Background of Rayon

Like many other fabrics, rayon is a man-made manufactured fabric. It is produced from cellulose products that have been regenerated. In most cases, rayon is produced from wood pulp. The wood pulp is chopped up and broken down using a chemical combination. The product is then fed into a spinneret in order to create a rayon fiber. Rayon fiber is often available in both staple as well as filament forms. There are many different forms of rayon including Bemberg, viscose and cuprammonium as well as many other forms. Each form of rayon is somewhat different. The differences in the different forms of rayon frequently depend on the specific method that is used to manufacture the fabric, so it is important not to assume that all rayon fabrics are the same just because they are rayon.

Silk-Like Rayon

Rayon has a naturally bright luster. As a result, it is often pigmented during the manufacturing process in order to obtain differing luster degrees. The degrees of luster can range from somewhat dull to very bright. Generally, rayon’s luster is similar to that of silk. In fact, rayon was actually created to imitate silk. In some cases it may be necessary to examine the fibers microscopically in order to actually distinguish them from one another because they can seem so similar.

While rayon fabrics which are 100% rayon are certainly available, rayon is often frequently blended with other fibers. Cotton and rayon blends are one of the most common types of blends. Rayon can also be found combined with other fibers as well including man-made fibers and natural fibers.

Cleaning Rayon Fabrics

Quite surprisingly, there are some characteristics of rayon that are actually different from that of cellulosic fibers even though rayon is actually produced from materials that are cellulosic in nature. Unlike some other fabrics which actually become stronger when they are wet, rayon does tend to lose some of its strength when it is wet. In fact, rayon can become 50% weaker when it is wet. This difference between rayon and other fabrics can be quite significant. When cleaning and spotting rayon, it is imperative to keep this in mind, especially when considering the use of chemicals that are water-based.

Another common problem with rayon is the fact that tends to shrink. This is not typically a problem with many other types of cellulosic fibers or cotton. Rayon; however, does tend to experience extreme problems with shrinkage. This can be even more of a problem when rayon is loosely woven. Before using any type of wet cleaning method on rayon, this fact should be taken into consideration.

These problems dictate that rayon be cleaned in a more delicate fashion than would normally be employed with many fabrics. Fabrics which are heavily soiled, therefore; may be more difficult to clean due to the fact that normal cleaning methods cannot be used to remove the soil. The only safe method that can be effectively used to clean the majority of rayon fabrics is dry cleaning.

Spot Cleaning Rayon Fabrics

In some cases, ringing can also prove to be a problem with rayon. Usually rings result from spot removal being conducted improperly. These rings can be removed fairly easily; however, it is necessary to use caution due to the tendency of rayon to shrink. Furthermore, it is imperative that strong acids be avoided with rayon fabrics as they are celluosic in nature. If strong acids cannot be completely avoided, they should only be used with extreme caution.

As is the case with any fabric, the best approach is to make sure that you pre-test an area of the fabric that is not readily noticeable in order to determine the potential effect of any cleaning agent. Taking this precautionary step can help to prevent the entire surface of the fabric from becoming damaged beyond repair.

While rayon is prone to shrinkage, the good news is that it is often quite attractive and can easily imitate more expensive fabrics. The best way to protect rayon is to treat it with a topical treatment in order to reduce the absorbency of the fabric. This will make the fabric less prone to staining and thus easier to clean.