Skill Area - Hospitality/Housekeeping
Skill Code – THHHOK0931A – Provide Laundry Service
Elements of Competency – 1. Collect guest laundry
2. Sort linen and Clothes
3. Remove Stains from fabric
4. Wash linen and clothes
5. Iron linen and clothes
6. Repair fabric
7. Package and store laundered items
Performance Criteria: Competency is to be demonstrated by the ability to launder
linen and guest clothes in accordance with the range listed within the range of variables
statement.
The following texts and audio tapes are available at the Media Services Library at the
TVET Resource Centre.
Books
Kappa, Margaret, Nitschke Aleta & Schappert Patricia B., Managing Housekeeping
Operations – Educational Institute of the American Hotel/Motel Association, Michigan,
1990 - Chapter 8
Schneider, M. & Tucker M, The Professional Housekeeper, 3rd Ed, CBI Publishing,
Boston, M.A. 1975 – Chapter 21
Ebury Press, Good Housekeeping- How To Remove Stains, Ebury Press Publishing,
London, 1979
Tapes
Housekeeping – Laundry Operations – The Educational Institute
Meridian Education Corporation
Clothing Spot Removal
Clothing Care & Laundry
Clothing Care: Laundry and Stain Removal
Storing Your Linens
Whether you're storing linens for the season, or putting them away for posterity, no
one wants to risk damage during storage. Here are some folding and storage tips to
guarantee year-round satisfaction.
Carefully wash and dry linens before storing. Remove cotton sheets from the
dryer and fold while still warm, to eliminate wrinkles. If they've already
cooled, simply toss a damp washcloth into the dryer with the sheets, and
tumble dry for about ten minutes more. Remove promptly and fold.
Folding fitted sheets can be tricky, but try this method on your next laundry
day. Place your right hand in the right corner and fold the left corner over
your right hand. Bring the bottom corner up and fold that over your right
hand, and finally, bring the last corner up, keeping it inside out, and fold it
over your right hand. Lay the sheet down flat and fold it into a neat square.
If you store your comforters, blankets, and other linens in a wooden chest, be
sure to line the chest with muslin or acid-free paper to prevent the wood from
staining the linens. Fill a muslin pouch with a mix of cedar chips, lavender
flowers and rosemary leaves and place it in the chest, to discourage moths.
Even slipping a few small cedar blocks between comforters and blankets will
help keep your linens smelling sweet and clean.
Be careful, when you store your down comforters, that you don't compress
and compact the down. Don't roll them tightly or store them under heavy
items. A roomy shelf, closet, chest, or bag is the perfect spot for these bulky
items.
If you live in an area with high humidity during the summer, choose a dry day
to prepare your winter bedding for storage. Store perfectly dry linens either in
a protected cedar chest, a dry closet, or simply store in sealed plastic bags
until the dry days of autumn return.
Wash Vellux blankets a minimum of two times a year. Do not store them in a
sealed plastic bag, as Vellux needs air.
Maximize your storage space by getting rid of linens you no longer use. Donate
them to charity or use them for drop cloths. Old towels can be used for cleaning, for
pets, or kept in the car for emergencies
Above information adopted from:
http://www.ivillage.com/home/howtoguide/cleanandorganize/articles
No adequate websites. What would be good are more tapes showing more
practical examples of this being done.
LAUNDERING AND IRONING
Sorting Clothing for Laundering
Any fabrics which have stains should be treated before putting them into
the washer, since hot (or even warm), soapy water will set most stains
(and if washing doesn't set the stain, the heat of the dryer will).
Any clothes with rips, tears or holes should be mended, zippers and snaps
closed and pockets emptied.
Frail or delicate items may be placed in a mesh bag or pillow case or
should be washed by hand.
Turn synthetics inside out to minimize pilling.
Pretreat any articles which have heavily soiled areas. To do this, rub soap
or synthetic detergent on that particular area using a brush, sponge or
even just the fingers. Use enough water to moisten it. Some washers will
have a "soak" setting for soaking heavily soiled clothing.
Separate items into washer loads, putting those that require the same
water temperature, length of time and type of detergent.
All white or light-coloured clothing can be washed in warm water.
Darker coloured clothes - Colour from darker or coloured clothes may
seep or run into the wash water (particularly when new) and cause white
clothes to look dull and grayish if the white clothes and the darker,
coloured clothes are washed in the same water.
Delicate items, such as lingerie and most undergarments take less time to
clean but require special care and may even need to be washed by hand.
Your washing machine may have a "delicate" washcycle for delicate
garments.
Heavy clothes - These are clothes that will take longer to clean and need
to be washed separately from lighter weight clothes.
Know the cleaning instructions for each item of clothing. Clothing labels
with care instructions are important to read and follow because they state
the correct cleaning and drying method that should be used for that
garment. Care labels also tell you if ironing is needed and the iron setting
that you should use.
Water and Temperature
Soft water produces the best results in laundering. When soap is added to hard water, a
scum or curd forms deposits on the fabrics being washed and produces a dull, gray
colour.
Coloured clothes require a lower temperature than whites in order to prevent colours
from running and clothes from fading.
Detergents
The amount of detergent you use will depend on the type of soil and the amount of soil.
Enough of a soap or synthetic detergent should be added so that good suds are. A lot of
detergent is difficult to remove and can be in selecting a soap or detergent, consider the
type of water, washingequipment, fabric and amount of soil. Cold water detergents may
be more economical, but also may provide a less sanitary wash. The heat of the water
destroys bacteria. Phosphate-free detergents have no harmful ingredients that contribute
to contaminating the environment. Detergents may also come with bleach added that is
"safe for all fabrics" which improves general cleaning as well as stain removal
Rinses/Fabric Softener
Fabric rinses and softeners produce a softer garment and greatly control static electricity
after washing and drying. Fabric softeners also reduce absorbency, so your synthetic
pants may not be as comfortable in hot weather, and your bath towels won't be as thirsty.
Fabric softeners can be added to the rinse water in the washer (particularly for clothing
that you plan to air-dry, rather than dry in the dryer) or can be in the form of a softener
sheet that you put directly in the dryer with your clothes
Ironing
Proper temperature is the most important consideration in ironing fabrics. This is
particularly true with thermoplastic fibres such as polyester. When ironing blends, use the
setting for the most sensitive fibre. If the garment has been dampened, a slightly higher
temperature may be used. Light dampening will speed ironing. Fabrics which may shine
should be ironed on wrong side. Some dryers have a wrinkle-out setting which may help
to remove wrinkles from clothing that has been stored for awhile and may be an
alternative to ironing
Above information taken from
http://www.homefamily.net/textiles/laundering.html