WHAT WENT WRONG
cleaner should take responsibility for reducing the marks by post treatment where possible. The champagne marks mentioned can normally be removed by expert and patient treatment with water and steam at a professional stain removal table.
d. Pressing damage: incorrect care- or fibre content-labelling will frequently lead to shrinkage or distortion of stretch fabrics containing elastane fibre. A one-dot iron symbol gives specific warnings regarding sole plate temperature and the use of steam, and elastane must be mentioned on the fibre content label.
When labelling errors are combined with inadequate training in professional finishing techniques, it is possible to see why poor finishing complaints abound.
VARYING STRETCH: This pair of bi-stretch trousers was labelled as containing elastane, but the cleaner tried to finish it using a trouser topper and the weight of the leg clamps produced varying stretch in both legs
the magnifier on your smartphone). Moth damage will affect individual yarns with neatly munched fibre ends and little of no distortion to the weave, with the hole created by removal of fibre (but with no colour damage). A stress rupture will distort the weave in creating the hole, but there will be little or no loss of fibre. Entrapment in the lock of a wardrobe door will often leave a distinctive straight edge. Chemical damage from descaling fluid or baby bottle sterilising fluid will leave degraded fibre ends and usually create some local discoloration. Burn holes from smoker’s ash or a bonfire will often leave visible charring or melting to the fibre ends.
b. Unremoved stains: not all stains are removable without causing fabric damage and these should always be explained to the customer on collection – they are usually the responsibility of the owner. Failure to take out stains that could and should have been removed, using correct stain removal techniques and reagents, is the responsibility of the cleaner.
c. Additional stains: some types of staining might be invisible at reception (champagne splashes on
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COLOUR CHAOS: The mauve trim used here was not designed to be colourfast, which ruined the appearance of the drycleaned garment
a wedding dress, for example), but could be darkened and made visible by the warmth of the cleaning process itself. The staining remains the responsibility of the wearer, but the
e. Item labelling: (Pic 2 refers) the maker is primarily responsible for the labelling, but the importer, distributor and retailer have a much-neglected responsibility for ensuring that fibre content labels are present and correct and that the care labelling complies with international standards. Amateur labels expose the cleaner to unnecessary risks and the customer to unexpected damage – often to
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