scope:

Purpose and Scope

These accelerated laundering tests are to evaluate the colorfastness to laundering of textiles which are expected to withstand frequent laundering. The fabric color loss and surface changes resulting from detergent solution and abrasive action of five typical hand or home launderings, with or without chlorine, are roughly approximated by one 45 min test (see 9.2-9.6). However, the staining effect produced by five typical hand or home launderings cannot always be predicted by the 45 min test. Staining is a function of the ratio of colored to undyed fabrics, fiber content of fabrics in the wash load and other end-use conditions which are not always predictable.

When this test method was originally developed, various options of this method were intended to evaluate the color change and staining by five home or commercial launderings, on an accelerated basis. Throughout the years, commercial laundering procedures have changed and commercial cleaning today involves many different types of processes, dependent on the type of product being cleaned that cannot be duplicated by one accelerated laboratory procedure. In 2005, all references to commercial laundering were removed as it is not known if these procedures accurately replicate typical commercial laundering processes used today.