Verfahren zum Entschlichten und zum Bleichen von stärkegeschlichteten Geweben mit Chloriten

A process of desizing and bleaching textiles comprises impregnating the materials at below 60 DEG C. with a neutral bath containing sodium chlorite, a substance which liberates an acid at temperatures above 60 DEG C. and an enzymatic desizing agent which is active in a neutral medium at a temperature below 60 DEG C., and thereafter raising the temperature to above 60 DEG C. The acid-liberating substance may be ammonium sulphate, chloride or nitrate, ethyl lactate, ethyl tartrate, ethyl phthalate, or compounds containing aldehyde groups such as glucose. The enzyme may be a pancreas amylase. The solution may contain a nonionic wetting agent. The material, which may be singed, may be impregnated, e.g. at 20-30 DEG C., squeezed to 100 to 120% take-up and then heated to 75 DEG to 97 DEG C., or it may be immersed in the liquor maintained at 40 DEG to 50 DEG C. and the liquor temperature thereafter raised to 75 DEG to 100 DEG C. Fabrics treated may be of cotton, regenerated cellulose or mixtures thereof with one other or with synthetic fibres.