material solutions
Cause and answer
1 October 2005In the second of his new series on laundry problems, Richard Neale explains how the correct identification of faults can lead to an answer to the problem
The range of problems for the launderer and rental operator continues to diverge. With continued pressure on prices and margins, it is important to be able to identify causes and solutions quickly. This month’s article looks at some of the most common problems – and some of the more unusual ones.
Garment rental operators have always faced the problem of customers who demand contrasting career wear with scant regard for colour transfer problems and a distinct lack of willingness to pay extra for colourfast fabric. The cost per metre of fabric for a contrasting red trim on a white garment could be double the cost for a standard red, but the difference in the garment price is very small. It must be paid if the entire batch is not to turn pale pink during the first few washes.
The rental operator who is well armed with a sound technical understanding of the problems described this month will always fare better; in the competitive marketplace, it does not take much to differentiate the best from the mediocre.
Synthetic starch blends can contaminate feeders |
There are serial problems involving sticky white residues on sheet feeders. These frequently traced back to recent deliveries of sheets and pillowcases. The white residue accumulates wherever the wet sheet is dragged over the feeder component and becomes a problem within about four or five hours. |
Edge abrasion will downgrade circulating stock |
A rental general manager has to be a master of many technical disciplines but the most pitfalls are found in linen purchase. A towel or a sheet or napkin with a natural selvedge (as opposed to a hemmed edge) should give excellent service provided the edge has been formed to resist normal use and abuse from both processing equipment and the hands of the user. |
Protein stains will need professional washing |
Despite the claims of the detergent supplier, a garment which is heavily soiled with abattoir staining or fish slime needs a good two or three wash process with adequate chemistry, temperature and stage times for efficient removal. |
Mechanical damage versus chemical damage |
Serial failures and rejects caused by holes in bedlinen are infuriating and expensive. The misuse of sodium hypochlorite bleach in continuous batch washers has generated problems across the rental sector, because it is so difficult to prevent a trace of bleach getting back into the hot wash zone where it causes damage out of all proportion to the amount recycled. |
Contract curtains are best designed for washing |
CURTAIN CALL: A simple rub test with water and then with drycleaning solvent should avoid prints like that shown here from fading |
The majority of contract curtaining is still unlabelled with the exception of public sector (particularly healthcare) fabric. Most gives less shrinkage if drycleaned rather than washed (but the curtains will still shrink visibly and the customer needs to be made aware of this beforehand). However, washing is generally better at removing food and drink spillages and it produces a brighter, fresher result after the removal of atmospheric soiling which builds up at the window. |