HYDROCARBON DRY CLEANING
Operator Care, Maintenance & Odour Prevention
Prepared by Ali Abdul Azeez
Water remaining in the system together with soil and oils can support microbial growth, especially in water separators and solvent tank bottoms. The result may be unpleasant odour that transfers to garments
OPERATOR’S STEP CHART
| Step | What the operator must do | What happens if neglected |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · CHECK THE MACHINE | Check leaks, alarms, solvent condition, separators, cooling supply and safety controls. Never bypass safeguards. | Contaminated cleaning, solvent loss, equipment faults and unsafe operation. |
| 2 · INSPECT & SORT | Check care labels, pockets, stains, trims and existing damage. Separate colours, delicate items and heavily soiled garments. Test doubtful items. | Garment damage, dye transfer, obstruction and customer claims. |
| 3 · CONTROL MOISTURE | Remove excess spotting moisture as instructed. Do not load water-soaked garments. | Water accumulation, shrinkage, colour bleeding and increased microbial risk. |
| 4 · LOAD & SELECT | Respect programme load limits. Use the correct cycle, machine-approved solvent and compatible detergent at the prescribed dose. | Uneven cleaning, redeposition, separation problems and incomplete drying. |
| 5 · COMPLETE THE CYCLE | Complete washing and filtration → draining → extraction → drying and solvent recovery → cooling. | Retained solvent, odour, wrinkles and poor cleaning results. |
| 6 · INSPECT THE RESULT | Check cleanliness, damage, dryness and odour. Pay particular attention to thick seams, shoulder pads, linings and multilayer garments. | Affected garments reach the customer. |
| 7 · RELEASE OR HOLD | Pack only when fully dry, cool and acceptable. Hold garments with abnormal odour and investigate the cause. Never mask the problem with perfume. | Odour becomes trapped in packaging, causing complaints and repeat work. |
ODOUR DETECTED? FOLLOW THIS PATH
MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
| Area | When | Required action | If neglected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water separators | Inspect daily | Check every stage, water level, drainage and contamination. Manage contact water through the designed procedure and approved waste handling. Clear water can still be contaminated. | Microbial growth, odour and water carryover into solvent tanks. |
| Separator surfaces and probes | Scheduled cleaning; weekly is a common baseline | Clean accessible surfaces, probes and separator stages according to the manual. Flush or refill only where the manufacturer specifies it. | Slime, blocked drains, faulty level detection and recurring contamination. |
| Solvent tanks | Inspect daily; clean as prescribed | Check for water layers, sediment and abnormal solvent condition. Have trained personnel perform approved tank-bottom draining and cleaning. | Contamination remains and can affect recovered solvent again. |
| Button trap | Daily / as needed | Clean the strainer safely. Check the seal and refit the cover correctly. | Restricted circulation, slow filling or draining, pump problems and leaks. |
| Lint filter | Daily; more often for lint-heavy loads | Clean and inspect the filter. Maintain ducts and coils at the prescribed interval. | Restricted airflow, longer drying, retained solvent and overheating risk. |
| Solvent filters | Monitor daily | Check flow and pressure against the normal operating range. Regenerate or replace filter media as specified. | Greying, dye carryover, poor cleaning and persistent odour. |
| Solvent purification | According to workload and machine design | Follow the prescribed purification schedule. Where fitted, operate distillation correctly and check distillate quality. | Oils and dissolved soils accumulate and transfer back to garments. |
| Still and vacuum system | Daily checks; scheduled cleaning | Check operating readings. Clean sludge and service vacuum components through the approved procedure. Never increase heat to compensate for a fault. | Poor purification, odour, equipment damage and unsafe conditions. |
| Solvent-care treatment | Supplier-prescribed interval | Use only approved products at the stated dose and application point. Treatment supports maintenance; it does not replace cleaning. | The odour source remains, or incorrect treatment creates additional problems. |
| Condenser and cooling supply | Daily checks; scheduled service | Check cooling supply, alarms and readings. Have refrigeration and heat-exchange surfaces maintained by qualified personnel. | Poor solvent recovery, longer drying and increased solvent loss. |
| Leaks, ventilation and safeguards | Daily observation | Check seals, connections and alarms. Maintain ventilation and all fitted protective systems. | Worker exposure, solvent loss and fire risk: hydrocarbon solvent is combustible. |
| Shutdown and restart | End of day / after prolonged inactivity | Complete daily care, manage contact water and residues, and follow shutdown instructions. Inspect the system before restarting. | Odour develops during inactivity and affects subsequent loads. |
| Maintenance records | Daily | Record loads, water removed, cleaning, chemical dosing, alarms, drying changes and corrective actions. | Warning signs are missed and problems repeatedly return. |
KEY POINTS EVERY OPERATOR SHOULD REMEMBER
• Odour is a warning sign, not proof of bacteria. Investigate the pattern before choosing treatment.
• Distillation alone may not solve the problem. Dirty separators, tanks and filters can contaminate the system again.
• Longer drying needs investigation. Check loading, airflow, cooling and controls rather than shortening the cycle.
• Normal dry cleaning is not a validated disinfection process.
• The machine manual and approved solvent instructions govern settings, doses, maintenance and safe waste handling
REMOVE THE CAUSE → VERIFY THE RESULT → RELEASE THE GARMENT
LAUNDRY MASTER — The Science of Professional Textile Care
Prepared by Ali Abdul Azeez
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