Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008 - (Page 24)

green laUnDry (continued from page 13) ethoxylates. APGs are biobased, naturally derived from corn and coconut oil, surfactants that are readily biodegradable and used in many Green cleaning products currently on the market. Bleaches Bleaches enhance laundry detergent performance by breaking down the molecular bonds of many tough stains, which allow for more rapid and aggressive stain removal. Laundry bleaching chemicals are safer for laundry room workers and the environment when they do not produce toxic or persistent byproducts.8 The most commonly used bleach, chlorine bleach, poses the potential to form hazardous chlorinated gases and organic byproducts. A more environmentally safe bleaching chemical would be an oxygen bleach containing hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide degrades into two very environmentally-friendly compounds: water (H20) and oxygen (O2). When used properly, fabric softeners will reduce fabric rigidity, control static, and work to leave the fabric feeling soft and fluffy. The active ingredients in fabric softeners are cationic, or positively-charged surfactants. Cationic surfactants that have ester, amide, or peroxide linkages tend to biodegrade much more quickly than many other cationics. Naturally derived cationic surfactants also show faster biodegradation rates relative to traditional ones. These increases in biodegradability allow for less bioaccumulation and a more positive environmental profile. On April 6-8, 2008, the 55 people pictured above attended one of Spartan’s educational laundry seminars. Laundry sours are also used to remove iron and rust from the rinse water and fabric. Mineral acid-based sours, those containing hydrochloric (HCl), sulfuric (H 2SO 4), or phosphoric (H 3PO 4) acid, should be avoided due to their potential to form hazardous gases and byproducts that can be harmful to both workers and the environment. Laundry sours that utilize organic acids, such as citric (C6H8O7) and lactic (C3H6O3) acid, are environmentally-preferable because they are not as harsh and tend to not form hazardous byproducts. Citric and lactic acids also have the added benefit of being naturally derived. Bibliography Fabric Softeners How Green is Your Laundry? Laundry Sours Laundry sours are used to neutralize residual levels of alkalinity, leaving the final fabric pH at a safe and comfortable level. Take a minute to consider what kind of impact the chemicals you use in your laundry room can have on the health of the environment and your workforce. These things should be of vital importance to all of us in the cleaning industry. Selecting the proper laundry chemicals is not a difficult task, especially when you consider that environmental and worker health is at stake. The next time you go to buy laundry detergent or bleach, look at the label closely and see what you are actually buying. Take a long look and ask yourself, “How Green is My Laundry?” 1. G.E. Hutchinson. “Eutrophication, Past and Present: Causes, Consequences, Correctives.” National Academy of Science (1969): 17-26. 2. J.C. Friedly, D.B. Kent, J.A. Davis. “Simulation of the Mobility of Metal-EDTA Complexes in Groundwater: The Influence of Contaminant Metals.” Environmental Science Technology 36 (2002): 355-363. 3. Nitrilotriacetic Acid and its Salts (IARC Summary & Evaluation, Volume 48, 1990) 4. M. Ahel, W. Giger, M. Koch. “Behavior of alkylphenol polyethoxylate surfactants in the awuatic environment.” Water Research 28 (1994): 1131-1152. 5. R.E. Chapin, J. Dulaney, Y. Wang, L. Lanning, B. Davis, B. Collins, N. Mintz, G. Wolfe. “The effects of 4-nonylphenol in rats: A multigeneration reproduction study.” Toxicological Science 52 (1999): 80-91. 6. S. Gimeno, H. Komen, P.W.M. Venderbosch, T. Bowmer. “Disruption of sexual differentiation in genetic male carp (Cyprinus Carpio) exposed to an alkyphenol during different life stages.” Environmental Science Technology 31 (1997): 2884-2890. 7. J. Steber, P. Wierich. “The anaerobic degradation of detergent range fatty alcohol ethoxylates. Studies with 14C0labelled model surfactants.” Water Research 21 (1987): 661-667. 8. K.M. Vetrano. “Molecular Chlorine: Health and Environmental Effects.” Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 170 (2001): 75-140. W Nathan S. Gaubert, M.S., is a chemist and laundry specialist for Spartan Chemical Company, Inc.. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Texas A&M and a Master’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry from The Ohio State University. He can be reached at ngaubert@spartanchemical.com. 24 Executive Housekeeping Today/May 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008 Contents Executive Corner From Ivory Halls to Four-Star Resorts The Ten-Dollar Test Toward Customer Satisfaction Frugal Housekeeper How Green is Your Laundry Not All Microfiber is Created Equal Feature Article - I.E.H.A. Investigates: Issues in Hotel Housekeeping 2008 Candidate Information IHW Product Information The Green Scene 2008 Convention Information Product Highlights Inside the Industry New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members CEH/REH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done For Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - May 2008

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