Bring me solutions

Regardless of the piece of equipment, it’s the results that given chemicals and solvents bring to the process that can make all the difference to the success of a laundry. And the same is true no matter the size of operation. With growing desire to control cost while also being environmentally friendly, it’s important that laundries choose their raw ingredients well.

Adam Bernstein reports.

Adam Bernstein reports

ECOLAB

Ecolab Textile Care has introduced in the past years AdvaCare PRO, AdvaCare ULTIMATE, MultiCare™ PRO, OxyGuard40 and Performance Industrial. These washing platforms can help commercial laundries address customers’ needs across different market sectors and optimise laundry operations with a higher level of flexibility, wash process efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Heike Kropf, regional marketing manager for textile care, says; “When it comes to today’s laundry solutions, beyond the importance of textile protection, hygiene control, efficient cleanliness the sustainable impact has become a key factor too. Since the demand for “green” solutions is strongly increasing, there is a careful balance to be built between high levels of textile cleanliness and environmental sustainability. “The washing platforms we’ve introduced allow to address different textile washing needs such as delicates, healthcare linen, long term care linen and hospitality linen for example, that have common key features that create added value for the laundry plant and for the laundry customers as well.” These multi-component platforms cover a wide range of wash temperatures: from 40°C with AdvaCare ULTIMATE, up to 60°C, with AdvaCare PRO for healthcare linen, from 40°C with OxyGuard40 up to 60°C with MultiCare PRO, for hotel linen, from 55°C with Performance Industrial for professional workwear.

Kropf continues: “In all these solutions the key common factor is the special technology we have developed through many years of experience and knowledge in laundry detergent formulations: based on long research on specific, highly efficient, and sustainable surfactant chemistry Ecolab has been promoting the concept of one-shot detergent, a multi-component and super concentrated formula of liquid detergent, the “Ecolab emulsion”.

“According to the textile type and use, to the soil level different emulsion formulations have been created to work in synergy with specific laundry bleaches, to be efficient on fat and pigments at just 40°C and respect, together with the other components, the highest sustainability demand of the EU Ecolabel certification and or Nordic Ecolabel: AdvaCare Emulsion, MultiCare Emulsion, Performance emulsion M, OxyGuard emulsion in the OxyGuard40 process represent the ultimate generation of a more sustainable chemistry. “The mix of components allows also to adapt a wash process set up in a wide range of temperature and alkalinity set up, allowing delivery of lower COD emission, and optimise the impact of the complete process on the wastewater treatment. “All the main features of the new platforms can really elevate the offer to commercial laundries for their customers over a broad range of applications and textile wash needs, with a clear communication on sustainability and quality, through efficient laundry processes,” Kropf concludes.

WASHING SYSTEMS

Peter Hallett, director at Washing Systems Ltd (WSI), considers his firm’s products “the smarter way to wash,” and adds that “it is with great excitement that WSI has introduced a truly revolutionary wash process with universal application.” He points to his company’s latest product, TRU-UV, a photochemical wash process for tunnel washers. In process, Hallett says that the system can achieve hygienically clean results at microbial level for linen “that both a laundry and its customers can trust.”

And then there’s another product TRUpath. On this Hallett says that “washing free of alkali, TRUpath presents a breakthrough innovation in cleaning quality and finish quality… it produces hygienically clean textiles while extending textile life by over 25 per cent and saving 30-60 hours of machine time per week on average.”

Hallett reckons that TRUpath can provide significant benefits in the quality of goods a laundry produces. This is because “a gentler wash process removes concerns about alkaline hydrolysis, greatly extends useful life of reflective garments, and produces whiter whites and brighter brights.”

He adds that WSI has a patent-pending process, which “through an innovative combination of solutions, is proven to dramatically reduce costs for operators. Its formula structure is proven to significantly enhance plant capacity while demonstrating up to 30 per cent savings in utility costs per load.” It’s said to wash free of alkali, NPEs, phosphates, and EDTA’s – all part of WSI’s goal of “optimising all operations in a plant and the surrounding environment.” Hallett explains that the removal of alkali from the wash process helps with safety and significantly minimises employees’ risk of exposure to caustic soda. Also, laundries no longer need to prepare for hazardous bulk deliveries: “This technology also reduces or removes the need for sulphuric acid in water treatment. Without the high pH levels of traditional washing, there is no need for harsh, dangerous acids to be added to the process.”

“TRUpath and TRU-UV,” says Hallett, offer the “ability to produce verified, hygienically clean textiles and provide further peace of mind that a plant is providing a safer product to its customers.” He summarises the benefits of his company’s products, as he sees it, as offering alkali-free washing, improved quality, shorter wash formulas, decreased water usage, increased wash floor production, decreased energy usage, longer lasting textiles – all while meeting hygienically clean standards.

