laundry care products performance testing
TRANSCRIPT
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LAUNDRY CARE PRODUCTS PERFORMANCE TESTING
Joe McCarthyLab Services Manager/Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist
www.delltech.comProduct Safety - Regulatory Affairs – Lab Services
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WHY Test?
Formula development & screening
Evaluate performance of new product formulations.Set a benchmark to compare future reformulations against.
Claims validation/support
Does is actually work?Are you making specific marketing or performance claims?National Brand Equivalency (NBE), how does it compare to other products?
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3rd party certification
WHY Test?
The Green Seal Certification Mark:
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It all starts and ends with customer.
Why buy a product that does not work?
Why sell a product that does not work?
WHY Test?
So why NOT test?
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Commonly used or cited methods for Cleaning Products
ASTM D4265 - Evaluating Stain Removal Performance in Home LaunderingASTM D5343 - Cleaning Performance of Ceramic Tile CleanersASTM D3556* Deposition on Glassware During Mechanical DishwashingASTM D4009* Foam Stability of Hand Dishwashing DetergentsASTM D4488 - Cleaning Performance of Products Intended for Use on Resilient Flooring & Washable Walls
WHERE can we find Test Methods?
www.astm.org
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Consumer Specialty Products Association http://www.cspa.org/product-category/publications/
Includes 17 different Methods across a range of product categories such as All Purpose Cleaners, Glass Cleaners, Bathroom Cleaners, Laundry Detergents, Pre-Spotter, Fabric
Softeners, Oven Cleaners & Dish Detergents.
WHERE can we find Test Methods?
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ASTM D3050 Standard Guide for Measuring Soil Removal from Artificially Soiled Fabrics
A laboratory scale bench top evaluation of detergents.Allows for rapid screening of formulations and/or water conditions.
Automatic control of agitation and water temperaturesWash/rinse cycle typically finished 10-13 minute range
TERG-O-TOMETER
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Pros ConsQuick assessment Terg-o-Tometer $$$
Run multiple product/test conditions simultaneously Reflectometer (Colorimeter) $
Recommends use of standard soiled fabrics Evaluates performance Instrumentally using only Reflectance value of the stain
Less specific on testing considerations (fabric types, soils, orientations, pretreatment of
fabrics for ballast of soiled swatches)
% Improvement in Reflectance =
Reflectance of soil swatch after washing - Reflectance of soil swatches before washing X 100Reflectance of unsoiled swatch before washing - Reflectance of soil swatches before washing
ASTM D3050 Standard Guide for Measuring Soil Removal from Artificially Soiled Fabrics
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ASTM D4265 – Standard Guide for Evaluating Stain Removal Performance
in Home Laundering
A full scale evaluation of performance with Household Washers & Dryers. Correlates more closely with the Consumer Experience
Allows flexibility in the choice of testing conditions including:
• Washing Machines (Traditional Top loader, HE Front Loader, HE Top Loader)• Fabric Selection (Cotton, Cotton/Poly blend, synthetics, knits, woven)• Stains (Proteins, Starchy, Bleachable, Fats, Oils, Grease)• Water Temperature & Hardness• Evaluation (Visible, Instrumental)
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Pros ConsUses Household machines Longer times to run product/test condition
Evaluation visually or Instrumentally Infrastructure to support multiple machines
Instrumental evaluation uses compete color scale More effort required to adjust water conditions (Temperature and hardness)
More detailed guidance on test conditions such as fabric types, soils, orientation, pretreatment of
fabrics for ballast & soiled swatches.
Reproducibility. Different machines have inherent variables. Wash
times, wash & rinse volumes, agitation size etc.
Guidance for preparing stained fabrics
ASTM D4265 – Standard Guide for Evaluating Stain Removal Performance
in Home Laundering
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ASTM D4265 – Standard Guide for Evaluating Stain Removal Performance
in Home Laundering
Stain considerations – manually prepared stains
ASTM D4265 includes 2 annexes to provide guidance on manually preparing stains.
Presents a challenge for
1) Repeatability: different individuals will prepare stains slightly differently (time/volume/pressure)2) Reproducibility: different Labs will have different sources of stains, particularly natural stains like grass
& blood 3) Time/Labour Intensive: Takes time precondition/cut/stains and cure swatches.
