Wet cleaning
Encyclopedia
Wet cleaning is the safest method in garment cleaning, utilizing gentle washing machine, biodegradable soap
s and conditioners, and various types of pressing and re-shaping equipments that may be specialized for many different fabric
and fiber
types. The most important aspect of successful wet cleaning is experience and knowledge of different types of fabrics and proper ways to finish garments by operators. The wetcleaning procedure developed by Kreussler , characterized by the European patent 0 468 242 B1, the British patents GB 2 259 520 B and GB 2 259 094 B, the French patent 92 100 85, the French application for a patent 92 10716 and the German patents DE 41 29 993 A1 and DE 41 27 944 A1 (holder of all patents: Chemische Fabrik Kreussler, Wiesbaden) was introduced to commercial textile cleaning in 1991 and therefore established the new operational procedure known as “wetcleaning.”
The traditional way of cleaning a kimono
is similar: The garment is held together by coarse basting stitches, as are used by a tailor in the early stages of constructing a suit. To clean the kimono, the stitches are ripped out, then the fabric is washed in cold water and mild soap or detergent, rinsed in cold water, then stretched and air-dried. It is then stitched back together with the same coarse stitches as before.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wet cleaning is the safest professional method of garment cleaning. It does not use hazardous chemical, it does not generate hazardous waste, nor create air pollution and reduced potential for water and soil contamination
. The specialized detergents and conditioner used in the wet clean process are milder than home laundry products. All the products are disposed of down the drain and easily handled by the local waste water treatment facility.
For professional cleaners, wet-cleaning offers several advantages, such as lowered costs for start-up capital, supplies, equipment and hazardous waste disposal, as well as less reliance on skilled labor. Dry-cleaners are beleaguered by the spiraling costs of energy, labor, insurance, etc.
Professional wet cleaning is an ultimate environmentally preferred alternative to dry cleaning. Many dry cleaners claim that they also do wet cleaning. These dry/wet cleaners are extremely dangerous in a way that they frequently launder garments which had been dry cleaned first and sending dry cleaning solvent residue to local waste water treatment facilities.
Tailors have generally recommended that garments be returned to them once a year for wet cleaning and dry-cleaned in between. These tailors are also careful to choose materials that will not be destroyed by water, even if they later sew in the usual "Dry Clean Only" label. Some clothing manufacturers may mislabel their clothing "Dry Clean Only", even though there is no "reasonable basis" for making the claim that the garment will be harmed if it is not dry cleaned.
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
s and conditioners, and various types of pressing and re-shaping equipments that may be specialized for many different fabric
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
and fiber
Fiber
Fiber is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread.They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together....
types. The most important aspect of successful wet cleaning is experience and knowledge of different types of fabrics and proper ways to finish garments by operators. The wetcleaning procedure developed by Kreussler , characterized by the European patent 0 468 242 B1, the British patents GB 2 259 520 B and GB 2 259 094 B, the French patent 92 100 85, the French application for a patent 92 10716 and the German patents DE 41 29 993 A1 and DE 41 27 944 A1 (holder of all patents: Chemische Fabrik Kreussler, Wiesbaden) was introduced to commercial textile cleaning in 1991 and therefore established the new operational procedure known as “wetcleaning.”
The traditional way of cleaning a kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
is similar: The garment is held together by coarse basting stitches, as are used by a tailor in the early stages of constructing a suit. To clean the kimono, the stitches are ripped out, then the fabric is washed in cold water and mild soap or detergent, rinsed in cold water, then stretched and air-dried. It is then stitched back together with the same coarse stitches as before.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), wet cleaning is the safest professional method of garment cleaning. It does not use hazardous chemical, it does not generate hazardous waste, nor create air pollution and reduced potential for water and soil contamination
Soil contamination
Soil contamination or soil pollution is caused by the presence of xenobiotic chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment....
. The specialized detergents and conditioner used in the wet clean process are milder than home laundry products. All the products are disposed of down the drain and easily handled by the local waste water treatment facility.
For professional cleaners, wet-cleaning offers several advantages, such as lowered costs for start-up capital, supplies, equipment and hazardous waste disposal, as well as less reliance on skilled labor. Dry-cleaners are beleaguered by the spiraling costs of energy, labor, insurance, etc.
Professional wet cleaning is an ultimate environmentally preferred alternative to dry cleaning. Many dry cleaners claim that they also do wet cleaning. These dry/wet cleaners are extremely dangerous in a way that they frequently launder garments which had been dry cleaned first and sending dry cleaning solvent residue to local waste water treatment facilities.
Tailors have generally recommended that garments be returned to them once a year for wet cleaning and dry-cleaned in between. These tailors are also careful to choose materials that will not be destroyed by water, even if they later sew in the usual "Dry Clean Only" label. Some clothing manufacturers may mislabel their clothing "Dry Clean Only", even though there is no "reasonable basis" for making the claim that the garment will be harmed if it is not dry cleaned.
External links
- Western Region Pollution Prevention Network
- Bay Area Air Quality Management District
- US EPA, garment and textile care publications
- Ecovian Comprehensive list of wet cleaners and green dry cleaners across the US and Canada
- Electrolux Laundry Systems Wetcleaning system approved by Woolmark