NCERT Class 11 Home Science Care and maintenance of fabrics

Learning Objectives

After completing this chapter the learner is able to —

• understand the aspects of care and maintenance of different fabrics.

• know the procedure of removing different stains.

• identify the process of laundry.

• describe the role of water, soaps and detergents in laundering.

• describe use and care of the fabric in relation to their properties.

Introduction

You learnt in some of the previous chapters about the significance of fabrics around us. They protect and enhance humans and their surroundings.

Care and maintenance of fabric products e.g., clothing, furnishing, or any other use within the household, is very important. Final selection and purchase of any product or material is largely based on its appearance in terms of colour and texture, its quality and its functionality. It therefore becomes very important that these characteristics are retained for the expected life of the material. Care and maintenance may thus include:

• keeping the material free of physical damage;

• retaining its appearance:

– Removal of stains and dirt without damaging its colour

– Retaining or refurbishing its brightness and textural characteristics such as softness, stiffness or crispness

– Keeping it free of wrinkles or retaining creases or removing wrinkles and adding creases where required

17.2 Mending
Mending is the general term we use when we try to keep the material free of damage occurring in normal use or due to accident. It includes the following.
– Repairing cuts, tears, holes
– Replacing buttons/fasteners, ribbons, laces or fancy attachments
– Restitching seams and hems if they open up
These are best taken care of as and when they occur. It is absolutely essential that they be attended to before laundering as the strain of washing may lead to greater loss to the fabric.

17.3 Laundry
Every day care of the fabrics generally consists of washing to keep it clean and ironing to get a smooth wrinkle free appearance. Many materials often
require special treatments to get rid of accidental stains, overcoming the grayness or yellowness that occurs due to repeated washings and adding stiffness or crispness. Laundering includes — stain removal, preparation of fabrics for washing, removing dirt from clothes by washing, finishing for its appearance (blueing and starching) and finally pressing or ironing for a neat appearance so that they can be stored ready for use.

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