Recycling Update: Part 3, Textiles

The subject of textile recycling covers several different topics. Used clothing is collected through various means and after cleaning and sorting, is donated to the less fortunate of us or sold in second-hand venues such as Goodwill in order to raise funds. However, once a garment is no longer a viable garment, it eventually enters the "waste stream." Other textiles that are non-durable, such as sheets and towels, are often converted to rags and wipers. It is interesting to note that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not consider this type of "reuse" as recycling because the rags and wipers eventually do become waste material.

Hotels, motels, resorts, and medical clinics and hospitals are a major source of reused or recycled textiles. These "damaged" or used textiles are often processed by sorting, cutting, and hemming. Other sources are textile manufacturers themselves, that often have unusable or damaged material that is produced in the manufacturing process. Textiles that can't be used for rags have other uses. Cotton is used in high-quality paper making. Other knitted and woolen fabrics are "pulled" into fibrous state and reprocessed into fibers that are used in upholstery, insulation and other building materials.

Two companies that make clothing, Patagonia and Nike, have been in the news regarding their "green" policies. Patagonia, well-known for its "footprint" program, launched its Common Threads Garment Recycling Program to recycle used garments into modern styles. And in the recent World Cup games, no less than nine soccer teams were wearing Nike jerseys that were made from recycled plastic bottles.

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Sources:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/recycled-cotton-saves-land-water-energy.html

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/textiles.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textile_recycling#Conversion_to_rags

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1995859,00.html

Spring Cleaning -- THE KITCHEN

A great deal of activity takes place in most kitchens. We cook, eat, and just generally gather in that one place day in and day out. So, once a year it's not a bad idea to give it a good going over. Traditionally, spring, a time of renewal, is a great time to do it.

(Reprinted from an article on About.com by, Sarah Aquirre)

A day can be completely eaten up by cleaning a kitchen. After breakfast, lunch, and supper, your kitchen can look like a disaster area in need of federal attention. We all know that if we leave our dishes and countertops until the morning, we need an ice pick to scrape off dried on food. After a long day few of us want to spend an hour scrubbing a room that is just going to need it again in 8 hours. Use this method to keep your kitchen running smoothly without making you feel rundown.

1. Begin with a 15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup.

   This will clear out the clutter and dirty dishes, and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.

2. Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls.

   Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots. Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. Walls will likely need to be washed more often in this room than in others. You may not have noticed that the hand mixer or blender sloshed goop all over the wall. Take your spring cleaning time now to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls.

3. Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.

   Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.

4. Dust and clean the ceiling fan.

   You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap. Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.

5. Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions.

   Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.

6. Apply oven cleaner to the oven and clean the refrigerator.

   Leave the windows in the kitchen open to avoid the overpowering smell. Don't forget to vacuum the coils of your UNPLUGGED refrigerator. This is a great time to sweep and mop underneath it too if you can find some help to move it. Be careful of scratching your floor.

7. While the oven cleaner works, begin sorting through the freezer and refrigerator.

   Throw out any expired food, mostly empty containers, and items that you bought and never used. Put the stuff to keep on the counter. Take out the refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire inside of the refrigerator and freezer before replacing shelves and food. Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner.

8. Take the knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove.

   Follow your stove/oven owner’s manual for information on proper cleaning methods for your model. (The one you carefully filed, when you bought the stove, just for an occasion like this.) Some stovetops lift up to allow easy access to spills and crumbs. Wipe down the entire stove.

9. Wipe down and clean the toaster, blender, and other small appliances.

   Wipe down and clean the microwave. If the spills in the microwave are fossilized, try bring a water-filled glass cup to boiling in the microwave. The steam should help loosen the gunk. If the microwave smells, boil lemon juice. Unplug all appliances first. Don't forget the turntable.

10. Clean out kitchen cabinets.

    Reline if needed. Remove mismatched lids and bowls. Take out anything that isn't being used on a regular basis. Reorganize and wash down the insides and outsides of cabinets.

11. Run the dishwasher empty.

    Try adding vinegar or baking soda to the empty dishwasher before running it. If your dishwasher has a food trap in the bottom, clean it out. Wash down the outside of the dishwasher.

12. Wash down the countertops in your kitchen.

    Don't forget backsplashes.

13. Wipe down and clean out any drawers.

    Organize your flatware. This is a great time to install drawer dividers to better organize your kitchen drawers.

14. Wash down the sink. If you have a garbage disposal now is the time to pour baking soda with warm water and/or a lemon peel down the disposal to freshen the drain. Put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades.
15. Sweep and mop the floors.

    Don't forget baseboards. One of the best ways to get a floor REALLY clean is to use a rag or towel while on your hands and knees. If this is not an option try going barefoot and scooting a large towel around the floor with your feet. It provides more contact and pressure with the floor. Press gently, and be careful and slow. Even though this is the last step, the floor is not the best place to rest.

Industry Trends: Auto Repair Update

As new cars sales continue to slump in the recession, some dealer service departments and auto repair shops are seeing an increase in business in 2010. Bobby Irby, general manager of Memphis Auto Repair Service says, "A lot of people now are fixing (older cars) up rather than buying new vehicles."

Conventional wisdom has always said that the auto repair business is "recession-proof". Independent mechanics surveyed by the Automotive Service Association reported business up in 2009 over 2008. 76% expect more work in the recession. When someone is faced with a $1000 auto repair, they previously may have decided to trade the car. But now with budgets getting tighter and tighter, they just bite the bullet and do the repair. On the downside, there are also people who, when faced with that kind of bill, just turn to public transportation. There are a lot of people out there with cars just sitting in the driveway.

"People are hanging on to them right now, and they've got to keep them running," says Tim Smith of Bob Smith BMW/Mini in Calabasas, Calif. The median age for cars in 2008 was 9.4 years. Another problem is that may people are "upside-down" or "underwater" as the expression goes.

At RFI, Inc., we supply rags for the auto repair, auto body, and auto detailing industries. While the recession affects all of us, the recycled textile business remains steady and strong. We look forward to a great 2010.

Sources:
Commercial Appeal
The Early Show