The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

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Q. My child plays little league baseball, and his socks and uniform get so dirty. What’s the best way to clean them? A. First, pretreat with a prewash stain remover. Look for a stain remover that contains enzymes to remove the grass stains. Then, launder in the hottest water that’s safe for the fabric, using a bleach that’s safe for the fabric. Repeat procedure if necessary. For dirt stains, brush off as much residue as possible. (If the dirt is actually mud, let the mud dry…
We love fresh fall breezes, but not when it blows dust and grime into our home. Here are some tips for cleaning the entire window, coverings, sills and glass: Window Sills and Frames: Remove dirt and debris. Use a small broom or vacuum window frames and sills to get rid of dust, soot, cobwebs, and dead insects. Wipe plastic or vinyl frames and sills with cleaning wipes. If you use a spray product, be sure to spray the product on cloth, and…
Q: I’ve done a good job keeping my skin protected from the sun, and my kids protected from mosquitoes. But now I have bug spray and sunscreen on my clothes. What do I do? While that’s definitely good news for you and your kids, it sounds like the family wardrobe didn’t make out as well. But don’t fear; most commercially available bug sprays and sunscreens do wash out relatively easily. First, pretreat the stains with a prewash stain remover, then launder, using the hottest…
Forget about the good old days, when Monday was Laundry Day, ironing was an art form, and Grandma starched the sheets. Today, we're lucky to find time to fit meals in, let alone dedicating hours to caring for our clothes.If you're like most people, your fabric care is done on an "as needed" basis — battling spills, smells, and wrinkles as you prepare to face tomorrow. Thankfully, innovations in fabric care products are keeping pace with our hectic lives.…
From polyester and nylon to spandex and acrylic, these materials are used in everything from clothing and upholstery to bedding and curtains. Here’s how to keep them looking their best. From polyester and nylon to spandex and acrylic, these materials are used in everything from clothing and upholstery to bedding and curtains. Here’s how to keep them looking their best.
Kao Corporation Scientists Honored With ACI Distinguished Paper Award Research Article Recognized as Best 2016 Paper in Journal of Surfactants & Detergents Millions of consumers love the "softness" of their clothing after using liquid fabric softeners. Scientists from the Kao Corporation in Japan have unlocked the mechanism describing how these products work effectively on cloths and yarns, which could pave the way to more effective softening products. Their research was…
2019 ACI National Cleaning Survey Stats on Laundry: 77% of People Frequently Read Tag Instructions Before Washing Clothes 52% Tend to Wash Clothes in Cold Water Laundry is America’s favorite cleaning task, according to the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) 2019 National Cleaning Survey. Nearly a quarter of respondents to the survey, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of ACI,…
Q: I have a blouse made of 95% cotton that I need to launder. However, the manufacturer’s care label says professional dry clean only. Does the dry clean only tag really mean it? Why can’t I hand wash or put it in the washing machine? A: There are many reasons why your garment might have a "professional dry clean only" care label. Washing might harm the buttons or the trim. Or the dyes might run if the garment is washed. In addition, some fabrics, such as cotton,…