I have potential commercial account that would require us to launder cloth napkins for an Italian restaurant. The napkins are red and most certainly will have oil and other food stains. The client wants these napkins laid out flat for delivery.
What are the best cleaning methods and products for such an account? Moreover, do such napkins need to be re-dyed from time to time?
First of all, to wash these items, you will require a machine that features a pre-wash cycle, a wash cycle and three rinses. The pre-wash cycle should be hot water at a low level. Next, the wash cycle should hot water at a medium to high level. And, lastly, the rinses should be cold water at a high level.
For the pre-wash and wash cycles, you need to use the hottest water you can possibly achieve at your store; anywhere from 150 to 165 degrees is optimum.
I would recommend using a di-limonene-based liquid laundry detergent in the pre-wash and wash cycles. Also in the wash cycle, add non-chlorinated, color-safe bleach.
Softeners should not be used on the napkins. This is because softeners can water-proof certain surfaces, and in this case, since napkins are used for wiping and catching spills, you want them to be absorbent and not actually reject any liquid-type spills.
After the first washing and drying, check the napkins to see if any of the items still have grease or oil stains. If so, re-wash those in an alkaline-based or built detergent. Use the detergent manufacturer’s recommended amount, and repeat the washing process the same way as the first time through. This should remove any lingering stains.
As far as re-dying the red napkins, I wouldn’t get involved in that process. It’s a process that sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t – and even the professionals have occasional problems with re-dying items. If the color comes out of the napkins to a point where they no longer look presentable, I would suggest that the client simply purchase new napkins. After all, it might cost more money to try to re-dye them then to buy new ones.
We do a lot of commercial and residential drop-off laundry at my store, and sometimes my attendants have a difficult time getting white socks to look really white. Can you offer any suggestions?
In addition, we launder white towels for a physical therapy practice. We regularly receive towels with makeup stains that are difficult to remove. We’ve had some success with a product called TarGo. However, can you recommend anything else?
Any time you’re dealing with white items my suggestion is to use hot water and a “built detergent,” which basically is a stronger detergent with some alkali in it. I also would recommend using chlorine bleach.
In addition, one of the most important things to remember when trying to get whites whiter is not only using the right chemicals with the proper water temperature, but also washing those garments for the correct amount of time. These items may require a slightly longer wash cycle. If you’re currently using a 12- to 14-minute wash cycle, perhaps try lengthening it to 20 minutes. A longer cycle with the right chemicals in hot water should get just about any cotton or synthetic blend as white as can be.
Regarding the white towels, I once again would suggest using a high-quality built detergent in hot water with chlorine bleach. When using a stain remover – such as TarGo or Laundry Wetspo – on the makeup stains, use a “spotting method” to remove the makeup. In other words, don’t dump it into the wash cycle; apply it directly to the towel stains and then run these items through a typical wash cycle.
For both the towels and the socks, be sure that you’re using the right amount of chlorine bleach. If you’re using an over-the-counter bleach product, the potency can vary anywhere from 1.5 percent chlorine to 6 percent – whereas a commercial-grade chlorine bleach is typically about 8 percent chlorine. Try to use bleach that has the greatest amount of chlorine.
