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| The Textile Web |
Textile Web Articiles - Last Updated
April 11, 2002
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| 1: Percentage of Rewash
Acceptability |
June 2000
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| Rewash is linen that must be washed again prior to
its use. There are generally two categories of rewash. The first
is linen with unacceptable quality, other than stains. This linen
is in good shapebut might be misfolded, wrinkled, have dust or lint
on it, or for some other reason should not be used. The second type
of rewash is linen that is stained due to usage. |
| To determine the percentage of each type of rewash,
divide the pounds of rewash for a given period by the total clean
pounds processed for the same time frame. The industry standard
for rewash is 2 – 3 percent of total linen processed. If your
percentage of rewash is higher than that, you should consider taking
steps toidentify the case. |
| Rewash is costly by virtue of additional labor cost,
linen replacement, utility cost and higher chemical cost.. The most
likely cause of excessive rewash is poor wash formulas for the type
of linen being processed. Time, temperature, chemicals and mechanical
action are the basics for any wash formulation. Other potential
causes of rewash are water quality and the condition of the washing
and processing equipment. Regardless, the cost of high percentages
of rewash can be damaging to the overall operation of any laundry,
and steps should be taken to address the issue. |
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2:
Enzymes -- What are they? How do they work in laundry cleaning?
Why do they work?
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July/August 2000
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| We hear considerable talk about enzyme
detergent washing these days. Actually, the technology has been
around for a long time, but like everything else, it runs in cycles.
I’m often asked about the benefits thatenzymes can have for
laundries. |
| If the soil conditions are right, wash
operations are conducive to slightly longer formulas and high temperature
water usage is a concern, then enzymes may benefit your laundry
operation. |
| However, I have yet to see heavily soiled items such
as bar towels, aprons, table linens, etc., come out thoroughly clean
without higher alkalinity and use of chlorine bleach. Regardless,
there is a valuable place forenzymes when the conditions and expectations
are correct. |
| Detergent enzymes are large molecules made by bacteria.
There are different types of enzymes used in laundry chemical formulations.
One type, called protease, goes after protein soils; another type,
which is effective against fat is called lipase. The third type,
amylase, is used for carbohydrates (starches.) |
| When a laundry tries enzyme washing, everything changes
in the wash process. In an enzyme wash there can be no contact with
strong caustic solutions, chlorine or high water temperatures. If
contact with these conditions occur, then the enzymes are damaged
and become inactive. |
| Enzymes work by attacking soils and breaking them
into small, loose fragments. With good detergency, the soil is then
flushed away from the linen and down the sewer. Generally, when
washing with enzyme detergents, the wash bath must be lengthened
and ideal temperatures are between 125 degrees and 145 degrees F
(depending on the manufacturer of the product.) The preflushes to
an enzyme formula should remain to assist in getting loose soil
out, so that when the enzyme detergent is added it can attack stains
and the harder to remove embedded soils. If there is no high alkaline
bath after the wash and a bleach bath is skipped, it is possible
to cut back on some of the rinsing steps. |
| Match the conditions and soil types and
you might find enzyme detergent wash formulations a benefit to your
laundry. |
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