Residual Oily Soil Distribution on Polyester/Cotton Fabric After,Laundering with Selected Detergents at Various Wash Temperatures

Abstract

The reduction of wash water temperatures to conserve energy and the changes in detergent formulations in response to environmental concerns have intensified the already difficult consumer problem of soil removal by laundering. In this investigation, the effect of wash temperature on the extent of oily soil penetration into a durable press polyester/cotton fabric was studied using wash temperatures of 4, 27, 38, and 49°C and three different detergents. The total amounts of residual oleic acid were determined by radiotracer analysis, and the distribution of the oil was evaluated by backscattered electron images and electron beam x-ray microanalyses.

At all wash temperatures, the two built, heavy-duty powdered detergents removed a larger amount of oleic acid than the unbuilt, heavy-duty liquid detergent. Higher wash temperatures increased the removal of oleic acid from the polyester/cotton fabric for all detergents. The largest improvement in oil removal with increase in wash temperature was observed for the unbuilt, heavy-duty liquid detergent. With increased wash temperature, the concentration of oil was markedly reduced in the crenulations of the cotton fibers and the small interfiber spaces between closely spaced polyester or cotton fibers. These decreases in concentration of oil in capillaries within the yam structure with increase in wash temperature were larger for the unbuilt, heavy-duty liquid than for either of the built, heavy-duty powdered detergents.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Brown, C.B. , Thompson, S.H. , and Stewart, G. , Oil Take Up and Removal By Washing from Polyester. Polyester/Cotton Blend and Other Fabrics, Textile Res. J. 38, 735-743 ( 1968).

Bubl, J.L. , Laundering Cotton Fabric, Part I: Effects of Detergent Type and Water Temperature on Soil Removal, Textile Res. J. 40, 637-643 (1970).

Dillan, K.W. , Goddard, E.D. , and McKenzie , D.A. , Oily Soil Removal from a Polyester Substrate by Aqueous Nonionic Surfactant Systems , J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 56, 59-69 (1979).

Fort, T. , Jr., Billica, H.R. , and Grindstaff, T.H. , Studies of Soiling and Detergency, Part II: Detergency Experiments with Model Fatty Soils, Textile Res. J. 36, 99-112 (1966).

Fort, T. , Jr., Billica, H.R. , and Sloan, C.K. , Studies of Soiling and Detergency, Part I: Observations of Naturally Soiled Textile Fibers, Textile Res. J. 36, 7-12 (1966).

Galbraith, R.L. , Cleaning Efficiency of Home Laundering Detergents , J. Home Econ. 52, 353-358 (1960).

Ginn, M.E. , and Harris, J.C. , Correlation Between . Critical Micelle Concentration, Fatty Soil Removal, and Solubilization, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 38, 605-609 (1961).

Gordon, B.E. , Roddewig, J. , and Shebs, W.T. , A Double Label Radiotracer Approach to Detergency Studies, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 44, 289-294 (1967).

Harker, R.P. , Some Observations on the Mechanism of Detergency, J. Textile Inst. 50, T189-T222 (1959).

10.

Lawrence, A.S.C. , The Mechanism of Detergence, Nature, Lond. 183, 1491-1494 (1959).

11.

Morris. M.A. , and Prato, H.H. , The Effect of Wash Temperature on Removal of Particulate and Oily Soil from Fabrics of Varying Fiber Content , Textile Res. J. 52, 280-286 (1982).

12.

Obendorf, S.K. , and Klemash, N.A. , Electron Microscopical Analysis of Oily Soil Penetration into Cotton and Polyester/Cotton Fabrics, Textile Res. J. 52, 434-442 ( 1982).

13.

Obendorf, S.K. , Namasté, Y.M.N. , and Durnam , D.J. , A Microscopical Study of Residual Oily Soil Distribution on Fabrics of Varying Fiber Content , Textile Res. J. 53, 375-383 ( 1983).

14.

Powe, W.C. , Removal of Fatty Soils from Cotton in Aqueous Detergent Systems, J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 40, 290-294 (1963).

15.

Schott, H. , Comments Regarding the Washability of Cotton and the Rolling-Up Mechanism of Detergency, Textile Res. J. 39, 296-298 (1969).

16.

Scott, B.A. , Mechanism of Fatty Soil Removal, J. Appl. Chem. 13, 133-144 (1963).

17.

Smith, S. , and Sherman, P.O. , Textile Characteristics Affecting the Release of Soil During Laundering, Part I: A Review and Theoretical Consideration of the Effects of Fiber Surface Energy and Fabric Construction on Soil Release, Textile Res. J. 39, 441-449 (1969).

18.

Stevenson, D.G. , A Microscopic Study of Molecular Complex Formation and Soil Removal, J. Textile Inst. 44, T12-T35 (1953).