launderess
Well-known member
Dry cleaning started to become "outmoded" by 1950's with rise of "Wash and Wear" fabrics along with laundry appliances with cycles to suit. It's been off to the races ever since.
Is there a future for dry cleaning?
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launderess
Well-known member
Across pond Europeans have had various front loaders with "wet clean" or other cycles that handle woolens/cashmeres, silks and other items that are marked "Dry Clean Only". As front loaders began to take up more market share in USA that tech is reaching these shores as well.
Features like "anti-crease" "steam" and so forth can and have made sending many thing out to dry cleaners not necessary.
Features like "anti-crease" "steam" and so forth can and have made sending many thing out to dry cleaners not necessary.
launderess
Well-known member
Truth to tell Americans "dry clean" or even wash their woolens such as suits, skirts, sweaters, coats, trousers, etc.. far more than they should.
Wool has many wonderful properties that make frequent cleaning not only not necessary but can cause harm. Proper care is what matters most.
Wool has many wonderful properties that make frequent cleaning not only not necessary but can cause harm. Proper care is what matters most.
launderess
Well-known member
"They used gasoline and kerosene at one point on clothing? UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
That's so gross and so dangerous."
In ancient times (well into or past middle ages) people saved and used urine for brushing teeth and other cleaning. It was the ammonia they were after and until a better process was created to produce ammonium hydroxide commercially...
From time oil was discovered and various refined petrol substances were marketed people knew of or were made aware of dangers. But in many instances there weren't many other choices available and or people couldn't afford them anyway.
Petrol in homes was far more common in both Europe and North America prior to WWII and in some instances well after. Oil lamps used kerosene, on farms there was often a supply of petrol to fuel various equipment and so it goes...
Hydrocarbons in various forms are remarkable cleaning agents with few to nil drawbacks of soaps. When latter was all there was for cleaning and laundry it presented many problems. Early as late 1800's laundry manuals for both domestic and industrial laundries recommended adding gasoline or kerosene to wash water in aid of shifting heavy soils. Yes, there was a stench from one or both that had to be dealt with, not to mention huge danger of using any petrol near open fires (which wash day often had if for nothing else to heat water or do boil laundry), but again when dealing with shifting heavy dirt or oily soils....
As it relates to subject of this thread rural or other households may not have had access to a local dry cleaner and or couldn't afford. So manuals and other advice early on gave directions for using benzine or gasoline for "dry cleaning" at home. This horrible advice again should never have been given out but there you are then for the times.
Yes, there were housefires. Yes persons were maimed, injured or burned to death, which in end helped put an end to ghastly practice thanks to concerted public safety and health initiatives to alert consumers against. In 1927 alone nearly 1000 women were burned to death by using petrol for "home dry cleaning"
https://www.google.com/books/editio...+Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA18&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/editio...+Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA78&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/editio...Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA128&printsec=frontcover
Carbon tetrachloride was pushed as alternative to benzine and gasoline for home "dry cleaning" spot remover and other solvent cleaning uses around home. Being non-flammable under most circumstances it seemed as the modern logical choice. That lasted several decades until the stuff was considered a likely cancer causing agent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrachloride
Finally remember times and people were vastly different in past. Many housewives and others were illiterate if not ignorant and simply believed what they were told or learned, especially from back yard gossip.
OTOH even literate women and men simply believed what was written in print as gospel. Standards of journalism (such as they were) then meant books and other printed matter could freely advise use of dangerous substances and procedures such as dry cleaning at home with petrol.
That's so gross and so dangerous."
In ancient times (well into or past middle ages) people saved and used urine for brushing teeth and other cleaning. It was the ammonia they were after and until a better process was created to produce ammonium hydroxide commercially...
From time oil was discovered and various refined petrol substances were marketed people knew of or were made aware of dangers. But in many instances there weren't many other choices available and or people couldn't afford them anyway.
Petrol in homes was far more common in both Europe and North America prior to WWII and in some instances well after. Oil lamps used kerosene, on farms there was often a supply of petrol to fuel various equipment and so it goes...
Hydrocarbons in various forms are remarkable cleaning agents with few to nil drawbacks of soaps. When latter was all there was for cleaning and laundry it presented many problems. Early as late 1800's laundry manuals for both domestic and industrial laundries recommended adding gasoline or kerosene to wash water in aid of shifting heavy soils. Yes, there was a stench from one or both that had to be dealt with, not to mention huge danger of using any petrol near open fires (which wash day often had if for nothing else to heat water or do boil laundry), but again when dealing with shifting heavy dirt or oily soils....
