In our textile care series ‘Love Your Linens’ we’re looking at how to keep your linens in tip top shape, make bed linen last longer and keep towels feeling fabulous. In this instalment, independent laundry and textiles expert LTC Worldwide offer advice and some tricks of the trade.
Keeping colours vibrant
Maintain coloured linens requires the correct colour detergent. Never use detergent meant for white-work as this contains optical brighteners, which will make coloured fabrics appear faded and prematurely drab.
Use the correct amount of detergent
Too much lather from the incorrect amount of detergent will result in a poorer wash as the clothes can’t move freely around the washing machine to loosen the soiling. Stick to the precise amount advised on the packaging or speak to your detergent supplier.
Keeping whites pristine
Guests expect pure white linens and so do your customers. Any discolouration of your white sheets or towels will mean they will be rejected and result in lost revenue. There are four areas that need attention to keep your white linens wonderfully white:
In the wash – can be avoided using the correct amount of a good detergent containing a suspending agent to wrap around loose soiling and prevent its re-deposition onto the clean white textile.
In the drying process – this is particularly a problem on towels but can be prevented by terminating the drying cycle when there is still 2% moisture left in the fabric. This stops the electrostatic attraction for the tiny dirt particles in the drying air stream to attach themselves to the bone-dry towel fabric.
Greying caused by fabric mix – can be eliminated by classifying pure cotton textiles separately from those containing polyester. They need a different process and a different detergent formulation.
Pillowcase staining – poor removal of the skin sebum and hair oils from the user can result in the browning of the pillowcase centres. Try a low dose of the correct emulsifier to cure it immediately.
