helps to put creases such as in sleeves, trouser legs and pleated skirts. Irons have smooth metal surface which can be heated. Most electric irons have an inbuilt thermostat, which can adjust the temperature to suit the fabric. The iron may also have a system of producing steam while in use.
The weight of the iron varies from . – . kgs. At household level light weight irons are preferred.
Heavier articles like curtains, bed covers etc. may require heavier irons. Though in most cases the heating is with electricity, in India one can still see some charcoal irons. Charcoal iron is like a metal box with a lid, in which live coal pieces are put to heat the iron.
Care and maintenance of apparel and articles of household usage within the family may be done at different levels. Household laundry takes care of clothing and small articles of daily use. Bigger articles of household linen and some special articles are sent to commercial laundries. Sometimes services are hired of individual professionals who collect material from household for washing and/or ironing and finishing.
Such professional (often called dhobis ) serve individual households and institutions like student hostels, small hotels and restaurants. They generally work from their homes. For washing they make use of specially marked places in towns and cities called dhobighats. The concept of individual workers grew up into ‘Laundries’ or ‘Dry- cleaning’ shops.
Here the customer takes the articles for cleaning and comes back a few days later to collect finished articles. The customer may be an individual or an institution. Bigger laundries often have several centers or shops in different parts of the city. Some laundries also provide services of transport of material to and from the customer.
This is specially so in the case of institutions like hostels, small hotels, restaurants and also small hospitals and nursing homes. The commercial laundries are organised in different sections. Each section deals with a specific job, such as washing, water extraction, drying, pressing and ironing. Some laundries may have a separate section for hospital and institutional work, and another for