ACTS Facts/Fire risk from fabric softeners

["Mary W. Ballard" <BallardM@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some of you may be familiar with the newsletter "ACTS Facts" [Arts, Crafts,
and Theater Safety] organized and distributed by Monona Rossol.
[subscriptions $18/US per year,$21/for Canada/Mexico, $24 elsewhere; 181
Thompson St. #23, N.Y., N.Y. 10012] ACTS Facts puts out notices about
various safety hazards. This month's pages has a reference to the hazard of
laundering fire retardant fabrics with a fabric softener and that fluffy
cottons are made more flammable by the use of fabric softeners. While
cationic finishes like fabric softeners are not normally used on museum
objects, exhibition designers may ask about fire retardants, and laundry
procedures...The accidental death that prompted the investigation occurred
in Canada--perhaps some Canadian textile conservators have more information?
Mary Ballard