Textiles: Cecil B. Lee, Standard Textile, Cincinnati, Ohio
I learned long ago that our success surrounding laundry chemicals was only as good as our chemical technician. While branded chemical companies probably would not care for this line, I have long stated that a good technician can do a great job using any company’s chemicals.
It has always been a norm to have conversation with my chemical technician upon his/her arrival to discuss issues and requests. Prior to leaving, I would get a summary of our progress toward our goals and any issues found during their visit.
Many times I have worked with product cost guarantees. My question has always been what products the technician would use and what would the cost be if he used what he liked best. It has been important that my technician would have opinions and favorites.
I started out using tallow soap, then moved on to built detergents, solvent-based detergents, enzymes, ozone and the blended detergents of today. Additionally, I originally used chlorine bleach, which provided beautiful, bright whites. With the advent of Hibiclens®, I moved on to peroxide to eliminate staining.
In the last plant I managed, we were using a bleaching sour. All of these chemicals were used to provide a clean and bright product for the era or time period I was working in. Things change over time.
Originally, most of our linen products were 100% cotton. We then moved on to poly/cotton blends, and we now have items that are 100% synthetic engineered products. Linen makeup, many times, dictates which chemicals are used for cleaning.
Water conditions also play an important role in chemical choice. Without soft water, tallow soap could not be used in the past. Currently, there are built or synthetic detergents that are made to work in several poor-water conditions, which include hard water and iron.
While I have concentrated on detergents, alkali plays an important role, too. The process of “breaking apart” dirt continues to be highly relevant.
Producing consistent quality without damaging fabric, controlling linen life and rewash are all important goals. Having linen tested for chemical damage, tensile strength loss, dissolved solids, whiteness retention and the like aids in maintaining quality.
Maintaining proper barrier levels in isolation and operating room (OR) products is part of the current chemical-responsibility wave. We know that many aggressive formulas can hurt barriers, just like improper rinsing can hurt the barrier performance of isolation gowns and OR products.
In the old days, we would put a washcloth in a plastic bag, which we thought represented the high quality level we were seeking. We would put this in an office drawer for reference over time.
In the end, it is about using the correct chemicals for your washing situation and your washing machines. For me, this cannot be accomplished without a talented chemical technician.
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