Laundry Material
Std 10 2014-15
HSC Facilitator: Jasmina S
Laundry Material
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Water
Soap
Detergents
Optical Whiteners
Stiffening Agents
WATER
Functions
• Acts as an solvent to remove dirt and stains
from the fabric
• Dissolves and emulsifies soaps and detergents
making washing quick and easy
• Allows soap and detergent to penetrate into
fabrics
• Pedesis is the movement of water particles
Two types
• Soft water-sweet in taste
• Good taste , does not contain impurities of Ca
and Mg ,good and easy lather with soap
• Hard water-saltish in taste , contains
impurities of Ca and Mg , soap does not give
lather.
Hard Water-Saline water
• Contains salt of calcium and magnesium –not
help in forming lather until enough soap is
used to precipitate calcium and magnesium
• It has to be softened –washing
• Water containing bicarbonates cause
temporary hardness-can be removed by
boiling
• Sulphates and chlorides cause permanent
hardness-removed by use of chemicals or
distillation
Hardness of Water
2 types
• Temporary hard water
Presence of bicarbonates of calcium and
magnesium .
Easily removed by boiling water/lime water
• Permanent hard water
Presence of chlorides and sulphates of calcium
and magnesium ,cannot be removed by
boiling.
Permanent hardness
Permanent hardness can be removed by
• Calcium hydroxide
• Ammonia solution NH3 (be careful with the
proportion-loosen the dye of coloured fabric)
• Borax is used for water containing 20% of
hardness
• Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate Na2Co3)added to hard water insoluble calcium and
magnesium salts are formed-purified –soft
water
SOAP
• Soap is a metallic salt of saturated and
unsaturated higher fatty acids.
• Product of reaction of an alkali on oils and
fats-saponification-remove dirt by
emulsification
• Most important cleaning material of laundry
Functions of soap
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Makes penetration of water into fabric easier
Emulsifies grease, dirt, facilitating cleaning
Makes easier to remove floating dirt
Breaks dirt and dust –small particles which
float on top
Composition of soap
• Essential and non-essential
Ing: Caustic soda or caustic potash
Fatty acids and alkalie both animal and
vegetable fats are used
Non essential:
• Naphtha and mineral oil increases
effectiveness of soap
• Starch in the soap gives firmness to soap
• Water
• French chalk –filling agent
Types of soap
Types of laundry soap
• Bar Soap-square block forms,economical
• Neutral Soap-No alkali, helps to improve
washing quality e.g Castile soap
• Soap flakes-dried to remove water and then
flaked –they are covered with thin film
• Disinfectant soap-contains 3-4 % carbolic acid
.used in hospitals
• Solvent soaps-available in solid,liquid or
powdered form,prepared by dissolving soap in
grease solvent.
Types of laundry soap
• Reetanut-Dry fruit of Sapindus mukorassi prepared by adding
802 of reetanut with 2pint of boiling water. They are soaked
and sieved. Highly acidic unlike soap which is alkaline.
Compund of milk,sugar and saponin. Colored silk and cotton
are washed –to retain color and lustre. Also used to clean gold
,silver and washing hair.
• Shikakai-Found in South India , Excellent for silk and wool
fabric, retains color and adds lustre. When combined with
reetanut and boiled ,it forms shampoo.
• Oxygen washer-soap powders which contains sodium
parborate, which release oxygen and removes color and dirt
from white fabric
• Soap Jelly-laundry soap is diluted in hot water to make soap
jelly -1% soap and 4% water-used to wash silk,wool,and rayon
fabrics
Qualities of laundry Soap
• Good soap should be light in color,dark color
contains impurities
• Should be firm when pressed with finger. harder
soaps may contain sodium silicate and are very
cheap
• White crystals should not be developed on soap after
storage for a long period
• Soaps should appear granular when broken
• Yellow translucent soaps are not good > They may
contain excess resin which discolors the fabric
Detergents
• Synthetic detergents –petrochemicals
• They have replaced soaps –they are less
affected by hard water and removes dirt and
grease easily, cheaper than soap
• Good detergents clean clothes without
agitation, in all types of water ,is effective over
wide range of temp, harmless to skin and
fabric,easily rinsed out and biodegradable
Types of detergents
Sodium Alkyl Sulphates-Oils and fats are
reduced in presence of excess of hydrogen .
Copper salts are used as catalyst.
Quaternary Ammonium Salts: Compounds
having 1 or more long chain alkyl grps
e.g. tri methyl steryl ammonium bromide
Partially Esterified Polyhydroxy Compounds
Detergents are obtained by partial esterification
eg Monostearate of penta erythitol
Detergent are superior to soap
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Easy to handle-liquid or powder form
Wet fabrics quickly and readily than soap
Used both in hard and soft water
Forms more lather and removes dirt and
grease faster and effectively
• Some detergents contain blue and bleach
,hence reduces the need of extra blue and
bleach
Use different detergent for
different fabric
• Woolen-mild neutral powder or liquid
detergent
• White cotton-a strong detergent containing
bleach and optical whitener
• Washing silk-neutral liquid detergent as
powders are harsh .
Optical Whiteners
Optical Whiteners
• White clothes loose their whiteness and
acquire a yellowish tinge ,after being washed
and dried for several times
• To restore: Following are used
1. Bleaching –Oxidizing and Reducing bleaches
2. Blueing- ultramarine,prussian ,indigo, Aniline
3. Brightened agents – known as White dyes
Bleaching
• When fabrics are made, they are not white in colour, due to
impurities and colouring material present in them. To make
them white or to dye them in light colours they are bleached.
Suitable bleaching agents are used to remove the colour from
the fabric.
• Bleaching is done for cottons, woolens and silks. Man-made
fabrics do not need bleaching as they are naturally white.
