Health Risks
Consumer Reports indicates thatflame-retardant chemicals used in children'sclothing are required by the CPSC to be nontoxic, butmanufacturers are not required to label chemicals they use, if theyuse any at all.FR jeans can be made from true,fire-resistant materials. Or, they can be chemicallytreated. The true fire-resistant fabrics areinherently constructed to self-extinguish.
What does "treated" mean as applied to the FRclothing market? To many, it means a fabric whose FRproperties are topical and/or temporary. This may be truewith some generic, unbranded "88/12 FR" and 100 percentcotton FR fabrics that have hit the market in thepast five years.
To get rid of tough oil stains, try pre-treatingit before you throw it into the wash. Apply liquid detergentdirectly to the stain. Rub it in, and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.Throw it into the wash, following the manufacturer'srecommendations for laundering.
Wash the entire gear in the washingmachine approximately once every six months. This will ensure thegear is completely clean, and will get rid of any built-updirt that may have gone unnoticed. Run the gear and gloveson the gentle cycle and in cold water. Hang the gear andgloves in a dry dark area to dry.
What is the best way to wash the gloves?Use a soap and tap water (instead of a hot one) towash them. Yes, the Grill Armor Oven Latex Gloves are100% waterproof and can be used to handle cold andeven hot liquids.
Fire Retardants in Mattresses. As of 2007,all mattresses are required to contain enough FireRetardant Chemicals to withstand a 2-foot wide blowtorch openflame for 70 seconds. Nearly 92% of the market, or mostmajor sleep product brands, use a highly controversial fireretardants due to its cost efficiency.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission confirmed that itis aware of just one flame-retardant chemicalused occasionally on loose, all-cotton pajamas. Polyesteris inherently flame-resistant because of thestructure of the fabric, and the way it is woven, so itdoesn't need to be treated with chemicals.
Carter's polyester sleepwear is naturallyflame resistant, while our 100% cotton sleepwear istight fitting, and therefore does not require additional fabrictreatment. All Carter's sleepwear products are clearlylabeled as “sleepwear.”
Flame retardants are chemicals that areadded or applied to materials in order to slow or preventthe start or growth of fire. Flame retardantshave been used in many consumer and industrial products sincethe 1970s, to decrease the ability ofmaterials to ignite.
New Kids On The Block: Tight FittingPajamas
Because they're tight, they certainly won'tignite easily and, even if they do, there will be no air betweenthe garment and the child's skin to feed the fire. They mustbe tight fitting pajamas, which is defined by theCPSC and involves very specific clothingmeasurements.Halogenated flame retardants (also known asorganohalogen flame retardants) containing chlorine orbromine bonded to carbon. Organophosphorous flame retardantscontaining phosphorous bonded to carbon.
The biggest difference between flame resistant andflame retardant fabrics lies in how each is made. Without aspecial chemical application, a fabric will not qualify as flameretardant. Similarly, without being made of certainnonflammable fibers, a fabric will not quality as fireresistant.
Tight-fitting pajamas are less flammable becausefires need oxygen to burn. So if there is no air between thechild's skin and the fabric, the fire gets less oxygen. Sothe pajamas with the “not fire resistant”warning are actually the ones you want.
Fire retardant contains salts (typicallyfertilizers) that alter the way wildfires burn, decreasingfire intensity and slowing the advance of the fire,even after the water in the fire retardant hasevaporated.
7 ways to reduce your exposure to PBDE flameretardants
- Whenever possible choose PBDE-free electronics andfurniture.
- Avoid contact with decaying or crumbling foam that mightcontain fire retardants.
- Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuumcleaner.
- Replace couches, stuffed chairs, automobile seats and the likethat have exposed foam.
A mild detergent is typically a hand dish washingsoap that only contains surfactants that dissolve dirt and greaseas opposed to a soap that also contains builders, which would beclassified as a moderately strong detergent.
Soaking the clothing in warm water is the bestway to get the smoke smell out. You can use either washingdetergent or white vinegar, or a combination of the two, mixed withwater. Soak the clothing overnight. In the morning, rinseand see if the smell remains.
However, blending different fibers can allow for maximumprotection and performance. Two common FR fabrics include100% cotton and an 88% cotton/12% nylon blend. Bulwark's line ofEXCEL-FR® 100% apparel has been permanentlytreated to provide fire-resistance for the extent of thegarment's life.
Starch is a flammable substance, which iswhy it should never be used. Hard water makes it more difficult toget rid of stains because it often leaves deposits on yourclothing. Manufacturers disagree on whether it is OK to mixthe garments with other clothing and if it is alright to putthem in the dryer.
If clothing made of Nomex® needspressing or ironing, a steam or dry iron may be usedat the medium setting. Commercially available ironing aidssuch as starch, ironing spray or wrinkle spray should not beused with items made of Nomex® if they areflammable.
To soften brand new jeans, turn theminside out, fill your washing machine with cold water, add a capfulof fabric softener, and run the cycle. Next, pull the jeansout of the washing machine and dry them on low heat, leaving theminside out.
It is best to use a low temperature setting. Atemperature setting between 140°F (60°C) and 160°F(71°C) is sufficient to dry garments quickly and thoroughlywhile preventing color loss. NOMEX® Apparel: Thefollowing instructions are for washing NOMEX® fabriconly.
We recommend you wash them on the warmcycle, tumble dry on medium heat and promptly remove once dry. Forcanvas overalls, do not use bleach. Werecommend you machine wash them on the cold cycle,tumble dry on medium heat and remove promptly oncedry.
If you have the option between sending theclothing out to an industrial laundering service and justwashing them at home, wash at home, because itinflicts less wear-and-tear, and helps the FR clothes lastlonger. Stick with mild detergent and warm (not hot) water, andthen tumble dry on low.
Use a gentle laundry detergent with minimal acids oralkalis, avoid detergents based on soap or containing sodiumsilicate or metasilicate and do not use hard water. Also, avoidchlorine bleaches or chlorine-based stain removers. Let thesuit hang dry, indoors (out of directsunlight).
To maintain the thermal protective properties ofCarhartt flame-resistant lined clothing, please follow theselaundering instructions: Machine wash warm at temperaturenot to exceed 140°F (60°C). Do not use chlorine bleach,hydrogen peroxide bleach, softeners or starch. Tumble dry low,remove promptly.
