The little book of laundry A hausnet.ch guide Correct laundry care for fabrics and the environment Kindly supported by A hausnet.ch guide A hausnet.ch guide 2 3 Correct laundry care for fabrics and the environment Do you have a favourite garment? Contents If so, this fabric care guide is just the thing for you. 1. The history of laundry 4 We have compiled lots of important washing and care tips to help you achieve the best possible 2. Washing – a complex process 6 washing results every time. 3. Water hardness is important 7 But we will also demonstrate how a carefully selected washing machine and the right dryer, cou- pled with proper handling of those appliances, can protect the environment and save you money. 4. Modern washing machines 8 So as you wash and care for your laundry, you can also do your bit for the environment. 5. Modern dryers 10 6. Quality check for purchasing 11 Follow these tips and your favourite items and the rest of your laundry will bring you joy for many years to come. 7. Think about care when you buy 12 We hope you will have lots of fun reading and browsing this guide. 8. Stain guide 14 9. Care symbols 20 Your hausnet guide team www.hausnet.ch A hausnet.ch guide kindly supported by Schulthess Maschinen AG A hausnet.ch guide A hausnet.ch guide 4 5 1. Washing laundry – an unusual history Humans have probably washed laundry since take about two days a week for a medium-sized the industrial revolution, it was also industrial- washboard, though the laundry still had to be time immemorial. Yet the methods have chan- family. To prevent heavy soiling, the laundry was ly produced in the 19th century thanks to the beaten. The invention of the immersion heater in ged radically in the 4,500-odd years of recorded laid on the grass and moistened with water for invention of a French doctor and chemist. When 1930 made it possible to heat large amounts of washing history. From cold to hot water, to bleaching. the first washing powder was launched in 1880 water in a short time. This was followed in 1946 various washing additives and all the way to the and the first general purpose detergent by the by the development of the first washing machine fully automatic washing machine. Good news Detergents Henkel company was produced in 1907, a new in the USA. for modern man – at least in the First World. Soda was even used by the ancient Egyptians era for laundry began. as a detergent. Strictly speaking it was the In 1951, Schulthess developed the first house- Put the laundry in, select the programme, press Egyptians’ slaves who were responsible for Technological progress hold washing machines for Europe in Switzer- start and the washing process begins by itself: washing. Wall paintings show serfs beating the Technology found its way into Swiss laundries land. automatically, effortlessly and in an instant. laundry with clubs or pounding it with their bare from 1904, when the first washing machine (by That’s how easy it is today – but until the last feet. The first documented recipe for soap was Schulthess) was manufactured. In the 1970s, washing machines became stan- century, washing laundry was extremely hard written down by the Sumerians around 2500 dard in individual homes and shared dwellings. work. Pounding, beating, rubbing, wringing BC. But soap was not used by the Egyptians This was the start of a new age, as the progres- So washing at the touch of a button has – what modern washing machines do by them- for washing laundry, only for cosmetic purpo- sively developed electric washing machine took only been a matter of course for the last 50 selves automatically today used to take a huge ses. The Romans used a mixture of water and on an ever increasing proportion of the laundry years or so. amount of time and effort over many centuries. wood ash for washing, which had a high alkali and relieved people of the arduous work. 100 years ago it was still customary to soak the content and was therefore a powerful detergent. laundry for up to 24 hours, then boil it in large Just like the Celts, they also used urine as a Around 1920, manual agitator blade/beating kettles and wash it la- detergent and only turned cross machines with small gear mechanisms boriously by hand, usual- to soap later on. entered the market. This meant less work on the ly with a washboard. For lack of running water, In the centuries that fol- the laundry would often lowed, there was virtually have to be carried to the no change in laundry stream for rinsing. technique. This even inclu- ded the fact that washing Soap was expensive, was a man’s business Power to the people! so sodium bicarbonate until the 18th century. It was The development of today’s household appliances such as washing