ClearWater Tech LLC EcoTex - Advanced Laundry Oxidation Systems Laundry Cycles and Chemistry

Goals - Provide background information - Provide an understanding to assist those whom will be designing the formulas

Overview Terminology Traditional Cycle and Chemistry Ozone Cycle and Chemistry

Terminology Wash Cycle - Consists of all fills, drains, and steps; a complete wash Wash Steps - The individual components that make up a wash cycle, ie: Suds, bleach, rinse, etc. Formula - Relating directly to chemistry. The addition or combination of different types of chemicals

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry Hot water…it works…sometimes Hot water used for thermal disinfection of linen Does eliminates SOME bacteria Does NOT eliminate Super -Bugs - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - Clostridium difficile (C. diff) Leaves linen contaminated after wash, to be reused

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Flush Purpose - Pre-rinse or Pre-wash linen - Used for heavily soiled linen Traditional Formulas - May include alkali to increase pH - May include detergent for heavily soiled linen

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Alkali/Base Purpose - Increase pH levels - Relax the linen and open fibers Traditional Formulas – pH can be increase to 12 and GREATER

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Detergent Purpose - Suds are used to encapsulate soil - Lift soils away from the linen - Built-detergents include alkali to increase pH, eliminating the need for separate alkali Traditional Formula - No bubbles …. Add detergent - A lot of large bubbles …. Reduce detergent - Small tight bubble…. Correct amount

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Chlorine Purpose - To disinfect - To bleach bleachable stains Traditional Formula - Start wash at 150ppm chlorine - Burn off to 50 to 30 ppm by end of step - Chlorine’s Effects are controlled by: pH level Water temperature Time - Bleach step maybe added to the detergent step, low soil linen only

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Rinse Purpose - To rinse out detergent from linen - To reduce pH in linen - Thermal disinfection Traditional Formula - 2 to 3 minutes of hot or warm water - May include sour or softener

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Sour/Acid Purpose - To reduce pH at the end of the wash cycle - Souring chemicals leave linen rough to the touch Traditional Formula - pH at end of cycle; 6.0 to 7.0; human skin 6.5 pH - Rinse steps can be added to reduce pH and the use of souring chemicals

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Softener Purpose - Coats linen to make it feel soft do to harsh effects of sour - Softeners can trap water in the linen fibers, increasing dry time Traditional Formulas - Used after the souring process or maybe a combined chemical with the sour

Traditional Cycle and Chemistry - continued Extract Purpose - To extract water from linen through high speed spin - Reduce drying time Traditional Formulas - 3 to 5 minutes

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry Cold water/Ozone…it works…all the time Ozone cycles primarily use cold-water This is possible due to the oxidizing and disinfection power of ozone gas EcoTex - Continuous delivery of ozone throughout the duration of each step in the wash cycle Yields bacteria and virus inactivation levels far superior of wash performed in hot water Ozone is not a cure-all; chemicals are needed to wash linen! FOG - Fats, Oils and Grease, still require hot water wash steps O3O3 O3O3

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Flush Purpose - Pre-rinse or Pre-wash linen - Used for heavily soiled linen Ozone Formulas - May include alkali to increase pH - May include detergent for heavily soiled linen - Allows ozone more time to oxidize soils

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Alkali/Base Purpose - Increase pH levels - Relax the linen and open fibers Ozone Formula - Ozone’s oxidative power is greater with lower pH levels (7.0 to 10.0) - Separate Alkali may be eliminated with the use of Built- detergents - Subjective testing ozone itself reacts in the same fashion as the alkali by helping to relax the linen, which opens the fibers

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Detergent Purpose - Suds are used to encapsulate soil - Lift soils away from the linen - Built-detergents include alkali to increase pH, eliminating the need for separate alkali - Detergent aides in the mechanical function of removing soils - Without detergent soil may remain in the fabric, leaving the linen dirty

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Detergent - Continued Ozone Formulas - Ozone oxidizes soil in linen allowing them to detach easier. This enables the detergent to encapsulate the soil easier - Laundry professionals concern with ozone wash programs, Yellowing…. Cause: too much detergent used or insufficient removal of detergent Remedy: reduce the amount of detergent used, allowing for longer rinse times or adding more water and time during the rinse step(s) - No bubbles …. Add detergent - A lot of large bubbles …. Reduce detergent - Small tight bubble…. Correct amount

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Chlorine Purpose - Bleachable stains - Bleach will NOT be required for disinfecting Ozone Formulas - The only step with hot water - Start wash at 150ppm chlorine - Burn off to 30 to 50 ppm by end of step - Chlorine’s Effects are controlled by: pH level Water temperature Time - Bleach step maybe added to the detergent step, low soil linen only

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Rinse Purpose - To rinse out detergent from linen - To reduce pH in linen - Ozone disinfection Ozone Formula - 2 to 3 minutes of cold water - May include sour or softener

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Sour/Acid Purpose - To reduce pH at the end of the wash cycle - Souring chemicals leave linen rough to the touch Ozone Formulas - Ozone formulas do not require high pH levels, therefore souring chemicals can be reduced or eliminated - Rinses can be an effective way to reduce pH to levels suitable for the skin, typically in the range of 6.0 to Less sour reduces the rough feeling of linen

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Softening Purpose - Coats linen to make it feel soft do to harsh effects of sour - Softeners can trap water in the linen fibers, increasing dry time Ozone Formulas - Softeners can often be reduced or even eliminated completely from ozone formulas - Reduction or elimination of softeners can provide a reduction of drying times

Ozone Cycle and Chemistry - continued Extract Purpose - To extract water from linen through high speed spin - Reduce drying time Ozone Formulas - 3 to 5 minutes

Cycle Comparison

Chemistry Guide EcoTex - Ozone laundry Formula Guide