Girbau offers our customers from all over the world Girbau Laundry Tips, a place where we bring together questions and concerns and try to answer all of them. So we would like to devote today's blog post to answering the 4 most common questions our customers have asked us about problems in their laundries, with the aim of providing solutions.
Why do tablecloths come out creased after passing through the flatwork ironer?
Our customers have often told us that their linen comes out of the flatwork ironer with creases. In most cases the crease runs crosswise, because the cloth does not move through the ironer properly. This may be due to the build-up of traces of detergent in the fabrics, which impedes them sliding through the ironer and gets encrusted in the padding. To stop this happening it is advisable to review the process of rinsing the linen, making sure the final pH is correct and no traces of detergent remain, and to clean off any traces of lime adhering on the way into the flatwork ironer. Adding the right amount of wax with the right frequency to the flatwork ironer also helps to avoid problems of this kind.
Why are my tablecloths completely irregularly-shaped when folded?
Another very common problem our customers have told us about is with tablecloths. Sometimes, when folding cloths made of polyester/cotton (50/50), they are found to be misshapen. This generally happens with very worn tablecloths which, over time, have lost much of the cotton. This means the fabric in them behaves differently from new fabric when ironed, and the ironing settings need adjusting to the current state of the fabric. Polyester calls for a lower ironing temperature so that it does not go soft. If this happens, as there is more space between threads because of the loss in thickness, the pressure of the roller causes tensions in the threads that make them move and cause distortion.
Bright yellow stains appear on sheets and towels. Especially in summer. What are they?
In summer many of our customers in the hotel industry ask us the same question. Why do yellowish stains appear on sheets and towels at this time of year? These marks are usually long, with blurred edges and of different intensities, and are impossible to spot before washing as they are transparent. The answer is that these stains are due to traces of sun cream, specifically UV protectors, which are resistant to water and rubbing. As the stain is the result of a chemical reaction, they are not always easy to remove. In this case it can be effective to treat the stains with organic solvents, or else to treat the items with a reducing agent. Whether this works will depend on the temperature at which the stain was formed, the fabric, the degree of impregnation of the stains and how long they have been on the fabric.