Wash with Wally: ‘My Dryers Aren’t Drying’

By Wally Makowsky | Mar 08, 2010

I just purchased some new double-stacked dryers to replace my singles, because it seemed like I didn't have enough dryers for my business. However, I'm now getting a lot of complaints that the dryers aren't drying as effectively. In addition, I'm noticing a lot of moisture on the glass doors of the dryers. What is the problem?

First of all, check to be sure that your exhaust ducts are clean.

Next, if you've doubled your drying capacity, you should have increased the size of your exhaust ducts. If you didn't do so, this is probably the cause of your problems. If your duct capacity is undersized, you will experience "blow-back" into the dryers that are not being used. Since the air coming back is warm and moist, it will form condensation on the glass of those dryers.

Efficient drying depends not only on heat but also on the airflow coming into and going out of the dryer. If the airflow is impeded in any way, you will experience "blow-back." As the air cools, it gets heavier and it drops down, carrying the moisture with it. It's always a good idea to have proper-sized exhaust ducts for whatever renovation you have planned for your dryers. Therefore, your problem most likely lies in your ventilation.

Recently, I was approached by an insurance company that would like me to launder clothing and bedding that has been damaged by smoke from house fires. Does smoke-damaged clothing require any special care? Also, is there any special way to treat scorching?

First of all, there really is no effective way to treat scorched garments. Once a garment is scorched, the molecular structure of the fabric has changed. Sometimes you can get lucky, and chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide will remove a minor scorch spot. Outside of that, you’re probably not going to have any luck.
   
Smoke damage is a bit easier to deal with. Your soap and chemical distributor should carry a commercial fabric softener that contains an odor eliminator. For badly damaged fabrics, you may need to do as many as four washes with the softener to completely remove the odor. Another effective additive is Febreze, which is available in large bottles as a laundry additive at most grocery stores. Unless the smoke damage is excessive, I recommend using Febreze. Six to eight ounces for a 50-pound load should be effective, added directly to the wash cycle or in the final rinse in place of fabric softener. Again, you may need to repeat the wash cycle several times to remove all of the smoke odor. Try washing the clothes once without Febreze, then washing them a second time with the additive. For stubborn odors, you can hang the freshly washed garment up and spray it with Febreze. Let it sit for a few hours, and see if the odor is any better.

Professional services use a method called ozone cleaning to remove odors, and there are certain liquid ozones available. In my opinion, however, they aren’t yet effective enough for regular use.

One of my customers recently used a washer that was leaking transmission oil, and the oil stained her white, cotton garments. Now her clothes have brown spots all over them. What can I do?

First of all, call your laundry distributor and order a quart of either Laundry Wetspo or Laundry TarGo. If the stains have not pre-set, simply follow the washing instructions on the container.

However, if the stains are already pre-set, soak the garments in a tub of hot water, using approximately a quarter- to a half-ounce of either product per one pound of laundry. Soak the items for about three hours in the hot water. Next, place the stained garments into a frontloading washing machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

During the final, hot water wash, use a detergent with chlorine bleach. When you’re finished washing, you may have to dry the items more than once to remove any odors.

Also, don’t use a liquid fabric softener on that last wash; instead, use a softener sheet on the last dry.