National Clothesline

he drycleaning process is a very complex operation and no cleaner has been free of problems occurring on fabrics. Some typical problems occur when an area on a garment, or the entire garment, turns gray or discolored. Other problems occur when rings or swales form on garments.

The correction process requires that you first test the source of the problem and approach it accordingly. For example, a gray or discolored area may appear to be redeposition of soil but actually may be a metallic oxidation or dye.

Some typical staining problems may be from a melted plastic trimming or from a plastic coating on a garment. Streaks and swales can be from uneven drying, fatty acid or a sizing breakdown.

Failure to correct the problem means the cleaner did not correctly analyze the cause and approach it with the correct procedure. Therefore the most important step is testing before approaching a solution to the problem.

Redeposition of soil

This occurs when impurities in the solvent redeposit onto a fabric. The entire fabric can turn gray or a localized area can become stained if the garment was cleaned in a wet or damp condition. Redeposition of soil can be associated with improper filtering, impurities, moisture, and hot solvent.

Testing. Apply oil type paint remover to stained area.

Tamp.

Apply ammonia.

Tamp.

If the stain starts to move it is redeposition of soil.

Removal. The staining in the localized area can be removed with the aforementioned testing procedure. When working a localized area the spotter should use aggressive tamping to remove the staining. Brushing or light tamping is not effective for this stain removal.

Overall graying

Soak one hour in the drycleaning machine with a low level of solvent and 2 percent soap concentration and 2 percent oily type paint remover.

Batch or mill for one-half hour.

Rinse and dry.

Soak garment in warm water with either sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate.

Add a wetside lubricant.

Soak overnight or longer.

Rinse and neutralize with an acid.

It also may be advisable to soak garment in water with some liquid bluing to help the brightness of the fabric.

Metallic oxidation

This is a common reaction on some fabrics that are cleaned while wet or damp. It is a dark staining that appears to be redeposition but is actually a reaction of metallic impurities that deposit onto the garment.

Testing. This staining reacts with hydroflouric acid or rust remover.

Removal. Use rust remover to remove staining but be sure to rinse thoroughly and neutralize with a mild alkali or protein formula.

Dryside dye transfer

Dye transfer can occur from a trimming or a garment with a poor dye. The resulting staining can either be dryside or wetside.

Testing. Apply oily type paint remover and observe solubility of dye.

Correction. Reclean affected garments.

It may be necessary to reclean several times.

Wetside dye transfer

This is dye transfer that occurs while cleaning a garment that is wet or damp.

Testing. To determine proper removal procedures, it is necessary to test the reaction of the dye to several bleaches. For example a transfer onto an acetate garment will usually not react to titanium sulphite but will react to a diluted sodium hypochlorite. Use testing in the following order:

Titanium sulphite.

Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Sodium hypochlorite (not on animal fibers).

Potassium permanganate.

Removal. Localized area: Use the appropriate bleach with a q-tip and neutralize accordingly.

Bath method. Soak in the appropriate bleach according to the testing. If hydrogen peroxide and ammonia works best substitute sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate as a bath bleach.

Melted plastic

There are several types of plastic that can stain a garment. Plastic from melted beading or a button and plastic from a coating have different methods of stain removal.

Testing. Apply amyl acetate and observe reaction.

Apply acetone and observe reaction. (Caution: Will dissolve acetate).

Removal. Use appropriate solvent according to testing. When using acetone mix with volatile dry solvent (50-50).

Rings and swales

Some rings and swales occur from excessive fatty acid in the solvent. Some rings occur due to resins in the fabric that break down.

Testing. Apply volatile dry solvent to determine rings that occurred from excessive fatty acid or uneven drying.

Apply amyl acetate to determine rings that occur from a resin breakdown.

Correction. If rings occur from fatty acids a clear rinse will usually correct the problem. Rings from a resin breakdown will require pre-spotting with amyl acetate.

Dan Eisen recently retired as chief garment analyst for the Neighborhood Cleaners Association after 33 years with that organization. He is available for seminars, consultations and independent garment analysis. He also has published a book, “The Art of Spotting,” which is an indexed compilation of articles he wrote for National Clothesline and NCA over the past three decades. He can be reached at (772) 340-0909. His address is 274 NW Toscane Trail, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986. His e-mail address is cleandan@adelphia.net.