Fabric treatment method

Abstract

A method for treating a sulfur-containing fabric and sulfur-containing fabrics with excellent antimicrobial properties are disclosed. First an aluminum salt is added to a sulfur-containing fabric. That product is then rinsed. The rinsed product is combined with an antimicrobial. In one embodiment, the sulfur-containing fabric is combined with an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent prior to the addition of the aluminum salt. Fabrics treated by the method retain excellent antimicrobial activity even after repeated washings.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An antimicrobial fabric comprising a sulfur-containing fabric that has been subjected to the following steps in the order presented:
 a) treating the fabric with an aluminum salt solution comprising an aluminum salt capable of sequestering, binding and/or reacting with sulfur and sulfur-containing species;   b) rinsing the treated fabric with water or another suitable solvent to remove the aluminum salt from the fabric to give a rinsed fabric; and   c) treating the rinsed fabric with an antimicrobial metal-ion type antimicrobial agent,   
       said antimicrobial fabric having improved antimicrobial performance as compared to the same sulfur-containing fabric that has not been subjected to steps (a) and (b) prior to treatment with the antimicrobial metal-ion type antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         2 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  which has been treated with an aqueous solution of an oxidizing agent prior to or concurrent with the treatment of the fabric with the aluminum salt. 
     
     
         3 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 2  wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from hydrogen peroxide, percarbonates, bromates, chlorates, persulfates, perborates, and hydrates thereof and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 2  wherein the oxidizing agent is a hydrate of sodium percarbonate. 
     
     
         5 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the sulfur-containing fabric was one that had been treated with a sulfur dye. 
     
     
         6 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the sulfur-containing fabric was one that had been treated with a combination of indigo and a sulfur dye. 
     
     
         7 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein fabric is selected from cotton, denim, and wool. 
     
     
         8 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is denim. 
     
     
         9 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is in the form of apparel made from denim. 
     
     
         10 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is in the form of pair of blue jeans. 
     
     
         11 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is wool. 
     
     
         12 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the aluminum salt contains an anion selected from sulfate, carboxylate, phosphate, and hydroxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the aluminum salt is a hydrate. 
     
     
         14 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 10  wherein the aluminum salt is selected from aluminum sulfate and hydrates of aluminum sulfate. 
     
     
         15 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the antimicrobial agent is present at a level of from 0.05 g to 1 g antimicrobial metal per meter 2  of fabric. 
     
     
         16 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the antimicrobial agent is present at a level to of from 0.2 g to 0.6 g antimicrobial metal per meter 2  of fabric. 
     
     
         17 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the antimicrobial agent is a source of silver ions and copper ions and the weight ratio of silver ions to copper ions is from 1:10 to 10:1. 
     
     
         18 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein the antimicrobial agent is an ion-exchange type antimicrobial agent having both ion-exchanged silver and copper ions. 
     
     
         19 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 18  wherein the ion-exchange type antimicrobial agent is a zeolite having ion-exchanged silver and copper ions. 
     
     
         20 . The antimicrobial fabric of  claim 1  wherein a binder system binds the antimicrobial agent to the fabric.