the piece are preserved.
Silk twill scarves and ties
Hermès carrés and ties are hand-cleaned with cold, gentle methods that protect the hand-rolled hems and the brilliance of the screen-printed colors against bleeding or dulling.
Pickup & Delivery
Door-to-Door Across the Bay Area
The same white-glove standard travels everywhere we serve. Pickup from your front door, doorman, or garage — returned cleaned, pressed, and ready to wear.
San Francisco
Monday – Saturday
Next-business-day return; Saturday pickups return Tuesday morning.
Peninsula & South Bay
Monday · Wednesday · Friday
Returned on the next scheduled service day.
Marin County
Every Day
Same-day return is the standard — morning pickups come back the same afternoon.
East Bay
Thursday & Saturday
Returned on the next service day.
Wine Country
Monday & Thursday
Sonoma & the Napa Valley — $300 service minimum, or a $75 delivery charge each way.
$75 minimum per pickup with free pickup and delivery across San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin, and the East Bay. Wine Country (Napa, Sonoma & St. Helena): $300 service minimum, or a $75 delivery charge each way. Same-day service available in most areas for an additional fee.
Common Questions
Hermès Garment Care FAQ
Can Hermès leather and suede be dry cleaned safely?
Not by ordinary dry cleaning. Standard solvents and machine cycles strip the natural oils from Hermès full-grain calfskin and flatten the nap on suede and nubuck, causing stiffness, fading, and cracking that are often permanent. Alex's treats every Hermès leather and suede piece by hand with hide-specific cleaning and reconditioning, restoring the oils and resetting the nap so the leather stays supple and the color true.
How do you clean an Hermès silk scarf without ruining the colors?
Hermès carrés are hand-screened on silk twill with hand-rolled hems, so they require cold, gentle hand cleaning rather than a hot machine process. We clean each scarf individually to protect the rolled edges and keep the vivid screen-printed pigments from bleeding or dulling, then press it carefully so it keeps its body and sheen.
Do you pick up Hermès pieces in San Francisco, and how do I schedule?
Yes. Alex's Dry Cleaning Valet is fully door-to-door across San Francisco and the Bay Area — so we come to you. Just text 415-338-9318 to schedule a pickup, and we'll collect your Hermès leather, suede, scarves, or accessories from your door and deliver them back to you restored. Family-run since 1984.