Cleaner in Atlanta Area

[Tom Donnelly]

Where's a good place in the Atlanta area to get a driver's suit cleaned? My has about 6 years of dirt and grease.

I was told that not all laundries know how to clean a nomex suit and that using a home washer is not a good idea if you want to keep the suit for long.

[quadzjr]

If you are really concerned with it, you can always hand wash it. the agitation cycle in the home washing machine is a bit rough, and the chlorinated solvents and their consituants (PERC, PCE, TCE, etc..)could possilby do harm as well.

[chuck baader]

Tom, Depends on the brand suit. Mine is a Sparco and has been dry cleaned in perc, washed in the washing machine (all fasteners and velcro closed) and when washed, hung to dry. Washing will remove the funk, but not the grease and oil. For best results, call around and find a dry cleaner that uses perc and have it drycleaned. Then take home and wash with a good dirtengent (not Woolite) and hang to dry. Given the age and lack of care, this is the best you can do. Chuck (retired dry cleaner)

[Tom Donnelly]

Steve and Chuck,

Thanks. Mine is a Sparco suit. I had heard dry-cleaning wasn't a good idea or that just certain kinds of dry cleaning. what is perc?

Thanks again,

Tom

[rthiele]

There is a company called Molecule, they are in cleaning and protection for Nomex gear. They are sponsoring Pro IT in the North Eastern Division where I drive and gave away test kits. I am not related or paid by them, just thought it would be helpful. Website is www.moluculelabs.com

Hope that helps

[joeg]

I have had my suit (over 10 years old) dry cleaned after each race weekend.

No problemo!

[Ron Earp]

OMP, four years old, wash on gentle every race weekend with gentle soap. Looks like new.

[quadzjr]

Steve and Chuck,

Thanks. Mine is a Sparco suit. I had heard dry-cleaning wasn't a good idea or that just certain kinds of dry cleaning. what is perc?

Thanks again,

Tom

To answer you one question it is

PERC= Tetrachloroethylene
PCE = Tetrachloroethene
TCE = Trichloroethene

Some labaotries PERC=PCE. All these chemicals are used in the dry cleaner process(and metal degreasing). I was unaware that they moved away from PERC, but it does make perfect sense do to the extreme environmental impacts it causes. And the fact that it has been found to cause cancer, tumors, etc.. (currently working as an environmental engineer, making a living off of sometime carless Dry cleaners :D)

[quadzjr]

Tom, Depends on the brand suit. Mine is a Sparco and has been dry cleaned in perc, washed in the washing machine (all fasteners and velcro closed) and when washed, hung to dry. Washing will remove the funk, but not the grease and oil. For best results, call around and find a dry cleaner that uses perc and have it drycleaned. Then take home and wash with a good dirtengent (not Woolite) and hang to dry. Given the age and lack of care, this is the best you can do. Chuck (retired dry cleaner)

Why the need for the second cleaning? just curious..

[chuck baader]

Perc is the most aggressive of the currently available dry cleaning agents for removing grease and oil. However, it will not remove sweat (or funk) that needs plain old soap and water.

I won't go into defending the use of perc, however, every study done in the dry cleaning industry has come up negative in human carcinogenicity. The major problem lies in its best point as it is twice as heavy as water so it cleans very well, but if spilled, goes to the ground water where it can be a problem. Chuck

[quadzjr]

Very true, it is extremely soulable, an for what it does, it does well.. But just like the Tobacco industry showed that smoking did not cause lung and throat cancer :)

Not against dry cleaning.. I guit all my suits, and fancier clothes done there.

[Kolin Aspegren]

Had my Momo for at least 10 years and throw in the washing machine
after every event. Hang out to dry. Never ever a problem.

k