This inhibits the negative effects of the water hardness and high fe3+-dispersing capacity, the dispersive action on pigments, the use in washing liquors and dye baths, as well as the use as auxiliary agents in the manufacture of paper and leather.

In these applications of the water-soluble polymers it is important that multivalent metal ions are complexed, hardness elements of the-water are prevented from precipitating or that pigments are dispersed in a high concentration at a low viscosity.

Pretreatment of cotton with a multifunctional sugar-co-polymer and a special wetting/washing agent in acid medium.

Degradability of sugar co-polymer

Saccharose = intended breaking point

↓

Bacteria attack

↓

High biological degradation

Washing of dyed material using sugar co-polymers

The use of the polymers according to the present invention is described with reference to a discontinuous washing of a cotton fabric which had been subjected to reactive dyeing.

At first, the dyeing liquor is drained off followed by: