AN ASSESSMENT OF LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING PRACTICES AMONG HOUSEHOLD AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS IN KISUMU CITY, KENYA

Abstract

Laundry and dry cleaning practices are a global process that contributes to the length and life of apparel and textile products. Therefore, it is important that the right cleaning method is selected for a given fabric because they differ in quality and use. Knowledge of these differences is very essential. Studies have indicated that consumers have raised concerns over the distortion of their clothes after laundry and dry cleaning (LDC) practices but it was not clear whether the distortion was due to poor fabric quality or poor cleaning practices. Therefore, there was a need for this study whose purpose was to assess LDC practices among households and commercial service providers in Kisumu City, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to i) investigate the procedures used in LDC, ii) evaluate the level of consumer satisfaction with LDC services, iii) determine the awareness and practices of LDC service providers towards environmental and self-protection during LDC, iv) determine the waste disposal practices, and v) determine the levels of wastewater physical-chemical parameters disposed of LDC practices concerning environmental pollution. The conceptual framework borrowed ideas from the Expectation Disconfirmation Theory. Cross-sectional and descriptive surveys were employed. Seventy-two (72) respondents from commercial LDC outlets and three-hundred and twelve (312) respondents from households were selected to form the sample size (384). Quota, Census, and snowball techniques were used to determine and identify commercial LDC outlets. Quota, stratified and simple random sampling were used to identify locations and sub-locations within Kisumu City while systematic sampling was used to determine and identify the households. Lastly, purposive and convenient sampling were used to identify and qualify respondents from both households and commercial LDC outlets. Interview schedules, observations, and laboratory analyses were used to gather data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics by SPSS version 20 (2007) and the findings were presented in tables and charts. On the other hand, qualitative data were grouped into themes, coded, and analyzed using the SPSS tool and the results were also presented in tables and charts. Samples of waste water from both household and commercial LDC practices were collected and analyzed for BOD, COD, PO3-, Cd, Hg, detergent, pH, NO3-, and NO2- at Lake Victoria Environmental Management Program (LVEMP) and Safe Water and Aids (SWAP) project laboratories. Statistical analyses of the laboratory data were done using oneway ANOVA in the SPSS software. The study established that LDC service providers did not follow standard recommended procedures used when delivering their services and that customer satisfaction and, or dissatisfaction varied among consumers and with different LDC aspects as well. The study further showed that commercial LDC consumers were more satisfied than household LDC consumers. The findings showed that most commercial LDC service providers used better methods of waste water disposal compared to household LDC service providers who were not well conversant with safe methods of waste water disposal. Physical-chemical waste water parameters at the household level ranged as follows; pH: 7.39-8.17, BOD: 28.83-38.0, COD: 305.83-390.83, NO3-: 22.5-28.8, NO2-: 2.8-3.4, and lastly PO3-: 0.304-0.392. At commercial level, the physical-chemical waste water parameters ranges were: pH: 4.91-9.98, detergent: 0.83-0.93, BOD: 34.0-44.0, COD: 316.67-433.33, NO3- : 37.63- 49.63, PO3-:0.53-0.98, Hg: 0.000-0.003, and lastly Cd: 0.000-0.003. Physicalchemical wastewater parameters from household LDC services were above the NEMA/WHO effluent standards while those of the commercial LDC services were within the same standards.