Page 35 - Elite Promotional Marketing

WESTEX CLEANING & MAINTENANCE GUIDE

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE BLEACH water supply. To minimize washer-induced wrinkles, water temperature is reduced
Hydrogen Peroxide, which is an oxygen bleach, must not be used on in each succeeding rinse cycle until the last operation (sour) where it should be
UltraSoft, UltraSoft AC or Indura garments either separately or in 100°F (38°C) or lower.
detergents. The presence of metals with hydrogen peroxide can catalyze the
decomposition of the Westex polymer. SOUR
When laundering Westex garments, the use of a sour operation after thorough
SOAPS rinsing is strongly recommended. Sour is used to reduce fabric’s pH from the
The use of soaps (salts of fatty acids) is not recommended for laundering alkaline detergents used for cleaning for the benefit of reducing the possibility of
UltraSoft, UltraSoft AC or Indura garments. Soaps can form insoluble scums dermatological reactions from high pH. No adverse effect on flame resistance
with hard water that are deposited on the fabric. Soap scums may be flammable results from the use of acid sour. Residual alkalinit in any garment can cause
themselves and they can adversely affect the thermal protection performance of skin irritation and other problems. To ensure that all traces of wash chemical
the garment if they burn. alkalinity are neutralized, sour can be added to the final rinse cycle in the wash
wheel. Garments should not be rinse further after the sour is added. Avoid overuse
Recommended Washing/Drying of sours because it can result in highly acidic fabrics. Any standard or buffered sour
is acceptable for use with Westex garments.
Procedures
DRYING AND FINISHING
WASHING PROCEDURES GENERAL FORMULA Westex garments can be dried and finished using normal methods for cotton fabrics
The formula in Appendix II provides complete operational steps for commercially available to laundries. To reduce the possibility of shrinkage, it is important that

laundering Westex garments. The actual conditions used should be selected from cotton garments not be overdried in any step of the operation. Overdrying has
this formula based on the degree of soiling and other factors to be considered for been determined to be the main cause of excessive garment shrinkage.
the garments being processed. For lightly soiled garments, not all steps need to be
used. To improve soil removal and minimize redeposition, a “multi add” procedure TUMBLE DRY CONDITIONING/FINISHING
is recommended. Consult your chemical supplier (Appendix I) for assistance with In many instances tumble dry conditioning is the only finishing necessary for
quantity of supplies and conditions to be used for your specific case. Westex garments. Tumble dry conditioning can be done prior to wet-on-dry tunnel
finishing (see Section below) or pressing. For best results, tumble driers should not
LOADING WASHER be overloaded. Garments should be dried efficiently at stack temperatures between
Westex garments can be washed in a variety of wash formulations depending on 140°F (60°C) and 165°F (74°C). Garment temperature measured in the basket
the degree and type of soil. Westex garments should be washed with other Westex should not exceed 280°F (138°C). Do not overdry garments or excessive shrinkage
garments. Be sure that Westex garments are clearly identifiable. Care should also will occur. If possible, remove garments from dryer when slightly damp (about 10%
be exercised in mixing light and dark colors as well as heavy and light soiled items. moisture) and hang to dry or tunnel process. Garments should not remain in a hot
Normal washer loads are generally set at 80% of washer capacity for 100% cotton tumbler when not in motion.
garments, however, loading at 65% will provide better cleaning for heavily soiled
items. WET-TO-DRY TYPE TUNNEL DRYING/FINISHING
Wet garments from the wash wheel or partially dry tumble dried garments can be
WASH TEMPERATURE finished by hanging on hanger, and passing through a tunnel containing forced air
The range of wash temperatures suggested take into account various degrees of supplied at 300°F (149°C) dry bulb and 190°F (80°C) wet bulb at a rate just
soiling. The higher the temperatures, the better the cleaning for heavily soiled sufficient to completely dry the garments. Garment temperature should not exceed
garments. However, compatibility of wash temperature with the detergent used 280°F (138°C). Again, do not overdry.
should be considered.
DRY-TO-DRY TYPE TUNNEL DRYING/FINISHING
COLORFASTNESS OF GARMENTS This process is not recommended for UltraSoft, UltraSoft AC or Indura garments.
Wash temperatures higher than 165°F (74°C) may affect the washfastness (color Should the operational flow of your plant require passage through the tunnel, we
loss) of certain colors. Likewise, the presence of sodium perborate in the wash recommend using the wet-to-dry procedure or passing fully tumble dried
system will significantly affect the shade of certain naphthol dyes. garments through the tunnel at an ambient air temperature.

RINSING PRESSING
As for all washed garments, UltraSoft, UltraSoft AC and Indura garments must be If pressing is required, the conditions employed for pressing all-cotton fabrics are
adequately rinsed to remove wash chemicals and to lower the pH to that of the acceptable for Westex garments.

35