Get to know laundry terms in laundry

Laundry is a term that may be less familiar, because Indonesian people are more familiar with the term laundry. Laundry is a term used in the context of laundry or washing clothes. This term comes from Indonesian, especially in the world of laundry in Indonesia.

Laundry refers to a place or business that provides clothes washing services, both for everyday clothes and clothes that require special care. A laundry place is a place that can help you wash dirty clothes again to make them clean, fragrant and neater.

What is Laundry?

As we explained previously, laundry is a term originating from Indonesian which refers to washing clothes or better known as laundry. Laundry refers to the activity of washing clothes and linen, which involves the washing process being in progress or having been completed.

Since ancient times, the practice of laundry was first carried out on river banks, by soaking clothes and letting the river water carry away dirt and lingering odors. Although this method is still applied in some rural areas, over time, washing methods have evolved.

In some areas of Europe and North America, people wash by rubbing, spinning, or hitting clothes on a flat stone or board. Similar practices have also been identified in Japan and even Indonesia.

In conditions without available waterways or rivers, laundry was done using water barrels, buckets, or metal cauldrons filled with clean water and heated over a fire. Boiling water has been proven to be more effective in removing dirt than cold water.

Once the washing process is complete, the clothes are wrung or twisted to remove most of the water. Then, the clothes are hung on poles or on a clothesline outside to dry, or sometimes left spread out on clean grass.

The Industrial Revolution gradually brought mechanized solutions to laundry work, primarily through the development of washing machines and later dryers. However, washing clothes, as well as cooking and caring for children, are still carried out both in the household and by commercial companies outside the home.

The term "laundry" can refer to the clothes themselves or the place where the cleaning process takes place. A household may be equipped with a laundry room, which is the part of the utility room that involves the function of washing clothes. In apartment buildings or student dormitories, there may be shared laundry facilities.

Meanwhile, businesses that stand alone and provide clothes washing services are often referred to as laundry services.

Laundry Vs Dry Cleaning

The term Dry Cleaning has long been a part of the laundry industry, now considered a different method from the conventional laundry process. This difference also creates different terms for the two. Laundry is a washing process that refers specifically to the process of washing clothes using water and detergent solution. Meanwhile, dry cleaning, on the other hand, is a washing process without involving water which is substituted with a solvent.

1. Laundry

As previously explained, in the context of the process, laundry involves washing clothes using a machine or manually with certain stages. In the laundry process, water is a key element because it is used as a tool for washing and rinsing clothes. Laundry is also often referred to as wet washing, because it involves an SNI standard washing machine.

2. Dry Cleaning

Meanwhile, Dry Cleaning is a process of washing clothes that does not involve water. Instead, it uses solvent powder and various chemicals to remove dirt from the surface of clothes. The term 'dry cleaning' is used to describe this method, indicating that water is not directly involved in the process.

Difference between Laundry and Dry Cleaning

The difference between laundry and dry cleaning can be observed starting from the initial stage of handling dirty clothes to the final result when the clothes are ready to be sent to consumers.

1. Cleaning Products

Laundry generally uses detergent as a clothing cleaning agent, which functions to remove stains, dirt and dust. Meanwhile, dry cleaning uses chemical powder without water. Perchlorethylene (PERC), hydrocarbon, liquid silicon are the choice of materials used in the dry cleaning process

However there are also alternatives such as hydrocarbons which are gentler than Perc, allowing for longer cleaning cycles. Silicone fluids and modified alcohol solutions can also be effective substitutes in dry cleaning systems.

Thus, the difference in cleaning agents used is one of the main aspects that differentiates laundry from dry cleaning. As well as influencing the final results of these two processes.

2. Process

The process in laundry involves cleaning garments or clothes using water, detergent, and other cleaning agents. When you send clothes to a laundry service, the following steps are taken:

• Preliminary Treatment: Stains that require special treatment are treated first before the clothes are put into the washing machine.
• Sorting: Clothes are grouped by color and fabric type to prevent color bleeding which can damage the clothes.
• Washing: Clothes are washed in a washing machine with a dose of detergent using an automatic dispenser, which is then fed into the washing machine with water entering.
• Drying: In the laundry and wet clean process, clothes are dried using a tumbler/dryer machine.
• Finishing: This stage involves pressing or ironing before the clothes are packaged.

On the other hand, in dry cleaning, the process involves the following steps:

• Inspection: Each item of clothing is marked with the name of the owner and its condition at the time of delivery. Includes information on missing buttons, loose stitching, stains, fabric type, and other important issues.
• Stain Treatment: Inspect stains before the cleaning procedure using a stain remover suitable for various types of stains, especially oil stains.
• Cleaning: Clothes are put into a special dry cleaning machine and cleaned with a waterless solvent before gently agitating.
• Double-Checking for Stubborn Stains: Although rarely necessary, this step is done to ensure that dry cleaning has removed all types of stains. The fabric is then cleaned with steam, water, or vacuum to remove remaining dirt and grease.
• Finishing: Since creases are rare in dry cleaning, finishing may not require ironing, but depends on the type of garment.

3. Cost Differences

The difference between laundry and dry cleaning can also be seen from the price. Compared to laundry, dry cleaning is considered a more effective cleaning method for silk and wool fabrics. Therefore, dry cleaning costs are generally slightly higher than costs for laundry services.

4. Differences in Final Results

The washing process using a water-based laundry machine can cause shrinkage in clothing materials. Shrinkage mainly occurs due to strong mechanical action after water washing and prolonged drying. The nature of today's washing machines can also contribute to shrinkage and affect the lifespan of clothing.

In addition to the risk of shrinkage, there is the possibility of changes in the texture and color of clothing. Therefore, dry cleaning is preferred, especially for materials such as silk, wool and other long-length garments, including curtains.

Dry cleaning produces clothes that feel fresher than regular laundry. More than that, the final result of the dry cleaning system ensures that the clothes are 100% dry, because this process does not involve water at all but uses solvents instead of water.

So, that's a complete explanation regarding the term laundry in laundry. If you are looking for pick-up and drop-off laundry or dry cleaning services, don't hesitate to contact aQualis Fabricare. We provide laundry, wet cleaning and dry cleaning services specifically for the cities of Jabodetabek and Surabaya.