Bed Sheets manufactured by Thomaston Mills contain polyester and cotton fibers. The laundry care instructions can vary depending on the equipment used by various laundries but should follow the below listed guidelines.
- Wash water temperatures will cause very little variation in shrinkage or color up to temperatures of 160 degrees F.
- Optical has been added during the finishing process to both the cotton and polyester. Normal alkaline wash conditions are acceptable (pH of 9-10) and the addition of an optical for the cotton in the wash cycle is recommended to help maintain the white shade over repeated laundries. Chlorine, peroxide, or sodium perborate bleach can be used in moderate amounts. In all cases, the pH of the fabric should be brought back to 5.0-7.0 pH range prior to drying.
- The use of an optical brightener is not recommended on dyed shades because of the apparent change in color caused by this addition.
- Drying can be in a tumble dryer or on a mangle. The fabric shrinkage has been stabilized during manufacturing by the use of resin finish for the cotton and heat stabilization for the polyester. These plant temperatures on the fabric are around 300 degrees F.
Caution:
- If the fabric reaches this temperature during drying, excessive shrinkage can occur. Many operations exceed these temperatures by trying to run hotter in order to run faster. This will cause problems with shrinkage and color.
- If drying in a tumble dryer, always use the cool down cycle prior to stopping the machine to prevent wrinkling.
NOTE: Tumble dryer temperatures should never exceed 300 degrees F. For those customers who insist on running mangles above 300 degrees, very good success has been achieved by taking the new (unwashed) sheet or pillowcase through the mangle at the temperature that it will be run one time dry before using it. This stabilizes the fabric at a higher temperature and when going into the mangle wet in future use the shrinkage is dramatically reduced.
The laundry chemical suppliers can recommend the most appropriate chemicals for use in specific laundry equipment.
By following these Wash Instructions for Cotton Blended Sheets you can keep them looking new longer.
*The above information was provided by Thomaston Mills.
