Draft:Specialized methods for laundering clothing
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Human societies employ many specialized methods to clean textiles. Practices range from pounding garments on river rocks to the precisely timed cycles of today’s washing machines and the chemistry of modern dry cleaning. Some techniques focus on soil removal; others add disinfection, finishing, or pest protection.
Hand and manual methods
[edit]River beating
[edit]Pounding wet clothes on flat rocks—or striking them with a wooden paddle—in running water remains common where piped supplies and electricity are absent.[1]
Washboard scrubbing
[edit]The corrugated metal or glass washboard, patented in 1833, enabled vigorous mechanical action inside a washtub.[2]
Plunger or “rapid” washers
[edit]Perforated plungers force water through fabric when pumped by hand; foot-treadle versions appeared in the late 1800s.[1]
Boiling and scalding
[edit]Immersing linens in boiling, soapy water both cleans and disinfects—an approach recommended in mid-20th-century public-health manuals.[3]
Early mechanised washing
[edit]Rotary wooden tub
[edit]Hand-cranked agitators mounted inside wooden barrels reduced manual scrubbing effort in the mid-19th century.[1]
Wringer–mangle
[edit]Paired rollers turned by a crank squeezed rinse water from fabric, shortening drying time and minimising distortion.[4]
Modern household appliances
[edit]Top-load agitator and impeller washers
[edit]Vertical-axis machines, common in North America, clean by oscillating an agitator post or high-speed impeller.[5]
Front-load drum washers
[edit]Horizontal-axis drums tumble garments through shallow water, using less water and higher spin speeds than top-loaders.[6]
High-efficiency features
[edit]U.S. DOE standards encourage load-sensing, low-temperature detergency, and higher extraction speeds for energy savings.[5]
Solvent-based cleaning
[edit]Perchloroethylene (perc) systems
[edit]Since the 1930s, perc has been the dominant dry-cleaning solvent; U.S. EPA guidance promotes capture and pollution-prevention controls.[7]
Carbon-dioxide dry cleaning
[edit]Pressurised liquid CO₂ with surfactants offers a low-toxicity alternative; EPA case studies show performance comparable to perc.[8]
Professional wet cleaning
[edit]Computer-controlled washers and biodegradable detergents launder “dry-clean only” textiles in water, reducing solvent use.[9]
Specialised and emerging techniques
[edit]- Solar disinfection (SODIS)—placing damp textiles in clear bags under tropical sun—reduces bacterial counts without electricity.[10]
- Freeze cleaning at −30 °C kills clothes-moth larvae on heritage garments and reduces odours.[11]
Finishing and post-wash care
[edit]Ironing and pressing
[edit]Applying heat and pressure with an electric iron or steam press removes wrinkles and sets pleats.[12]
Starching
[edit]Vegetable starch or synthetic polymers add body and soil resistance to collars and uniforms.[1]
Lint and depilling tools
[edit]Adhesive rollers and fabric shavers remove surface lint and pills between washes.[13]
Storage and pest protection
[edit]Clean, dry clothes are folded or hung; cedar chests, lavender sachets, or sealed bags deter clothes moths and carpet beetles.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Laundry". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Washboard, 19th-century domestic technology". Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ Practical Health Guide 7: Care of Clothing and Linen. World Health Organization. 1948. p. 12.
- ^ "Clothes wringer, c. 1900". Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Residential Clothes Washer Test Procedure". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Best Washing Machines of 2025". Consumer Reports. March 2025. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Dry Cleaning Industry Pollution Prevention". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Pollution Prevention Case Study: CO₂ Dry Cleaning" (PDF). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Professional Wet Cleaning: An Alternative to Solvent Dry Cleaning". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Solar Disinfection (SODIS) for Household Water and Textiles". World Health Organization. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Freezing Textiles for Pest Control". Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "From Sadirons to Steam: A Short History of Ironing". BBC Culture. January 21, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "How to Remove Lint and Pilling". Consumer Reports. February 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "Clothes Moths: Integrated Pest Management". National Pesticide Information Center. Retrieved May 1, 2025.