Saving on these cleaning bills

Press, 20 April 1982, Page 14

Saving on these cleaning bills

CP^ 5

Anne Ingram

Fabric protector

A new way of protecting your furnishings. . car seats.clothes, rainwear, sports shoes and ski wear from stains is now available. Scotchgard Fabric Protector, an American product, is a fluorochemical textile finish that repels water, oil, grease, and dirt. At a recent launching of this product its protective

quality was vividly illustrated. Half of one side of a cushion was sprayed with Scotchgard, and a few minutes later, a glass of red wine was poured over the cushion. The wine soaked into the unsprayed half of the cushion but just rolled off the treated half.

I repeated the experiment at home (with water) on a dining room chair. The liquid did not soak into the fabric but formed into little beads of water which were easily blotted up.

Treatment with Scotchgard does not alter the look or feel of a fabric. It does not form a coating but rather penetrates each fibre. It can be used on synthetic or natural fibres, but before use it is recommended that a small area be tested for colour fastness.

According to the New Zealand distributors, 3M, one application should last indefinitely or until the product is cleaned, when it should be reapplied. More frequent applications may be warranted on fabrics that are subject to abrasion, for example, sofa arms.

One 453 gm aerosol can is sufficient to protect six dining room chair seats, or two to three women’s dresses, or two ski suits. An average sofa front requires three tofour cans.

Scotchgard Fabric Protector will shortly be available from your supermarket. p rice $6.99.

Foot warmer For those who suffer from cold feet during the winter, Ralta have developed the “Warmafoot” electic-heated foot warmer. Especially suitable for those who have to sit for long periods, the "Warmafoot” is like a large, soft, tartan bootie into which both feet can be placed with ease. An element plate fits into the pocket on the base of the footwarmer and is removable to allow the cover to be washed. . The ‘•Warmafoot” is simple to operate, it just plugs in and a thermostat control ensures that a constant temperature is maintained. The manufacturers say that the fast heat recovery element costs only a few' cents a day to run. The “Warmafoot” will be available in May from electrical shops and department stores. Price $49.90. Horseriders’ helmets recalled Following tests on a range of horseriders’ protective helmets, Consumers’ Institute discovered that the DaytonaProtective Skull Cap for Jockeys, did not pass an. important shock absorption test. “Although the helmet's name implies it is designed

for jockeys, it is also used by other horseriders,” said the director of the institute, Mr R. J. Smithies. “Out tests show that the inner nylon harness is not always securely fixed to the outer fibreglass shell. In an accident the metal pins holding the harness to the outer shell can pull away. When this happens, very little protection is offered to a rider’s head.”

Consumers’ Institute has discussed this potential fault with the maker, who has recalled all stock held by retail shops. Existing owners of Daytona helmets should return them to the shop from which they were bought. Faulty helmets will be replaced or repaired free of charge. Mini-oven recalled Owners of G.E. Toast'n Grill table-top ovens are urged by Consumers’ Institute to take up Heatway Industries’ offer to modify the ovens. “We recently tested this mini-table-top oven and found that the power cord was not properly anchored to the body of the oven,” said the institute’s Director, Mr R. J. Smithies. “The problem is not an immediate hazard but Heatway has recognised that trouble could develop over a period of time,” said Mr Smithies, who commended Heatway’s prompt action to overcome the potential hazard. Owners of G. E. Toast’n Grill mini-ovens (Model T 680) should contact their nearest Heatway agent or Heatway Industries, Ltd. Heatway has offices in- the four main centres. The company will make arrangements to call and fit new cord clamps free of charge.