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ASTM D4265 – Standard Guide for Evaluating Stain Removal Performance in Home Laundering
Stain considerations – Standard Soiled Fabrics
Standard soiled fabrics in a wide range of stains and fabrics are commercially available
CFT CS-15 EMPA 111 CFT CS-32 EMPA 114
Fruit Juice Blood, not aged Sebum w. Carbon black Red Wine, not aged
www.testfabrics.com
http://www.sdlatlas.com/
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Cotton-Jersey with 15 different stains: Make-up, Curry, Red wine, Tomato sauce, Blood, Dessert (chocolate), Peat, Tea, Beta-Carotene, Grass,
Animal fat/red dye, Baby-food, Clay, Butter, used Engine oil
EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) Stain Monitor 102
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How is Performance Evaluated?Instrumentally
Reflectometer (Colorimeter)
Measures Color, not reflectance (gloss)
L = Lightness (100 = Pure white, 0 = Pure Black)a = Red/green
b = Blue/yellow
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How is Performance Evaluated?Instrumentally
Stain Removal Index (SRI)
The SRI is a 0-100 scale, with 0 = no stain removal and 100 = complete stain removal
SRI = 100 x ΔE*(US-UF) - ΔE*(WS-UF)
ΔE*(US-UF)
Where: US = Unwashed stain area UF = Unwashed (unstained) fabric area ΔE*(US-UF) = Delta-E color difference between the unwashed stain and the unwashed fabric Δ E*(WS-UF) = Delta-E color difference between the washed stain and the unwashed fabric.
The value ΔE (absolute color difference) is calculated as:ΔE* = √ΔL*2+ Δa*2+ Δb*2
Where: L = reflectance, a = redness/greenness, b = yellowness/blueness,
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How is Performance Evaluated?Visually
Using a 1 to 5 Rating Scale by comparing stains after washing against the AATCC 130 Stain release Replica.
1 = Residual stain equivalent to Replica 12 = Residual stain equivalent to Replica 23 = Residual stain equivalent to Replica 34 = Residual stain equivalent to Replica 4
5 = No residue stain
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Trick is to judge intensity of stain. Challenge is in applying a monochromatic scale to colored stains.
Original Intent of AATCC 130 was to evaluate the ability of fabrics to release oily stains (Corn oil)
Many stains are intensely colored or saturated and rate lower than 1.0
How do you rate these stains?
How is Performance Evaluated?Visually
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How is Performance Evaluated?
Image Analysis
Uses a combination of digital scanning/photography along with Image Analysis software.
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How is Performance Evaluated?
Summary of Techniques
Stain Before AfterASTM D4265Colorimeter
Stain removal index
AATCC 130 visual rating
(5 judges)
Image analysis(Lightness only using
D3050 equation)
Motor oil 76.6% 1.5 48.9%
Animal fat & red dye 64.4% 2 49.9%
Tomato Sauce 82.3% 3.5 74.4%
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How is Performance Evaluated?
Summary of TechniquesMethod of Evaluation Pros Cons
Instrumental
Quantitative dataNIST traceable calibration
Used in published standard methodsHistory as Industry Standard
Factors measurement of stain before washing in calculations
Cost of ColorimeterLimited area of measurement without taking
multiple readings across stain area.
Visual EconomicalQuick
SubjectiveDoes not factor in stain before washing in
ratingMonochromatic scale
Requires a panel of judges (≥3)
Image AnalysisQuantitative data
Economical & AccessibleComplete Stain area selection
color scaleCalibration traceability?
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Color loss susceptibility Dye swatch IDHeavy Nylon 6.6 dyed Acid red 151,
Medium Cotton Print Cloth Direct Blue 1Light Cotton Print Cloth Direct Blue 90
ASTM D5548 Standard Guide for Evaluating Color Transfer or Color Loss of Dyed Fabrics in Laundering
This test method evaluates the degree of color loss from a dyed fabric and or color transfer to undyed fabric.
Uses 3 different standard dyed swatches prone to heavy, medium or light color loss along with undyed cotton print cloth to accept released dye.
Each dyed swatch is washed separately in a Terg-o-tometerBut can be modified to use a household machine as in ASTM D4265
How is Performance Evaluated?
Color Loss & Transfer
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Color Loss (or Color Transfer) is measured as absolute Color change ΔE
ΔE = √ (Lw - Lo)2 + (aw – ao)2 + (bw - bo)2
Where: L = reflectance, a = redness/greenness, b = yellowness/blueness w = fabric before washing o = fabric after washing
How is Performance Evaluated?
Color Loss & Transfer
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Foam is not your Friend
It all starts and ends with customer.
Frustrates customer, wastes water, energy & time
FOAMING
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FOAMINGASTM D1173 Standard Test Method for Foaming
Properties of Surface-Active Agents(Ross Miles Foam Test)
ASTM D3519-Standard Test Method for Foam in Aqueous Media (Blender Test)
Assess both how much foam is produced immediately and how quickly it knocks down
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Looking for more on Formulation & Testing?
Consumer Specialty Products Association hosts a Cleaning Products Fundamentals Course every 2 years at its mid-year meeting.
CSPA is planning an Intermediate Course for May 2016 in Washington D.C.
Presented by leading Companies and industry ProfessionalsCurriculum includes surfactants, builders, additives, solvents, formulations,
testing, sustainability & regulatory issues.
Look for information & registration at http://www.cspa.org/events/cspa-event-directory/
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Questions/Comments/Contact
Joe McCarthyLab Services Manager/Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist
Dell Tech Laboratories
T: 519-858-5024
Product Safety - Regulatory Affairs – Lab Services