Slight blanket problem

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 7

Slight blanket problem

The problem of dirty and smelly electric blankets being presented for testing is only very slight in Christchurch, according to local; electrical authorities. The chief engineer of the Municipal Electricity Department (Mr W. G. Johnstone) j said that the department tests more than 1000 electric blanI kets a year. "Only a small percentage lof these are so dirty when j they come in that we have ito decline to check them. ; However, we get a lot that (are mildly soiled,” Mr John- ! stone said. He said that all the electric blankets brought in for (testing are immediately (sealed in plastic bags to avoid contamination and are! only removed when they are I checked. They are then re-'

turned to the plastic bag and; handed back to the owner. I "Although we don’t insist' (on them being brought in in! (bags, we would appreciate ;it if the customers would,”' he said. One reason for dirty blanl kets being brought in is because a lot of people don’t know how to clean them, he said. “Most electric blankets, have cleaning instructions on them, and we would appreciate it if these could be followed before the blankets arei handed in for testing.” he said. Te Awamutu’s power, board has ruled that blankets isent for testing must be; ( sealed in plastic bags to avoid I the soiled contaminating the! | unsoiled, report s the Press, I Association. I

i Stained, dirty, and smelly! (blankets were being sent in. i 'some obviously “straight-offi (the bed" said the engineermanager (Mr R. C. Douglas).| i He told the board that 20} per cent were dirty orb smelly. 'Fastidious people would have been shocked if they had seen some of the blaii-} kets theirs were coming in.contact with," he said. Two of the smaller Christ- 1 }church electrical authorities; — the Riccarton Borough (Council and the Heathcote I County Council — test only I about 25 electric blankets a 1 .year. The trading department} manager of the Riccarton Borough Council (Mr R. In-1; I gram) said the department re-1 ceives the "odd dusty one,' 1 but no really dirty ones." !|

I “Most are brought in - wrapped up, but if not. we seal them in plastic bags anyway,” Mr Ingram said. | The electrical engineer for ■ the Heathcote County Council (Mr I. R. Densem) said (there is no problem with blanket testing. “We have never received an electric blanket that I (Wouldn’t ask a technician or lan electrician to work on," Mr Densem said A spokesman for one of ‘ Christchurch’s largest elecitric blanket testing and re- ! pair firms. Gus Dawson. Ltd. said that it also has no problems with dirty blankets be■ing sent in for testing. “We test and repair thou- . sands of blankets a year, and ' we wouldn’t reject more than lone or two in that time." he said.