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This paper describes a standardized laboratory procedure for determining the fabric soil‐removal efficiency of heavy‐duty detergents. A careful analysis of machines, standard soil fabrics, operating times, and water hardness had led to the standardization of technique. The precision of the method has been presented for tests carried out in hard and soft water on two anionic heavy‐duty detergents at a concentration of 0.2%. Standard deviations of 0.74% for a water hardness of 50 p.p.m. and 1.03% for a water hardness of 135 or 300 p.p.m. have been obtained.

Several methods for assessing the extent of bacteriostasis possessed by a treated textile fabric are extant but none is highly objective. The method described in this paper is offered for its relatively high degree of precision and its similarity to the natural function which it is designed to evaluate. Details of the method, of reagent chemical types, and of the effects of concentration of reagent are presented. In addition, results of applica tion of reagents to fabrics in field trials in operating laundry plants is presented. It is demonstrated that this method permits sharp distinction in bacteriostatic efficiency be tween reagent chemical types, concentrations, and methods of application to textile fabrics.

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SummaryThe soil removal efficiency of 17 sodium alkylbenzene sulfonates having alkyl residues ranging from six‐ to 18‐carbon atoms, which have been synthesized and purified especially for this work, has been described. Evaluation has been accomplished by means of an ultrasonic cone transducer capable of producing mechanical action of a very highly reproducible character and at a measurable rate of expenditure of energy. Compounds having straight‐chain alkyl residues produce generally greater detergency efficiency than the branch chain homolog. Detergent character becomes pronounced at about 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue, but detergency is diminished above about 14 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl group because of reduced solubility.