"Wrinkles Away" Electric Clothes Steamers
CPSC Recall #85-044 - September 16, 1985
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 85-044 |
| Recall Date | September 16, 1985 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | 188,000 |
Where It Was Sold
| The product is sold by retail stores nationwide and by catalogue distributors. |
Product
"Wrinkles Away" Electric Clothes Steamers
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the Franzus Company Inc., now in Connecticut, today announced the voluntary recall of 188,000 "Wrinkles Away" Electric Clothes Steamers, Models WA-111 and WA-222. The company has information that some of these units, produced between July 1984 and December 1984, may be defective and present a burn hazard resulting from the spillage of boiling or hot water from the base. The company has received approximately fifty reports or complaints of product failure and injury. The reports stated that, without warning, the base and heater assembly separated from the product, spilling boiling of hot water onto the user. Many of the reports stated that the users sustained serious burn injuries from the hot water. The Wrinkles Away Clothes Steamer is a hand held electric appliance used at home or during travel to eliminate wrinkles in clothes. The product has a beige and brown colored plastic nozzle, a brown colored plastic cylinder body with handle, and a base heater assembly with electric cord. The recalled clothes steamer can be identified on the plastic base cap with the embossed model number "Cat. No. WA-111" or "Cat. No. WA-222", along with the company name and address. The product is sold by retail stores nationwide and by catalogue distributors. The WA-111 and WA-222 carry a suggested retail price of $22.95 and $26.95, respectively. The Franzus Company is offering to replace the recalled unit, free of charge, with a new unit having a back-up fastening device. The WA-111 and WA-222 models subject to recall include those units sold to consumers after July 1984, but do not include those units identified as Special Edition Models WA-111SE and WA-222SE. Owners who have recalled clothes steamer should stop using it immediately. To obtain a free replacement, owners should call Franzus at its toll-free number: (800) 706-7060. The company will provide a new unit to the consumer, along with reimbursement for mailing expenses from returning the recalled unit. Consumers who have questions or seek additional information should Information concerning this matter is also available to consumers on CPSC's toll-free hotline at 800-638-2772. A teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is 800-638-6270.
Hazard
Steamers may be defective and present a burn hazard resulting from the spillage of boiling or hot water from the base.
Incidents & Injuries
The company has received approximately fifty reports or complaints of product failure and injury.
Remedy Instructions
Owners who have recalled clothes steamer should stop using it immediately. To obtain a free replacement, owners should call Franzus.The company will provide a new unit to the consumer, along with reimbursement for mailing expenses from returning the recalled unit.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident, they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.