problems with dryer

[sunbright]

Client is a butcher. Washes aprons and other clothes made of polyester and other synthetic fibers. Last time he put them in the dryer, some garments caught fire, inside the dryer. (WascoDry 50). No other time the same thing happened.
Has anybody had same experience, and knows how to solve this problem? Thanks in advance.

[RWSmith]

I think everyone that has been in the business for a while has had a dryer fire caused by oily garments.

The first thing I would do is check the temperture of your dryer and make sure it is not cycling off the high limit thermostat.

I would also check the cool down.It should be set at 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Most dryers have a warning label telling customers not to dry oily or flammable garments.
Good Luck

[PeterH]

Make sure your customer is using hot water and adding some degrease to the wash, being careful about mixing chemicals. What you might recommend he do is wash his things twice. First go around, use warm water with detergent and chlorine bleach to remove protein stains, and then wash a second time in hot water with detergent and a degreaser to remove grease. Things would need to be thoroughly rinsed between to avoid any lethal checmical reactions. If he didn't want to wash twice, then one wash with hot water, detergent and ammonia would probably be the best bet.

Since the items are synthetic and not cotton, have him dry them on medium or low temperature. They probably dry quickly, so also ensure he isn't loading the dryer up for 1 hour of time.

[CleanSpot]

It is also important that the items not sit for anytime, either in the dryer or in his car. When I have restaurant customers, etc. I always check their stuff and explain to them about spontaneous combustion. I several articles I have saved over the years, too. I tell them they have to use degreasers, etc. If they don't want to do it my way, they can do it somewhere else and start a fire there. My rule of thumb...if you can still smell grease, or any other solvent, it can't go in my dryers.