Chemicals that will boost drycleaning results

Solvents are central to the drycleaning process but on their own they are not sufficient to produce the standard of result that will consistently satisfy customers. Assistance is needed to produce the best standards and that comes from detergents and also from a range of specialised additives.

Steve Tolley, chemicals support manager at Alex Reid says: “Using the correct additives such as detergents is one of the key factors in achieving high quality drycleaning.”

He explains that the proper use of detergents will remove water soluble soils, eliminate static, reduce linting and keep insoluble soils in suspension.

It will also help to maintain the garment’s dimensional stability, to make finishing easier and help to prevent the fabric creasing during handling and wear.

At Büfa, Jörg Schwerdtfeger, who provides both sales and technical support, agrees. He says that there are still drycleaners who believe that the drycleaning solvent is such an excellent cleaner that no further additives are needed but this is not correct. Organic solvents need a detergent that will take care of the soiling, prevent greying and avoid static and other problems.

Modern detergents do much more than simply carry dissolved soiling away from the garment.?

Richard Cole, managing director of the chemicals manufacturer Cole & Wilson, says that the use of chemicals alongside solvents will help to meet the customer’s expectations that their cleaned clothes will be returned in an “as new” condition.

Elaborating on this point, Cole says that perc and hydrocarbon are effective at removing oil-based stains so the first job of a detergent is to remove water-based stains during the cleaning process and to carry it away so that this soiling cannot re-deposit on the garment.

The second job is to restore texture to garments, giving them a good feel and to prevent a build-up of static during drying, so making pressing the garments easier.

Most drycleaners will use a range of different additives at various stages in the process and these can be defined generically.

Tolley at Alex Reid advises that the most useful generic chemicals are the machine detergents that will perform the functions already described – preventing greying, reducing linting and static and so on.

He adds that it is useful to have two products for treating general soiling on collars and cuffs, one for use on normal, non-sensitive garments and the other for delicate fabrics and those that are colour sensitive. In addition a spotting kit should be on hand for removing specific stains such as tea, coffee or paint.

Schwerdtfeger at Büfa says that drycleaners will use a variety of products, such as pre-spotters and pre-brushing agents as well as the detergent. He adds that some cleaners will use additives, such as water-proofing or fire-proofing agents, that give the fabric a special finish.

Spotters and pre-brushing agents are applied before the garment or textile goes into the drycleaning machine. They are put directly onto the soiled area of the fabric and, with the aid of the mechanical action provided by a brush or similar tool, help to loosen the soiling or staining so that can be removed in the machine.

Detergents are classified according to the main component, anionic or cationic. The anionic class is better for cleaning while cationic components have properties that assist in finishing.

Optimising results

Drycleaners need to know how to obtain the best performance from these chemicals. There are several areas to consider here.

Safety is always a concern when handling chemicals and this applies to those used in drycleaning as it does in other areas.

Tolley at Alex Reid advises that it is essential that operators involved in handling chemicals make themselves familiar with the safety data sheets regarding the handling and storage of each of the products used on the site.

Schwerdtfeger says that the golden rule in handling chemicals is: “Never underestimate the potential danger.” Even if the safety label only classes the risk as an irritant, then some kind of personal protection is a must.

Working with some chemicals without this protection can dry out the skin, so Schwerdtfeger advises that a special moistening hand cream should be available.

Apart from the safety issue, operators will need to follow instructions about the way specific products are used.

Tolley says that the most common problems with regard to fabric care are usually caused by cleaners failing to identify stains and fibres correctly and using the wrong spotting chemical and also by leaving the spotting agent on the fabric for too long.

Failure to dose the machine detergent correctly or not using any detergent will also have an adverse effect on the result. The drycleaning process needs a correct dose of detergent to ensure that soiling is removed and that it is held in suspension until it is drained away. Detergents also have properties that protect against a build-up of static. He says that the dosing units on the machine need to be checked on a regular basis to maintain the correct dosage.

Incorrect dosing will lead to problems as reagents will not be flushed out of the fabrics and this can cause greying, localised felting and static. Where static is a problem the risk of greying on lighter garments is also increased and cleaners will find that whites and pastels will not be as bright as they should be.

Schwerdtfeger at Büfa points out that to avoid problems and get the best results cleaners must follow the chemical manufacturer’s instructions.

The manufacturer knows exactly how to use the product and what the correct dosage is in each case.

He adds that modern additives are designed to work within a specific range of concentrations and using either too little or too much will have a negative effect on the end result.

Richard Cole at Cole & Wilson also stresses the importance of the correct dose.

Getting this right will not only assist the end result but can also help in controlling costs as advances in chemistry have meant that modern detergents and other additives are designed to be used at lower doses.

Cole advises cleaners that wish to control their use of chemicals to check their dosing equipment to ensure that the optimum amount is used each time.

A quality product such as the company’s Sultrasoft HC2, which is the most costly in the company’s range, can also be economical as it has a high concentration of active ingredients and can be used at a low dosage.

Good relations

These comments highlight the importance of the cleaner’s relationship with the manufacturer/supplier. Using a reputable and reliable supply source is essential. The established manufacturers/suppliers will not only supply products but also offer full technical back-up including training.

This can include advice on the products that will suit particular applications and technical help with problems that may arise. The service will also help drycleaners to keep up to date with advances both in chemicals and in the textiles that they may expect customers bring in.

The drycleaning market is changing and cleaners now need a range of techniques. In recent years, the market for alternative solvents has come more to the fore.

Detergents and other additives will need to be solvent specific.

While perc will still be the choice for many UK cleaners, the range of alternatives is growing and now includes not only hydrocarbon and GreenEarth but Rynex 3E and Kreussler’s K4 system, Specialised wetcleaning is a further option.

These systems all have different solvency powers which demand formulations to suit.

Suppliers/manufacturers should all be able to offer products to suit the full range of solvent systems.

Cole at Cole & Wilson stresses that as both manufacturer and supplier the company has a tradition of developing products for alternative solvents such as siloxane and also for wetcleaning.

With 40 years involvement in drycleaning, the company is well placed to provide technical advice and support including full instructions with its products.

Its Cleaner range of stain removers comes with a chart that shows how to identify and remove stains safely.

Alex Reid can provide a full range of detergents and chemicals to suit the available solvents. As the UK agent for Kreussler it has been closely involved with the K4 system and can supply and advise on all its components. In addition to the solvent Solvon K4 these include the Clip K4 detergent, the Prenett K4 pre-brusher and the Vinoy K4 water and stain repellent.

Another recent solvent development has been the Rynex 3E formulation which is claimed not only to be gentle and eco-friendly but also have a high solvency. It is being marketed in partnership with the chemicals specialist Christeyns, which under its Gentle Care brand, offers the premium Pro-Fit range of drycleaning chemicals including pre-brushing agents, detergents and finishers. It includes products for perc and hydrocarbon and now also a specialised range for Rynex 3E.

Büfa says that as a leader in developing and producing modern additives for all kinds of textile cleaning it is prepared for every solvent development and it stresses that each development needs a range of detergents and additives to produce an acceptable result.

But the company also continues to develop products for the perc market and has recently introduced a re-formulated version of its multi-function detergent Secapur Mega Plus.This latest formulation has improved antistatic properties, greater cleaning power, a built-in odour absorber and finishing additives.

At this year’s Texcare Büfa will also be showing improved versions of its Summerwind detergents, which include Benzapon Summerwind for use in hydrocarbon solvent and Secapur Summerwind for use with perc.