Understanding Causes for Yellowing, Graying,
Wrinkling, Pilling, Poor Absorption, and Damage in Fabrics
Issue 1: Yellowing of Fabrics
Yellowing and graying are most comment issues in textiles fabric, largely affected by laundry detergent
quality, water quality, bleach usage, and washing methods. These discolorations can be challenging to
differentiate, but here's a simple summary:
(1) Untreated hard water with high iron content causes rust stains, leading to yellowing.
(2) Excessive drying temperature results in fabric turning yellow and brittle.
(3) Chlorine bleach inherently yellows fabrics without whitening them.
(4) Inadequate rinsing allows residual chlorine to cause gradual yellowing.
(5) Overuse of softeners or neutralizers can also contribute to yellowing.
(6) Fabric manufacturing defects.
(7) Residual alkali.
Solution: To address yellowing, wash fabrics at high temperatures (60-70°C) using a small amount of
detergent (e.g., 300g for a 100kg machine load) combined with a minimal quantity of bleach. This removes
silver brighteners from towels, making them white again, except for oil-based yellowing.
Issue 2: Graying of Fabrics
(1) Lack of neutralization in wash water leaves calcium soap residue.
(2) Poor quality detergents with sediment buildup.
(3) Hard water hardness leads to calcium soap formation on fabric surfaces and interiors.
(4) Fabric inherent performance issues.
Issue 3: Wrinkling of Fabrics
(1) Washing at too high a temperature weakens fabrics, making them prone to wrinkles.
(2) Abrupt cooling during rinsing without gradual temperature reduction encourages wrinkling.
(3) Ironing with insufficient moisture content or inadequate steam pressure.
(4) Faulty ironing machines; consider upgrading to double roller or channel-type flatwork ironers due to
the limitations of single roller models.
(5) High fabric density or inherent fabric performance issues.
Issue 4: Pilling in Cotton Fabrics
(1) Avoid washing cotton at excessively high temperatures since the fibers swell, releasing short fibers that
can form pills.
(2) Don't overload the washer; use 70%-80% of machine capacity to prevent increased abrasion and pill formation.
(3) Wash cotton items separately.
Issue 5: Poor Absorbency
(1) Softeners added during production can reduce absorbency due to their silicone oil content, which repels water.
(2) For initial washes, skip softening treatments and use hot water (up to 80°C) with proper detergent to improve
absorbency. After a few washes, add water-friendly softeners to balance softness and absorbency.
(3) Natural fabric properties can also affect absorbency.
Issue 6: Pulling and Snagging
(1) Inspect washing machines for damaged drums to avoid harsh snagging that damages towels.
(2) Sort fabrics carefully by type during washing; heavy-duty mats can weaken delicate towel fibers when
washed together.
(3) Prevent entanglement by neatly arranging towels before washing to ensure even distribution of force.
(4) Use gentle wash cycles and maintain a moderate spin speed, as excessive speed reduces fabric lifespan.
(5) Overloading with too many towels increases friction, causing fiber pulling. (6) Thoroughly check for foreign
objects like toothpicks before washing.
Section II: Causes of Linen Wear and Tear
Fabric Lifespan
Hotel linen has a finite service life. To minimize replacement rates and uphold service quality, laundry operations
should focus on regular cleaning and maintenance. Overuse can lead to severe wear, including:
Pure Cotton: Small holes, frayed edges, loose hems, thinning, color fading, and reduced softness.
Blends: Fading color, weakened cotton fibers, loss of elasticity, frayed edges, and loose hems.
When encountering any of these conditions, replace linens promptly. Typically, cotton sheets and pillowcases can
withstand around 130-150 washes, while blended items (35% cotton) last for 180-220 washes, towels and bathrobes
for 100-110 washes, and tablecloths and napkins for 120-130 washes under normal laundering conditions.
This artile is translated from Hotel Linens Website.
Tyler
Tyler