Removing Mildew

Mildew is a fungus growth that often gives the appearance of an irregularly-shaped stain and may range in colour from grey to black or yellow to red.

Mildew usually develops on garments or household items that are left in moist or damp conditions. Areas with poor ventilation or damp, warm areas, such as hampers and basements, can contribute to the formation of mildew.

A musty odour is usually the first sign that mildew may be occurring. Mildew usually attacks cellulose fibres such as cotton, linen, and ramie, but it is also likely to occur on other fabrics. If mildew remains on a fabric for a long period of time, it can cause serious fabric damage to the point of rotting.

Mildew cannot always be removed. The only effective way to remove the mildew discoloration is by locally spotting or wet cleaning the item with oxidizing bleach. Only chlorine bleach actually kills the mildew, but other bleaches, such as sodium perborate or hydrogen peroxide, may lighten the mildew stain. Be sure to choose the appropriate bleach for the fibre type and test for colourfastness prior to any treatment.

The key to preventing mildew is to avoid storing soiled articles in damp conditions at all costs. This includes not storing damp, dirty clothes in a pile or in a clothes hamper. Clothes should be cleaned before put into storage, and storage areas should be kept clean and dry.

Cleaning Electric Blankets

Cooler weather is beginning to set in and customers may soon bring their blankets for cleaning. Although most blankets can be dry cleaned, it is best to follow the instructions on the care label. This applies especially to electric blankets.

Electric blankets are made with electrical wires that are covered with plastic casing. These casings may be solvent soluble, and when the blanket is dry cleaned, they may dissolve and expose the wires. Often you may not be able to see the bare wires, but when the blanket is later plugged into an electrical outlet, serious problems—a short circuit or even fire—could result.

When accepting an electric blanket, always tell your customers that the blanket cannot be dry cleaned. Look for or ask about the care instructions that came with the blanket at the time of purchase. If none exists, machine wash the blanket on a gentle cycle with light extraction and line dry. Do not spot or tamp with the spotting brush, as this may damage the wires. Since the blankets are hung to dry, finishing should not be necessary.

Missing Care Label Instructions

Have you ever received an item for cleaning that did not have a care label? This is not an uncommon occurrence. When you get an item of this type, whether it is a quilt, a pair of twill trousers, or an evening gown, the first thing you should test for is colourfastness. This is done by blotting and crocking with dry cleaning solvent and a water/detergent solution. The blot method is done by folding a blotter that has been dampened with cleaning solution over the area. Crocking involves rubbing the surface with a towel that has been dampened with cleaning solution. These tests help determine the best method of care with regard to colour.

The next step involves testing any trim that is attached to the item. This should include testing the coating on the trim in addition to the trim itself.

Testing the coating involves rubbing the trim with a towel that has been dampened with dry cleaning solvent or a water/detergent solution. After testing the coating, it is necessary to test the trim by immersing in solvent or a water/detergent solution. If there is more than one type of trim, each type will need to be tested.

It is important to remember that these are only tests to determine the most optimal method of cleaning. Damage may still occur during the cleaning process even though the item has been tested.

It is recommended explaining these procedures to the customer prior to accepting the item for cleaning.

Delicate Fabric - Velvet

Fashions come and go. This year, velvet is returning to popularity. The fabric can be delicate and requires special care.

Velvet fabrics containing acetate can be damaged during wear and/or cleaning. Spills from any liquids containing moisture, such as beverages, soups, or even plain water, can permanently flatten the velvet pile. These spills should be noted at the front counter. If possible, the customer should be made aware that the damage is permanent and cannot be corrected with any further cleaning or stain removal procedures.

Stain removal agents that contain moisture will also flatten velvet pile. Dry stain removal procedures should be performed on the pile or "fuzzy" side of the fabric to prevent damage to the pile. During finishing, care must also be taken not to touch or brush the fabric while it is wet with steam. This will cause the pile to flatten and look “shiny” in these areas.

It should be noted that not all velvets are made from acetate fibres and not all are susceptible to flattening. For instance, unlike velvet, velveteen fabrics made from cotton or polyester cotton blends are not flattened by the use of wet stain removal agents or brushing during steam finishing.

