Purchasing high-quality linen made from 100 percent cotton can alleviate color bleeding concerns. Colored paper napkins typically cause color bleeding on white table linen. The whiteness of this linen can be recovered provided that it is made from 100 percent cotton. However color bleeding will be permanent if any polyester has been incorporated into the fabric.
To prevent the wash process from setting stains or creating new ones, laundry managers should keep water treatment and product selection/usage in mind.
Unfortunately, not all laundries invest in proper water treatment. Although many are well aware of the negative influence of water hardness on the removal of fatty and oily stains, an often underestimated factor in proper stain removal is the presence of heavy metals in the incoming fresh water. Iron and Copper have an especially strong negative influence on stain removal.
Laundries should carefully select detergents that have been tested on a wide variety of stains and linen types. For instance, a detergent should be able to remove complex metals found in water without interacting with bleach. Not only does this remove and prevent stains, it also reduces accelerated loss of tensile strength.
Often, laundries increase the dosage of bleach when food dyes such as curry, tandoori or tomato sauce are not removed during the initial wash cycle. However, this increased bleach dosage does not change the wash results because non-removed fatty soil covers the food dye and prevents bleaching from taking place. Fatty and oily stain removal is thus essential for an overall good wash result.
The cleanliness of hotel linen can be the difference between a raving review from a now-loyal customer and a scathing write-up of a property’s disregard for hygiene and guest satisfaction. It’s important for laundries to train staff in misuse of linen and proper stain removal in order to keep linen of all wash classifications looking their best, and to prolong their lifespan. Following these best practices and recommended wash processes will ensure guests have clean linen during their stay and will support the bottom line.
About the Author
Simon Hemmes is senior global application expert, fabric washing, with Sealed Air’s Diversey Care division. For more information, visit https://sealedair.com/diversey-care/efficient-and-sustainable-fabric-care-programs.
