National Clothesline

The term restoration means restoring a damaged garment to a wearable condition. Procedures for restoration differ depending upon the problem.

Each topic of restoration is a separate study and has to be handled differently. We restore problems of yellowing differently depending upon the cause of the yellowing. We also approach problems differently depending upon the fabric involved.

Smoke damage restoration

There is a correct procedure to process garments that have been subjected to smoke damage and related hazards. The time and care for processing such garments is substantially greater than routine drycleaning and charges should reflect the time and care.

There are several specific problems that need attention before and during processing of smoke damaged garments. These include odor, scorch, soot, carbon and melted plastic.

There are many methods that can be used to control or remove smoke odor.

1. Ozone machines are probably the easiest and one of the most effective ways to remove smoke odor. The investment in buying this machine should be a consideration by those firms expecting a great deal of repeat business from insurance companies.

Garments are treated in ozone gas in an enclosed area. Ozone releases free oxygen which attaches itself to the odor-forming compounds that produce smoke odor.

There is still a debate over whether it is best to treat garments before or after drycleaning. Some experts feel it is better to treat garments before drycleaning to avoid embedding the odor into the garment. Others feel that drycleaning will remove the odor-forming substances such as soot and carbon thus reducing the odor.

Garments subjected to ozone must be carefully sorted. Rubberized garments, spandex and acetate garments may be affected by ozone.

2. Odor reducing compounds. All compounds to remove smoke odor are only second best to ozone. Some compounds have been made to be put into the drycleaning solvent.

I have been working for several years trying to develop a compound that can be easily used to control smoke odor. I have worked with Cleaners Chemical Corp. in developing Aeroclenz I which can be sprayed into any dryer where clothes are to be tumbled. The effectiveness of these and other compounds are based on residual odor from smoke damage. Heavy odor is best corrected by ozone.

3. Drycleaning removes smoke odor by removing the ash and other substances that produce the odor. When drycleaning smoke damaged garments, it is best to use a batch run. Add additional detergent and oily type paint remover to the wheel. Tumble the garments with a low level of solvent bypassing the filter. Send the batched solvent to the still before starting your regular filter cycle.

4. Exposure to air. When smoke odor garments are exposed to the oxygen in the outside air, odor will become diminished. This apparently can not be done in all plants.

5. Wetcleaning. The use of bleaches and alkali are good purifiers for odor. The release of oxygen in these chemicals is similar to the effect of free oxygen produced by ozone. This apparently can not be done if the garment can only be drycleaned.

Discolorations that result from the fusing of fibers are never correctable. Such fibers are acetate, nylon, polyester and acrylic. Scorch on other types of fabrics may be corrected if the fiber and dye will withstand oxidizing bleaches such as peroxide, perborate or sodium hypochlorite.

Before using any of these oxidizing bleaches, test them on an unexposed seam for safety.

Pre-spot garments for the removal of soot and carbon. Use dryside spotters, paint removers and wetside spotters. Use the dryside before the wetside spotters because they are usually safer.