The paper investigates the shielding effectiveness of a newly developed cotton and polyester fabric into which conductive stainless-steel threads were incorporated in the warp and weft directions at frequencies 0.9 GHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 2.4 GHz. As resistance to external influences and degradation is an additional critical factor for protective textiles, the newly developed protective fabric was exposed to cumulative wash cycles with liquid and powder detergents, which were targeted to preserve the shielding effectiveness (SE). In addition to the SE shielding effectiveness, the influence of 10 washing cycles on the change in thickness as a structural parameter was analyzed. Micro-images of fabric surfaces before and after the first, third, fifth, seventh, and tenth washing cycles were also observed. The obtained results showed that powder and liquid detergents were well formulated to preserve the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) at higher frequencies. However, their impact on the appearance of the surface was not fully consistent with the shielding effectiveness.

Protective properties against electromagnetic radiation represent the essential value of textiles for protective clothing worn in hazardous working conditions. To ensure that protective clothing lasts for as long as feasible, care processes must be optimized, especially since protective clothing is subjected to repeated cycles due to soiling. Improved formulations of special detergents and agents with high-performance finishing agents used in care processes can contribute to a longer life of protective clothing. In this paper, the shield effectiveness of a cotton polyester fabric with integrated metal threads in the warp and weft directions at frequencies of 0.9 GHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, and 2.4 GHz is compared to that of its environmentally friendly alternative, wet cleaning processes. The research is carried out by varying process parameters: mechanics, chemical action, and cycle number. The results proved the drop of shield properties of polyester/cotton fabric with integrated stainless steel threads depending on frequencies and the number of professional cleaning cycles. The worst shield effectiveness of the tested fabric was obtained after 10 cycles of dry cleaning, wherein the degree of protection at frequency 2.4 GHz is reduced by 6.89 dB. According to the obtained results, the level of functional properties was better preserved in the wet cleaning process, which additionally has better ecological premises compared to dry cleaning process.