Dry Cleaning Fact and Fiction
FICTION: Dry cleaning wears out
clothes.
FACT: Dry cleaning prolongs the life
of clothes.
In over 80 years of researching
fabrics and dry cleaning solvents, the International Fabricare Institute
has never seen any indication of the dry cleaning process wearing out
clothing.
Not only do stains set with age,
rendering garments unwearable, but ground-in dirty and soil act as an
abrasive ,like sandpaper, causing deterioration of fibers. In addition,
microscopic insects are attracted to soiled clothes, causing further
damage. Some people mistakenly recommend spot cleaning and pressing in
lieu of dry cleaning a garment. By pressing a garment before it is
cleaned, unseen dirt, stains and body oils may be permanently set.
Although it is a matter of
personal preference how frequently people dry clean their clothes,
consumers should know they can't overclean their clothes.
FICTION: Manufacturers' and care labels are
never wrong.
FACT: Manufacturers are not required to test before deciding on a care
label, so mistakes can occur from time to time.
The federal government fines manufacturers that fail to provide a
reasonable basis for the care instructions they provide. However,
manufacturers are not required to verify what is printed on a label is
accurate. Unfortunately for consumers, the Federal Trade Commission, the
agency responsible for the Care Labeling Rule, can only enforce the rule
after garments have already been ruined and a pattern of damage is
detected.
In other instances, a manufacturer may add care instructions that do not
comply with the FTC care labeling Rule. These include: "Dry Clean Only,
Exclusive of Trim"; "Do Not Wash, Do Not Dry Clean, Take to a Laundry
Expert", "Special Precautions and Care to Beading. Do not wash or clean by
fabric methods. Must be cleaned by laundry expert".
FICTION: When it comes to shirts, cleaners'
prices discriminate against women.
FACT: Cleaners charge according to the amount of
labor it takes to clean and press each shirt, not by gender.
Men's shirt styles are relatively static and don't change radically from
year to year. For this reason, automated equipment has been designed to
press standard shirts, which cut down on labor costs.
On the other hand, there is little consistency in women's shirts.
They often contain various trims, delicate fabrics (silk, satin), and
other embellishments (ruffles, pleats, tucks) that require hand ironing.
Women's styles change from year to year and season to season. The result
is that most women's shirts have to be hand-finished individually which is
a very labor-intensive process. This additional charge applies to any
shirt that requires additional labor, be a man's or woman's shirt.
FICTION: All stains can be removed.
FACT: Not all stains come out.
Most but not all stains can be completely removed by an expert stain
removal technician. Many factors determine if a stain will be removed,
including the type of stain, the fiber type and color of fabric, and the
length of time the stain has remained on the fabric.
Stains from some dyes, medicine, or ink may not be completely removed
because they contain permanent coloring matter. The most common stains are
food and beverage stains. Salad oils, other food fats, and greases oxidize
over time, leaving a tan or yellow stain. Other food and beverages contain
animal proteins (i.e., dairy products), tannins (coffee, tea), or sugars
(juices, soda, alcohol) that can similarly oxidize with age, discolor, and
become permanently set.
The good news is the chances of removing stains improve with your
assistance. The sooner you get a stain to a professional, the better the
chances are of getting it out.
FICTION: Men's cotton dress shirts don't shrink.
FACT: If improperly pre-shrunk during manufacturing,
cotton shirts will shrink
Fabrics are woven under tension. If the fabric is not adequately preshrunk
before the shirt is constructed, the agitation of any laundering process
can relax the fabric resulting in shrinkage. If shrinkage does not occur
until the shirt has been laundered several times, it may be due to the
removal of finishing agents such as sizing, starches, and stain repellents
that held the fabric in place. Not only do shirts shrink, but most other
items do too.
Shrinkage is so common in fabrics that the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) has established standards for the amount of
acceptable shrinkage in all items. Typically shirt manufacturers allow for
2 to 3 % shrinkage even on properly stabilized fabrics. This means a shirt
with a 15 1/3-inch neck and 33-inch sleeve length could shrink
approximately 1/3 to 1/2 inch in the neck and 2/3 to 1 inch in the sleeve.
On fabrics that are improperly stabilized, shrinkage is higher, resulting
in a shirt that is too small.
Fact Sheet Courtesy of the IFI.
