Fire in the kitchen!

Landlords beware. Self-combusting tea towels could cause of a fire in your pub or restaurant kitchen.

Commercial insurer NFU Mutual is urging publicans, restaurateurs and hoteliers to exercise caution following insurance claims related to tumble dryer fires.

In 2015, the Unicorn's Head pub in Langar, Nottinghamshire was forced to close for 12 months following severe fire damage.

Forensics attributed the cause of the fire to be tea towels, which the tenants had soaked in stain remover before washing - fat combined with the detergent resulted in self-combust.

In May this year, the Wheatsheaf in Edith Weston, Rutland, also suffered damage after a fire was caused by tumble-dried tea towels.

The tenant left a number of warm tea towels at the bottom of the dryer drum and just over an hour later, the first floor of the building was ablaze. The business was closed for over six months.

At ‘Men Behaving Badly’ star Neil Morrissey's pub, the Plume of Feathers in Stoke-on-Trent, a similar incident almost led to catastrophe...leading to the actor issuing a warning to the trade about the dangers of exploding tea towels, and in December, the Southover in Hanover pub in Brighton called the fire brigade to deal with an identical incident.

What causes the dryer fires?

Tea towels can catch alight when a residue of fat and oil embedded in the fabric reacts with the oxygen in the air. This releases heat which can ignite the towel.

Oxidisation is also increased when combined with heat such as tumble drying, or being placed near a heat source. Oxidising detergent chemicals such as peroxide found in stain remover can also cause the chemical reaction, without the need for heat.

Darren Seward, hospitality specialist at NFU Mutual, told The Caterer magazine: “Although tea towels may appear clean once washed, they may still have the remains of cooking oils and fats or chemicals on them that are invisible to the eye.

"If they are then put into a tumble dryer, the combination of heat, cooking fats and oxygenating chemicals from stain-removing detergent products can create a chemical reaction and cause the towel to self-heat, smoulder and eventually catch fire.”

"Equally, dirty tea towels contaminated with oil pose a similar combustion risk, especially if they are dry and placed near a heat source.

"A fire could be caused by a situation as innocent as someone leaving a pile of dirty tea towels ready for washing the next day, so we would advise people not to stack them up ready for washing.

"An unsuspecting mistake could put people in danger and cost your business thousands of pounds if there is a fire.

“To help prevent the issue, tea towels and cloths in kitchens should be washed at high temperatures to try to ensure that oils are completely removed.

"If the towels are dried in a tumble drier it is important that the cycle is allowed to run to the end, including the cool-down cycle, and that the towels are removed immediately and left to air rather than being folded or placed in a bag.

"People should also be wary that soaking tea towels in a stain remover and not washing immediately might also carry a risk of self-heating.”

Switch to disposable towels

One way to remove your reliance on potentially faulty white goods in your business premises is switching to biodegradable, disposable towels and treatment sheets. Using single-use textiles means you no longer need washing machines and dryers in your beauty salon, hairdresser or spas. There’s no need to wash them as they are thrown away after every use.

Enki's single use towels are:

Safe - No need to rely on long washing or drying cycles.

Cost-efficient - through savings on water, detergent and staff time.

Hygienic - no cross-infection from repeated use of the same cotton towel.

Eco-friendly - no need for in-house laundry...and Enki towels are bio-degradeable.

Luxurious - treating every client to their own towel doesn’t have to be costly.

Efficient - Enki towels are 7 x more absorbent than a standard towel.

New to the disposable/single-use towel concept? Ask for your FREE sample, and a welcome discount on your first order from Enki.

Call: 01246 293018

Visit: www.enkitowels.com