List of Chemicals Used in Garment Washing.
Introduction:
Apparel washing
is one of the important key point to the buyers for
attracting the customers in their products. After washing the garments, its
look like too much pretty, which attract the customers. In garments washing,
a lot of chemicals used to complete the whole processes. Those chemicals have
discussed in this article with their functions.
List
of Chemicals Used in Laundry:
Various types
of chemicals used in garments washing
are mentioned in the following:
- Whitening agent,
- Wetting agent,
- Detergent silicon,
- Hygroscopic agent,
- Fixing agent,
- Softening agent,
- Defoaming agent,
- Silicon,
- Rubbing fastness improvers,
- Sequestering agent,
- Meta by sulphite,
- Weight giving agent,
- Water proofing agent,
- Enzyme,
- Acid
enzyme,
- Neutral enzyme,
- Stiffering agent,
- Bleaching
agent,
- Chlorine bleach,
- Calcium hypochlorite,
- Sodium hypochlorite,
- Hydrogen peroxide,
- Anti-back-stain,
- Caustic,
- Potash,
- Soda,
- Acetic acid,
- Lakage,
- Phosphoric acid,
- Hypo,
- Ant mildew agent,
- Biopolishing.
Functions
of Washing Chemical:
Functions of each chemical
have discussed in the below:
1.
Whitening agent:
The chemicals
which is used for more whitening the garments is
called whitening agent. Basically we use this chemical in garments washing
for white garments to achieve more whiteness like optical brightener, 4bk etc.
2.
Wetting agent:
The agent
which is used to increase the wet property in the garments is called wetting
agent. We use this chemical in the washing bath to
proper wet the garments so that washing chemicals
can easily used and work properly. Example: lissapo.
3.
Detergent silicon:
Detergents
are that chemical which removes the stain from the garments during
washing. There are many types of detergents such as acidic detergent and alkali
detergent.
4.
Hygroscopic agent:
The agent
which can easily absorb water from the nature is called hygroscopic agent. When
the environment is very weighty that time we use these types of agent to avoid
the excessive moisture from the garments.
Example: calcium chloride, amylo pectin etc.
5.
Fixing agent:
The agent
which is used for fixing the dyes with the fabric is called fixing agent. In
case of garments dyeing
we use this agent after completing dyeing.
6.
Softening agent:
This types of
chemicals is used in garments washing
for softening the garments which is widely used in garments washing sector.
Because hand feel is a great factor in garments washing.
There are different types of softening chemicals used in in garments washing.
Among those cat-ionic and non ionic softener is mostly used. In case of color
garments we use cat-ionic softener and for white garments we use non ionic
softener. Softeners are working inside the garments cellulose.
7.
De foaming agent:
The agent
which is used in garments washing for reducing foaming from the garments
is called de-foaming agent. When excessive foam is produced at dyeing or
washing bath then we use this chemical.
8.
Silicon:
It is used
for final finishing the garments. Silicon provides excellent smoothness; nice
durability and good hand feel to the garments. Silicon is one kinds of metal
but it has high lubricant properties.
9.
Rubbing fastness improvers:
Rubbing
fastness will increase after using these types of washing chemical.
10.
Sequestering agent:
It is
used in garments washing
for processing the calcium and magnesium ions which dissolve in the water.
These ions are creating obstacles in wet processing causing pin hole effect.
11.
Meta by sulphite:
It is a
neutralization agent which is used in garments washing
for oxidizing the garments. After using potash and bleach in the garments, we
used this agent to neutral those. It helps to achieve reddish tone in the
garments.
12.
Weight giving agent:
The chemical
which increase the weight of the fabric is called weight giving agent. This
types of agent attached with the garments which
will not remove by normal washing or laundry.
13.
Water proofing agent:
The chemical
which is used in garments washing for protecting water absorbing is called
water absorbing agent. Example: PVC.
14.
Enzyme:
Enzymes are used
as cleaning products such as cleaning and fabric care agent. Most of the
enzymes break down soils and stains.
15.
