The effects of washing conditions on soil removal in domestic laundering processes

In the domestic laundering process, relatively high wash temperatures and long wash times have traditionally been used for optimum soil removal. The use of lower wash temperatures could result in a substantial reduction in the amount of energy used in laundering. The purpose of this study was to determine soil removal from cotton, polyester, polyester/cotton, wool and wool/polyester fabrics at a range of wash temperatures, wash times, pre-wash times and liquor ratios. The samples were soiled with sebum, coke, instant coffee, sour cherry juice and meat sauce. Soil removal was determined by the differences between remission values of fabrics before and after washing. Optimum temperature and times for soil removal was estimated for all soils and fabrics. © AUTEX