GL16 Operating Guidelines
3-11
Final Rinse
The final rinse can affect the quality of flatwork
finishing. It is important all flatwork be thoroughly
rinsed before entering the unit to keep flatwork
from sticking to the ironing cylinder. A pH level
of 7.2 is recommended.
Add a fabric softener to prevent static
electricity from causing the flatwork to stick.
Never use starch in the final rinse.
A warm rinse allows more water to be
extracted from the material. Thus, the unit needs
to remove less moisture from the flatwork.
Additionally, with warm flatwork, the unit does
not have to work as hard to keep at set
temperature. This produces flatwork with a dry,
high quality finish—more efficiently.
Moisture Retention
Another important factor in delivering a high
quality finish is the amount of moisture retained
(MR) in the flatwork. The correct MR helps to
determine the ironing speed and temperature—
drying flatwork after just one run through the
ironer.
A few important factors in moisture retention
(MR) before ironing are:
# Wash formula–write down the standard
for consistency
# Extraction process–write down the stan-
dard for consistency
# Tumble dry condition time–write down
the standard for consistency
# Type of fabric–higher percentage of cot-
ton, the more moisture retained
# Thickness of fabric–thinner material
retains less moisture
With too little moisture, flatwork can cause static
buildup problems. If too much moisture is left in
the flatwork, the ironing section must work harder
in order to process the work, by either slowing
down the speed or increasing the temperature.
After extraction, the optimum MR is
30% - 35% for polyester/cotton fabrics and
45% - 50% for cotton fabrics.
1. Use a precise scale to measure the “still
wet, but extracted” flatwork; then weigh
again after the same flatwork is “com-
pletely dry”.
2. Subtract the weight of the “completely
dry” flatwork from the “still wet, but ex-
tracted” flatwork. Divide the weight dif-
ference by the “completely dry” flatwork
weight. Finally, multiply the resulting
weight by 100 to determine the MR per-
centage.
The optimum MR after ironing is 4% or less.
Ironing is not intended to remove 100% of the
moisture from the flatwork. Therefore, feel the
flatwork when it first comes out of the unit; there
should be a slight moisture content. Allow the
flatwork to sit for a few minutes to allow excess
steam and heat to dissipate in the air. Check the
flatwork again; it should now feel dry to the touch.
If the flatwork does not feel dry or to improve
the quality of finish and productivity, repeat the
Conditioning Flatwork Before Ironing
procedures.
Timing Between Washing and Ironing
The amount of time delayed between washing
and ironing/drying reduces the flatwork finish
quality due to fabric cooling and MR. Flatwork
needs to be ironed directly from the washer/
extractor whenever possible.
Start up the unit when the second load of wash
is entering the final extract cycle. Flatwork may
be put into carts from the washer and sorted out
as desired. Be aware that flatwork that sits
overnight or longer will have uneven MR, and
the operating speed must be adjusted accordingly.
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