1、Designation: D 4265 98 (Reapproved 2007)e1Standard Guide forEvaluating Stain Removal Performance in HomeLaundering1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4265; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case of revision, the year
2、 of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.e1NOTEThe superscript 2 was added to the “a” terms in Eq 1 and in Note 2, opm was replaced with spm.1. Scope1.1 This is a gui
3、de for evaluating stain removal performanceof home laundry products or home laundering conditions. Itprovides guidance for the selection, preparation, application,and examination of various types of stains on test fabrics thatare subjected to controlled but practical stain removal treat-ment conditi
4、ons.1.2 There is no single type of stain that will predict theoverall performance of a product or treatment method.Asingletest, even with a variety of stains, can only predict howproducts or treatment methods compare under the particularconditions chosen for evaluation. A series of assessments isnec
5、essary to evaluate the many aspects of stain removalperformance and to simulate consumer experience moreclosely.1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate saf
6、ety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D 1729 Practice for Visual Appraisal of Colors and ColorDifferences of Diffusely-Illuminated Opaque MaterialsD 2960 Guide for Controlled Laundering Test Using N
7、atu-rally Soiled Fabrics and Household Appliances3. Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 home launderingthe cleaning and restoring of tex-tile materials to a serviceable condition, using the washing anddrying equipment commonly found in the home.3.1.2 staina local area of undesired foreign matter on ate
8、xtile material, differing in appearance from the textile sub-strate.4. Summary of Guide4.1 Stains are artificially applied in a standardized mannerto specified fabric substrates.After a prescribed time for settingthe stains, the test swatches are treated with the products orprocedures being compared
9、 or both, and the relative degree ofremoval is assessed.5. Significance and Use5.1 This guide suggests a number of staining agents that arerepresentative of stains commonly encountered in householdlaundry. The assessment need not be limited to this suggestedlist of stains, especially if special prod
10、uct types or end uses arebeing evaluated. However, even when the assessment incorpo-rates a wide variety of stains, an overall performance rankingof products or treatment methods cannot be presumed sincethere is no confirmed basis for correlation of this controlledlaboratory technique with consumers
11、 ranking of stain removalperformance.5.2 The evaluations generated by this guide should beregarded as diagnostic screening tests that are useful informulation studies, quality control, and ingredient raw mate-rial qualification. This guide provides considerable flexibilityin choosing specific stains
12、, washing conditions, and laboratoryequipment appropriate to the objective of the evaluation. Thisprocedural latitude may result in a reduced level of interlabo-ratory precision and such comparison of results must beevaluated with caution.1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D12 o
13、n Soaps andOther Detergents and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D12.15 onPhysical Testing.Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2007. Published January 2007. Originallyapproved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as D 4265 98.2For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website
14、, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.1Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
15、5.3 The procedure is applicable to all types of home laundryproducts including detergents, presoak and prespotter products,bleaches, and detergent boosters. It is not intended for theevaluation of products or conditions normally associated withcommercial laundering or dry cleaning establishments.6.
