Preface
The importance of clothing for family wear and household use is well known. Special fabrics are chosen for industrial purposes, hospital applications such as bandages and masks because of their special properties. Proper care is essential to maintain the longevity and usefulness of these fabrics. Care of fabrics involves two main things:
1. Protecting clothing from physical damage and repairing damage if it occurs.
2. Maintaining the shine and texture of the fabric by removing dust and stains.
Basic Concepts
The care of textiles depends on their fibers, yarn type, manufacturing techniques, and finishing. This includes washing, stain removal, use of soaps and detergents, washing methods, finishing treatments, ironing, hot irons, and folding. Three main tools are used for these activities:
1. Washing equipment
2. Drying equipment
3. Ironing Tools
At the domestic level, most washing is done by hand, using buckets, washbasins, basins, scrubbing boards, brushes, and sometimes washing machines.
1. Washing equipment
Washing machines have become an important part of our everyday life. They are divided into two main types:
Top Load: Clothes are put in from the top.
Front Load: Clothes are put in from the front.
Types of washing machines
- Fully automated machines fill, heat, wash and rinse water on their own, once set, and require no user intervention.
- Semi-automatic machines require filling and draining of water after every cycle and are usually two-tub machines.
- In hand-operated machines, more than 50% of the work has to be done by hand.
Features of the automatic machine
The water level in the washer is controlled automatically or manually, and the temperature may be set by buttons or dials. Washing methods include agitation (blades spin the clothes in top-fill machines), pulsation (washing at high vertical speed), and tumbling (spinning the clothes in the tub in front-fill machines). Rinsing cleans clothes and preserves their texture. Water extraction includes spinning (draining water at speeds of 300–1100 rpm), bottom-draining (draining water down a drain), and a combination of the two, with the most effective methods being tumbling.
advantages of using washing machine
- Speed: The process of draining and rinsing is fast.
- Fabric Care: Correct spin speed (600-620 rpm) prevents clothes from getting creased.
- Cleaning: Bottom-drain and rotation remove dirt completely.
2. Drying equipment and process
Dryers are used to dry clothes at commercial and institutional levels. Dryers work in two ways. In the first method, low temperature air is circulated at high velocity, keeping the room temperature and humidity normal. In the second method, high temperature air is circulated at a slow speed. The air passes through the heat source and passes through the clothes, but because of the slow speed, the expelled air has a higher humidity.
3. Ironing and hot ironing
Ironing:
Ironing removes wrinkles from clothes and gives them a new shine. Light irons are for everyday clothes, while heavy irons are used for heavy fabrics like curtains and sheets. It has a smooth metal surface and temperature control, and some irons also have a steam option.
Domestic and commercial laundry services
Domestic laundry involves small everyday clothes being washed and ironed at home, while larger linens and special garments are sent to a laundromat or washer. Commercial laundry involves laundry services that collect and return washed and ironed clothes, common in hostels, small hotels, and restaurants. Laundry and dry-cleaning shops allow customers to bring clothes and collect them when they are ready. Some services offer home pickup and delivery, and also provide specialized laundry services for hospitals and hotels.
The Process of Commercial Laundry Services
The clothes are checked and sorted according to their type and special care needs. Large machines wash up to 100 kg of clothes at a time, and there are separate machines for water-washing. Roller irons and calendaring machines are used for pressing. The clothes are folded and packed before being handed over to the customer. The number, type, and special care information of the clothes are recorded, the customer is given a receipt, and labels are attached for identification.
Special Services
Dry cleaning for woolen and silk clothes, cleaning of blankets and carpets, and decoration services such as dyeing and zari polishing are provided.
Institutions
Large institutions such as hospitals, hotels, and prisons require a large amount of clothing to be cleaned and maintained on a daily basis. Timely washing and delivery of clothing is extremely important for these institutions.
Institutions and their laundry facilities
1. Laundry facilities in hospitals
Hospitals use fabrics such as bed sheets, gowns, kurta-pyjamas, doctors' uniforms, table cloths, and curtains, mostly cotton fabric dyed in specific colours. Hygiene and disinfection are given priority, and soiled or disposable fabrics are destroyed by burning. Laundry to remove stubborn stains is not a priority, and starching or full ironing is minimized. Sometimes repairs and disposal of unusable fabrics are also done. Large hospitals wash 1800-2000 sheets per day, and sheets in operation theatres and wards are changed several times a day.
2. Laundry facilities in hotels
Hotels use fabrics such as bed linens, towels, tablecloths, curtains, and staff uniforms made from fibers such as cotton, silk, or terrycot. Attention is paid to upholstery, including starching, proper ironing, and folding. Personal laundry is also done for customers. Large hotels may wash 400–500 rooms daily.
Difference between hospital and hotel laundry
