ASTM E3162-18 PDF

Full title and description

ASTM E3162-18 — Standard Practice Measuring the Durability of Antibacterial Agents Applied to Textiles under Simulated Home Laundering Conditions. This practice defines a reproducible, accelerated laundering procedure and associated test conditions to evaluate how well antibacterial/antimicrobial treatments on textile and other porous soft substrates retain activity after multiple simulated home wash cycles.

Abstract

This short ASTM practice (E3162-18) specifies controlled, simulated home laundering conditions — including defined detergent formulation, wash parameters and abrasive action — to produce reproducible wash exposures prior to subsequent microbiological testing of treated textiles. It is intended to support durability claims for antibacterial finishes and to provide a common preparatory wash protocol for subsequent antimicrobial assays.

General information

• Status: Active (standard practice).
• Publication date: April 1, 2018 (designation E3162‑18).
• Publisher: ASTM International.
• ICS / categories: 59.080.01 — Textiles in general.
• Edition / version: E3162‑18 (2018 edition).
• Number of pages: 3 pages.

Scope

The practice is intended to determine the durability of antibacterial treatments on textile products (apparel, household textiles, piece goods, and similar porous substrates) by subjecting treated samples to multiple simulated and accelerated home launderings under defined parameters so that subsequent microbiological testing can be performed reliably. The standard is suitable for polymer-based antimicrobial agents as written; other chemistries or particle‑based actives may require adaptation and further correlation to real-world care instructions.

Key topics and requirements

• Defined simulated home laundering protocol (temperature, liquor ratio, detergent composition, and cycle time) to produce repeatable wash exposures.
• Use of abrasive media (e.g., steel balls or equivalent) and controlled mechanical action to simulate wear and abrasion during washing.
• Restrictions on bleaching/softening additives in the protocol to avoid confounding antimicrobial measurements.
• Guidance that subsequent microbiological assays must be performed by qualified personnel in appropriate facilities.
• Notes on applicability: primarily for porous textile substrates; correlation to real-world care labels must be determined case-by-case.

Typical use and users

Used by textile testing laboratories, antimicrobial finish developers, quality assurance teams at textile and apparel manufacturers, independent conformity assessment bodies, and regulatory or claims-substantiation groups. Instruments and wash simulators (for example, Launder‑Ometer style equipment) are commonly used to perform the procedure prior to microbiological testing.

Related standards

Commonly referenced alongside laundering and antimicrobial test methods such as AATCC TM61 (accelerated laundering), AATCC TM135 (home laundering simulation), ASTM terminology standards for textiles (e.g., ASTM D123), and other antimicrobial/textile standards (for example ASTM E3171 and ASTM E3025 and various ISO/AATCC color/fastness wash methods). Users typically apply E3162 as the preparatory wash protocol before conducting standard antimicrobial efficacy tests.

Keywords

antibacterial durability, antimicrobial finishes, textiles, simulated home laundering, wash protocol, laundering simulation, microbiological prep, durable antimicrobial, E3162-18.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM E3162-18 is a short ASTM standard practice that defines a reproducible simulated home laundering procedure to evaluate the durability of antibacterial agents applied to textile and other porous soft substrates prior to microbiological testing.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers wash conditions (detergent type/composition, temperature, mechanical action including abrasive media, liquor ratios and cycle time) intended to simulate or accelerate typical home launderings so that treated textiles can be assessed for retained antibacterial activity. It does not itself specify a microbiological efficacy test — rather, it prepares specimens for such tests.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Textile test labs, finish and chemical manufacturers, QA/QC groups in apparel and household textile companies, and organizations performing claims substantiation or regulatory testing.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: As published it is an active ASTM practice (designation E3162‑18, published April 1, 2018, and maintained as active). A revision work item to revise E3162 (WK98002) appears to have been initiated in 2026, indicating the committee is working on an update; users should check ASTM records for the latest status before using for regulatory or claim purposes.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It was developed by ASTM Committee E35 (Subcommittee E35.15) and appears in Book of Standards Volume 11.08 (Pesticides, Antimicrobials, and Alternative Control Agents). It is often used in conjunction with other laundering and antimicrobial test methods rather than as a standalone efficacy test.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Antibacterial durability; antimicrobial agents; textiles; simulated home laundering; wash simulation; laundering protocol; treated textiles; ASTM E3162-18.