16、Selection and Preparation of Fabric Swatches6.1 The relative effectiveness of various laundry products orprocedures for removing different types of stains will beinfluenced by the nature of the fabric substrate. Testing shouldencompass more than one type of fabric, with results tabulatedseparately f
17、or each fabric type. The fabric types most commonin U. S. laundry are polyester/cotton blends with permanentpress finish, all cotton, all polyester, and nylon.NOTE 1When ordering precut swatches, the vendor must be alertedthat identification of the face side and grain (thread direction) of theswatch
18、es is an important testing criterion. These factors must also beconsidered when bulk yardage is purchased from any source by theexperimenter for eventual cutting into test specimen swatches.6.2 All fabric test swatches should be washed prior toapplication of stains. This is done to eliminate residue
19、s of millfinishing agents which might influence stain removal resultsand also to better simulate the fabric condition when stainingincidents occur in household use.6.2.1 Sufficient yardage of test fabric is pre-washed tocoverthe needs of the test series. The washing is moreefficiently done before th
20、e cloth is cut into individual swatches,but can be accomplished with the pre-cut swatches if this is thefabric form that has been purchased.6.2.2 Minimum pre-washing conditions would be two washcycles in a household automatic washer (see Note 2) with 1406 5 F (less than 3 grains) water and ambient (
21、less than 3grains) than water rinses. The first cycle should include arecommended usage level of detergent (AATCC StandardDetergent or the detergent being used in the test) and 1 cup(240 mL) liquid hypochlorite bleach. The second wash cyclewould include 60 g of a complex phosphate water conditionera
22、nd no detergent or bleach.NOTE 2Any brand of household automatic washer is acceptable as astandard washing machine if it has the following operating characteristicson the normal setting: water fill, 16 to 19 gal; agitator speed, 70 6 5 spm;spin speed, 500 to 510 r/min; washing time, 12 to 15 min.6.2
23、.3 Dry the test cloth 35 to 40 min at 150 6 10 F in ahome dryer after the last wash cycle (see Note 3).NOTE 3Any brand of household automatic electric dryer is acceptableas a standard electric tumble dryer if it has the following operatingcharacteristics: controlled exhaust temperature, ranging betw
24、een 50 and71 C (140 and 160 F); and a cooling period of at least 5 min whiletumbling at the end of the drying circle.6.2.4 Wash carrier towels or ballast fabrics to be used withthe stained test swatches in accordance with 6.2.2, but sepa-rately from the test fabrics.6.3 Iron the fabric on permanent
25、press setting if necessary toobtain a flat, smooth surface.6.4 Cut washed test fabric into desired size swatches.6.4.1 Orientation of the test swatch can influence the ob-served staining/wicking characteristics of the test stain and alsothe stain removal perceived by either visual grading or instru-
26、mental reflectance. It is therefore important to identify thefabric grain (direction of the threads relative to the selvageedge) and the face side of the fabric when the test specimensare made. Devise a swatch marking system to assure that allspecimens in the same test series are stained and graded
27、withthe same fabric orientation.6.4.2 Size of the test swatch is not critical, though swatchesof about 15 to 30 in.2(100 to 200 cm2) in area are suitable forall phases of the testing procedure. To maintain orientationconsistency, use rectangular rather than square swatches.7. Stain Materials7.1 The
28、spectrum of selected staining materials can greatlyinfluence the relative performance assessment of the stainremoval products. The stain types most appropriate for aspecific test series are usually dictated by experience. Stainingmaterials most often recommended for stain removal assess-ments are te
29、a, coffee, wine, grape juice, mustard, spaghettisauce, beef gravy, blueberry puree or jam, chocolate syrup,grass, human or beef blood, ballpoint pen ink, facial makeupbase, dirty motor oil, artificial sebum/particulate soil, and clay.See Annex A1, Annex A2, and Annex A3 for more detaileddescriptions
30、 and preparation information for these stainingmaterials.7.2 A minimum of at least six stain types is suggested forcharacterizing the performance profile of a stain removalproduct, especially if more than one functional ingredient (forexample, oxidizing agent, enzyme, solvent, etc.) is present inthe
31、 tested formulations.8. Stain Application on Swatches8.1 General Techniques for Spotting:8.1.1 The intent is to have the fabric swatch suspendedhorizontally in air with the center of the swatch relatively tautwhen the staining material is applied. Any mounting devicethat will achieve these criteria
32、is acceptable. Suggested devicesinclude wooden or cardboard pinning frames, glass beakers (2in. diameter) with the swatch secured over the top by rubberbands, and glass bottles with the swatch secured within the topopening by a plastic retaining ring.8.1.2 The size of the circular stain pattern shou
