1931 - Laundering and Dry Cleaning
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences,
by Mary Brooks Picken
Dry-Cleaning Mediums
CLASSIFICATION
5. There are two principal mediums by which the dry cleaner restores fabrics. These are known as solvents and absorbents.
6. Solvents are liquids that dissolve grease or gummy substances. Water is the principal solvent, but this belongs to wet washing. The solvents used in dry cleaning are often referred to, in the trade, as cleaning oils, but there are certain volatile liquids, acids and alkalies that are equally indispensable, especially for spotting. In some cases, a solvent belongs in more than one class.
The following classification, although not exact as to chemical analysis, is a convenient one for the dry cleaner.
Water
- Cold water
- Hot water
- Distilled water
Cleaning Oils
- Gasoline and similar cleaners
- Naphtha
- Benzine
- Benzene or benzol
- Kerosene
- Turpentine
Volatile Liquids
- Alcohol
- Wood
- Denatured
- Ether
- Chloroform
- Carbon tetrachloride
- Acetone
Acid Materials
- Oxalic acid
- Hydrochloric acid
- Potassium permanganate
- Hydrosulphite of soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Chloride of lime
- Javelle water
- Vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Salts of lemon
- Sour milk
- Buttermilk
Alkaline Materials
- Soap
- Ammonia
- Borax
- Sal soda
- Egg white
- Sweet milk
7. Absorbents, as the name indicates, take up rather than dissolve the particles of dirt. Therefore they are, for the most part, dry cleaners that come in powder, or pulverized, form. They are most successful when applied on fresh stains or on such articles as furs, out of which the soil can be brushed with the absorbent.
According to nature and color, absorbents may be classified as follows:
White Powder
- French chalk
- Magnesia
Kitchen Supplies
- Meals
- Salt
- Starch
Non-Plastic Clay
- Fullers' earth
- Pipe clay
Absorbent Surfaces
- White blotting paper
- Unglazed paper
- Unglazed cloth
SOLVENTS
8. Water.—Although water is not generally associated with dry cleaning, it has a very definite place in spotting. Pure cold water removes spots, as, for example, raw-meat stains, and hot water removes spots made by sugar, starches, milk, dust, and some fruits. Also, water is used after many reagents to rinse them thoroughly.
Distilled water is the safest kind to use, for all foreign matter has been removed from it by the distilling process. It is the presence of foreign matter, or the leaving of residue, that causes the formation of rings. Water may be distilled by condensing steam, or it may be freed from part of the foreign matter by boiling it and then straining through firm muslin or filter paper, obtainable at many stores. Distilled water may be purchased at garages and drug stores.
9. Cleaning Oils.—Practically all cleaning agents of the quick-evaporating type are derivatives of petroleum. Of these, the one that is perhaps most widely known is gasoline. The cleaning power of this solvent was discovered in 1866 by a Frenchman, Monsieur Judlin, and since that time it has been in continuous use for this purpose. Naturally improvements have been sought to make gasoline more acceptable and pleasing to its users, especially since dry cleaning has become more generally practiced in the home. The results have been very gratifying, for it is now possible to procure cleaning fluids, put up in convenient-size tins, that are non-inflammable, quick drying, and have rapidly disappearing odors. Directions accompany the cleansers, which, if accurately followed, will make the cleaning of garments in the home a simple and readily accomplished process. These commercial cleaning fluids are more expensive than gasoline, but the satisfaction they give more than repays for their cost.
10. Naphtha also is a product of petroleum, which, during refining processes, distils at a lower temperature than gasoline. Because of its greater refinement, it is dangerously inflammable, consequently its use should be avoided, if possible. If naphtha must be employed, never use it indoors or in the direct rays of the sun because even the sun's heat may cause it to ignite. Naphtha dissolves fats, turpentine, varnish, asphalt, and rubber.
11. Benzine is highly refined gasoline and is exceptionally effective as a cleaner. However, it is practically impossible to obtain benzine in its pure form, and the oil sold under that name at drug stores should not be trusted, as it is no more than a low grade of gasoline. Benzine and naphtha are sometimes sold as one and the same thing, and can be used interchangeably, but benzine is not so highly refined.
12. Benzene, or benzol, which is the trade term, is a coal-tar product and must not be confused with benzine. It acts like naphtha except that it evaporates more rapidly and therefore is less likely to leave any trace on even the most delicate fabrics.
