National Clothesline

Titanium sulphate can be one of the most important bleaches a drycleaner uses.

Titanium sulphate is a reducing bleach, which means it works by removing oxygen from a stain. It works better on dye stains than any other reducing bleach.

It also has an added characteristic in that it does not make whites whiter. Sodium hydrosulphate, which is another reducing bleach, works on dye stains but is more likely to make a white fabric whiter.

Many cleaners who use titanium are not using it properly. There are several different companies that supply titanium.

Although the price between the companies may vary, not all the companies make titanium in the same concentration or strength. Therefore, you might find one manufacturer ’s product more effective than another.

I would also recommend that you buy titanium in small quantities. After a time, titanium will precipitate and lose its strength. As long as the deep color is present, the titanium is still good.

Titanium sulphate is acid by nature and accelerated by acids. The only effective acid to use with titanium is hydrofluoric acid, which is a rust remover.

Color safe rust removers that contain oxalic acid and acetic acid are not as effective to use.

When titanium is in contact with other chemicals it forms complex reactions that cannot be easily removed by flushing.

Titanium and peroxide. When titanium is in contact with hydrogen peroxide, it turns orange or yellow. The stronger the peroxide, the deeper orange color it will turn.

This property gives you an opportunity to determine if the peroxide is effective. Put a drop of peroxide on the spotting board. Then use a Q-tip with titanium on it and touch the peroxide. Note if the Q-tip turns orange or yellow, which means the peroxide has effectiveness.

When peroxide is used on a fabric and even after flushing, if titanium is then used the area may turn yellow.

To remove the yellow discoloration you need to use hydrofluoric acid and then flush the area.

Remember, the hydrofluoric acid does not neutralize the titanium but merely removes the yellow discoloration. After flushing the area, it should be neutralized with a protein formula or a mild alkali.

Ammonia. If ammonia was previously used and then titanium follows, the area may turn black. This discoloration is also removed by hydrofluoric acid.

Titanium works primarily on dye stains. It will work on dye contact from umbrella drippings, newspaper print or from a garment or object with a poor dye.

It will work on fugitive dyes — dye stains that occur when a fabric bleeds. It is a characteristic of titanium that it will remove the dye that bleeds, but not the base dye. The reason this occurs is that the base dye can have a stronger affinity for the fabric than the portion of dye that bled.

It will also work on the last traces of many stains such as wine, soft drinks, lipstick and ink.

• Apply titanium to stain with a Q-tip. Apply enough titanium to cover the stain.

• Heat with steam gun and flush the area.

• If a discoloration remains, apply rust remover and flush area again.

• Apply a protein formula to neutralize and remove the remaining rust remover.

• Flush area again thoroughly.

• Flush the area.

• Apply titanium to stain.

• Allow to remain on the stain a few minutes before flushing.

• Reapply titanium.

• Add rust remover.

• Heat and flush.

• Apply protein formula.

• Flush again.

Note: When applying rust remover, put a towel under the fabric to avoid damage to the spotting board.

Before using the bath method, test an area of the fabric for safety. Then follow the manufacturer ’s recommendation for amount to use. Do not bleach in a metal container.

If the fabric dye is sensitive to titanium, you may want to gamble and use a mild bleach concentration. This means using titanium in water that only has enough titanium to make the water slightly darker. Then dip the garment into this solution for only a few seconds and immediately pull out.

This method is risky, but it can be effective as a last-resort procedure. The concentration of the bleaching solution can be gradually increased if necessary.