Antiperspirant Damage

If, after cleaning, holes appear in the underarm area of a cotton shirt, prolonged contact with antiperspirants could be the cause. Antiperspirants are very acidic by nature and also contain high concentrations of aluminium chlorides, which can damage cellulose fibres. Usually the fabric will remain intact (although chemically weakened) until the agitation of a laundering process separates and tears the weakened yarns.

The tears or holes are mainly confined to the underarm area. While the fabric in the body portion of the shirt remains strong, this area is weak and splits quite easily. This local area may also show a lighter shade of discoloration or staining. This type of progressive degradation of the fabric may be prevented by removing antiperspirants from garments as soon as possible after wear.

Sometimes the customer can use a deodorant with a neutral pH rather than an acidic antiperspirant. Launderers cannot prevent damage to fabrics that have already been degraded by improper use of antiperspirants.

Unfortunately, once the fabric has been chemically degraded to the point of causing holes or tears, the damage is irreversible.

Removing Mud Stains

Most mud stains on washable items can be removed by washing the item according to the care instructions. Let the mud dry, then brush off as much as possible using a soft bristle brush. Wash as usual using regular laundry detergent.

Mud stains on dry cleanable items can be more difficult to remove since mud stains contain both oily components and water-soluble components. For mud stains on dry cleanable items, follow the general procedure used for removing soils. First begin with dry agents: volatile dry solvent, oily-type paint remover, and volatile dry solvent.

If dry agents are unable to remove the stain, move on to wet agents: steam or water, neutral synthetic detergent, ammonia or protein formula, 28% acetic acid or tannin formula, general formula, and rust remover. Use bleach as a last resort. Remember to test the nature of the fabric you are handling for colourfastness and/or damage to the fibres before using any stain removal agent.

Removing Candle Wax Stains

If a customer asks you about home stain removal of candle wax stains, advise them to first remove any build-up of wax, then place the stained area between two multiple layers of paper towels and apply a warm iron to the area. The iron should soften the wax so it will transfer onto the towel. Repeat until all wax build-up is removed.

To prevent depositing the removed wax back onto the fabric, tell them to make sure that they use a clean paper towel each time. Once the build-up is removed, the area should be treated with a solvent-based laundry product and washed in hot water.

Curtain Rings

Curtains often have large yellow or tan rings after dry cleaning. Many curtain fabrics have finishes applied during manufacture for stability, lustre, etc. Curtain fabrics accumulate water soluble soils during use. If moisture from rain or window condensate contacts the fabric, the soils are disturbed. As the moisture evaporates, the soils migrate to the outer edges of the wet area and a ring is formed. The rings may become more apparent once the item is exposed to heat in cleaning.

Since the stains are best removed with water, curtains with this type of damage may benefit from a professional wet cleaning process. There is the possibility of shrinkage and a change in colour or texture from this process, so the customer needs to be informed of the risks before proceeding.

Cleaning Sofa Cushion Covers

Take care when customers ask you to clean sofa cushion covers. Some upholstery fabrics are coated with latex or a similar material on the reverse side. This coating gives the shell fabric added body, stabilizes the weave, and holds shallow seams together during use. Because dry cleaning solvents may dissolve some of these coatings, testing the coating is recommended before using any cleaning method. If these coatings dissolve, it may change the hand or body of the fabric, cause the yarns to shift, cause the edges to ravel, or cause excessive shrinkage.

Before dry cleaning, always inspect the shell for shallow or frayed seams and pre-test the backing material for solubility—even if the furniture covers are labelled as dry cleanable. It is also important to inspect all areas of the backing material for deterioration. Some materials used in upholstery fabrics can begin to deteriorate as soon as they are put into service due to gases in the air, sunlight, and flexing during use. If dry cleaning furniture covers is determined to be safe, remember to use a very short cycle, minimal mechanical action, and low heat during tumble drying.

Furniture covers with cleaning instructions that state a specific cleaning method (such as spot cleaning or vacuuming) should never be removed for dry cleaning or washing. Any tumble cleaning method could destroy the backing, shrink, or otherwise damage the upholstery fabric. Zippers on furniture cushions are installed only for the manufacturer’s benefit. They should not be expected to work as normal garment zippers and may not open and close properly.