National Clothesline

here are many cleaners with state of the art wetcleaning equipment and still are not doing enough or quality wetcleaning. People can improve their capabilities for wetcleaning and successful restoration of problem fabrics with a minimum investment. Read the following article and check to see if you are up to date.

Bubbling system

The bubbling system is one of the most creative, inexpensive and useful systems I have seen in a long time. Steve Jennings, director of the East Coast School of Drycleaning, and Rick Watson hooked up a large plastic bucket to an air line, water feed and drain. This means that a garment can be soaking in water and be gently agitated by air from the air line which is immersed in the water.

Delicate wedding gowns and other fabrics can be safely agitated allowing soil release and better penetration of lubricants and bleach

For that matter, an air line can be immersed in a sink and the cleaner can have the same ability to agitate fragile fabrics.

Call Rick Watson at the East Coast School of Drycleaning for details on this system. The phone number is (866) 783-3322.

Styrofoam buckets

The next time you carry home beer or soft drinks in those lightweight containers, save them. They make excellent insulators when using bleach or digesters. They can maintain proper water temperatures for long periods of time.

Lubricants

Are you wetcleaning using only one type of lubricant or are you diversified enough to get the benefits of several?

Anionic detergent. This detergent provides excellent soil removal for most fabrics.

Cationic detergent. This detergent works well for wools, silks and rayons. This detergent reduces color loss and bleeding. It can not be mixed with an anionic detergent.

Nonionic detergent. A very good detergent for removing oil and greasy type stains. It is also effective when soaking garments in bleach or digesters as it creates a soft feel to the garment.

Detergent for colored garments. You can make up an effective detergent for wetcleaning dark denims and cottons. You would simply mix Martha Stewart’s bluing to your normal detergent. The concept is that it will clean the fabric and at the same time prevent bleeding while adding some additional color to the fabric.

Digesters

There are many types of digesters and the type you use should fit the project that you are undertaking.

Low temperature enzymes. These are useful for digesting protein stains on wools and silks.

High temperature enzymes. These are useful for digesting stains on tablecloths and cottons.

Digesters with oxygen bleach. These are useful for removing stains on white fabrics, cottons and linens.

Bleaches

Sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate. These bleaches are often sold mixed with detergents or enzymes. This mixture loses the effectiveness of the bleach. Order from your supplier the pure version of this bleach.

Sodium hypochlorite. This bleach can be used effectively with know-how. It must be soured or an antichlor must be used to remove the last traces.

Potassium permanganate. An extremely important bleach yet most cleaners do not use it. It is effective for removing stains that even chlorine bleach cannot remove.

Reducing bleach. Sodium bisulphate is a very effective bleach as an antichlor and for removing dye stains on fabrics when other bleaches are not safe to use.

Sodium hydrosulphate. It may smell bad but it works great. You can reduce the odor of this bleach by simply adding a detergent to the bleach bath.

Titanium sulphate. Great for dye removal.

Fluorescent dye removal. Wilson Chemical is one of the companies that makes a two-part solution. One part of the solution is a reducing bleach and the other part is a fluorescent dye brightener.

Schooling

After teaching for 35 years, I have the satisfaction knowing that many of my students are successful drycleaners. I cannot help but advocate that proper knowledge is needed for your success.

There are many qualified teaching organizations that can assist in your area.

Many manufacturers and chemical companies also offer excellent training.

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.