an investigation of domestic laundry in europe - habits ... - SIFO

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3 Assessment of the functional performanceof European laundry processes and detergentsJan Tore Halvorsen Gunnarsen3.1 IntroductionOne of the most important functions of a laundering process is the wash performance,defined by the elimination of visible soil and stains from textiles.With the introduction of European ecolabelling systems for both detergentsand washing machines, the focus on the ecological impact of doing laundryincreased, and during the past 20 years the European countries have experienceda growing trend towards lower wash temperatures, as well as lower energyand water consumption (Kemna)[18]. Unfortunately, these parametersare all related to wash performance, and by lowering them we also reducewash performance (Peel, Burnett, Ainsworth)[19]. Consumers may or may notaccept a reduction in wash performance, and if the washing machines and detergentsare not improved enough to equal this effect, we will sooner or laterfind that common European laundering practices move towards higher washtemperatures again. We have already experienced that consumers wash theirclothes more often, which may be a way of solving the problem of a lowerwash performance. Another way may be to use less environmental-friendlyremedies more frequently. Unfortunately these are not good alternatives forthe environment. Laundry habits are directly related to the satisfaction consumersfind in having fresh, clean textiles; the prominence of these attitudeswill differ from region to region.Another important function in the laundry process is rinse performance. Thelow water consumption in domestic washing machines has increased the prob-
Assessment of the functional performance of European laundry processes and detergents 47lems related to rinse performance. Low water consumption during the rinseprocess results in lower rinse performance (Sommer)[17]. There is a generalfeeling that detergent residues on textiles will lead to increased allergic problemsand that zeolite dust could influence health. Many methods have beenused to determine rinse performance (or rinse efficiency as it is also called),but unfortunately none have been proved reproducible. Thus there are noavailable data defining an acceptable level for rinse performance, but whentap water is used as a reference we might have a guideline. SIFO (the NationalInstitute for Consumer Research) is represented in the working group appointedby the Nordic Council of Ministers to find a reproducible method forthe determination of rinse efficiency, but this work has not yet been completed.For the time being the method described in the international standardIEC 60456:1998 “Clothes washing machines for household use – Methods formeasuring the performance”[9] will be used.For consumers’ health and well-being, it would be a great achievement if weknew what type of detergent yields the best rinse performance. That is ofcourse the detergent type that is most easy to rinse out of the textiles. However,this may be a detergent with less than optimal wash performance.Chemical substances in detergents and other used remedies are another factorof great importance, and legal demands to reduce problems for the environmenthave forced the detergent industry to use other more or less environmentally-friendlyingredients in an attempt to achieve the same wash performance.The detergents effect on the environment has not been a part of this research,but the results from will give a good background for further investigationsinto this.In this research project we have investigated domestic laundry habits in fourEuropean countries (Greece, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain). The SAVEII study [18] showed that Greece still has a very high mean wash temperature(59 °C) compared to the mean wash temperature in Europe (47 °C). Spain isat the other end of the scale with a very low mean wash temperature (32 °C).Between these two countries and not much different from the mean Europeanwash temperature, are the Netherlands (49 °C) and Norway (50 °C).Two wash programmes (30 °C and 40 °C) were run using the most commondetergents in each of the four European countries of interest. The only variationin this design is the type of detergent and the dosage. Thus the differencesin wash performance of various European detergents can be determined. Foreach country involved, the most commonly used brand was selected for fourtypes of detergents. We have labelled the detergent types A-D.
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Appendix ASurvey of domestic laundr
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Appendix A 1199. Which temperature
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Appendix A 1211.Working, in private
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Appendix BDeclaration detergentsGre
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Appendix B 125NorwayA) Omo Ultra Ta
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Appendix CSettings of the 15°C Was
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Appendix DSettings of the 30°C Was
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