Objective of Laundry
Linen is destroyed mostly in the laundry, and less in usage. Modern industrial laundry processes subject the linen to extreme physical and chemical conditions, reducing the life span of the linen.
During washing, linen is exposed to high temperature, high chemical concentration, and subjected to the mechanical action of the large wash wheel.
During flatwork ironing they are subjected to stretching and pulling under high temperature.
The wear and tear caused by these processes are much higher than that caused by usage.
It is easy to wash linen clean by subjecting it to heavy soil washing disregarding the soil condition. The cost of laundry increases and the life of the linen reduces.
Therefore, the objective of a laundry is to process the linen to achieve desired hygiene and aesthetic standards, with minimum damage to the linen — that is, to preserve linen's life expectancy.
Life Expectancy of Linen
The life expectancy is the number of washes a piece of linen lasts before it is condemned. The composition of the linen affects the life expectancy.
| Type of linen | Life expectancy |
|---|---|
| 100% cotton | 200 washes |
| 50/50 polyester cotton | 250 washes |
Factors That Destroy Linen
The main factors that destroy linen during the laundry process include:
- High wash temperature — excessive heat degrades fibres faster than necessary.
- Incorrect chemical dosing — over-dosing alkali or bleach weakens fabric structure.
- Mechanical action — heavy drum action damages fibres, especially for delicate linen.
- Ironing temperature — too high a temperature scorches cotton and melts synthetic blends.
- Residual chemicals — inadequate rinsing leaves residues that continue to attack fibres in storage.
Understanding and controlling these factors in your laundry process can significantly extend linen life and reduce replacement costs.