Rayon (Viscose) is a chemically-altered, natural material. It is formulated from cellulose (wood pulp, bamboo or hemp), treated, and then formed into long, silk-like threads. It's been around since the early 1900's as a fabric replacement for silk. It was especially popular in the 30 & 40's for Hawaiian shirts due to its superior dye absorption, drape, & heat loss qualities. It "breathes" better than silk so was a popular fabric in the humid Pacific Islands.
Keeping it looking its best is a challenge. It doesn't do well in washers--it loves to shred at stitched seams and buttonholes. It loves to wrinkle. And, it is a challenge to iron. Several manufacturers recommend dry cleaning. You can carefully wash it by hand or by machine if using a delicate cycle (not available in our laundromat) with a mild, pure soap. Detergent soaps (those containing phosphates) will leach the colors.
Do not wring it dry. Use towels and roll it like you would a sweater and squeeze out the excess moisture. When almost dry, hang it up to allow the air to circulate and the rest of the wrinkles to fall out. It it is a rayon sweater, use a sweater screen to lay it flat.
Iron using low-heat or you will unbind the chemicals that connect the cellulose molecules.
Start by steaming the fabric without touching it to release the wrinkles. Then, place aluminum foil on top of the fabric while pressing. This will reduce damage to the sheen of the fabric.
I forgot . . . to set the clocks and the automatic timer for the doors, the lights and the boiler at the Laundromat. My apologies to the customers who showed up at 6 AM to get started on their Sunday laundry chores.
It's great for traveling, too. If you can keep your clothes snug they won't get all jumbled up and need ironing when you arrive.
My personal comforter (less than 1 year old) is already under-performing. I noticed that all the down had shifted to the other side and not the side where I sleep. After reading up on some of the manufacturer sites I realized that the reason down comforters have simple, light-weight duvet covers is because you don't want additional weight on top of the down to crush the loft created by the feathers. I had added a rather heavy matelasse bed cover on the top to add warmth. Well, it did just the opposite.
Scott was there for the set up of the commercial in the laundromat. He said it was very interesting. We'll have to wait about 2 weeks for the results which I'll post here for everyone.
On Clement, I was drawn (like Eve to an apple) into Orgasmic Pizza--ostensibly, to check out the brew list. But, after a few minutes, our Scotty was in the Star Trek mode shooting up the customers with his laser stun gun. They were lining up to get zapped. Boys and their toys!
A couple of weeks ago I was describing the consistency of some "stuff" i scraped out of one of the dryers I was cleaning. It was "gunky"--no other word aptly describes it. I was quickly reminded by another patron that that was a 70's term--possibly even a 60's term. H-m-m-m-m 