Acid enzyme:
Acid enzyme works at
acidic medium that means when water at acidic condition (PH range 5-5.5) and
comparatively at low temperature (45-50°C). We have to control this enzyme
activity by checking PH of washing bath by
adding acid or basic. In garments washing bath, we select the enzyme based on
the garments shade. This enzyme is available in liquid form.
16.
Neutral enzyme:
Neutral enzyme works at
neutral condition that means when water at (PH 6.5-7) and comparatively at high
temperature (55-60°C). Here also we have to control the enzyme activity by
checking the PH of washing bath by adding acid or basic. These enzymes are
available in powder form.
17.
Stiffering agent:
This type of
chemical is used in garments washing for stiff or hardness of garments.
Example: resin, silicate and melamine.
18.
Bleaching agent:
Bleaching agent
is used in garments washing for reducing color from the garments. It has
various using at others industries also. Based on construction, bleach is two
types, chlorine and non chlorine beach.
19.
Chlorine bleach:
Chlorine
bleach contains chlorine at different percentage. Its activity depends on the
chlorine percentage. Chlorine bleach are also
two types i.e. sodium hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite.
20.
Calcium hypochlorite:
Calcium
chloride is one kinds of chlorine bleach. The basic difference between sodium
hypochlorite and calcium hypochlorite is that sodium hypochlorite is liquid and
calcium hypochlorite is powder. Powder form is easy to handle and transport. It
is widely used washing chemical for water treatment. The chemical is greater
availability and stability than sodium hypochlorite.
21.
Sodium hypochlorite:
Its chemical
formula is NaOCl. I is produced by the reaction of sodium hydroxide and
chlorine gas.
22.
Hydrogen peroxide:
It is widely
used in garments washing. It is good oxidizer and used as bleaching and
cleaning agent. Sometimes it is used as a neutralizing agent. It is also high
flammability.
23.
Anti-back-stain:
In garments
washing, anti-back-stain helps to protect back staining from water. In the bulk
wash we have to use different chemicals and for the affect of chemicals color
is washed out from the garments. Those colors may again back to the garments
specially at pocket area. To protect those colors anti back satin is used.
24.
Caustic:
It is a
strong alkali substance, also a cleaning agent. In garments washing bath, we
have to use this for removing color and cleaning. After using this chemical PH
value will increase. It is also used as de-sizing agent.
25.
Potash:
Potash is a
strong oxidizer. Mainly wee used this chemical in garments washing to
reduce the color from the sitting and local area that area previously scrapped.
Its chemical name is potassium per manganate. Its color is reddish. We used
this chemical in garments washing by mixing with the water and making a
solution. After making solution then spray on the garments.
26.
Soda:
It is also an
alkali type substance which is used to remove color. Its PH also higher. We
used this chemical for de-sizing, cleaning and scouring agent. Both caustic and
soda is same but soda is used for achieving reddish tone and caustic is used
for blue tone.
27.
Acetic acid:
It is one
kinds of acid which has various uses at garments washing plant. We used this
chemical to control PH and cleaning purpose.
28.
Lakage:
It is one
kinds of enzyme which is used in garments washing for achieving gray cast
color. It is in powder form. It is special types of enzyme. When the garments
showing too much blue but need reddish or gray tone that time we used lakage
enzyme.
29.
Phosphoric acid:
It is one
kinds of acid which is specially used for active the oxidizer. It is used in
the mixture of potash. If we add phosphoric acid in the potash solution then
potash will be more active.
30.
Hypo:
It is a
strong neutralizing agent. After using any oxidizer we used this chemical to
neutralize the garments. It is used for achieving blue tone in the garments.
31.
Ant mildew agent:
The chemical
which protect the garments from mold and mildew is called anti mildew agent.
Example: Zinc chloride.
32.
Biopolishing:
It is one
kinds of acid enzyme. But there is little different from acid enzyme. In
biopolishing, there was buffer solution but acid enzyme no buffer solution. In
case of buffer solution, PH remains same as earlier. This types of chemical is
used in garments washing for removing brush for its special action. After
using biopolishing, garments achieved more softness.
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Great! Thanks for sharing this article chemicals used in textile industry
For a textile student, It is important to know about these chemicals. Thanks for share with us.
We can increase the life time of clothes by washing them properly. Textile waste management