Question

Which one of the following is used as medium of laundering clothes in tumble wash?

• A. Water
• B. Petroleum solvent
• C. Ether
• D. Detergent

Hint:

• Laundering} generally refers to washing clothes with water and detergent.
• A "tumble wash" machine is a standard washing machine that uses water as the cleaning medium.
• Water} is the liquid medium in which clothes are immersed and cleaned during aqueous laundering.
• Detergents are cleaning agents *added to* the water.
• Petroleum solvents are used in dry cleaning, not water-based tumble washing. Ether is not a laundering medium.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

"Laundering clothes in tumble wash" refers to washing clothes in a typical domestic or commercial washing machine that tumbles the clothes. The medium of laundering is the liquid in which the clothes are immersed and agitated for cleaning. Let's analyze the options:

• (a) Water: Water is the primary medium used for conventional laundering in most washing machines. Detergents and other laundry aids are dissolved or dispersed in water to facilitate cleaning.
• (b) Petroleum solvent (e.g., Stoddard solvent, white spirit): Petroleum-based solvents are used in dry cleaning, not typically in "tumble wash" machines designed for aqueous washing. Dry cleaning uses non-aqueous organic solvents to clean delicate fabrics that cannot withstand water washing.
• (c) Ether (e.g., Diethyl ether): Ether is a highly volatile organic solvent. It is not used as a medium for laundering clothes due to its flammability, volatility, and cost. It might be used as a spot cleaning agent in very specific, controlled situations but not for bulk laundering.
• (d) Detergent: Detergent is a cleaning agent (surfactant) that is added to the laundering medium (usually water) to help remove soil. It is not the medium itself. The detergent works within the water medium.

The question asks for the "medium of laundering". In a standard "tumble wash" (washing machine), the clothes are laundered in water, to which detergent and other additives are added. Water is the liquid medium that carries the detergent, wets the clothes, helps dislodge soil, and rinses away the soil and cleaning agents. \[ \boxed{\text{Water}} \]