13. Kerosene is a colorless, inflammable oil having solvent and bleaching qualities. When petroleum oil is being distilled, kerosene passes over after naphtha and gasoline.
Kerosene dissolves gummy substances and wax and serves as a bleaching agent in wet washing.
14. Turpentine is an oil made from the pitch-pine tree. After the bark has been removed, the pitch is collected and distilled with water. What passes over is oil, or spirits, of turpentine and what remains is rosin. When fresh, turpentine is clear in color and not strong smelling, but as it grows older, exposure to air turns it dark in color and gives it a strong odor. When in this state, it should not be used for dry-cleaning purposes, as it will leave a stain.
When turpentine is fresh and when it has been kept well corked, it dissolves grease, wax, tar, varnish, and paint. It is useful also in wet washing for whitening clothes.
15. Volatile Liquids.—Alcohol is a colorless, volatile, inflammable liquid having cleaning properties. Wood, or methyl, alcohol, which is distilled from wood and is the simplest form of alcohol, dissolves gums and varnishes and is in general use as a stain remover. Denatured alcohol, which is grain or ethyl alcohol made unfit for beverages by the addition of poisonous materials, is a solvent for fats, resins, and oils. Both kinds of alcohol are in general use, particularly on black and dark-colored materials.
16. Ether, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride are colorless, highly volatile liquids formed by distilling certain acids and water. They are solvents of fats, oils, and resins and removers of soil, evaporating so quickly that they do not leave rings, unless, of course, they are old and dark. With the exception of ether, they are not inflammable; but all are anesthetics, so must not be used except where there is free circulation of air. Since these are expensive reagents, their use is confined to spotting.
Carbon tetrachloride is an ideal cleaning fluid because it is non-combustible and leaves practically no after odor, its expense being the only drawback. As an economical measure, it is sometimes mixed with a cheaper cleaning fluid, such as gasoline.
Ether and chloroform affect dyes, so therefore fade color.
17. Acetone is another dissolver of fats, oils, and resins. It evaporates nearly as quickly as carbon tetrachloride, acts with nearly as much efficacy, and is cheaper, but has the disadvantage of being inflammable.
18. Acid Materials.—Certain acids and acid materials are considered as solvents because of their effect on certain stains, especially those made by alkalies. Among these acids are oxalic acid, hydrochloric acid, potassium permanganate, hydrosulphite of soda, hydrogen peroxide, and chloride of lime, which is used in the making of Javelle water. All of these acids have more or less powerful bleaching qualities, but when Javelle water and potassium permanganate are used, the former must be treated with an after application of ammonia water, and the latter with hydrogen peroxide or ammonia water, so that no acid will remain to eat the fabric.
Vinegar, lemon juice, salts of lemon, sour milk, and buttermilk also, are largely acid in their composition and effect, and are numbered among the solvents of stubborn stains.
19. Alkaline Materials.—When the stain is an acid stain, an alkali should be chosen to treat it, because of the opposite, or neutralizing, effect that acids and alkalies have on each other. Among the alkalies that are of value as dry-cleaning agents, there are, first of all, the soaps manufactured for use with cleaning oils. Then there are ammonia, borax, and sal soda, which is the crystalline form of baking soda. Sweet milk and egg whites are other alkalies whose effect on certain stains should be a part of one's dry-cleaning knowledge.
ABSORBENTS
20. The absorbent in most common use is powdered French chalk, which is in reality ground soapstone, a very resinous mineral. It is inexpensive and highly absorbent of grease, dust, and coloring matter.
French chalk can be mixed with turpentine, benzine, or any other cleaning oil to form a paste, and then used in this form, particularly on dry spots.
21. Magnesia is similar to French chalk in appearance and in use, as it is a light, white, earthy powder that can be used dry or combined with a solvent to make a paste.
22. Fullers' earth and pipe clay are of the same family, each being a non-plastic clay effective in absorbing grease. The chief difference between them is that pipe clay is white and fullers' earth is light brown. Both absorbents can be mixed with a solvent to make a thick paste for more difficult stains.
23. Some kitchen supplies, such as meals, salt, starch (but never flour), do duty as removers of various stains. Also, white blotting paper, unglazed paper, and unglazed cloth will act as absorbents on fresh spots or when heat is applied to them. They may be used to gather up the worst of a stain, and something else used to take out the remainder. Blotting paper is sometimes shredded, and then crumpled to give it more irregular surfaces and make it more absorbent.
