Abstract

Target a recently finished wfk research project was the development of a gentle water based cleaning process for high-quality business clothing. Focus of the development was cleaning performance and environmental protection. Industry showed great interest in the project and the meetings of the project advisory board were always attended by more than 20 persons from the areas of dry cleaners, textile service enterprises as well as laundry machinery and detergent manufacturers.

Reprocessing of high-quality outer wear from the future market of attractive business clothing currently is insufficient because of complicated making up, use of sensitive fibres and a broad range of soils and stains. This type of clothing which is sensitive to mechanics and temperature, is mainly treated in solvents up till now. Sufficient stain and soil removal is only achieved by application of extensive manual pre-spotting (especially at stains from food). Sweat removal is insufficient and finally there is the danger of increased greying, especially regarding the currently increased trend to dry cleaning processing without distillation and/or insufficient filtration of the cleaning liquor. Wet cleaning actually can compensate partly those disadvantages, but is not suitable because of the complicated textile constructions which could be damaged and the ineffective removal of certain soilings because of the low mechanical agitation. In addition, high-quality finishing of wet cleaned items is labour and cost extensive.

In the frame of a wfk research project the selected solution was the application of gentle textile treatment in cold water of up to 6 °C in combination ...