Garments Washing: Normal Wash

Last updated on July 6th, 2023 at 12:35 am

Normal wash is the simplest type of wash with lowest washing cost. By this type of wash starch materials present in the new garment is removed together with dirt. Hence, after wash the garments feel soft during use as well as wash look effect is also observed in the garments. During normal wash on garments, washing effect could be varied by altering washing temperature, washing time, quantity of detergent used etc. parameters. A process of normal wash on garment is described below:

Normal Garment Washing Process

Depending on capacity of garments washing machine, quantity of garments to be washed in a batch should be predetermined. Here a batch of 100kg cotton shirt is considered. Liquor ratio 1 : 5 is considered and as per selected liquor ratio 500 litre water is loaded in the washing machine and 100 kg shirt is also loaded in the washing machine. Then the machine running is started and 1kg detergent @ 1% is added to the liquor.

Steam supply started to raise liquor temperature between 40⁰C to 60⁰C. If washing effect is needed more, then the liquor temperature should be used more. Washing time may vary from 15 to 30 minutes. If washing effect is needed more, then the washing time should be higher. During washing, liquor and material both move. Mechanical action of agitation and chemical action of detergent removes starch materials from the garment fabric to the liquor. At the end of washing time, the liquor is drained off and fresh water (500 Litre) is again loaded in the machine.

Again washing is carried out with only water at 40⁰C for 5 minutes to remove adhering starch materials within the garment fabric. Then the liquor is drained off.

Again, 500 litre water is loaded in the washing machine together with 0.1 to 0.5% softener, continue washing for 5 to 10 minutes to increase softness feeling of the garments. Then drop the liquor, unload the garments on the trolley. The washed garments are then loaded in the hydro-extractor machine to remove excess water from the garments. Then the garments are unloaded from the hydro-extractor machine and reloaded in the garments drying machine and the garments are dried by the action of hot air flow or steam flow.

Due to garments washing, there may be problem of back stain formation. If coloring materials present in the garment fabric is partially removed from the garment fabric during washing, may redeposit on the pocketing or lining fabric of the garment resulting color stain called back stain. Formation of back stain in the garments due to washing is considered as washing defect. Back stain is not acceptable to the buyer. Hence, proper precaution should be taken to avoid back stain. The probable reasons of back stain formation due to garments washing are as follows:

• Excess use of fabric softener.
• If garment fabric color is of low quality.

To overcome the problem of back stain formation following measures to be taken –

• Complete garments washing without softener and observe the back stain. If back stain is not formed, then the reason for back stain formation is for the use of excess amount of softener. Hence, use of softener is to be reduced. If back stain is observed then it is clear that the low quality of colored materials present in the garment is the reason of back stain formation.
• For low quality color of the garment fabric, the garment needs pre-treatment prior to normal wash. The pre-treatment: load 100kg garments in the washing machine and add 500 litre water @ L : R = 1 : 5. Add color fixing agent @ 1% that is 1kg to the liquor and start machine running. Start steam supply to raise temperature to 40⁰C and continue processing for 10 minutes. Drop the liquor, unload the garments, hydro-extract the garments and then dry the garments in the garments drying machine. If pre-treated garments are processed for normal wash, then the problem of back stain formation could be avoided.