Factors that can influence the laundry machine you buy

Businesses that are investing in a drycleaning machine, whether as a replacement for old equipment, an additional machine or a sole machine for a start-up business will need to plan the purchase carefully, examining several factors before making the final choice.

Inevitably the starting point will be the choice of solvent. A wide range of solvents is now available and the choice may seem bewildering. The aim here is to provide straightforward information to assist cleaners in making an informed decision as the solvent choice will have far reaching effects on the business.

The first factor to consider is care labelling. Circle A, which covers all commercially used drycleaning, is rarely seen now and the understanding is that only perc (indicated by circle P)?and hydrocarbon (circle F) are officially covered.

It is important to be aware of this because if a garment or textile fails in cleaning and it has been cleaned in a solvent that is not specified on the label, the manufacturer or retailer may refuse any responsibility.

For this reason, these comments mainly refer to perc and hydrocarbon as these are the laundry solvents that are most commonly used in the UK. Both have a proven track record and are supported by a range of well-researched and reliable laundry detergents and spotting products.