Detergency of Clay Soil Particles in a Water/Ethanol Mixture Part II: Effects of the Addition of Nonionic Surfactant on Detergency

Abstract

Assessment was made of detergency toward clay particle soil on heavily (surface reflectance 55%) and lightly (surface reflectance 70%) soiled cotton clothing in a water/ethanol mixture, using a Terg-O-Tometer washing machine. A nonionic surfactant was added to the water/ethanol mixture to enhance detergency. Heavily soiled clothing detergency was little affected by this addition. However, lightly soiled cloth detergency was improved by the addition of surfactants having an ethanol concentration of less than 20%. It was recognized that a 20% water/ethanol mixture containing polyoxyethylene lauryl ether with 8 or 12 ethylene oxide groups would make an excellent washing solution. The detergency of such washing solutions with 100% ethanol concentration was 0%. The ζ-potential, the penetration of washing solution into clay particles and cotton powder cut from cotton yarn, and the effects of entropy at the surfactant adsorbed layer may all be considered to account for how detergency determines the amount of adhesion of clay particles on cotton cloth.