machines is closely (baking soda) was ge- only in the middle of that related to the establishment of the electricity supply. Yet the first hydroelectric power nerally used for laundry. century that women, mostly stations built at the turn of the 20th century with their supply networks were only suffi- But this “detergent” was young widows, took over cient to power arc lamps and light bulbs. The price of electricity was considerable and bad for the hands and the physically demanding easily exceeded the hourly wage of a skilled worker for a kilowatt hour (for example, this caused severe leaching, work. As demand for soap amount of energy could be used to watch television for seven hours or vacuum for 25 because laundry would constantly increased during minutes today). A hausnet.ch guide A hausnet.ch guide 6 7 2. Washing – a complex process 3. Water hardness is IMPORTANT Although we wash at the touch of a button with The perfume contained in the detergent is For water hardness levels of 25 °F (=French de- If you use liquid detergent, it is better to use washing machines today, the washing process then released, giving the laundry a pleasant grees) or 14 °dH (=German degrees) or above, a liquid water softener too. itself is still a highly complex affair. fragrance. water softener is recommended. A good washing process requires mechanical A perfect washing result is achieved. motion to break up the dirt and remove it from Distribution of water hardness the fabric. The mechanism and chemicals also in the Swiss groundwater need enough time to achieve their full effect. To protect the environment when you (hardness may vary considerably at local level) wash, follow these hints: The fi rst step in the washing process invol- ves moistening the fi bres and dirt. The active • Dose the detergent precisely. substances in the detergent lower the surface Overdosing will not make the laundry cleaner tension of the water. As the dirt is removed from but it will pollute the environment more. Use the fi bre, washing alkali loosen the fabric and too little detergent and the laundry will not be highly active enzymes break down tough protein properly cleaned, while limescale residues and starch stains. Fruit, wine, tea and coffee may also form in the washing machine. stains are removed using stain removers or French degrees bleach. Active oxygen ensures that the laundry • To dose correctly you must take the water 0–15: soft is hygienically clean, eliminating germs and hardness where you live into consideration. 15–25: hard >25: very hard microbes even at low wash temperatures. Opti- You can ask your water supplier or local cal brighteners make whites look even whiter. authority about this. Also read the detergent At the same time, a special dirt suspension sys- manufacturer’s instructions on the pack. tem keeps the dirt in the detergent and prevents it from depositing itself back onto the laundry. Finally, all of the dirt is rinsed away with the water. soft water medium-hard water hard water French degrees (°F) 0 – 15°F 15 – 25°F > 25°F German degrees (°dH) 0 – 8°dH 8 – 14°dH > 14°dH A hausnet.ch guide A hausnet.ch guide 8 9 4. Modern washing machines Modern washing machines are little technical Some important questions when choosing a Important features of a good washing marvels. new machine: machine: • What type and amount of laundry (shirts, • Energy effi ciency: energy consumption, wa- They can wash even at 20°, have special pro- blouses etc.) needs to be washed (family, ter consumption, spin effectiveness class grammes for all modern fabrics, they are quiet sportswear)? • Adjustable spin rotations up to 1,600/1,800 and energy-effi cient and make ironing after- • How much time is available for washing? revolutions per minute (reduces drying time) wards easier or even unnecessary. • How important is the choice of express and • Fast express programmes for all temperatu- additional programmes such as impregna- res 20°– 95° Made in Switzerland When it comes to choosing your own washing tion, nappies, sportswear, 20° temperature • Fastest Swiss wash programmes (2 heater Since 1845, Schulthess has been developing machine, qualities like these are not just interes- etc. elements) ideas to make everyday laundry care easier ting labour-saving features; they are also a good • Allergy programme (e.g. sanaPlus by for people in Switzerland and all over the way to save money and take care of the environ- Schulthess, which removes pollen and mites) world. This pioneering company launched the fi rst manual washing machine in 1904 and ment thanks to their low energy consumption • Other special programmes (wool program- Europe’s fi rst household washing machine and economical detergent use.