Reducing chemical usage and cost

Manufactures today are producing the most efficient chemicals designed for quality and safety. The chemicals that were taught years ago for spotting were good then, but not now. Acetic acid, ammonia and solvent based paint removers caused many fabric damages. The formulations produced now are extremely safe when used properly. The chemicals produced today are far more expensive but can be cost effective when used properly. I am able to reduce the costs of the product by teaching how to use them effectively. These are some of the reasons why cleaners are increasing their chemical usage  

1. Setting stains that require more chemicals for removal. 
2. Spotting procedures that use more expensive chemicals first.
3. Using prespotting agents because of poor wet cleaning formulations  
4. Failure to properly dilute their formulations. 
5. Failure to properly combine some chemicals to make the spotting more efficient.
6. Using chemicals in wet cleaning that does nothing. 
7. Failure to use enzyme based products which can be more cost effective.  

Set stains

All spotters hold the steam gun too close to the fabric. This may remove a portion of the stain but the residue left over is a set stain. This means more chemicals and time is required for removal. The steam gun should be held 6 inches from the fabric. This will make the lubricant used more effective. The new lubricants are very effective and will remove most stains as long as they have not been set by high heat. These lubricants have also been known to work on dye transfer from wetcleaning. This will give you a valuable spotting agent that is very cost effective on a multitude of stains.

Spotting procedures to reduce chemical cost and increase efficiency

The drycleaner today is using chemical formulations that has made spotting and wetcleaning more efficient, easier and safer. These chemicals have improved over the ones that were used years ago. There are differences between various manufacturers. It would be beneficial to try different products and determine the one that suits your needs. The spotting procedures that I taught years ago and is still being taught by NCA and DLI has to be changed due to costs and the advancement in chemical chemistry. You were always taught that you work a stain on the dry side first and then the wetside. This is not the best method for several reasons.

1. The drycleaner encounters more wetside stains than dryside.
2. The costliest spotting products are dryside. The wetside lubricants used today are also efficient in taking some dryside stains, especially ones used in combinations with wetside.
3. In most cases, you would be saving spotting steps. The neutral lubricant you use is going to be your most important step. The first thing to do is dilute your lubricant with water. A concentrated lubricant has very little effect on staining. It needs water to activate it. Add 4~6 parts water to one part lubricant. This would also make flushing out the area easier. The other thing we must do is to keep the steam gun at least 6″ from fabric to avoid setting the stain.    

SPOTTING PROCEDURE  

1. Flush
2. Neutral lubricant
3. Mechanical action
4. Flush
5. Tannin formula
6. Mechanical action
7. Flush
8. Protein formula
9. Mechanical action 
10. Flush  
11. Citrus based spotting for dryside stains 
12. Mechanical action 
13. Flush
14. Oily type paint remover, non-solvent based
15. Flush
16. Hydrogen peroxide.