Treating stains safely and successfully

With pundits predicting prolonged economic uncertainty, many drycleaners could begin to see work volumes fall. I believe that the best solution is to put even more effort into showing established and potential customers that the business maintains the highest standards throughout the operation.

The shop must look clean, bright and welcoming, the kind of place where customers would want their clothes to be cleaned.

Just as importantly a drycleaner cannot afford to allow any garment to leave the shop unless it is clean and well-finished. Good stain removal is essential and damaging a garment in some way through carelessness in stain treatment is unacceptable. Any item that cannot be processed to the required standard must have a note attached so that the situation can be explained to the customer on collection.

Good stain removal starts at reception. Staff must be smart, well trained and good communicators.

They should be capable of carrying out a thorough pre-cleaning inspection to spot faults that might cause problems in processing, such as localised colour loss. Staff must be able to explain these to the customer.

At the other end of the production line, a thorough final inspection procedure is vital to ensure that high standards are consistently maintained. I cannot over emphasise this latter point. When carrying out quality audits throughout the UK, I am amazed at the blatantly obvious nature of stains and finishing faults that have been missed due to an inadequate or even non-existent final inspection. Every garment must be systematically inspected all over before polyrobing. Remember, dissatisfied customers may be embarrassed about complaining so they just go elsewhere in future.

Basic principles

There are two commonly used techniques. Pre- and post-spotting

Pre-spotting: Specific chemicals and/or pre-spotting detergents are applied, usually by brush, to stains or areas of ingrained soiling.

The chemicals are then left to flush out during the machine cleaning process.

With sensitive textiles it is usually necessary to flush out specific chemicals and dry thoroughly before drycleaning.

Post-spotting: This is the removal of any stains that remain after drycleaning and is done on a specialist post-spotting table without any further cleaning.

In my experience, many drycleaners find stain removal the most difficult part of their work and I believe this is mainly due to an over-reliance on pre-spotting methods.

Many unit shops do not have a separate pre-spotting table and instead they use the post-spotting equipment for “soaping up” and treating specific stains before the garments go into the drycleaning machine. But this invariably means that the post-spotting table is heavily contaminated with greasy deposits and in this state it is not suitable for removing stains from items that have already been cleaned. It is particularly important to avoid using a post-spotting table that is contaminated in this way for treating stains on silks and delicate fabrics.

Using the same table for pre- and post-spotting results in many stained items being re-cleaned. It is bad practice as it exposes customers’ clothes to the unnecessary stress of additional cleaning processes and can waste machine time in busy periods. I have occasionally found that as much as 50% of machine capacity was regularly being used for re-cleans.

Although well-trained experienced staff who work in this way can safely and successfully treat a range of stains on robust garments, there is no doubt that these stain treatment methods are directly responsible for many of the problems that occasionally result in colour loss and/or fabric damage.

Silk items, high quality pure wools and cellulosics, such as linen and cotton, are very much at risk Drycleaners should remember that it is not possible to test accurately outside the machine for the conditions that prevail during the drycleaning process.

Reducing risks

Observing the following guidelines will help to reduce the risks involved in stain removal and also to improve the quality.

Ideally, have a separate area and a specific table for examination and pre-spotting. The table should be at least 92 x 122cm (3 x 4ft), and ideally it should have a glass or laminate surface. Inspection on a table is generally easier and more efficient than on the narrow surface of spotting equipment.

If space is limited, one solution is to use a hinged, drop-down table over the spotting table.

The spotting table should always be kept in a state of pristine cleanliness. Clean the spotting table thoroughly and always remove the top as the inside area underneath the vacuum may be heavily contaminated. If the inside is not cleaned out, dirt will splash up through the gauze when the operator uses the steam gun or high-pressure water spray and this may contaminate white items or delicate fabrics, giving rise to sweals and rings.

Know and understand the spotting products. Some kit chemicals are designed to flush out during cleaning but others are not and in this case they should be flushed out on the spotting table and the area thoroughly dried before cleaning. If a drycleaning business is happy with the products it uses, the cleaner should think very carefully before changing.

Operators will be familiar with the strengths and limitations of the products used and other similar products may not react in exactly the same way.

Do not leave pre-spotting chemicals on the fabric for extended periods of time. If they dry on the fabric they may not flush out completely in the machine. Whites and pastel shades are particularly at risk. Ideally chemicals should not be left on the fabric for more than ten minutes but realistically, it is sensible to aim for a maximum of half an hour when preparing loads. The risk increases significantly if light or white loads are left overnight before being cleaned.

Always remember to wipe the table clean before inspecting or treating sensitive items. If possible avoid pre-spotting items that may be risky such as linen or silk. Provided staining is of a manageable size, it is much safer to treat stains locally on the spotting table where the cleaner is in complete control. Bear in mind that no spotting product, other than cold water, can normally be considered safe.

To avoid the risk of abrasion damage, never use a spatula on silk and other fragile fabrics, instead tamp gently with a soft brush.

