28—MICROSCOPICAL STUDIES OF DETERGENCY: DIRT REMOVAL FROM NATURALLY SOILED FIBRES

The action of soap and alkali and of alkali alone in removing dirt from naturally soiled fibres has been studied microscopically. The concentrations usually employed were those commonly used in laundering. Cinematography facilitated the observation of some of the effects. The most common methods of fatty-dirt removal involved emulsification and rolling up: complex-formation was less common. Most of the phenomena originally observed with artificial systems also occurred with these natural ones.