Dry cleaning prices in Dubai.

Dry cleaning in Dubai is usually priced per item rather than by weight, and Diamond Stars publishes a price for every listed garment. Each item has two prices: Wash & Press, which cleans and presses the garment, and Steam Press Only, for clothes that are already clean and just need pressing. A shirt, for example, is AED 15 cleaned and pressed or AED 10 pressed only.

Prices are shown as From because the final price can vary by item, fabric and condition. An embellished evening dress or a delicate abaya with heavy beading is reviewed before the price is confirmed. Send a photo on WhatsApp when you are unsure.

Three work shirts and a two-piece suit come to AED 110 at the starting prices (3 x AED 15 plus AED 65). Two kandoras and a delicate abaya come to AED 85 (2 x AED 20 plus AED 45). Five shirts on their own are AED 75.

Each of these reaches the AED 65 minimum dry cleaning order. A single shirt or tie does not, so small items are usually combined with others in the same pickup. Pickup and delivery are free, so the price you see is the price of the cleaning.

• 3 shirts and a two-piece suit: AED 110
• 2 kandoras and a delicate abaya: AED 85
• 5 shirts: AED 75
• A three-piece suit and a tie: AED 105

Traditional wear is priced separately: a kandora is AED 20 with wash and press or AED 10 pressed only, a ghatra AED 10, a basic abaya AED 20 and a delicate abaya AED 45. A saree is AED 55 and a two-piece shalwar kameez AED 20.

Delicate abayas with lace, crystals or embroidery fall under the delicate price, and the team confirms which price applies from a photo if it is not obvious.

Dry cleaning is returned the next day, for example picked up on Monday and delivered on Tuesday. There is no express service at the moment. Collections are booked on WhatsApp within opening hours: Saturday to Thursday 8:30am to 2pm and 4pm to 11:30pm, Friday 2pm to 11:30pm.

You pay on delivery by cash, card, online payment or bank transfer, so there is nothing to pay at pickup. The team replies on WhatsApp in English, Arabic, Russian, Persian, French, Spanish, German and Dutch.

Headline prices only tell part of the story. When you compare dry cleaners, check four things: whether pickup and delivery cost extra, the minimum order, when you pay, and how long the clothes take to come back.

Also check what a From price means in practice and whether pressing is included. At Diamond Stars, pickup and delivery are free, the minimum is AED 65, payment is on delivery, dry cleaning comes back the next day and the Wash & Press price includes pressing.

Hang suits and jackets on shaped hangers and give them a day of rest between wears. Empty pockets before every pickup, and check cuffs and collars for marks you want the team to look at.

Blot spills straight away with a clean cloth rather than rubbing them. We treat stains carefully, but cannot guarantee every stain will come out, and fresh marks are usually easier to treat than old ones.