If kit spotters, designed for flushing out in the machine are used for pre-spotting, I would recommend that pure chemicals such as ammonia and acetic acid or a specialist post-spotting kit are used for stain removal on cleaned items. The use of these products in post-cleaning stain removal will almost eliminate the build-up of greasy deposits in and on the table and they flush out readily after stains have been removed.

General pre-spotting soaps that can be mixed with water should not be used in a ratio that is greater than 1 : 1. A safer mixture is 2/3 soap to 1/3 water.

If the business does not have a systematic final inspection, then introduce one now for every garment. Staff carrying out the inspection should ask: “Is the item clean and stain free? Is it finished to the required standard? Have additional services such as replacing a zip been done? Is the final presentation satisfactory?”

Lint should be removed from trouser turn-ups. Back-pocket buttons should be fastened. Zips should be lubricated if needed.

Equipment

Successful stain removal depends not only on the drycleaner’s knowledge and practical skills but also on the right equipment.

A modern post-spotting table, equipped with steam, vacuum, hot air for drying and a high-pressure water spray is essential. If the table does not have these features, consider replacing it.

A new table is the best choice but a good second-hand table is also an option. The main equipment suppliers can often supply reconditioned models at favourable prices. If buying pre-used equipment, always remove the top to ensure that it is clean inside and out.

Drycleaners buying new equipment have several options. Cleaners that are new to the business or inexperienced may be persuaded to buy a cold table on the grounds that it is safer. This is true as the steam gun can do a lot of damage when used by unskilled staff but cold tables are very limited in terms of production rates. They will not have hot air for drying and removing some stains, colour and dye in particular, frequently requires the use of heat. When buying a table with steam gun, ensure that the spotter will be able to vary the volume of steam easily, so where necessary stains can be gently warmed without the risk of blowing a hole in the fabric.

However, around 90% of stains that remain after drycleaning, as well as the developed stains that are only noticeable when the garments are removed from the machine, can be easily and safely removed with a high-pressure water spray.

Methods

Pre-spotting is a long established, convenient and efficient system for treating stained and soiled areas before drycleaning but it does involve considerable risks. In some shops, repeating the pre-spotting process and re-cleaning is the normal method of treating stains that remain after cleaning but this increases the risks of problems.

Pre-spotting soaps and detergents can easily remove the colour from cellulosics, linen in particular, and silk. If cleaners need to pre-treat these fabrics, they should use a specialist product designed for use on sensitive textiles rather than a general purpose detergent. Always remember that no chemical can be guaranteed not to affect the colour. If risky items are pre-spotted it is a good idea to apply the product immediately before the item goes into the machine.

Do not apply soaps/detergents liberally and at random. They should only be used on soiled or stained areas. Do not put sensitive garments in a pile with items that have been that have been pre-spotted with other chemicals as spotting products can easily migrate to sensitive garments.

Some general pre-spotting products contain a small amount of water. This can be of great assistance with the removal of water-based stains/soiling and many cleaners add additional water to the product. For maximum safety this type of product should only be used on robust materials.

If pure wool or other animal hair fibre textiles such as cashmere are subjected to localised treatment with general pre-spotting products containing water, there is a high risk of localised felting shrinkage. The risk varies depending on the quantity of water in the product and how much is used on the stained area. High value, pure wool garments such as designer suits can easily be damaged by products containing even small amounts of water. These items are also very much at risk in the machine if they have been pre-spotted with wet-side kit chemicals.

Cleaners should be also be aware that water-sensitive textiles such as angora and cashmere will be at risk of felting shrinkage if they are cleaned in a load with garments that have been pre-spotted with soap and water mixtures.

It should be clearly understood that felting is not caused by water or moisture alone but by a combination of water and the mechanical action in the machine.

Spotting kits can be very effective for pre-spotting stains before cleaning, allowing the marks to flush out during the cleaning process but great care is needed to ensure that the water-based reagents are not used to pre-spot any highly moisture-sensitive items such as those already mentioned.

Pre-spotting whites, particularly white cellulosic garments, with wet-side kit spotters or water mixtures can also cause problems. The treated areas may attract particulate soiling during drycleaning, leaving grey marks that can prove difficult to remove.

This latter problem is normally associated with heavily-soiled loads and/or an unsuitable process structure.

If in doubt, it is always safer to transfer the garment to the post-spotting table to remove the stains before cleaning (pre-cleaning stain removal). Use the high-pressure water spray, or post-cleaning kit chemicals or pure chemicals and make sure that the treated area has been dried thoroughly.

If garments are still stained after cleaning and the marking is of manageable size, then in most cases it is better to remove the stains on the spotting table than to pre-spot and re-clean them. Here, the high-pressure water spray really comes into its own as most of these small remaining stains can be removed quickly and easily with a focussed jet of water. Using a water spray also avoids any risk of heat setting. The water-spray is invaluable in removing water-based staining from silks, quickly and with a high degree of safety. Again if in doubt, always do a test in an inconspicuous part of the garment before starting on the stain.

It is a good idea to experiment on old stock items. This will quickly help to build up confidence, expertise and hands-on skills in silk spotting, which many cleaners find especially difficult.