Designation:D2960–98StandardTestMethodforControlledLaunderingTestUsingNaturallySoiledFabricsandHouseholdAppliances1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD2960;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodcoversatestingtechniquethatmaybeusedforcomparingthecleaningandwhiteningorbrighteningperformanceofhomelaunderingproductsorhomelaunderingprocedures.Thistestingisdoneonnaturallysoiledfamilyitemsinhomelaunderingequipmentinalaboratoryundercontrolledconditionsonapairedcomparisonbasis.Asmanyasfourdetergentshavebeenputintoorderbyevaluatingthesetofmatchedgarmentstwoatatime.1.2Thereisnosingleassessmentthatwillgivetheoverallperformanceoflaundryproduct.Asingletestcanonlypredicthowproductscompareundertheparticularconditionschosenforevaluationandcannotbeexpectedtoreflecttheircompara-tiveperformanceunderthemanyotherpossibleconditionsofuse.Aseriesofassessmentsisalwaysnecessaryinordertoevaluatethemanyaspectsofproductperformance.Whiletherearelaboratorymethodsofmeasuringindividualaspectsofperformance(forexample,redeposition,solubility),itisnec-essarytoconductconfirmingtestsundercontrolledbutprac-ticalhomelaunderingconditionstosimulateconsumerexpe-riencemoreclosely.1.2.1Amongthevariablesthatcanaffecttheperformanceofhomelaunderingproductsorproceduresandthatshallbeconsideredindesigningtestsfortheirevaluationare:typeoffiber,fabricconstruction,fabricfinish,typesofitemstobewashed,loadsize,kindandlevelofsoilsorstains,waterhardness,watertemperature,pretreatments,thepresenceofvariouslaunderingaids,theconcentrationofproductsinthelaunderingsolution,sequenceofadditionofproducts,water,laundry,washtime,rateandtypeofagitation,spinspeed,dryingorironingmethods,andconditionsunderwhichtheitemsarejudged.1.3Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,...