33、ld be aminimum of 2 in. in diameter to accommodate instrumentgrading. Many staining agents will wick beyond the originalapplication area.A4 by 5 in. test swatch is suggested if wickingto the edges of the fabric is not desired. Wide variations inwicking patterns across test swatches can increase judg
34、ementvariability when the treated swatches are graded visually.8.1.3 Using a capillary pipet, medicine dropper, metalspatula or 2-in die cut polyurethane sponge (depending onviscosity of the staining material), place an appropriate amountof staining material in the center of the suspended test swatc
35、h.The amount of stain material that will adequately cover theintended spot area will vary by fabric substrate and withdifferent batches of stain material. Some experimentation willbe needed on the first few swatches; these trial swatches shouldthen be discarded. See Annex A3 for further tips on stai
36、napplication techniques.8.1.4 Keep each freshly stained swatch suspended in itspinning frame or place it facesideup on a disposable plasticD 4265 98 (2007)e12cup until stain is dry (usually 2 to 3 h). Do not allow stainedspecimens to contact each other in a manner that would transferstains.8.2 Aging
37、 of Stains:8.2.1 When the aqueous-based stains have thoroughly airdried (feel dry to the touch), set individual swatches in a darkplace at room temperature (70 6 5 F) for a minimum of 1 day.The aging time for oilbased stains may need to be shorteneddue to excessive wicking on some substrates. A mini
38、mum of 4h aging is recommended for oily stains. If wicking to theswatch edge still occurs in this shortened period, use a largerswatch for oily stains or reduce the amount applied.8.2.2 Wrap swatches intentionally held for more than onedays aging in aluminum foil and store in 3540 F controlledtemper
39、ature. Swatches with dry aqueousbased stains can bestacked in bundles for storage, but store oily stains separatelyto avoid crosswicking between test specimens.8.2.3 Even when stored as prescribed in 8.2.2, many stainswill continue to set and become increasingly less responsive tothe test removal tr
40、eatments. The experimenter may deliberatelychoose to age the stains more than 1 day before conducting thetest washings. It is important, however, that all stain specimensin a test series have the same aging history and that this agingtime be one of the recorded fixed variables of the test design.Exp
41、erience has shown that stained swatches should be dis-carded if more than several weeks old.8.2.4 Visually inspect stained swatches selected for a par-ticular testing series for comparable appearance.Any that showatypical application or wicking patterns should not be selected.8.2.5 Place identifying
42、 code markings on the face side ofeach swatch (same side as stain application) to ensure compa-rable orientation of the swatches when they are graded. Use asolventandwashresistant marking ink for coding.9. Procedure9.1 Design the test protocol to generate at least threereplicated values for each typ
43、e of test specimen subjected to theindividual variable (product or procedure) under study. Forexample, in one test run of a washing condition using sixdifferent stains on three fabric types, there would be aminimum of 54 stained swatches (6 stains 3 3 types offabric 3 3 replications) plus nine unsta
44、ined reference swatches(3 types of fabric 3 3 replicates). This allows an adequateestimate of withinrun variability of the results. A second andpreferably, a third run must be done, generating six (or nine)values for each type of stained test specimen. The number ofreplications (swatches per run or
45、number of runs) can beexpanded according to the needs of the experimenter to raisethe confidence level in the analysis of results between treat-ments.9.2 The mixing of different kinds of stains in the same washtreatment is acceptable. However, the mixture of stain typesand total number of stained sw
46、atches (soil load) should be thesame in each treatment wash.9.2.1 Other test protocol factors may present a constraint onthe number of test swatches per wash load (for example, amaximum in the amount of pretreatment product entering thewash bath). Accommodating test designs should still have thestai
47、n type and soil level variables balanced across the treatmentwashes.9.3 The number of unstained swatches to be included ineach test treatment for reflectance blanks should be appropriatefor the test design (see 11.2).9.4 Fixed Test ConditionsAll test conditions not understudy should be fixed within
48、the range of normal householdpractice. If only one test is being run, the following conditionsare suggested as representative of many households:9.4.1 Matched Washing MachinesAll washings must beperformed in the same machine or in mechanically matchedunits of the same model machine.9.4.2 Washer Sett
49、ingsRegular cycle; appropriate water fillfor clothes load size; 12 min wash period; regular spin speed.9.4.3 Water Characteristics; Wash and Rinse:9.4.3.1 Temperature90 6 2 F wash cycle; ambient waterrinses.9.4.3.2 Hardness35 ppm (2 grains/gal); 100 ppm (6grains/gal); 150 ppm (9 grains/gal) (see Note 4); and 260 ppm(15 grains/gal).NOTE 4Suggested hardness if only one level is tested.9.4.3.3 The calcium/magnesium ratio of the hardness min-erals (expressed as CaCO3) should be adjusted for differentwater hardnesses as follows:Water Hardness Range Ca/Mg
