A complete wetcleaning department
his article is an update of my two previous
articles: February 1991 and August 1993 and also my textbook on
“Wetcleaning” which is sold by National
Clothesline.
Today, most progressive drycleaners have
trained their Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to
inspect each garment for stains and care label process
recommendations.
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Today, you are no longer a drycleaner, but
you are a “textile maintenance and fabric care
specialist” who should process garments as prescribed by
the manufacturer since to do otherwise could leave you open for
damage compensation.
If your CSR does not read the labels at
the point of sale, you should ensure that your markers read the
labels and separate the garments into two basic groups:
Drycleaning and Wetcleaning. Then, the wetcleaning basket is
wheeled directly into the wetcleaning department, which should
be adjacent to the drycleaning department since there will be
some occasions where the two processes will overlap each other.
The three former articles and book
describe completely the procedure for classifying the
wetcleaning for washing and the procedure for testing for
fugitive dyes.
As the three references discuss, the
wetcleaning department must be equipped with the right mix of
washers, steam-heated dryers, spotting board, two-compartment
or three-compartment sinks with hand-brushing table attached, a
top-loader washer at the end of the sinks to also serve as an
extractor for hand-washed garments.
It is from the preceding paragraph above
that this article begins its update. Since then, the
steam-heated dryers have been equipped with humidity control
devices to ensure that the garments are finally dried with just
the right amount of residual moisture.
This also eliminates the obnoxious static
electricity and shocks caused from garments that are too dry
and conductive in addition to the just the right amount of
“hand” for a quality finished garment.
The references also discuss the
“wind whip” which was brought back from Cissell in
the early 1990s and became very popular within our industry.
Upon the death of the innovator who revived it, and the demise
of his company which manufactured it (late 1990s), the wind
whip is no longer being manufactured.
This piece of equipment allowed all types
of garments to be dried under tension, thus making finishing a
breeze. Also, the price was under $1,900, which made it a real
bargain.
I suggest that you keep an eye out for any
equipment ads that may offer a wind whip for sale.
However, since the middle 1990s, several
European manufacturers, and now the U.S. manufacturers, have
been marketing tensioning-type steam-air form finishers for
coats, shirts and blouses as well as tensioning-type pants
toppers with clamps to hold tension on the cuffs of the same
pants.
Although these two machines cost
considerably more money than the former wind whip, they are
absolutely essential to prepare a wetcleaned garment for easy
pressing in the finishing department.
Note: When using the form finisher, insert
the sleeve expanders.
Another important piece of equipment is a
temperature-controlled tub for digesting. You must keep in mind
that the four essential elements of digesting protein stains
are:
1. Keep the garment wet.
2. Keep the garment warm.
3. Keep the bath neutral pH.
4. Give the garment time (at least 30+
minutes).
When I go to my podiatrist, he soaks my
feet in a temperature-controlled tub with a built-in aerator.
The tub is filled from two water pipes leading down into the
tub. I once asked him if that tub was still on the market since
it is ideal for soaking and digesting stained garments. He said
that it was available from a medical equipment and supply
company. I don’t know the cost today, but it is certainly
worth exploring.
Since badly stained wetclean garments
should be pre-spotted, the spotting board should contain a wet
side POG, 5% hydrogen peroxide for colors, sodium perborate or
sodium percarbonate for whites other than cotton and polyester,
2% chlorine bleach for white cotton and polyester, 2% sodium
bisulfate to decompose the chlorine bleach, 2% sodium
hydrosulfite solution for stripping dye from whites, a very
diluted solution of titanium sulfate for stripping dye from
colors.
If the wetcleaning department also
processes laundered shirts, the spotting board should also
contain 26 degrees ammonium hydroxide with a little neutral
synthetic detergent added and 28% acetic acid with a little
neutral synthetic detergent added. These are in addition to the
dry side POG with volatile dry solvent and general formula, and
amyl acetate with general formula for grass stains.
Don’t forget the soft-bristle
brushes for hand brushing garments on the hand-brushing table,
the velvet brush for fine weaves as well as velvets (no acetate
velvet is ever wetcleaned), the whisk broom and lint brush.
Finally, an electric,
temperature-controlled drying cabinet with shelves and racks is
essential for drying garments that call for no tumbling or
mechanical action. A cabinet of this type is marketed by Iowa
Techniques, Inc., (800) 727-1892, Matt Kool.
Note: My spotting video, “The
Caplan Method of Stain Removal,” which includes my
comprehensive text and handy spotting board reference available
in English, Spanish and Korean (video only in Korean) from the
Golomb Group, c/o Dennis McCrory, 7664 Plaza Court,
Willowbrook, IL 60521, phone (800) 679-5856. A lecture and
demonstration are presented similar to my classes over the
years at IFI and SDA. This video and text are ideal for
training inexperienced spotters as well as a good review for
experienced spotters. Digesting with enzymes, bleaching,
oxidized oil stains and caramelized sugar stains are discussed
and demonstrated. An article on “Removing Spots in the
Cleaning Machine” and an article on “How to
Increase Production in the Spotting Department” are
included in the comprehensive text book.
Also available from the Golomb Group, in
English and Spanish, is my video on step-by-step shirt
finishing which includes my comprehensive text in loose-leaf
form outlining each procedure for single-operator and
two-operator cabinet shirt unit using a cabinet sleeve press.
Proper forming of the collar using heated collar formers is
demonstrated. Each lay is demonstrated for top quality with
very little effort by the operators. Attractive detailing and
packaging of the hangered shirt, padding, steam pressures and
timing are all discussed. A unique wash formula for whiter
whites and brighter colors and removal of grease and body oils
is included in the loose-leaf text book.
My experience with shirts spans over 55
years with US Army as a principal laundry and dry-cleaning
concessionaire at Ft. Meade, MD, where average shirt volume was
approximately 10,000 per day. We were constantly
“sampled” for excellent quality in both finishing
and washing in laundry and drycleaning and in tailoring. We
operated our own 40,000-sq.-ft. plant for over 35 years.
Stan Caplan has over 35 years experience
in his own high volume dry-cleaning, laundry and tailoring
plant and two package plants with adjoining coin-operated
laundry and drycleaning. Stan is the former chief instructor at
the International Fabricare Institute, the Southwest
Drycleaners Association and various other trade
association-sponsored schools throughout the US and courses in
Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Singapore and Hong Kong. Stan
offers consulting, training and engineering services in all
areas from customer service area to the boiler room since 1981.
His complete system withtotal quality management will produce
maximum efficiency, economy and product excellent quality. Stan
can be reached at 3601 Clarks Lane, Suite 307, Baltimore, MD
21215-2731, phone/fax (410) 358-0870. His e-mail address is stancap100@aol.com.
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