National Clothesline

NAPERVILLE, IL — FreshTEX, new treatment for smoke and other difficult odors, has been introduced by R. R. Street & Co. Inc.

For use in perchlorethylene, high-flash hydrocarbon and wetcleaning systems, FreshTEX provides a pleasant residual fragrance for treated garments and can be be an effective replacement for existing odor treatment products, the company said.

FreshTEX can replace time-consuming ozone treatment for removing smoke odor and also treats the stale or musty smell commonly caused by bacterial odor that is sometimes present in garments and the air in the wheel at the end of a load.

Although primarily a wheel additive, the company said FreshTEX can also be used to treat carpets, upholstery and other textiles.

FreshTEX has a neutral pH and will not interfere with detergent or fabric finish performance. It is packaged in plastic one-gallon containers, six to a case; a 16-oz. spray bottle is available.

BURNSVILLE, MN — Cleaner Business Systems 3.0 complete has been released by Shah Corp.

The new release has features requested by customers that can help cleaners of all sizes adapt to the rising cost of doing business.

From hundreds of clients running Cleaner Business Systems in their stores, thousands of suggestions and needs were compiled, analyzed, and implemented into the latest release of this innovative point of sale system.

Cleaner Business Systems 3.0 provides eight marketing and customer retention programs that can quickly be analyzed and modified to optimize marketing and prevent the losses in strategies that are not working.

HUNT VALLEY, MD — Butler Capital Corp. has launched a new web site for garment care operators and distributors.

The web site, www.butlerdryclean.com, is sponsored by the garment care finance unit of Butler Capital, a business lender specializing in financing for drycleaners and launderers nationwide. The site has basic information on Butler’s loan and lease programs for drycleaners along with downloadable, printer-friendly publications and customer testimonials. A series of downloadable applications is also available.

A national, direct lender since 1978, Butler Capital has provided more than $150 million of financing through its dedicated Garment Care Finance Division. The company is a member of the International Fabricare Institute, the MidAtlantic Association of Cleaners, the South Eastern Fabricare Association, and the Southwest Drycleaners Association.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — Customer service letters that drycleaners can use to help explain garment problems to customers are available from Dan Eisen through his International Independent Garment Analysis laboratory.

The letters are written with the idea that the drycleaner knows the problem but needs a professional explanation to give to the customer. Thus the letters can avoid the time and expense of sending a garment in for analysis when the cleaner knows in fact what is wrong.

The customer service letter can be produced using the drycleaner’s own letterhead or with the garment analysis service letterhead. The letter can explain problems such as fume fading, invisible stains, shrinkage, color loss and trimming problems.

After receiving a customer service letter, the customer still has the option of mailing the garment in to the analysis laboratory for further inspection.

RIPON, WI — UniMac can help take the guesswork out of choosing the proper equipment to fit the needs of an on-premises laundry with the Needs Analysis function on its web site.

By clicking through five questions on the web site, managers arrive at a suggested piece (or pieces) of equipment that fits their selected needs and priorities.

Users begin the analysis by selecting one of nine industries. From there, they specify answers to questions about capacity, laundry room location, criteria and controls. The system then does the rest, providing managers with equipment choices best meeting those selected needs.

To access the Needs Analysis, visit www.uniwash.com and go to the Education Center menu.

TULSA, OK — A kit of wetcleaning products that can be used by any drycleaner who wants to expand into wetcleaning suede, leather, trims and cloth is available from Royaltone Co.

For wetcleaning, the kit includes Prosuede Wet, a detergent plus conditioner; Leather Fix prewash, a dye fixer; and Leather Soft, a softener/conditioner rinse.

Spotting products include Leather Magic, a wetside preprespotter; Spot Magic a dryside non-oily POG spotter; and Ink Magic ink spotter.

MELROSE PARK, IL — Dry Cleaning Technologies, a division of Enviro Tech International Inc., has developed a new drycleaning solvent called DrySolv.

The company used technology it had gained from the solvent and degreaser industry to develop an alternative to perchloroethylene that can be used in an existing perc machine while cleaning effectively and without environmental concerns.

ETI was started in the early 1990s to develop a cleaning solvent that would clean effectively but be environmentally friendly and safe to use. Research led to n-Propyl Bromide (nPB) as a candidate for the desired solvent. After developing an additive to improve solvency, azeotropic performance and inhibit acidity, EnSolv Precisions Cleaning Solvent was patented in 1995.

The company believes its DrySolv and patented formula and blend of stabilizers and inhibitors will succeed where others have not because of its patented formula and blend of stabilizers and inhibitors.

Five months of testing at a Pittsburgh, PA, plant have produced good results using it as a drop-in replacement for perc. Cycle times of 30 minutes have been reported, cleaning quality has been good and hand feel of the garments has been excellent. An IFI Cleaning Performance Test from the plant showed “good” to “excellent” results in all categories except water-soluble soil removal, which was rated “fair.” The results were obtained in a 10-minute wash cycle with no moisture addition.

The company is also in the process of testing DrySolv in a hydrocarbon machine at a plant near Chicago, IL.

BENSENVILLE, IL — One Step Fur Cleaner & Glazer from Colorex helps clean and glaze furs in one step, avoiding the use of corncobs, pumice and sawdust and blowing out pockets and seams.

The company said that the product has excellent cleaning glazing properties, is economically priced, easy to use and non-hazardous.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The New Trident Double Legger Press available from Hoffman/New Yorker with built-in vacuum has yielded production increases of over 35 percent in actual field installation, the company said.

Available on any new Hoffman/New Yorker legger press, the Press-Mate device lets the operator press both legs simultaneously without seam impressions, doing so faster than formerly achievable from other double legger presses.

The operator pulls the Press-Mate material across the first leg, and then places the second leg on top. The pressing cycle is the same as if traditional pressing were being done. However, once the cycle is complete the Press-Mate material is automatically retracted and the operator simply places the pants on a hanger. This process is less cumbersome than double legger presses that use a manually or even automatic operated center leaf or trampoline. Fewer motions translate into higher productivity.

PORT PERRY, ON — The new Model 175B Laundry Starcart from Techstar Plastics Inc. achieves ergonomic comfort, maneuverability and durability and can perform in tough conditions and on rough surfaces, and still come back for more.

One person can handle a load of up to 900 pounds. The molded body has a level carrying capacity of 24 cubic feet (21 bushels). Dimensions are 46 inches long by 31.5 inches wide by 48.5 inches high and it weighs 85 pounds

The rotomolded tub creates a smooth surface for easy cleaning and no snags, splinters or other hazards for personnel and product. Access is through a lowered side-panel, which means no awkward lifting or straining to reach the contents.

The 5-inch (120 mm) non-marking casters ensure maneuverability and maximum stability and it rolls easily in all directions.