01 Sep Problems With Plastic Dry Cleaning Bags

Almost all reputable dry cleaners worldwide use very light plastic dry cleaning bags to deliver freshly laundered or washed and dried clothes. These bags will help your clothes stay clean until you go to the dry cleaners to pick them up. In today’s article, we’ll introduce ways to reduce the use of these covers in dry cleaners. At the same time, let us introduce you to how to remove the stains created on clothes due to their long-term storage in plastic bags.

Plastic Dry Cleaning Bags

Do you have to keep your clothes in the same plastic dry cleaning bag when you hang them in the closet? The helpful and brief answer is: No! These plastic dry cleaning bags not only pose a suffocation hazard to young children but are also harmful to the environment in the long run for the durability of your clothes. Moreover, plastic bags are a cost-effective option for protecting freshly dry clean clothes. Despite their many uses, nylon and plastic bags aren’t naturally biodegradable and take hundreds of years to end up in landfills. Let’s consider the number of dry cleaners in operation worldwide and the number of people who use dry cleaning services daily. We realize that we are all perhaps unknowingly producing massive amounts of plastic waste. 

Disadvantages of dry cleaning plastic bags

Storing freshly cleaned and dried clothes in plastic bags for a long time can cause yellow stains on the clothes and weakening of the fabric fibers. The yellowing of the fabric and other changes in the color of the clothes is due to the presence of a particular substance used in the production of plastic dry cleaning bags. When this material comes in contact with any type of moisture and pollution in the air, it creates yellow pigments that can transfer to different parts of the fabric.

You may think that dry cleaning means that there’s no more moisture in the washed clothes; Because apparently, as the name “dry cleaning” suggests, clothes don’t get wet during washing. But this thought is a misconception because the solvents used in the dry cleaning process contain moisture anyway. In addition, steam is used to remove wrinkles from clothes in the ironing process in dry cleaners. The nylon cover keeps all this moisture. If the clothes remain on these covers for a long time, there will be the possibility of fungus and mold growth, which is considered a threat to the health and strength of the clothing fibers.

If you mistakenly left your freshly laundered clothes in plastic dry cleaning bags and when you return to them, you find that they are in trouble, return them to the dry cleaner again; Because the laundry staff can repair the damage caused. And this time, when you receive your clothes in plastic bags, remove the cover from the clothes when hanging them in the closet and dispose of them according to the recycling tips.

Removing yellow stains from clothes due to plastic dry cleaning bags

It doesn’t matter if you keep freshly dry, clean clothes in a plastic cover or if you used covers from the previous laundry to protect your clothes; in both cases, it’s possible to get yellow stains. To remove these stains from clothes labeled “dry clean only,” be sure to visit your nearest dry cleaner. Using their extensive knowledge in the field of stain removal from all kinds of fabrics, they will remove the yellow stain on your clothes. 

The safest way to clean these marks on white, colored, or printed clothes is to use oxygen-based bleaching solutions. Oxygen bleach is good for removing stains from white or colored fabrics (but don’t use this agent to remove stains from silk, wool, or any clothing that has leather in it). To use, mix oxygen-based bleach with cool water according to package instructions. Allow the clothes to remain in this solution for at least four hours. The more time passes, the better the result will be; Because an oxygen bleach works slowly. After the desired period, drain the solution and wash the clothes according to the usual method. If necessary, repeat these steps until the yellow stains are completely removed from the clothes.

Protect clothes without using plastic bags

The best way to protect freshly washed clothes from dust is to use a thin cotton cover with a zipper. These covers allow air to flow towards the fibers of the clothes, thus preventing any moisture from remaining in the clothes. In addition, using these cotton covers, dust, or all kinds of harmful insects won’t find a way to your clothes. Another advantage of using cotton covers is washing them separately to remove any dust that settles on them.

Making a cotton cover

If you think the cost of getting cotton covers for all your clothes is too much, don’t worry because there’s still a way. You can use old cotton sheets to cover your laundry in the closet or drawer. Just cut a part of the sheet and make a hole, so the hanger can come out of it, and then throw the sheet over the clothes just like a regular cover. If you have a little mastery in sewing, you can sew around the sheet and make it look like a cover. But if you don’t know how to sew, it’s still not a problem; Spreading the sheet as it is will prevent dust and air pollution from settling on the clothes. For the best protection of clothes, ensure that the sheet you use as a cover is 100% cotton. Use white or solid-colored cotton sheets so that no color is transferred to your clothes. This issue becomes more critical when the place where the clothes are stored is slightly damp.

Reducing the use of plastic bags

Today, most dry cleaners use plastic covers to cover the washed clothes. These covers are usually made of a particular type of nylon that is very thin and light. Many people don’t know that they can recycle some types of covers. But in any case, the process of turning it into a new product isn’t so simple.

The first point is that not all people choose to hand over these plastics to recycling centers. Therefore, even though these plastics are reusable, they end up in landfills. The second point is that it isn’t easy for those who want to recycle these plastic dry cleaning bags. Because many recycling centers don’t accept thin plastic covers, they argue that these nylons get stuck in their equipment due to their low thickness and cause the recycling work to be disturbed and delayed. So, people don’t have much choice in making environmentally friendly decisions, and they end up with more plastic dry cleaning bags on their hands every week and every month.

Laundries help in this process.

This is where dry cleaners come into play. Business owners can help their customers in this area by offering nature-friendly packaging options and environmental programs. One of the easiest ways is for dry cleaners to start a program to reuse plastic covers. Most of the plastic covers are just taken home by the customers and then thrown away while their useful life is still very long. Encouraging customers to return plastic covers to dry cleaners can allow business owners to reuse them for the same customer.

Methods used

• A simple way to encourage customers to do this is to consider some reward for customers who return their plastic dry cleaner bags to dry cleaners for reuse. This bonus can be something as simple as a percentage discount on the dry cleaning service fee. And for covers that you can’t reuse, considering a recycling program can allow laundries to collect plastic covers in their shop and drop them off at an appropriate recycling center.
• Another option that may be suitable for some more upscale laundromats is for them to sell reusable covers to their customers for a fee. These covers are made of environmentally friendly and green materials and can be used for years. In this case, customers can easily buy these covers from their chosen dry cleaner and use them whenever they bring their clothes to the dry cleaner. This eco-friendly cover can be considered a good opportunity for laundry branding and be brought up among potential customers.

To wrap up

Any reduction in plastic consumption in any business and an increase in recycling is a step in the right direction. In addition, however small, every action in approaching environmentally friendly trends can be helpful for dry cleaners in the long run, reduce their costs, and attract unique customers to their business. If you don’t have the opportunity or patience to wash your clothes, you can count on the specialized NeatEx team. With the most advanced tools and the latest knowledge, we will deliver your clothes of the best quality as soon as possible. Don’t damage your valuable clothes with improper washing. NeatEx washes your clothes in the best way and ensures you have clean and tidy clothes.