As it relates to subject of this thread rural or other households may not have had access to a local dry cleaner and or couldn't afford. So manuals and other advice early on gave directions for using benzine or gasoline for "dry cleaning" at home. This horrible advice again should never have been given out but there you are then for the times.
Yes, there were housefires. Yes persons were maimed, injured or burned to death, which in end helped put an end to ghastly practice thanks to concerted public safety and health initiatives to alert consumers against. In 1927 alone nearly 1000 women were burned to death by using petrol for "home dry cleaning"
https://www.google.com/books/editio...+Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA18&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/editio...+Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA78&printsec=frontcover
https://www.google.com/books/editio...Gasoline+at+Home&pg=PA128&printsec=frontcover
Carbon tetrachloride was pushed as alternative to benzine and gasoline for home "dry cleaning" spot remover and other solvent cleaning uses around home. Being non-flammable under most circumstances it seemed as the modern logical choice. That lasted several decades until the stuff was considered a likely cancer causing agent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrachloride
Finally remember times and people were vastly different in past. Many housewives and others were illiterate if not ignorant and simply believed what they were told or learned, especially from back yard gossip.
OTOH even literate women and men simply believed what was written in print as gospel. Standards of journalism (such as they were) then meant books and other printed matter could freely advise use of dangerous substances and procedures such as dry cleaning at home with petrol.
launderess
Well-known member
Just don't....
VZug WetClean
Professional, true wet cleaning relies on very specific combinations of chemicals, machines and handling.
There is a specific label for wetcleanability (W in the circle instead of P).
Chemical treatments are specifically designed to reduce the effects associated with normal washing.
Only certain items are actually wet-cleanable - usually, the more complex the makeup of the garment is and the more wool content, the less so as any shrinking of some areas can "warp" the entire fit of the item.
For example, a wool sweater might be just about ok for WetClean, a silk scarf certainly should be while a suit jacket made up of wool and synthetic fibres probably isn't.
There is only one singular producer of washers for home use that offers a WetClean cycle - that's VZug.
The cycle is extremely delicate and relies on the ability of the machine to index drum position. It only "shakes" the drum gently.
However, while it is certainly more delicate than the wool cycle, I wouldn't trust it with an expensive suit.
Though it gives a nice graduation in delicate cycles - the wool cycle is pretty thorough, the hand wash cycle is about equal to other wool cycles, and WetClean is even more delicate than that.
Professional, true wet cleaning relies on very specific combinations of chemicals, machines and handling.
There is a specific label for wetcleanability (W in the circle instead of P).
Chemical treatments are specifically designed to reduce the effects associated with normal washing.
Only certain items are actually wet-cleanable - usually, the more complex the makeup of the garment is and the more wool content, the less so as any shrinking of some areas can "warp" the entire fit of the item.
For example, a wool sweater might be just about ok for WetClean, a silk scarf certainly should be while a suit jacket made up of wool and synthetic fibres probably isn't.
There is only one singular producer of washers for home use that offers a WetClean cycle - that's VZug.
The cycle is extremely delicate and relies on the ability of the machine to index drum position. It only "shakes" the drum gently.
However, while it is certainly more delicate than the wool cycle, I wouldn't trust it with an expensive suit.
Though it gives a nice graduation in delicate cycles - the wool cycle is pretty thorough, the hand wash cycle is about equal to other wool cycles, and WetClean is even more delicate than that.
launderess
Well-known member
In truest principles of wet cleaning items are never in pure water. Both wash and rinse phases involve use of chemicals designed to reduce swelling of fibers, color protection and so forth. Both are designed to work with minimal drum action so things are cleaned without being mauled about.
This being said early on many American dry cleaners and laundries used Miele W19xx series washers for "wet cleaning. IIRC makers of wet cleaning chemicals or systems gave directions for use of such machines. At that time Miele was pretty much only game for serious front loaders that offered advanced level of fabric care.
This being said early on many American dry cleaners and laundries used Miele W19xx series washers for "wet cleaning. IIRC makers of wet cleaning chemicals or systems gave directions for use of such machines. At that time Miele was pretty much only game for serious front loaders that offered advanced level of fabric care.
But how do you remove oily, greasy stains?
Dry cleaning does an excellent job of removing such stains.
I read somewhere that back in the early 1970s when Boeing built their Everett plant that there was in-house dry cleaning there. Back then, when engineers ran the company, they dressed sharp but would often have to go and look at planes on the assembly area and often would get hydraulic oil on their suits. One of the "percs" of the job was the "free" dry cleaning at the plant so they could look sharp and not have high dry cleaning bills.
