ASTM D2960-05

This guide defines a minimum combination of conditions to provide a reasonable basis for the visual evaluation of cleaning and whitening or brightening performance of home laundering products or procedures. To provide a more predictive and broader scope of evaluation or to assess special product types or end uses, testing should be augmented by extending specific variables.

This guide is suited to the evaluation of the cleaning, whitening or brightening properties of laundry products. This guide does not address the evaluation of some other important performance aspects of products such as: the effect on fabric life or home laundry appliances, or the physical properties such as pourability, dustiness, or solubility. However, the effect on color, feel, or odor of fabrics may be evaluated by appropriate and relatively minor changes in procedure.

1.1 This guide covers a testing technique that may be used for comparing the cleaning and whitening or brightening performance of home laundering products or home laundering procedures. This testing is done on naturally soiled family items in home laundering equipment in a laboratory under controlled conditions on a paired comparison basis. As many as four detergents have been put into order by evaluating the set of matched garments two at a time. Use the standards referenced in Section 2 if instrumental readings in addition to human panelists are desired.

1.2 There is no single assessment that will give the overall performance of laundry product. A single test can only predict how products compare under the particular conditions chosen for evaluation and cannot be expected to reflect their comparative performance under the many other possible conditions of use. A series of assessments is always necessary in order to evaluate the many aspects of product performance. While there are laboratory methods of measuring individual aspects of performance (for example, redeposition, solubility), it is necessary to conduct confirming tests under controlled but practical home laundering conditions to simulate consumer experience more closely.

1.2.1 Among the variables that can affect the performance of home laundering products or procedures and that shall be considered in designing tests for their evaluation are: type of fiber, fabric construction, fabric finish, types of items to be washed, load size, kind and level of soils or stains, water hardness, water temperature, pretreatments, the presence of various laundering aids, the concentration of products in the laundering solution, sequence of addition of products, water, laundry, wash time, rate and type of agitation, spin speed, drying or ironing methods, and conditions under which the items are judged.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.