Synthetic Fabric Care
When synthetic or man-made fibers appeared in the marketplace, they changed the face of fashion and, in turn, laundry care. Gone were the days of cotton and linen that could be cleaned with hot water and strong soaps and required ironing. Most man-made fibers are strong and durable but each has its own specific laundry care and stain removal requirements. Acetate fabric dissolves in acetone or fingernail polish remover and triacetate and modacrylic fabrics can also be damaged by acetone or paint thinner. Acrylic fabric is everywhere from sweaters to socks to luggage. The fibers are durable and tough but they easily attract oil stains that need a bit of extra care to remove. Olefin is less expensive to produce than other man-made fabrics. And the fibers can be woven into a heavy textile-like carpeting or into a soft, supple lightweight fabric that can be used for socks or athletic wear. It is valued because it wicks away moisture from the body. The fibers are easy to care for by following some simple guidelines but can be damaged by perchloroethylene solvent used by some dry-cleaners if the temperature is too high. Polyester is simple to care for but even the hot-water setting on a washer can create permanent wrinkles in polyester during the spin cycle. Due to their unique properties, just a toss in the washer won’t work and traditional laundry techniques and products may ruin the finish. Vinyl and rubber fabrics are damaged by most petroleum or oil-based solvents. The oil solvents remove the plasticizer in vinyl film fabric and cause stiffening.
