Voluntary Recall of Electric Clothes Steamers Announced

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) the Franzus Company Inc. of New York, New York 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 repackage their unit, along with their name and return address on a separate piece of paper, inside the original carton or other suit able container. The clothes steamer should then be mailed via parcel post to the Franzus Company Inc. at Dept. 819, 352 Park Avenue South, New York, New York, 10010. The company will promptly return a new unit to the consumer, along with reimbursement for mailing expenses.

Consumers who have questions or seek additional information should call Franzus at its toll-free number: 800-882-5850. In New York, call 212-889-6435. Or they may write to the Franzus Company Inc., Dept. 819, 352 Park Avenue South, New York, New York, 10010. 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.