Hallett finishes by saying: “Better for our planet and your bottom line, TRUpath optimises the energy and water consumption of each load, yielding significant benefits to each plant.”

KREUSSLER TEXTILE CARE

Dr Manfred Seiter, technical director of Kreussler Textile Care, says that choosing the right solvent means considering many different factors such as product performance, health and environmental impact, cost, and ease of use, to name but a few. But for him, “the halogen-free, organic, and biodegradable solvent SOLVONK4 by Kreussler is the perfect choice for cleaners, customers, and the environment.”

Seiter explains that the cleaning performance of solvents is measured by the Kauri-butanol value, the name coming from the New Zealand kauri tree. He says that “the higher the Kb-value, the higher the solvent’s stain-removing abilities – but also its aggressiveness, as a high Kb-value means that a solvent has a high ability to dissolve materials, not only stains, but other substances like sequin glue.” He says that this is something often experienced when using perchloroethylene or perc, as its Kb-value of 90 gives it both very good cleaning performance regarding both water soluble and fat stains, but at the same time “perc gives the whole fabric a hard time, potentially resulting in colour loss, removal of sequins, damage to beads, buttons or trims etc.” Add to that his concern about its classification as a dangerous substance, hefty fees for the disposal of distillation residue as hazardous waste, and many countries forbidding its use in drycleaning, and it is not surprising that alternative solvents are trending.

And then there’s Cyclosiloxane D5 which Seiter says has a Kb-value of 13, “which is very gentle to the fabric – but also to stains, requiring a lot of pre-brushing for dirty textiles… pure hydrocarbon solvents have a low Kb-value of about 25.”

Another option are modified hydrocarbon solvents that he says have “good cleaning performance due to Kb-values of 73–75. Water soluble stains are removed easily. But this also means that these components are removed with the contact-water, leading to solvent loss and changing solvent composition, making cleaning results sometimes unpredictable.”

Kreussler’s solution is a “super-pure, halogen-free organic solvent” – SOLVONK4 with a Kb-value of 75. It, reckons Seiter, has “an excellent cleaning performance against both fats and oils as well as water soluble and salt-based stains.” It is neither dangerous nor hazardous and is biodegradable and dermatologically tested. He adds that “its pureness of more than 99 per cent guarantees long-term stability.” The key point for Seiter is that on testing, drycleaners have been “very impressed not just by its cleaning power, but also by the pleasant, smooth feel of the cleaned textiles; colours were judged to be brighter in comparison, too.”

He suggests that pre-spotting is minimal when using SOLVONK4, and textiles are protected against greying. Seiter says that “it requires short cycle times and so saves energy costs, disposal of distillation residues is much cheaper than for the hazardous perc, and minimal solvent loss of under one per cent saves on repurchasing costs.”

Kreussler also has a pre-brushing agent PRENETTK4, drycleaning detergent CLIPK4, and proofing spray VINOYK4. And to complement the system, there is a disinfecting solvent additive Cinta Sept that deals with viruses, bacteria and yeasts. Clean Supply is Kreussler’s exclusive distributor in the UK.

Biodegradable solvent SOLVONK4 from Kreussler is “the perfect choice” for cleaners, customers, and the environment

Kreussler’s disinfecting solvent additive Cinta Sept was awarded best new product at LADAs 2021

AGS has a comprehensive range of detergents and chemicals

AGS detergents come in handy space saving 15 litre bottles

AGS LIMITED

Mary Simons, director at AGS Limited says her company has been selling and developing its own detergents and chemicals for some time and “now has an extremely comprehensive range” which comprises laundry detergents and fabric conditioners with a supplementary stain remover, wetcleaning detergents, wetcleaning spotters, and an equine detergent and re-proofer – as well as many ancillary products.

But beyond these products Simons says that AGS is “in the process of developing additional supplementary items to assist in the removal of the extremely stubborn stains associated with companies that constantly launder heavily soiled articles.” These items are from the AGS Boost product set.

In the interests of saving space she adds that the majority of AGS detergents are concentrated and so are sold mainly in 15 litre containers. Some, however, are available in 25 litre drums.

Simons knows well that perfume is a very personal thing – “the smell that one person loves another will absolutely detest.” She continues: “Some people think the smell from the container is the same smell that the washed articles will smell of. But that is simply not the case.” To her mind she finds it remarkable just how smell can be transformed once a liquid reacts with articles to be cleaned. Even so, AGS offers four different ranges of detergent and supplementary fabric conditioner – all with the same perfume.

And in terms of cleaning power, Simons says that “all of AGS’ detergents eliminate bacteria – even using a water temperature of 30 degrees; our whole detergent range is as green as we can get it.” She acknowledges that wetcleaning detergents can be costly. However, she says that “at AGS we offer fantastic quality with a considerably reduced price when compared to other manufacturers.” Also, AGS offers customers the ability to ‘try before you buy’ and is happy to send out the majority of its range as samples.

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