HOW TO CARE FOR A LEAD APRON

Apron Care & Guidelines

The following guidelines and tips will help maintain your garment's safe performance as well as keep your garment looking good for many years to come.

INSPECTION
Please inspect your garment thoroughly upon receipt and at regular intervals. During a plain film radiographic inspection you may observe:
a. Light spots, small or large, may appear which indicate localized thicker attenuating content particles. This effect increases xray protection and should be of no concern.
b. Darker shaded areas can appear which usually indicates a thickness variation in the material. If a sharp edge defines the darker area, this may be the result of damage to one or more of the garment's 2 to 5 plies of protective material. This is often caused by stress from the misuse and/or improper handling of these garments (i.e. folding, draping or creasing the garments).
c. A small amount of dark spots, often referred to as pin holing can appear which is inherent to the manufacturing process. As long as there are no dark spots exceeding 5 mm in diameter health physicists have determined they are of no concern. This should not be interpreted as defective manufacturing. There should be concern if you find dark spots or holes larger than 5 mm or an area which shows many small spots clumped together.
d. There should be concern if dark lines appear as they usually indicate possible cracks or severe thinning in the material. This is normally caused by one or more plies cracking or deteriorating as a result of misuse, mishandling, or age. 
e. Please inspect garments for any visible defects in workmanship and notify us immediately if your garment is not satisfactory.

CARE OF APRONS
Optimize the usage of your recently purchased apron by respecting a few simple suggestions:

a. Storage: Don't fold, crease, drape or sit down tightly on your garments. We strongly recommend that aprons be hung on a heavy duty chrome hanger (See our website for apron hangers) or equivalent and not on a hook.
b. Cleaning: Keep your garment clean by wiping away stains as soon as possible, using cold water and mild detergent. Do not autoclave.
c. Hook and loop closures must be secured properly to avoid snagging or tearing of fabric. Always store apron with hook and loop closed.
Failure to properly care for your apron may result in harm to the apron, as well as void its warranty.