Laundry shops often face such a problem: stain rings. Although the original stains have been removed, ring marks appear after drying. They are more visible than the original stains. What are the root causes? How can they be avoided or removed?
Causes
When liquid comes into contact with fabrics, stain rings easily form. Liquid carries dissolved or suspended soils outward. With the evaporation of moisture, these soils remain at the outer edge of the spreading liquid. Finally, this process creates visible ring marks.
Besides stain-related components, fabric finishing agents and sizing agents also worsen ring marks. Different fabrics have different types of finishing agents. Water-soluble sizing agents dissolve in water and migrate along with water. Resin finishing agents are insoluble in water. They are less affected by water.
Fabric structure and its fillings (such as cotton quilted padding and down filling) may also result in ring marks.
Water Ring Marks
Water-based chemicals are often used for stain removal. However, if moisture and dissolved soils are not thoroughly removed, they will spread outward during the drying process, forming water marks.
After stain removal, promptly use a steam gun or a water gun to flush soils onto a towel placed underneath. This avoids moisture spreading outward.
- Feathering technique
It gradually blends the wet and dry areas to break the ring boundary.
– Keep the steam gun 7-10 centimeters from the fabric. Gently apply dry steam to the ring area.
– Quickly pick up a towel. Wipe outward from the inside wet area to blend wet and dry areas.
– Only process a small part of the ring marks each time. Avoid treating a large area at one time. If the ring marks are close to seams, wipe toward the seams.
Dry feathering often uses volatile dry solvents (such as petroleum solvent). Soak a towel in the solvent. Then wipe according to the above steps. This solvent evaporates quickly. It is less likely to leave new ring marks.
- Vacuum drying method
If a certain area of fabrics is still wet after stain removal, move it to the vacuum grid area of a spotting table. At the same time, use compressed air from a spotting gun and a vacuum extraction system under the sieve mesh. These two systems can work together to quickly dry this area. Completely dry this area before the formation of ring marks. This prevents residual moisture from resulting in ring marks again.
- Use spotting blending agents
Spotting blending agents can decompose water into small droplets. After that, the water surface tension and migration capability are significantly reduced. Ring marks do not form. Before or after stain removal, spray spotting blending agents on the wet areas. Common products on the market include spray spotting agents, spotting blending agents, and dry cleaning soap mixtures.
Ring Marks Caused by Water-Soluble Sizing
Many rayon and silk fabrics contain water-soluble sizing. When this type of fabric comes into contact with stain removal agents, the sizing will dissolve. After drying, the dissolved sizing often leaves a ring mark. Meanwhile, this area loses its luster. This condition becomes visible on matte knit fabrics.
- Misting treatment
Keep the steam gun away from the fabric (around 15-20 centimeters). So steam can slightly dampen the garment surface without soaking the fabric.
– Use steam mist to evenly handle the ring marks.
– Then use a steam gun with a vacuum extraction system to quickly dry this area.
This method can redissolve and distribute sizing agents evenly, avoiding the formation of new ring marks.
Ring Marks Caused by Resin Breakdown
Many fabrics, such as satin and taffeta, contain resin finishing agents. During the spotting process, if they encounter liquid, resin may be broken down.
Solution:
– Dip a brush into amyl acetate. Then gently brush the ring marks.
– Perform dry cleaning on the entire garment promptly.
Amyl acetate can dissolve or soften the decomposed resin which can be thoroughly removed during dry cleaning.
Ring Marks Caused by Fabric Structure & Fillings
During dry cleaning, ring marks easily appear on some padded fabrics (quilted jackets and down coats). The outer fabric layer dries quickly. But the inner quilted layers and fillings are still wet. Moisture migrates outward through the fabric. It carries soils to the surface, which forms ring marks. Besides, impurities in the solvent may worsen this issue.
Solution:
Kingstar wet cleaning machines + Kingstar smart dryers
Kingstar wet cleaning machines have a high extraction efficiency. They can quickly remove moisture from garments such as down coats. After cleaning, use Kingstar smart dryers. The large-capacity drum design accelerates the garment drying. Moisture control technology effectively manages the drying level. Wet cleaning can fundamentally remove ring marks caused by filling impurities or quilted structures.
Prevention Suggestions
- Place a towel underneath the garment during the spotting process. It can promptly absorb the flushed stains and moisture.
- Control the water volume to prevent large fabric areas from excessive wetting.
- Use steam or vacuum-dry methods. Moisture should be removed as soon as possible rather than air-drying.
- Choose proper stain removal methods according to the fabric. The types of sizing agents and finishing agents should also be understood.
- For precious or special fabrics, do a test on an inconspicuous area.
Conclusion
Although stain rings are a common challenge during spotting processes, they can be solved. Laundry shops should identify the formation causes of stain rings: water migration, sizing agent dissolution, resin breakdown, and fabric structure. And then take targeted actions (such as feathering, vacuum drying, spotting blending agents, misting treatment, amyl acetate, or wet cleaning). Therefore, stain rings can be effectively removed. Fabrics may restore to a like-new condition. The final step determines the final results.
Q&A
Q1: What is the maximum extraction speed of a Kingstar wet cleaning machine?
A1: 980 RPM.
Q2: What is the minimum extraction speed of a Kingstar wet cleaning machine?
A2: 15 RPM.
Q3: How many specifications do Kingstar wet cleaning machines have?
A3: 15 kg, 10kg, and 25 kg.
