Effect of Dry Cleaning on Silks

Book excerpt: The study of tin-weighted and unweighted samples of silk after various treatments and exposures to sunlight and storage at standard conditions (of 65 per cent relative humidity at 70 degrees F. temperature) permits the following conclusions: (1) No deterioration results from exposures to standard atmospheric conditions over a period of two and one-half months even when acid or alkaline perspirations are applied. (2) Sunlight exposure causes a marked deterioration in both unweighted (but dyed) and tin-weighted silks, the loss in strength in 100 hours exposure amounting to about 25 per cent for unweighted and about 50 to 75 per cent for weighted silks. (3) Acid and alkaline perspiration treatments increase the deterioration when sunlight exposures are given, so that the loss in strength in 100 hours' exposure is about 35 per cent for unweighted and about 65 to 100 per cent for weighted silk. (4) Dry-cleaning solvents in no case caused any appreciable deterioration of the silk fabrics.