• Bleaching has to be done very carefully as the chemical which
can destroy the colour may also damage the fabric to some
extent.
• Easy to rinse out. They have lower surface tension.
• Hydrogen peroxide is a universal bleach which can be applied
to all kinds of fabrics.
Types of bleaches
• A bleach is a chemical that can remove or lighten
color, usually via oxidation.
• Oxidising and Reducing bleaches
• Oxidising Bleaches-Release oxygen which combine
with colored part of the stain and converts it into
colourless compounds. Should not be kept for longer
time.
• Reducing bleaches- Removes oxygen from the
colored part of the stain converting into colorless
compound.
Bleaches
• Oxidising bleaches: Air and sunlight-oldest
method , easiest and cheapest .Cotton and
Linen .
• Javelle water (sodium hypochlorite):used for
white cotton. It shd be used when dilute. It
should not be kept for longer period of time.
• Should not be used
• on wool/silk , used to boil fabrics,colored
fabrics
Sodium Perborate: Formed from borax , caustic soda
and hydrogen peroxide.
It is used on cotton and linen with dilution . On fabrics
by diluting with 6 parts of water.
Potassium Permanganate: It is a safe bleach. Stains of
perspiration and mildew are treated . Thorough rinsing
is required.
Hydrogen peroxide: It is safe and effective bleach .
Used on cotton and linen without dilution. On other
fabrics by diluting with 6 parts of cold water.
Reducing Bleaches
• Sodium hydrosulphite: used on all fabrics
,specially used for wool and silk. Should not be
used in metal container.
• Sodium Bisulphite : It is used to whiten the
white fabrics yellowed with age.
• Ammonia: Its strong solution is used on silk
and wool. Used in treating grease and scotch
mark from animal fabrics.
• Oxalic Acid: it is used to remove iron rust and
fruit stains. It is used with hydrogen peroxide
to remove writing ink stains.
Acetic acid: It is used for household purposes as
vinegar . Used to treat over blued fabrics. It is
used in the dyeing of silks and finishes to silk
and rayon.
Petrol: It is highly inflammable. Used to remove
grease stains
Acetone: Helpful to remove stains like cosmetics
,nail polish , paints etc
Precaution in using bleaches
• Use bleach of known strength
• Dilute the bleach and add gradually
• Avoid over bleaching –weakens the fabric and
leads to cracking
• Temp should be below 60 degree celsius
• Rinse after bleaching
Method of bleaching
• Dilute the bleach in a small container with
water
• Add bleaching water in the tub
• Put clothes
• Care should be taken to wash thoroughly to
remove all bleaches
Blueing
• Three types of laundry bluing are in common
use, namely, ultramarine, Prussian, and aniline
blues.
• The commercial blues which come in balls or
blocks with directions to wrap them in a piece
of flannel or other cloth and shake them
about in the water to be blued are generally
ultramarine
Blueing
• Liquid bluing, in the home laundry, usually is a
Prussian blue. It is greenish-blue in color and
soluble in water. Clothes are occasionally
overblued with Prussian, as with other
bluings, or may become streaked(dotted) with
the bluing if it has not been mixed evenly with
the water.
Blueing
• Indigo blue: Prepared from leaves of certain
plants.
• Soluble blue: Chemical dyes and available in
powder and liquid forms –more in use –even
coloring and no sediments
Method of applying blue
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Make a paste of powder blue in little water
Add the blue in the last rinse of water
Dip the clothes immediately
Open out the clothes to ensure even
penetration > do not leave the clothes in
water and leave it standing-to avoid patches
• Gently squeeze the clothes
• Dry in shade not sun
Brightening Agents
• Known as White Dyes
• Suitable for cotton, wool , nylon and polyster
fabrics
• Produce brilliant whitening effect on fabrics –
convert normally invisible light rays by
reflecting them as visible “white light”
Stiffening Agent
• Stiffening means the fabric which is generally
limp becomes stiff when a stiffening agent is
applied.
• Use maida starch or rice water. For stiffening
silk and rayon, gums are used.
• Stiffening gives body smoothness , lustre to
the fabric , neat appearance ,reduces the
holding down of dust and dirt , facilitates stain
and soil removal , gives crispness to the fabric.
Types of Stiffening Agents
• Natural-Starches from
maize,corn,wheat,potatoes,rice,etc
• Gums-Agar, arabic,guar
• Glues-Gelatin, albamin,caesin
• Modified Natural-Soluble starches-Dextron
• Cellulose derivatives-Methyl cellulose
• Glues-Soya bean
• Synthetic :
Vinyl :Polyvinyl pyrolidone
Acrylic :polyacrylic acid
Natural Sources of Starch
• Rice Starch: Used at home
for cold water starch.
• Wheat Starch : It is very
viscous solution and
provides fabrics with crisp
stiffness.
• Maize Starch/Corn starch: It
is viscous solution and gives
good stiffness.
• Arrowroot Starch : The
roots are boiled and made
into pulp with water.
Expensive .
• Saboodana Starch Superior
quality .It is thin
,translucent and gives good
crispness of fabrics
• Bran water: outer husk of
wheat . Used in cleaning
and stiffening
Method of Stiffening agent
• Choose correct stiffeners needed for the type
of fabric e.g starch-cotton & gum arabic- silk,
rayon,lace .
• Wash it properly
• Prepare enough starch to cover the fabric.
• Gently squeeze out and dry
• Shake the wrinkles out of the garments and
line dry
• Dry garments should be sprayed with water
and rolled up for 30 mins to allow moisture to
penetrate evenly before ironing
Use of Stiffeners-Notes
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Starch-hot water
Starch-cold water
Gelatin
Gum Arabic
Um tragacanth
Glue
Synthetic sizings