COMMON FAULTS

There is a serious shortage of drycleaners that are either trained to Guild intermediate level or that have been successfully assessed to NVQ level 2 in drycleaning operations. This shortage is leading to a recurrence of faults that could have been avoided if the operator had been better trained.

Many cleaners use pre-treatment detergent incorrectly as a spotting chemical and this is leading to fabric and/or colour damage. It should only be used for loosening ingrained soiling and grime around the neckline and cuff.

The problem usually occurs while the garment is waiting for the next load. The moisture in the pre-spot detergent loosens the dyes and the cleaning machine process then flushes them away leaving a pale patch.

Garments often suffer from greying during the machine process because the cleaner has failed to take precautions to prevent this. In many unit shops the poor condition of the solvent and the general humidity make greying the norm.

Failure to maintain press clothing in good condition and incorrect use of steam are the most common finishing faults.

Glazing and embossing are faults frequently seen in the work produced by novice pressers.

Pressing also leads the list of customer complaints, closely followed by poor stain removal and stains that could not be seen before cleaning but appeared afterwards.

Pastel pink turns grey

Fault: A full set of curtains was drycleaned on a standard household process. The owner then complained that they were now a dirty grey-pink and brought in the uncleaned pink tie to prove the point.

Cause: The greying has been caused by redeposition of soiling from the solvent. It is only a few molecules thick but still enough to produce the ugly shade seen here.

Responsibility: The cleaner generally takes the blame for greying unless it is caused by a black or blue dye bleed from the item.

Rectification: Re-cleaning rarely works. Careful washing, using the correct detergent is usually more successful. The curtains will then need to be set back to size after washing. The following precautions will help to avoid greying in future. Use pure distilled solvent for both baths for whites and pastels. Add the correct detergent charge to both baths. Make sure work is thoroughly dry and aired before it is drycleaned. Check for water droplets and any overnight condensation in the solvent tanks. These can be removed by cleaning old wool blankets kept for the purpose. Whites should only be classified with other whites and pastel with other pastels.

Stain removal spoils velvet

Fault: This acetate velvet ball gown had a custard spill on the front. The cleaner rightly thought the stain could be completely removed with water and a little steam. He remembered to feather the area dry before putting the gown into the machine but the patch still looked white from some angles although it was fine from others.

Cause: Treating a stain on acetate velvet with either a water-based reagent or steam will disturb the pile. Even after drycleaning, the slight change in the pile will make it appear white when looking down the gown as the wearer usually does.

Responsibility: The cleaner should take the blame here.

Rectification: The change in an acetate velvet pile cannot usually be corrected. It is best to avoid treating stains on this fabric.

Skirt slims by two sizes

Fault: A size 14 cashmere skirt had shrunk to a skimpy size 12 when it came out of the drycleaning machine. The lining had not been affected and now hung below the harsh matted outer.

Cause: Cashmere is a very sensitive hair fibre that needs careful pre-drying before cleaning. On a humid day it will carry 15% of its own weight of moisture without even feeling damp. This is enough to cause felting and matting of the fibres with the inevitable associated shrinkage.

Responsibility: The cleaner is to blame here for failing to take the proper precautions. This would still apply if the garment was damp with rain when it was brought in.

Rectification: This garment is ruined and cannot be restored. To avoid this problem in future the cleaner should remember that all hair fabrics should be aired for two hours in a warm dry place before they are cleaned in the machine. Such fabrics include cashmere, mohair and angora.

The wrong detergent

Fault: These suite covers had heavy water-based staining and soiling so the cleaner decided to wash them. When the customer compared them with an uncleaned cushion cover in the same fabric the colour change in the washed covers was noticeable. They now looked drab and faded.

Cause: The cleaner had used a very gentle wash process but had chosen a detergent with optical brightening agents (OBAs). These have bonded to the cloth surface and the brilliant white light they create with the ultraviolet portion of natural daylight is diluting the covers’ natural colour making them look drab and faded. Placing an ultraviolet filter over the two covers filters out the OBA effect and shows that the cleaned covers are still the same colour as the uncleaned cushion cover but the OBA is disguising this.

Responsibility: The cleaner is to blame here. Drycleaners need to know how to wash items correctly and which detergent to use for the classification.

Beetroot mark defeats cleaner

Fault: This beetroot stain would not come out although the cleaner pre-treated it with a good pre-spot detergent and then cleaned the garment in the machine three times.

Cause: A beetroot stain needs to be decoloured. Neither pre-treatment nor machine cleaning will do this. It must be bleached with either a proprietary tannin remover or a 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water. The treatment should be tested on a hidden area. Apply it, leave for a few minutes then flush and feather dry. If there is no mark then apply the treatment to the stain. Leave for the same time then flush and feather dry before cleaning the garment in the machine.

Responsibility: A professional cleaner should be able to test a tannin remover and safely take out tea, coffee, red wine or any other vegetable dye stain. The responsibility should only be passed to the owner if the fabric cannot withstand the treatment.