What are the Benefits of Using Spunlace Nonwoven Wipes for Clean Up in the Printing Industry?
Nonwoven Spunlace Wipes, sometimes referred to as spunlace blue shop towels, have become increasingly popular as a cleaning tool in the Printing Industry in recent years. Rental Shop Towels are being replaced by Spunlace Wipes for several reasons, which we will explain.
The first and most critical reason spunlace wipers are becoming print shop owner’s top choice for wipes is that they will not damage your valuable printing equipment such as rollers, blankets, print heads and plates: just to name a few expensive and critical components of your operation. Spunlace wipes are newly made so each wipe is clean, new and free of contaminants. This is your assurance that no leftover metal chards or residue from a previous user will enter your printing operation. In addition, spunlace wipes which are made in the USA are held together using energy created by high power water jets, not using glues or binders. If you buy U. S. made spunlace wipes, you can be guaranteed there are no chemical binders holding the fibers together. Some Chinese made spunlace wipes can contain binders which may leach out onto your equipment when used with a solvent. Use USA made spunlace wipers and you will be using a new clean wiper with no binders or glues to potentially deposit on your equipment.
There is also a significant cost advantage of using spunlace wipes for clean-up in your printing shop compared to rags or rental shop towels. Let’s look at the chart below to compare pricing and performance.
|
PRODUCT |
SPUNLACE WIPES |
RENTAL SHOP TOWELS
|
RAGS |
|
How much does each product cost? |
10- 15 ¢ per wipe depending on size and put- up |
Varies based on the contract |
30 ¢ to $1.50 per rag depending on the type of rag |
|
How absorbent is the wiper with water and solvents? |
Very absorbent with both |
Very absorbent with both |
Very absorbent with both |
|
Are there potential contaminants that could affect my equipment? |
Spunlace wipes are made new and if USA made, have no binders or glues. There are no contaminants from previous users. |
Rental Shop Towels have a potential for contamination because the washing process may not remove metal chards or other fine debris. |
Rags can contain buttons, zippers, loose threads and potential oils and dirt from its previous life as an article of clothing. |
|
How long can I use each wipe or rag? |
Use spunlace wipes until soiled. They are easy to dispose of when soiled, with less cost to the user due to a low initial cost. |
Use rental towels until soiled, but the towels must be stored for pick up and washing. |
Use rags until soiled and then dispose of when soiled: however, throwing rags away is at a higher cost to the user because the initial cost of the rag is higher than a spunlace wipe. |
|
How do the wet and dry strength of spunlace wipes and rags or towels compare? |
Spunlace wipes have excellent wet and dry strength. The wiper is a made from a nonwoven fabric so it is not as strong as a woven, but the strength is more than sufficient for heavy duty cleaning use. |
Rental shop towels have excellent wet and dry strength. They are made from a woven fabric so the strength is comparable to most woven fabrics. The strength is sufficient for heavy duty cleaning use. |
Rags have excellent wet and dry strength. The fabric is woven so it is comparable to most woven fabrics. The strength is sufficient for heavy duty cleaning use. |
|
Which product has the lowest lint? |
Spunlace wipes are essentially lint free. |
Rental Shop Towels can have fiber snags and broken fibers which produce lint. |
Rags can have fiber snags and cut edges of fabric which produce lint. |
Spunlace wipes have many advantages for cleaning in the printing industry. They are cost effective, essentially line free, absorbent, strong and leave no residue on your expensive equipment. For these reasons they are gaining in popularity and replacing rags and rental shop towels. Telesto Products has the most extensive MADE in the USA offering of spunlace wipes for the printing industry.
Shop Telesto Products specifically designed for the Printing Industry here. The items on this page are industry standards in the printing industry. We are happy to send you a sample of any wipe. You may email us for a sample at info@telestoproducts.com or call us at (615) 434-2318.
