To Chlor or Not to Chlor?
Woolsafe presents research results on Di-Chlor use in wash tubs
Many professional rug cleaners in North America, who use large capacity wash tubs, feel the need to sanitize the wash liquid to prevent cross contamination and to protect their employees.
They use a commercial product, di-chlor (or Dichlor, PoolSan, Aquasparkle, Clorox Pool&Spa, etc.), marketed extensively to disinfect swimming pools and spas.
It is well known that high concentration chlorine bleaches cause damage to wool fibers and to the dyes used to color wool and other natural and man-made fibers. Therefore, concerns were raised that this practice by rug washers would damage the rugs they are trusted to clean, and The WoolSafe Organisation was asked for guidance.
The WoolSafe Organisation, in its cleaning chemical testing and certification program, does not accept chlorine-based bleaches in approved carpet care products.
However, as di-chlor is added to the washtubs at extremely low concentrations, they agreed to investigate whether or not it would still adversely affect the wool fiber, wool dyes or the structure of rugs – particularly hand-made oriental ones – during cleaning.
WoolSafe investigated the influence of di-chlor concentration and treatment times on:
- the dyes
- the strength of the (wool) fiber
- the rug structure (loss of pile thickness)
