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Trial Number 0

Trial Purpose:

To test the efficacy of two lower cost reformulations of the Chemtrax liquid laundry detergent containing the 4% enzyme mix identified from previous testing.

Date Run:

07/15/2025

Experiment Procedure:

Prep: 5x5 inch white cotton and blue polyester fabric swatches were used for testing.  Each fabric swatch was measured for reflectance with a colorimeter 5 times in 3 separate areas (0.5x0.5) where the fabric would eventually be stained.  The three areas were treated as individual coupons.  The 5 measurements for each area were averaged together and used as the representative measurements of the specified area/coupon.  Each area was stained with the correct soil type and left to air dry for 24 hours.  Colorimeter measurements of each stain were then recorded. 

Washing procedure:  The fabric swatches were washed in a washing machine with 45 mL of Liquid Laundry Detergent and 6.5 gallons of water on a normal washing cycle set for a medium load.  The water used has a water hardness level of 63 PPM mg/L.  The washing cycle consisted of a wash step (~12 mins), a rinse step (~14 mins), and a spin step (~5 mins).  Half of the fabric swatches were washed unheated with a temperature range of 60F-85F, while the other half was washed heated with a temperature range of 105F-125F.  The fabric swatches were dried in the drying machine on a heated gentle/tumble setting for 30 mins.  After drying, the colorimeter was used to re measure the 3 staining areas on each fabric swatch.

Analysis:

Detergency:  Unadjusted measure of the percentage the cleaned fabric was returned to its original state (uses only L values/measures of lightness)

% Detergency= 100X((Lclean-Ldirty)/(Linitial-Ldirty))

Where:

L=reflectance (0 black - 100 White)

Trial Results:

Formulation Temp Soil/Stain Fabric  L Initial L Dirty  L Clean % DET
MS LLD Unheated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.88 73.43 85.6 97.75%
Polyester 60.26 54.76 59.95 94.36%
Clay Cotton 85.89 78.34 85.76 98.28%
Polyester 60.52 79.13 61.26 96.02%
Grass Cotton 85.74 79.63 85.53 96.56%
Polyester 60.43 58.88 60.43 100.00%
Cocoa Cotton 85.69 49.68 85.61 99.78%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 85.71 44.68 84.5 97.05%
Heated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.86 82.95 85.68 93.81%
Polyester 60.48 55.39 59.62 83.10%
Clay Cotton 85.9 79.65 85.84 99.04%
Polyester 60.79 76.07 60.85 99.61%
Grass Cotton 85.72 78.19 85.28 94.16%
Polyester 61.22 59.67 61.15 95.48%
Cocoa Cotton 85.86 48.67 85.57 99.22%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 85.58 44.24 84.63 97.70%
Chemtrax Reformulation 1 Unheated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.84 75.59 85.72 98.83%
Polyester 60.5 52.82 60.09 94.66%
Clay Cotton 86.13 77.51 86.12 99.88%
Polyester 60.24 77.64 61.04 95.40%
Grass Cotton 85.72 73.34 85.71 99.92%
Polyester 61.2 59.3 61.18 98.95%
Cocoa Cotton 85.62 49.07 85.2 98.85%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 85.83 44.81 84.66 97.15%
Heated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.63 78.96 85.31 95.20%
Polyester 60.53 58.62 60.05 74.87%
Clay Cotton 85.88 80.2 85.87 99.82%
Polyester 60.87 79.28 60.64 101.25%
Grass Cotton 85.7 77.38 85.1 92.79%
Polyester 60.51 58.67 60.48 98.37%
Cocoa Cotton 85.94 40.89 85.41 98.82%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 85.57 44.33 84.8 98.13%
Chemtrax Reformulation 2 Unheated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.66 80.35 85.6 98.87%
Polyester 60.35 56.18 59.97 90.89%
Clay Cotton 86.03 77.17 85.97 99.32%
Polyester 60.21 78.99 61.12 95.15%
Grass Cotton 86.14 83.6 86.11 98.82%
Polyester 61.22 59.44 60.99 87.08%
Cocoa Cotton 85.64 49.7 85.54 99.72%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 86.1 48.06 80.53 85.36%
Heated Dust + Sebum Cotton 85.87 80.57 85.81 98.87%
Polyester 60.93 55.69 59.65 75.57%
Clay Cotton 85.88 79.55 85.79 98.58%
Polyester 60.66 77.61 60.54 100.71%
Grass Cotton 85.79 83.27 85.57 91.27%
Polyester 60.83 58.49 60.81 99.15%
Cocoa Cotton 86.02 48.04 85.23 97.97%
Blood + Milk + Ink Cotton 85.76 43.61 75.68 76.09%

The tables below compare the measurements of the MS LLD baseline product tested, and the measurements of both reformulations.

Reformulation 1:

    Cold Water Hot Water
Artificial Stain Stain Removal Index acceptable range MS LLD Original Reformulation 1 Pass/Fail MS LLD Original Reformulation 1 Pass/Fail
Dust & Sebum on Cotton SRI within 10 points 97.75 98.83 Pass  93.81 95.2 Pass 
Dust & Sebum on Polyester SRI within 10 points 94.36 94.66 Pass 83.1 74.87 Pass
Clay on Cotton SRI within 11 points 98.28 99.88 Pass 99.04 99.82 Pass
Clay on Polyester SRI within 5 points 96.02 95.4 Pass 99.61 101.25 Pass
EMPA 112- Cocoa on Cotton SRI within 9 points 99.78 98.85 Pass 99.22 98.82 Pass
EMPA 116- Blood, Milk & Ink on Cotton SRI within 2.5 points 97.05 97.15 Pass 97.7 98.13 Pass
Grass on Cotton SRI within 2 points 96.56 99.92 Pass 94.16 92.79 Pass
Grass on Polyester SRI within 2 points 100 98.95 Pass 95.48 98.37 Pass

Reformulation 2:

    Cold Water Hot Water
Artificial Stain Stain Removal Index acceptable range MS LLD Original Reformulation 2 Pass/Fail MS LLD Original Reformulation 2 Pass/Fail
Dust & Sebum on Cotton SRI within 10 points 97.75 98.87 Pass  93.81 98.87 Pass 
Dust & Sebum on Polyester SRI within 10 points 94.36 90.89 Pass 83.1 75.57 Pass
Clay on Cotton SRI within 11 points 98.28 99.32 Pass 99.04 98.58 Pass 
Clay on Polyester SRI within 5 points 96.02 95.15 Pass 99.61 100.71 Pass 
EMPA 112- Cocoa on Cotton SRI within 9 points 99.78 99.72 Pass 99.22 97.97 Pass
EMPA 116- Blood, Milk & Ink on Cotton SRI within 2.5 points 97.05 85.36 Fail 97.7 76.09 Fail
Grass on Cotton SRI within 2 points 96.56 98.82 Pass 94.16 91.27 Fail
Grass on Polyester SRI within 2 points 100 87.08 Fail 95.48 99.15 Pass

Success Rating:

Results successful using TACT (time, agitation, concentration, and temperature, as well as rinsing and drying) and/or other cleaning chemistries examined.

Conclusion:

Reformulation 1 was able to pass the comparison criteria across all stains, fabric types, and temperatures.  Reformulation 2 was not able to pass the comparison criteria for Blood/Milk/Ink stain on cotton or grass stains on both cotton and polyester.  These fails were consistent when the testing was repeated for these stains and fabric combinations.  Reformulation 1 is the best option for a lower cost reformulation.

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