I wonder if this went away, because engineers can wear Dockers now.
Dry cleaning does an excellent job of removing such stains.
I read somewhere that back in the early 1970s when Boeing built their Everett plant that there was in-house dry cleaning there. Back then, when engineers ran the company, they dressed sharp but would often have to go and look at planes on the assembly area and often would get hydraulic oil on their suits. One of the "percs" of the job was the "free" dry cleaning at the plant so they could look sharp and not have high dry cleaning bills.
I wonder if this went away, because engineers can wear Dockers now.
launderess
Well-known member
For things you can launder in water vintage Fels Naptha soap works a treat on grease and oily dirt.
Am speaking of vintage Fels, the stuff that contained naphtha or Stoddard solvent. Can't tell ya about new formula...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels-Naptha
Am speaking of vintage Fels, the stuff that contained naphtha or Stoddard solvent. Can't tell ya about new formula...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels-Naptha
mattl
Well-known member
When I wore suits to work I always dry cleaned them. I never thought too much about the process, but they always came back fresh and well pressed. I spent a lot of money on them, $300-400 each in 1990, all custom tailored for proper fit. If I tossed them in the wash I'd worry about the padding shifting and the lining getting damaged. Most are wool, light weight to heavier. I am good at ironing and steaming but would never attempt a suit.
Luckily I'm the same size or a bit thinner than I was then so I can still wear them. They may look a little dated but they were classic then and still are. Weddings and funerals are the only use they get today, but they still go to the dry cleaners from time to time.
Luckily I'm the same size or a bit thinner than I was then so I can still wear them. They may look a little dated but they were classic then and still are. Weddings and funerals are the only use they get today, but they still go to the dry cleaners from time to time.
launderess
Well-known member
Many years ago now Consumer Reports tested wet cleaning. Their results and advice was the process worked well enough on sweaters and such but not constructed woolen garments such as suit jackets, trousers, skirts...
Brad
I can try to answer your questions but I doubt it will change your disgust of the process. LOL
Yes your clothes would be cleaned with everyone else’s!
Loads are separated sort of the same way you’d separate laundry loads
(but not exactly) one would not clean a white wedding dress with a red angora sweater!
The solvent isn’t stagnate! It’s not like water that can grow mold. Nothing can grow or live in it.
When machine is running, there’s a pump that is continuously pumping solvent (that has a percentage of detergent added to the tank it draws from) through a set of filters (shown below) into the drum where the clothes are tumbling then back through filters ect
When cycle is complete the drum spins and solvent goes back into the working tank from which it came. During dry cycle the heat/air causes the solvent remaining in fabrics to vaporize and turn back into a liquid (like distilling water) thats captured and turned into pure solvent and is piped back to either the machines working tank or into the machines second tank. There’s few reasons to rinse..you’d be rinsing with solvent!
It is, and always has been the dry cleaners job to capture as much solvent as possible as the stuff ain’t cheap to order. I’m sure that todays modern equipment dose a much better job than then when I was working in the industry.
At the time I left the profession OSHA was trying to issue new permissible exposure limits for perc from 100 ppm for eight hour day to 25 ppm.
I don’t know if this was ever achieved..cuz I got out.
Yes there were sealed metal drums with lids. One for waste from cooking off solvents (as explained in the other thread) a company Safety Klean picked up the waste drum. No hazmat suit. No it wasn’t dumped somewhere. That Co had the ability to cook off more than our still could and extract more pure solvent reducing waste.
Laundress might be interested in the Spotting chemicals I remember on the spotting board.
Streetex
209
Picrin
Pryrtex
Ammonia Hydroxide (50 50 water)
Sodium Perborate ( requiring heat from steam gun)
Perc fumes didn’t interfere with my memory of all this.
Wait why am I writing this..
LOL
I can try to answer your questions but I doubt it will change your disgust of the process. LOL
Yes your clothes would be cleaned with everyone else’s!
Loads are separated sort of the same way you’d separate laundry loads
(but not exactly) one would not clean a white wedding dress with a red angora sweater!
The solvent isn’t stagnate! It’s not like water that can grow mold. Nothing can grow or live in it.
