AY Honors/Laundering/Answer Key

Laundering

1. Why is important to read the labels in garments before laundering them?

The labels often include the manufacturer's recommended washing instructions as well as the types of material the garment is made from. Instructions often include:

• Wash tempertature
• Rinse temperature
• Ironing temperature, and sometimes ironing method (such as "on the reverse side," or "through a cloth").
• If the article is only suited for dry cleaning
• Drying method (tumble dry, drip dry, lay flat, etc)

4. What precaution should be used when using chlorine bleach? What are the advantages of powdered oxygen bleach? Why should chlorine bleach and ammonia never be mixed?

Precautions: Bleach is a powerful chemical. It can burn your skin, and it can dissolve cloth. Do not get it on your skin; if you get it on your skin, wash it off right away. If you spill it on your clothing, rinse immediately. If too much bleach is used on cloth, the cloth will disintegrate. Bleach will remove dye, so it must not be used on anything other than white cloth.

Powedered Oxygen Bleach: The greatest advatage offered by powdered oxygen bleach is that it removes stains without the use of toxic chemicals. For some stains, it works even better than chlorine bleach. It brightens fabrics and can be used on upholstery and carpet. It is non-toxic to humans and animals, and it breaks down into environmentally friendly components when the oxygen is released (the release of oxygen is what removes stains).

Mixing Bleach and Ammonia: Bleach an ammonia should NEVER be mixed because doing so causes a chemical reaction that releases poisonous gasses. The primary gas released is chlorine gas which was used as a chemical warfare agent during World War I. Chlorine gas is highly toxic. Other gasses that can be released include nitrogen trichloride (which can explode in your face), and hydrazine (a component of rocket fuel).

6. Know how to remove the following stains:

• Blood: If the blood is fresh, wipe it up with a sponge soaked in cool, salted water. Then rinse with clear water. If the blood is dried, use diluted hydrogen peroxide (one part peroxide, nine parts water).

• Chewing gum: Scrape off as much as possible first. This is easier if you cool the gum down with ice cubes first, as that makes the gum brittle rather than gummy. If the item is washable, apply a little kerosene or dry cleaning fluid and rinse it off. You may have to repeat this several times.

• Crayons:

• grass:

• grease:

• fruit:

• ink:

• rust:

• grape fruit:

References

• BBC, Dangers of Mixing Bleach and Chlorine
• Oxygen Bleach Research
• Stain Removal Guide (from New Zealand)