Method for sanitizing, disinfecting and bleaching laundry

Abstract

A method for sanitizing, disinfecting and bleaching laundry is provided. The method includes steps of applying an antimicrobial composition at a pH from about 4 to about 9 in an industrial laundry washing machine for effective antimicrobial efficacy, and thereafter applying a detergent use solution at an alkaline pH for removal of soil from the laundry, and optionally applying a bleach activator and/or catalyst to boost the bleaching component of the antimicrobial composition on the laundry, and lastly draining the antimicrobial composition, the detergent use solution and the bleach catalyst composition from the laundry.

1 . A method of sanitizing, disinfecting and bleaching laundry, the method comprising:
 a. washing the laundry with an antimicrobial composition at a pH range from about 4 to about 9 in an industrial laundry washing machine for effective antimicrobial efficacy on the laundry; and thereafter   b. applying a detergent use solution at an alkaline pH in an industrial laundry washing machine for removal of soil from the laundry; and applying a bleach activator and/or catalyst composition to boost the bleaching component of the antimicrobial composition on the laundry; and   c. draining the antimicrobial composition, the detergent use solution and the bleach activator and/or catalyst composition from the laundry.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial composition is applied to the laundry in the industrial laundry washing machine for about 3-15 minutes. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent use solution and the bleach activator and/or catalyst composition is applied to the laundry in the industrial laundry washing machine at a pH from about 9 to about 13 for about 3 to about 15 minutes. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of rinsing the antimicrobial composition, the detergent use solution and the bleach activator and/or catalyst composition from the laundry. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the laundry is rinsed with water in the industrial laundry washing machine for about 1 to about 6 minutes. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein an adjuvant use solution is applied to the laundry in the industrial laundry washing machine. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the adjuvant use solution comprises at least one of souring agents, fabric softening agents, starch, anti-wrinkle agents, sizing agents, color-fastness agents, oil and water repellant agents, water conditioning agents, iron controlling agents, water threshold agents, soil releasing agents, soil shielding agents, optical brightening agents, fragrances, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the adjuvant use solution is applied to the laundry in the industrial laundry washing machine at a pH from about 5 to about 8 for about 1 to about 6 minutes. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent use solution comprises an alkalinity source. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the alkalinity source comprises at least one of alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate, alkali metal carbonate or other base component. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial composition is selected from the group consisting of percarboxylic acids derived from medium to long chain fatty acids, as well as compositions containing low total acid actives and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial composition comprises at least one of a peroxycarboxylic acid, an ester of peroxycarboxylic acid, an alkaline salt of a peroxycarboxylic acid, and adducts thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial composition comprises at least one of C 1 -C 10  aliphatic peroxycarboxylic acid, salt of C 1 -C 10  aliphatic peroxycarboxylic acid, ester of C 1 -C 10  aliphatic peroxycarboxylic acid, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial composition comprises a peroxyoctanoic acid. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the antimicrobial composition comprises a peroxyacetic acid.