DUST-SEBUM SOILED DETERGENCY TEST CLOTHS



Scientific Services continues to supply the Detergent Industry with storage stable soiled fabrics prepared by the Spangler procedure¹. Dust-Sebum soil is widely used for detergency testing because it simulates the most common and one of the most troublesome soils found in the home laundry. Ring-around-the-collar soil is sebum from the skin mixed with dust from the air rubbed into the neckband. The same dust-sebum soil is found on all clothing and linens.



An emulsion of synthetic sebum² containing a dispersion of dust (airborne particulate filter dust) is padded onto strips of fabric. The strips are air dried and aged overnight and cut into swatches. Oxidative stability has been achieved by packaging in glass under nitrogen and by a proprietary pretreatment of the sebum.



Our original work showed that our dust-sebum soiled cloth packaged under nitrogen was unaffected by storage for 11 months at ambient laboratory conditions. Cloth in opened packages can be flushed with inert gas and resealed to prevent oxidation. Storage in a refrigerator is not recommended since air may be sucked into the bottles and cause deterioration. Light will fade the soil so exposure to strong actinic light should be avoided. If light and air are excluded, soiled swatches may be stored for 15 months or longer without deterioration. A single lot should be used for any one study since changes in soil, fabric, etc. will cause quantitative variations in soil removal. Ranking order usually will not change.



We maintain an inventory of dust-sebum on the three most popular fabrics and there is no minimum order. The standard package is as follows:

Swatch Size 3 X 4 inches with pinked or fused edges

Swatches per Package 24

Stock Fabrics Cotton 400 Print Cloth

Cot. Polyester Durable Press 7435WRL

Polyester 777

We are happy to soil almost any of the numerous fabrics in the Testfabrics, Inc. catalog. There is a minimum order requirement of 10 packages, however. We will also soil fabrics which our clients submit in 4 inch wide by six feet long strips, and we can apply dust-sebum soil to certain garments for washing machine tests.



Scientific Services also produces and maintains a stock of Ground-in-Clay soiled test cloths for routine detergency test work. We offer a large number of special soils and stained swatches. Stains of foods, beverages, grass, greases, blood, ink, etc. are made to order.



We are equipped to do Terg-o-Tometer and Washing Machine Tests as well as the ASTM tests of household cleaners and detergents. We are experienced formulators of cleaners, household specialties and cosmetics. Contact George C. Feighner for additional information.





¹Spangler,W.G. et al,J Am Oil Chem Soc. 42 723(1965)

²ASTM D4265 A2.16.2