Effect of Humidity on Soiling Behavior of Textiles

Abstract

Soiling of cotton, crosslinked cotton, and polyester fabrics with a model particulate and a mixed soil has been investigated at different levels of relative humidity. Measurements have been repeated with fabrics containing sorbed liquid water. Soiling with oil increases with increase in relative humidity up to ∼65% and then decreases with further increase in humidity. Soiling characteristics of different fabrics with oily soil are in the following order: cotton > crosslinked cotton > polyester. The effect of relative humidity on the soiling behavior of different fabrics with particulate ferric oxide soil is not pronounced. An attempt has been made to explain the soiling . behavior under different relative humidities in terms of the molecular picture of moisture sorption at the fiber surface.