Oregon Dry Cleaners Assoication
The International Fabricare Institute, the premier trade association
for garment care, utilized its research and testing expertise to gauge the
effectiveness of home drycleaning kits, and found that in general they do
not provide complete removal of all types of stains. They also cannot remove
ground-in soil. These products can freshen garments by removing odors and
imparting a pleasant fragrance.
What do you get in a home drycleaning kit?
Garments are freshened when they are placed inside the dryer with the cloth,
which is activated by the heat of the dryer. Up to four garments can be placed
in a bag (along with the dryer-activated cloth) when using one of these products.
The stain removal solution (which is dispensed form a plastic bottle) is applied
directly on the stain, while the user holds an absorbent pad underneath the
stained fabric.
Consumers are instructed to apply the solution until the stain is no longer
visible or until it is evident that the stain cannot be removed. For kits
that employ only a dryer-activated cloth, consumers are advised to use the
cloth to remove stains. All kits recommend removing stains before garments
are placed in the dryer.
What can you expect?
In general, most of the products work well on freshening or removing odors
such as smoke. Therefore, these products can be successfully used to freshen
garments; for example, removing odors from sweaters after winter storage.
In terms of stain removal, IFI found that most of the products work well on
water-based stains such as cola. Stains that are oil-based (ketchup, lipstick)
presented more of a challenge for the home drycleaning kits. In some cases,
these products caused the stain to spread, which created a bigger stain. None
of the products removed ground-in soils, which consumers typically see as
"ring around the collar" or dirty cuffs.
Can home drycleaning kits cause damage?
When using a home drycleaning kit, consumers should beware of the following
types of damage they could induce when using the stain removal solutions:
rings, chafing, broken fibers on a loose weave, local shrinkage on crepe or
water-sensitive fabrics.
IFI’s testing found that home drycleaning kits failed to completely
remove stains such as ketchup, lipstick, and cuff soil, resulting in a less-than-satisfactory
appearance.
For more information visit the International Fabricare Institute®
on the Web at: www.ifi.org
