Improvements in or relating to the Washing of Clothes, Linen, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov.. 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Washing of Clothes, Linen, and
the like.
'
We, Dr. FRITZ MOLL, of No. 10, Kurfürstendamm, Berlin, Germany, and
Dr. MAX PAUL OSCAR DICKHUTH, of No. 5, Hansa Platz, Hamburg, Germany,
Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:
This invention relates to improvements in the cleansing of linen and the like.
The ordinary process for washing linen and the like is somewhat as follows:-
After the clothes or goods have been placed in a lukewarm solution of soap
and soda, and steeped therein during the night, the washing process proper is
usually undertaken on the following day, that is, the clothes are repeatedly boiled
with soap with or without the addition of soda, and rubbed in the washing
machine or upon the washing board or by hand. This operation in the machine
and on the board is injurious to the linen and takes much time and also is very
fatiguing, especially in the case of a large number of clothes, nor is the hand
washing any less so.
In order to render less fatiguing the washing operation proper, washing pow-
ders have been brought into use consisting mostly of soda or of potash or of a
mixture thereof with additions such as water-glass, soap powder and the like.
These mixtures, however, are very injurious to the linen, because they must be
applied in concentrated solution." A very rapid action is attained by the use
of chloride of lime, but its drawbacks are so great that the clothes are more
injured than benefited. It will be obvious therefore that a very great improve-
ment can be attained, if by the use of small quantities of a substance which does
not damage the linen, the same can be cleansed in a short time. Such a material
is obtained in peroxide of sodium. It is well known that peroxide of sodium
is used for bleaching in dye works and the like, but its action in very small
quantities used as herein set forth, is novel. A few grammes suffice to cleanse
thoroughly a number of articles filling a vessel of about 200 litres contents in
a very short time. The action can be explained in that the continuously and
slowly liberated oxygen continuously detaches the dirt from the separate fibres
of the goods, and the said oxygen herein acts as it were mechanically, but without
manual labour; for instance, curtains, the dirt on which arises only from dust,
become perfectly clean in a very short time, and even when the washing powder
is used in the cold. The hydroxide of sodium which is simultaneously produced
during the evolution of the oxygen in the nascent state, acts as a saponifier upon
the grease and other dirt in the clothes. Experiments have proved that when
equivalent quantities of hydroxide of sodium are used for washing, no special
effect occurs. The danger of damage from the peroxide of sodium is excluded
because the very small quantity of liberated caustic soda combines at once with
the dirt attached to the clothes which contains grease and the like, and conse
quently re-acts to form a neutral body. It may be easily proved that the peroxide

page_text: of sodium is very gradually decomposed, because at any time the presence of per-
oxide of sodium can be proved by the permanganate test. Peroxide of sodium
is a body not altogether without danger if used wrongly and in concentrated
form; for instance, under certain circumstances, a few grammes scattered upon
damp clothes may cause the same to catch fire. When exposed to the air, per-
oxide of sodium attracts carbonic acid and carbonate of soda is produced, and
the peroxide loses its power. In order to deprive the said peroxide of the above
mentioned injurious qualities, and to make it more easily handled for household
purposes, there are added to the same alkaline salts, as for instance, chlorides
or carbonates. The peroxide of sodium is in this mixture preferably in the
proportion of one-fifth to one-tenth. The mixture forms a dry and easily dis-
tributed powder. The application of peroxide of sodium or of the powders
prepared with the same for washing may be exemplified by the following
example:-
The cold soap solution is treated with peroxide of sodium or with a washing
powder containing the same or with a weak solution thereof, the linen is then
placed in it and the whole is heated and worked. In order to hasten the process
it may even be boiled. In a very short time the linen (becomes thoroughly clean
and white. In the case of very obstinately adhering dirt, the process must be
repeated, in order to remove the last traces of dirt. The goods are then rinsed
and hung out to dry. As a bleaching action is not attained by the use of so
small a quantity of the powder, even coloured goods when handled with the same
care as is otherwise necessary may be advantageously washed in this manner
without causing injurious action upon the colour of the fibres.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. Process for the cleansing of linen and other goods, characterized by the
addition to the soapbath of small quantities of peroxide of sodium, whereby the
gradually liberated oxygen detaches the dirt in the fibres thereof by mechanical
action, and renders it more accessible to the very energetically acting hydroxide
of sodium which is formed at the same time as well as for the action of the soap,
so that the linen or the like becomes perfectly clean and white in a very short
time with great saving of soda and soap.
2. A process for cleansing linen and the like by means of peroxide of sodium
according to Claim 1, characterized by compounding said peroxide with a certain
proportion of alkaline salts, preferably in the proportion of one-fifth to one-tenth
of peroxide for the purpose of producing an absolutely innocuous and easily
applicable powder suitable for domestic use which will not damage the clothes.
Dated the 26th day of November 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.