Laundry & Dry Cleaning at Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana.

Most residents send one big bag a week with everyone’s everyday clothes. A 12kg bag costs AED 99, a 6kg bag AED 60 for singles or couples, and each kilo over 12 is AED 12. It comes back folded to Capital Centre Arjaan within a day.

Office shirts, skirts and suits for people working nearby during a long assignment. Shirts are AED 15, skirts AED 21, trousers AED 18 and a two-piece suit AED 50. Collected before noon, they can be back that evening.

Washing at home is one thing; ironing a week of shirts in a studio is another. Send the ironing alone: AED 9 for a hung shirt, AED 12 for a kandura or trousers, AED 10 for a blouse. Returned the next day.

For the duvets, throws and towels you brought for a long stay, not the apartment’s own linen. A duvet costs AED 50, a large blanket AED 40, a bath robe AED 16 and a bath towel AED 6. Large duvets take 48 hours.

School shoes, work shoes and weekend trainers for the whole family. Children’s shoes are AED 35 a pair, adult formal shoes and sneakers AED 55, and sandals AED 45. Ready in two to four days.

A child’s school bag costs AED 40 to clean, a backpack or handbag AED 45, a gym duffel AED 65 and a small suitcase AED 85 once the move is done. Three to five days.

Families arriving mid-year often need school uniforms adjusted. A child’s trouser or skirt hem is AED 40, sewing in name labels AED 30, a child’s button AED 10. Adult repairs like a seam start at AED 40. Allow 48 to 72 hours.

Useful while you wait to move into a villa or flat elsewhere in Abu Dhabi: your own rugs and curtains cleaned before you unpack them. Carpet is AED 20 per square metre, wool AED 26, and curtains AED 20 or AED 25 with blackout. Three days.

For residents who marry or attend a family wedding during their stay. A standard gown is from AED 250, and a preservation box to store it is AED 210. Flower girl dresses are AED 28. Seven to fourteen days.

Some long-stay residents work for event and promotion companies at ADNEC. A small mascot costume is AED 200, medium AED 230 and large AED 250, with each accessory AED 30. Ready in three to five days.

Children in an apartment for months still need their favourite toy clean. A small soft toy is AED 55, medium AED 70 and large AED 120. Washed with care and back in two to three days.

For sofa covers you own, perhaps from furniture waiting in storage or a home nearby. A regular cover is AED 35, a large one AED 40, and cushion covers from AED 10 up to AED 20. Two to three days.

Winter evenings in Abu Dhabi bring leather jackets out of the wardrobe. Jackets are cleaned from AED 150, coats and blazers from AED 130 and small goods from AED 100, all hand-finished. Three to five days.