R. R. Street Co. Inc.

Manfred Wentz

James E Schulte

Timothy L Racette

Method includes the steps of (1) treating the textile with a predetermined amount of a non-durable sacrificial repellent material before putting the textile in service; (2) cleaning the textile with a mixture of a non-polar solvent and at least one cleaning additive to remove non-polar solvent soluble, insoluble and resistant contaminants from the textile; (3) washing the textile with a mixture of a polar solvent and at least one washing additive to remove polar solvent soluble contaminants from the textile; and (4) maintaining a predetermined amount of a non-durable sacrificial repellent material on the textile. The non-polar solvent may be perchloroethylene or the like, while the cleaning additive is a mixture of a dialkyl ketone, a carboxylic ester and a glycol ether. A second cleaning additive may be used to enhance contaminant removal. The polar solvent used is water, while the washing additive is a blend of surfactants. The repellent material used is either a fluorocarbon polymeric material or a hydrocarbon polymeric material, which is applied as necessary to maintain a predetermined amount of the non-durable sacrificial repellent material on the textile in the range of from about 0.5 to about 3.0% solids on fabric by weight. Drying steps are preferred after the non-polar solvent cleaning step so as to remove any residual non-polar solvents, and after the maintaining step so as to cure the non-durable sacrificial repellent material thereon.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Manfred Wentz