When machine is running, there’s a pump that is continuously pumping solvent (that has a percentage of detergent added to the tank it draws from) through a set of filters (shown below) into the drum where the clothes are tumbling then back through filters ect
When cycle is complete the drum spins and solvent goes back into the working tank from which it came. During dry cycle the heat/air causes the solvent remaining in fabrics to vaporize and turn back into a liquid (like distilling water) thats captured and turned into pure solvent and is piped back to either the machines working tank or into the machines second tank. There’s few reasons to rinse..you’d be rinsing with solvent!
It is, and always has been the dry cleaners job to capture as much solvent as possible as the stuff ain’t cheap to order. I’m sure that todays modern equipment dose a much better job than then when I was working in the industry.
At the time I left the profession OSHA was trying to issue new permissible exposure limits for perc from 100 ppm for eight hour day to 25 ppm.
I don’t know if this was ever achieved..cuz I got out.
Yes there were sealed metal drums with lids. One for waste from cooking off solvents (as explained in the other thread) a company Safety Klean picked up the waste drum. No hazmat suit. No it wasn’t dumped somewhere. That Co had the ability to cook off more than our still could and extract more pure solvent reducing waste.
Laundress might be interested in the Spotting chemicals I remember on the spotting board.
Streetex
209
Picrin
Pryrtex
Ammonia Hydroxide (50 50 water)
Sodium Perborate ( requiring heat from steam gun)
Perc fumes didn’t interfere with my memory of all this.
Wait why am I writing this..
LOL
davetranter
Well-known member
Coin-op Dry Cleaning
I'm not sure whether it is ill mannered of me to post to this thread (and so return it to the top of the list), but, having seen few, if any, posts from the UK, I thought I would add this....
Here in the UK, many 'launderettes' had a coin-operated dry cleaning machine.
If I remember correctly (it has been a long time!) these were available for use anytime the shop was open until the early '70s. After this, the machine could only be used when an attendant was present, and she (usually 'she') would check (by touch and smell) that the fabric was dry before the client could leave the premises. ( I seem to recall that the reason quoted was that customers had previously been overcome by fumes in their cars, while returning from launderettes, and had been involved in collisions).
Whilst I have never used one of these machines, and my parents only rarely, I think they stayed available well into the '80s. The Dry Cleaning machine remained in the launderette closest to my parents' house right up until the premises closed, and was 're-purposed', but, of course, had been out of use for a decade or more.
I hope this is of at least slight interest to the Membership at large.
Dave T
I'm not sure whether it is ill mannered of me to post to this thread (and so return it to the top of the list), but, having seen few, if any, posts from the UK, I thought I would add this....
Here in the UK, many 'launderettes' had a coin-operated dry cleaning machine.
If I remember correctly (it has been a long time!) these were available for use anytime the shop was open until the early '70s. After this, the machine could only be used when an attendant was present, and she (usually 'she') would check (by touch and smell) that the fabric was dry before the client could leave the premises. ( I seem to recall that the reason quoted was that customers had previously been overcome by fumes in their cars, while returning from launderettes, and had been involved in collisions).
Whilst I have never used one of these machines, and my parents only rarely, I think they stayed available well into the '80s. The Dry Cleaning machine remained in the launderette closest to my parents' house right up until the premises closed, and was 're-purposed', but, of course, had been out of use for a decade or more.
I hope this is of at least slight interest to the Membership at large.
Dave T
ozzie908
Well-known member
Dave Tranter
I too remember the dry cleaning machines in the local launderette it looked like a large front loader and I can still see the cartoon customer on the information guide collecting the items and hanging them in their car with the window closed and a big red X next to it. A green tick indicated the same customer with the windows open allowing any remaining solvent to evaporate.
Always wanted to use that machine but it was expensive even back then 60's....!
Austin[this post was last edited: 9/28/2023-07:21]
I too remember the dry cleaning machines in the local launderette it looked like a large front loader and I can still see the cartoon customer on the information guide collecting the items and hanging them in their car with the window closed and a big red X next to it. A green tick indicated the same customer with the windows open allowing any remaining solvent to evaporate.
Always wanted to use that machine but it was expensive even back then 60's....!
Austin[this post was last edited: 9/28/2023-07:21]
Well, Holy George Jefferson!
Here’s one dry cleaners which has definitely become past tense…
And I don’t think I’ve ever gone to it but if I did they might not have been able to do or get a certain stain out of something I’d brought in../
Prompting me to go to anther we usually go to that chino is still around…
— Dave
Here’s one dry cleaners which has definitely become past tense…
And I don’t think I’ve ever gone to it but if I did they might not have been able to do or get a certain stain out of something I’d brought in../
Prompting me to go to anther we usually go to that chino is still around…
— Dave
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