Softness vs absorbency…Maybe perfect is…

Softness vs. absorbency…or maybe happy skin

When it comes to laundering bed sheets the challenge is striking that perfect balance between achieving a pH that’s modestly below 7.0 while achieving the softness that appeals to guests. For terry it’s less a Ph concern and more the need to achieve the desired softness guests want while maintaining good absorbency.

If we over soften those terry items the fibers can be coated with too much of the oils that the soft/sour contains. If that happens the fibers are effectively waterproofed – even to the point of them repelling water rather than absorbing it.

Remember a softener, unlike the other chemicals used in laundering, doesn’t dissolve in the water. Rather it floats on top of the water in that last cycle so that as the fabrics slosh through it, the softener component coats the fibers making them feel soft. It’s also why we dose softeners based on fabric weight in the wheel rather than the volume of water in that bath.

For bedding, the danger of over treatment is a sheet that’s below that targeted slightly acidic Ph. Fall short of that target and produce sheets above 7.0 and we get overnight lodging guests complaining of itchy skin.

In that nursing care facility, where the guests sleep on those overly soured sheets every day, the problem can increase to skin rash and potentially bed sores.

Next up: Dealing with the balance problem.

Maybe perfect is…The enemy of good?

There’s a story of a boy watching a master carpenter carefully fitting a plank to a sailboat that he’s building. The boy asks him how many kinds of carpenters exist. He tells the boy there are three. First there’re cabinet makers. They make it fit – but only where it shows. Then there’re boat carpenters. With them it just fits. Then there are house carpenters. It just doesn’t fit!

Now we might take exception with his assessment of house carpenters, but his point is still well made. If we substitute soapers for carpenters, we’ve probably known all three types in our careers.

Making it fit where it shows may be exactly the thing to do when that’s what’s called for – and not making it fit at all is clearly a bad idea when it comes to keeping our customers happy. But likewise being too hung up on absolute perfection may not always be the best choice either.

In the real world we need to know when “perfect” is really needed and when close enough is what the doctor ordered. In the end, if absolutely perfect is all we can accept, then we probably won’t see much of anything good done to completion.