Method for Manufacturing Cleaning Cloth

The present invention relates to cleaning cloth for producing a cleaning product and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing cleaning cloth.

A cleaning cushion (or mat) is usually made of cleaning cloth and is laid between a bed sheet and a mattress to block and isolate the mattress from dirt or foreign substances. In addition, the cleaning cushion also has waterproof and anti-mite functions, to maintain the hygienic quality of the house and to enhance the lifetime of the mattress. A conventional cleaning cloth product comprises a substrate made of a cushion or pad. The substrate is combined with a waterproof and breathable layer to provide waterproof and breathable functions. The substrate is usually made of knitted cotton so that the substrate can be washed and cannot be dried because the substrate will shrink after dried. Thus, it is difficult to dry the substrate after the substrate is washed and cleaned. In addition, a large number of tangled hair balls will be formed on the substrate due to frequent friction after the substrate is washed during a long-term utilization, thereby decreasing the aesthetic quality of the cleaning cloth product. Moreover, the cleaning cushion made of the cleaning cloth cannot be laid flat due to the tangled hair balls so that it is necessary to replace the cleaning cushion during a period of time, thereby increasing the cost of use. Thus, the substrate is simply combined with the waterproof and breathable layer to produce the conventional cleaning cloth product so that the conventional cleaning cloth product will incur many problems, thereby causing inconvenience to the user.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing cleaning cloth that is waterproof and breathable and can be washed and dried at a high-temperature.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing cleaning cloth, comprising a preparing step including providing a substrate made of high-density weaving cloth, a scouring step including scouring the substrate to remove oil, sizing agent, and dirt from the substrate, a sanforizing step including sanforizing the substrate at a high temperature so that the substrate has a determined amount of shrinkage in a warp direction and a weft direction, to reduce a water shrinkage, a brushing step including brushing the substrate to form a layer of fluff on a surface of the substrate, a water repelling treatment step including applying a water repellent on the substrate to fully blend the water repellent into fibers of the substrate, a calendering step including performing a calendering treatment to pressurize the substrate at a high temperature, to shorten a gap between the fibers of the substrate, and to fill the gap between the fibers of the substrate by the fluff, and a waterproof treatment step including applying a waterproof agent on the substrate to form cleaning cloth. The water repelling treatment step includes impregnating the substrate in the water repellent or coating the water repellent on the substrate. The waterproof treatment step includes impregnating the substrate in the waterproof agent or coating the waterproof agent on the substrate. The waterproof agent is made of polyurethane (PU).

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to, a method for manufacturing cleaning cloth in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a preparing step including providing a substrate (or base material) made of high-density weaving cloth, a scouring step including scouring the substrate to remove oil, sizing agent (or sizing compound), and dirt from the substrate, a sanforizing step including sanforizing the substrate at a high temperature so that the substrate has a determined amount of shrinkage in a warp direction and a weft direction, to reduce a water shrinkage, a brushing step including brushing the substrate to form a layer of fluff on a surface of the substrate, a water repelling treatment step including applying a water repellent on the substrate to fully blend the water repellent into fibers of the substrate, a calendering step including performing a calendering treatment to pressurize the substrate at a high temperature, to shorten a gap between the fibers of the substrate, and to fill the gap between the fibers of the substrate by the fluff, and a waterproof treatment step including applying a waterproof agent on the substrate to form cleaning cloth.

The water repelling treatment step includes impregnating the substrate in the water repellent or coating the water repellent on the substrate. The waterproof treatment step includes impregnating the substrate in the waterproof agent or coating the waterproof agent on the substrate. Preferably, the waterproof agent is made of polyurethane (PU) with better abrasion resistance, wider extensibility, higher tensile strength, and higher breathability.

In practice, the substrate of the cleaning cloth is made of high-density weaving cloth, so that the cleaning cloth has better abrasion resistance and has a waterproof effect. Then, the substrate is scoured to remove oil, sizing agent, and dirt from the substrate. Then, the sanforizing step is performed to previously sanforize the substrate at a high temperature so that the substrate has a determined amount of shrinkage in the warp direction and the weft direction, to prevent water shrinkage when the cleaning cloth is used in the future. After the substrate is scoured and sanforized at a high temperature, the substrate will overcome the drawback of water shrinkage. Then, the substrate is brushed to form a layer of fluff on the surface of the substrate. Then, the substrate is impregnated in the water repellent or the water repellent is coated on the substrate to fully blend the water repellent into all of the fibers of the substrate so that the substrate has a better water-repellent effect. Then, the calendering treatment is performed to pressurize the substrate at a high temperature, so that the fibers of the substrate are flattened by the force, to shorten the gap between the fibers of the substrate (or the pore of the fabric structure), and to fill the gap between the fibers of the substrate by a filling (or packing) effect of the fluff. At this time, the fluff is pressurized to fill the gap between the fibers in the warp direction and the fibers in the weft direction, to enhance the tightness and the water-repellent effect of the substrate. Finally, the substrate is impregnated in the PU waterproof agent or the PU waterproof agent is coated on the substrate to form the cleaning cloth. At this time, the water repellent forms a water repellent layer, and the PU waterproof agent forms a PU waterproof layer so that the fibers of the substrate are covered and protected by the PU waterproof layer. Thus, the water-repellent effect of the substrate is not easily broken or decreased due to long-term use and cleaning. Preferably, the cleaning cloth is used to make a product, such as a cleaning cushion (or mat), a pillow case, a bed sheet or the like.

Accordingly, the cleaning cloth has anti-scratch and wear-resistant features. In addition, the cleaning cloth has better waterproof and breathable effects. Further, the cleaning cloth can be washed and dried at a high-temperature. Further, when the PU waterproof layer is scratched and damaged accidentally during a long-term utilization, the water or moisture cannot pass through the fibers of the substrate and permeate downward so that the cleaning cloth has a long lifetime. Further, the cleaning cloth is washed and dried immediately without having to prepare a replacement product, thereby effectively reducing the cost of use for consumers.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the invention.