What you should know about the Clean Show!

I just got back from New Orleans and am so excited about all I saw and heard about. I had never been to New Orleans and loved the chance to see the city (and the swamp, which I highly recommend seeing if you get the chance!).

It took me 2 days to walk the entire show - and I am going to present the few things that the general public may be interested in:-)

I thought the entrance to the show was very striking this year, so I included a photo for you!

The number one theme that ran through this show (besides clean of course) was a move to be more environmental. In an industry that is constantly under attack for toxic chemicals, detergents, plastics, etc. I loved seeing everyone trying to be green!

From green detergents for use by the cleaners to green detergents to sell to the drycleaners customer. The Association of Wedding Gown Specialists was touting their ZeroCarbon wedding gown preservation. There were two degradable plastic vendors and at least 4 reusable garment bag companies. I think the Green Garmento is a marketing warrior. They managed to get their bags as part of the Swag bag given to the stars at the Oscars!

However, I thought the Green Earth people took the prize for the best display. They provide an alternative solvent to drycleaners from the traditional perc (perchloroethylene) or hydrocarbon drycleaning solvents. It is a silicone solvent (D5), similar to the chemical used in many hand lotions and beauty products. Check out the Green Earth booth:

Green earth also is working on a laundry method that would use 90% less water! Check out this article http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=74090

Finally, I want to share with you that I was on a panel at the show talking about automation. I was one of two cleaners selected because of using so much automation in our plant. There were also 3 vendors there provided these sorts of solutions. I found it interesting that the main sales pitch seemed to be reducing labor and cost - understandable. But I tell you what. . . . Automation allows a drycleaner to track garments and customer preferences better. AUTOMATION ALLOWS THE DRYCLEANER TO PROVIDE A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE!

Thanks for reading:-)

The Truth About Green Cleaning!

Lets talk about green. I hear again and again from consumers that want "green" cleaning.

I often hear consumers wanting to avoid the toxic and carcinogenic dryclean solvent that is profiled in the news every few years. If your cleaner is conscientious - rest assured, no matter what solvent they are using, that drycleaning process is gentler on the environment than when you use your washer at home.

Over 99% of the solvent, soils and detergents are recaptured in the drycleaning process. These are disposed of in proper facilities. Solvent is added to the system on a monthly (or less frequent) basis. Compare that to the water and detergents that go into our sewer systems every time someone runs a washing machine. . . . what type of soils are in the clothes? Are the loads full? Normal detergents are full of phosphates that are very damaging to the environment.

YOU CAN HELP your drycleaner help the environment:

According to Green is Sexy http://www.greenissexy.org/2009/05/30/go-wireless-4/, 3.5 billion wire hangers go into U.S. landfills every year, and they sit in there for over a hundred years; reduce that number by returning your hangers (Gently Used!) to the drycleaners. The next time your non-washables travel to the drycleaner, BYOH – your drycleaner will thank you (hangers are expensive) and so will the Earth!

And by the way, take the plastic back to your cleaner, or to your grocery store. It cannot be recycled in most home recycling programs!

Thanks!

How to Remove a Stain

First: Never put water on a dryclean only garment in an effort to remove a stain!

Water stains are best removed with water - anything put on a stain will have to be removed. I know, most people has heard that soda water bubbles will lift a stain - Don't believe it!

Ink: Ink is combination of chemicals. One will come out with water and the other will not! Once the chemicals have been separated - the ink becomes permanent. Hairspray is water based, so even if it get the ink out - you then need to remove the hairspray stain. Most small ink stains can be removed by a skilled drycleaner. However success also depends on the fastness of the color in the garment. Natural fibers - cotton and silk for example, do not hold dyes very firmly making these sort of stains difficult to remove on brightly colored garments.

Second: If you feel the need to apply an at home stain remover, REFRAIN! Again, most of these products are water based and will need to be flushed with water. This is not a good idea for dryclean only garments.

Third: You can blot the stain with a clean towel or napkin. Do not use paper napkins, or worse, colored paper napkins - the color may transfer to the garment and cause damage.

Fourth: Do not rub a stain. This will cause abrasion or de-luster the fabric - so it is no longer a stain, it is then fabric damage. You may also work the soil into the fibers making the stain more difficult to remove. Blot or pat the stain to remove the excess.

Fifth: At home dryclean kits do not remove soils. They freshen with deodorants and at best remove dust.

Sixth: Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda are wonderful natural whiteners for your regular laundry. They are do not contain the toxic ingredients of many store bought bleaches and cleaners. Be sure to read the instructions and not over use them.

Seven: Sunshine is a wonderful disinfectant - leaving items outside in the sunshine for a short period (less than an hour) works as well today as it did in your grandmothers day. Drycleaning alone does not remove odors but sunshine will. But be warned, the sun is very damaging and can bleach garments and weaken fibers if they are left out too long!

In the end, I am advocating leaving stain removal to the professionals. They have access to more chemicals than you do at home and they have experience with all sorts of fibers and soils. Some stains that are impossible to remove at home - make-up stains and salad oil for example, are relatively easy for the drycleaner to remove because oil based stains come right out in the drycleaning process. One of the many lessons I have learned over the years is that nothing is simple. Every garment is unique - weave, material blend, dyes -- and every stain is unique, and is best left to the professional.