Although flame retardant fabrics are rigorously tested for flame retardant performance and durability to washing – they will only perform as intended if they are looked after correctly. -flame retardant fabrics can be washed using conventional methods or acid sour treatments, commonly used in industrial laundering.

　　Dry cleaning -flame retardant finished fabrics can also be dry cleaned, although a wet wash is recommended at intervals to prevent the gradual build up of deposits. A fresh solvent liquor in the final rinse is also good to prevent the re-deposition of dirt removed during dry cleaning.

　　Wash factors to be avoided

　　Detergents based on soap containing formulations, or those containing sodium silicate or metasilicate, should not be used when the wash or rinse water hardness level is greater than 3° Clark (45ppm calcium carbonate). This minimises the formation of harmful calcium and magnesium silicates, which can have a detrimental effect on flame retardant fabrics.

　　? If fabrics have been incorrectly laundered, calcium or magnesium soap deposits can often be removed in commercial laundering by use of an acid sour acetic acid rinse, followed by alkaline neutralization.

　　? Chlorine bleaches should NOT be used as they chemically weaken the polymer. If a bleaching treatment is necessary, fabrics should be soaked in dilute cold hydrogen peroxide liquor. Care should be taken to exclude the presence of metal ions, which can catalyse strong oxidising agents such as hydrogen peroxide.

　　? Stains can be removed by pre-soaking using a biologically active detergent. Detergents which contain high concentrations of perborate based bleaches require attention to washing temperature, particularly if the detergent formulation contains a perborate activator such as TAED. When laundering in the presence of high sodium perborate concentrations in combination with an activating agent, it is advised that the normal domestic wash temperature for fast coloured cottons of 60° should be used.

　　? To ensure the complete removal of excess detergent and other washing auxiliaries, garments manufactured from blends of cotton with polyester (cotton-rich) should be efficiently rinsed on completion of washing.