1993 AATCC Standard Reference Detergent

and Laundry Detergents in General

Developed in 1995 by AATCC Commit- gent formulation began which, at this der with no enzymes or phosphates. The
tee RA88; revised 1981/1982, 1991, writing, have not yet ceased. concentrated carbonate built powder for-
1998 (with title change), 2005. mulation is representative of the types of
products on the market in 1993. Enzymes
2. Current and Future Trends in the were not added to the formula due to pos-
1. Background/History Detergent Industry sible changes of enzyme strength over the
storage life of the product.
1.1 AATCC Standard Reference Deter- 2.1 In contrast to the period when high 3.2 Laboratory comparisons of Stan-
gent 124 was chosen to represent the type phosphate, low phosphate and nonphos- dard Reference Detergents 124 and WOB
of washing product used for home laun- phate detergents were sold simultaneously, and the concentrated carbonate built
dering in the 1960s. The composition of the marketed laundry detergents today in- powders both with and without optical
this particular detergent, when adopted, clude: (a) nonphosphate carbonate-built brighteners indicated that no significant
was, except for suds level, typical of powders, some of which may contain alu- differences between the detergent formu-
commercial laundry products used by minosilicates (zeolites); (b) citrate-built lations were seen except for oily stain re-
most persons for home laundering. A heavy duty liquids; and (c) nonbuilt heavy moval. The new concentrated carbonate
variant formulation, AATCC Standard duty liquids. Thus, the national brands are built formulas, named 1993 AATCC
Reference Detergent WOB (without opti- divided into three basic categories all of Standard Reference Detergent and 1993
cal brightener), was the same but without which are nonphosphate. Most detergents AATCC Standard Reference Detergent
a fluorescent whitener for use in color- contain, besides surfactants and builders, WOB, were not as effective in removal of
fastness to laundering tests.1 However, ingredients to reduce caking (powders), oily stains. This has been noted in the ap-
the proliferation of detergent formula fluorescent whiteners, antiredeposition plicable test methods. Laboratory com-
variations and even of new types of deter- agents, colorants, perfumes, suds control parisons between 1993 AATCC Standard
gent since 1970 have made Standard Ref- ingredients, and anticorrosives. Some of Reference Detergents and currently mar-
erence Detergents 124 and WOB obso- them may also contain enzymes, bleaches, keted products would likely show differ-
lete. The following paragraphs provide bleach alternative ingredients and soft- ences in washing performance. How-
some perspective concerning the current eners (now rare). The market share for ever, comparison among currently
laundry detergent situation and the cur- liquids vs. powders in the late 90s is ap- marketed products could also show dif-
rent use of 1993 AATCC Standard Refer- proximately a 49/51 split with liquids ferences of similar or even greater magni-
ence Detergent. showing a steady rise. This trend is ex- tude.
pected to continue. 3.3 One of the factors leading to possi-
1.2 From the early 1950s until 1970
there was little change in U.S. laundry 2.2 In the longer term, the detergent ble differences between results using the
detergents in regard to product form and market will continue to change due to: 1993 AATCC Standard Reference Deter-
general composition. Practically all of the availability and cost of materials, product gents and current detergent products is
detergent products intended for clothes costs, energy conservation, and environ- water hardness. In hard water situations,
washing were phosphate-built synthetic mental concerns (in both end use and the 1993 AATCC Standard Reference
detergents varying primarily in kind of manufacturing). Packaging and product Detergents may give better soil removal
surfactant (anionic or nonionic), suds dosage will also constantly change. Con- results because they are more effective
level and, to a lesser extent, in phosphate sumers will continue to use laundry aids across a broader range of hardness than
level. At that time almost all industry de- such as chlorine and non-chlorine most commercially available products.
tergent products contained phosphates in bleaches, laundry boosters, pretreating/ 3.4 Users of standard test methods in-
amounts corresponding to 12-14% calcu- prespotting agents, softeners (both rinse volving laundering need to be aware that
lated as elemental phosphorus. Most cycle and dryer types), borax, bluing, etc. other Standard Reference Detergents are
brands were in powder form but there The laundry products market will con- used in various ISO test methods. These
were also some heavy duty liquids. Other stantly undergo subtle changes in all ar- detergents are specified in methods de-
types, collectively comprising less than eas beyond the year 2000. signed for home laundering equipment
10% market share, were detergent pellets, sold in other parts of the world.
a few brands of true soap products and
unbuilt detergent powders (e.g., formu- 3. Rationale for Using 1993 AATCC
lated with surfactant and inert filler). Standard Reference Detergent 4. Rationale for Use of Reference
1.3 A growing ecological concern with Detergents in Laboratory Testing
3.1 With this background and espe-
U.S. water quality during the late 1960s cially the environmental concerns with 4.1 Many fabric attributes critical to con-
resulted in considerable social and politi- the use of phosphates, it had become ap- sumer use and acceptability, such as di-
cal pressure for eliminating the use of parent that a change in the formulation of mensional change, surface or smoothness
phosphate in detergent products. By the the AATCC Standard Reference Deter- appearance, colorfastness, soil release, and
end of the decade, vast changes in deter- gent was needed. Because all existing in- flammability resistance performance are
dustry test data relative to effects of home influenced by the manner in which textile
1
Absorption of fluorescent whitener on a textile
laundering on commercial textiles are products are laundered. The textile indus-
material changes its visual appearance and con- based on Standard Reference Detergents try has adopted standard detergents and
sequently interferes with the evaluation of color 124 and WOB, comparisons were made laundering conditions to allow for the pre-
change and/or staining. using a concentrated carbonate built pow- diction of the acceptability of textile prod-

402 AATCC Technical Manual/2007

ucts to judge the performance of their price. The use of “off the shelf” deter- such as non-chlorine color safe bleach sys-
products. The standard detergents have gents in laboratory testing adds an ele- tems. AATCC now has full-scale (washing
been designed to represent a cross section ment of variability that use of standard test machine) methods and accelerated stan-
of market detergents. methods and detergents intends to control. dard procedure for determination of color-
4.2 The use of locally purchased national The percentage of optical brightener or flu- fastness using such products. They are
brands of detergents in testing labs is a orescent brightener agents has a definite AATCC Method 172, Colorfastness to Non-
fairly common practice. This practice has effect on colorfastness evaluations. The Chlorine Bleach in Home Laundering, and
been driven by several factors: a) care label- amount of optical brightener or fluorescent AATCC Method 190, Colorfastness to
ing considerations, b) inaccurate assump- brightening agents is known to vary within Home Laundering with Activated Oxygen
tion that the same detergent brand has the a single brand of detergent sold for con- Bleach Detergent: Accelerated.
same composition from location to location sumer use. 4.4 It should be noted that different stan-
and from one year to the next one, c) the 4.3 Detergent producers have developed dard laundering equipment and detergents
convenience of buying locally, and d) detergents with other cleaning components are used in Europe and Asia.

AATCC Technical Manual/2007 403