Spring is a popular time of year to clean household items such as draperies, bedspreads, and dust ruffles. Many of these fabrics are coated with a glossy finish. These finishes are referred to as polished, glazed, or chintz. The shiny finish is created by adding a starch, wax, or resin to the surface of the fabric. Because there are several types of finishes, the drycleanability or wetcleanability performance will vary.
Test these fabrics by clipping a small sample from an unexposed seam. Soak the sample in a detergent and water solution, rinse, and dry. If the gloss disappears, the fabric will not withstand wetcleaning. Perform the same type of test using volatile dry solvent to determine drycleanability. Noticeable loss of the surface finish during drycleaning or wetcleaning often occurs and is attributed to the limited resistance of the finish used.