CONCORD, N.C. — When one markets ones services as professional, it requires the use of professional tools. Garment care specialists have a multitude of tools at their disposal. Although they are often taken for granted or even overlooked, your chemical tools are critical to giving the best in professional restoration of everything entrusted to you for care.
This is an overview of the well-stocked cleaning department. Decide now to do it right.
You need to include neutral synthetic detergent as a chemical tool. It has been ignored recently in the name of speed, but the few seconds it takes makes stain removal safer and more effective.
There are many stain-specific chemical tools available to the garment care professional formulated to remove protein stains. A few drops on the stain, a moments hesitation while it penetrates, some light mechanical action and you are well on your way to exceeding the customer’s expectations.
When you feel that you are facing a tough protein stain, you can apply an enzyme digester to “soften” the stain. A digester will take time to be effective, but it is well worth the effort on tough/old protein stains.
There are also many choices of stain-specific chemical tools available formulated to remove tannin stains. Tannin stains can be difficult if not treated in a timely manner.
A tannin stain that is only ten days old can take additional effort that would not have been necessary if the customer had brought it in after only 48 hours. You must have a tannin-specific chemical tool at your board, nothing else will effectively remove the stain.
Fortunately, you have choices. Don’t get impatient, tannin stains take time and require repeated application.
You have job-specific tools throughout your plant. You must have, at a minimum, the same type of stain-specific chemical tools at your spotting board.
On the dryside: have a general prespotter that also serves as a leveling agent; a paint, oil, and grease remover; and a lubricating agent for insoluble stains. In addition, you may want amyl acetate as a booster to the effectiveness of the paint, oil, and grease remover.
On the wetside: have a neutral synthetic detergent; a protein-specific agent; and a tannin specific-agent. In addition, you may want an enzyme digester and a second, stronger, tannin agent.
The chemical tools are available. You have choices. The one choice you should not make is to not take advantage of these chemical tools.
Find yourself chemical tools that are effective and with which you are comfortable, based upon your knowledge and experience.
You can get a “leg up” in the marketplace, just by offering better stain removal than the competition. The investment is minimal, the benefit substantial.
To read Part 1, go HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].