Washing system for textiles - contains fabric impregnated with solid polymeric cation exchange resin as builder

Textiles are washed in the presence of a flat water insoluble solid cation exchanger having a calcium binding capacity of more than 5 g Ca/100 g exchanger. The cation exchange material is made by (1) impregnating a flat fibre sheet with solns. or dispersions of carboxyl gp. contg. polymers, (2) removing the solvent or dispersing agent and (3) opt. converting the COOH gp. into the alkali- or ammonium form. The exchangers can be made in the form of impregnated fabrics which can be used in conjunction with known washing agents in place of or as a supplement to standard builders. The exchangers have a good capacity for binding the hardness of the water, cause dispersion of dirt particles in the water, and stabilise dissolved dirt in the wash water, inactivate mineral components in the wash water, and reduce adsorption of the surface active material into the fibre. Ecological problems caused by known builders in waste water are avoided. In am example, an impregnated fabric was made by immersing a non woven polyester fabric in a dispersion of an acrylic acid/tert. butyl acrylate/divinyl benzene styrene copolymer and drying at 80 degrees C. The material was neutralised with 1 N NaOH to give a prod. with excellent binding capacity for calcium.