Agent for cleaning hard surfaces

Details Agent for cleaning hard surfaces Agent for cleaning hard surfaces

2001-10-02

2003-03-11

Kopec, Mark (Department: 1751)

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Processes

Work handled in bulk or groups

C134S039000, C134S040000, C134S042000, C510S214000, C510S421000, C510S434000, C510S476000, C510S477000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06530383

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to a water-based composition for cleaning hard surfaces containing a combination of polymer compounds soluble in the alkaline range and nonionic surfactants and to the use of this composition for the machine-cleaning of floors.
In the cleaning of hard surfaces, the constituent materials of the surfaces to be cleaned and the nature and intensity of the soil and also economic factors have to be taken into account besides hygienic and aesthetic aspects. The hard surfaces include, for example, coverings of natural stones, tiles, such as fine stoneware tiles, and also elastic coverings, such as linoleum and PVC. In the institutional cleaning of hard surfaces, another factor to be taken into consideration is that the surfaces have different textures and, at the same time, different types of soil have to be removed, optionally with simultaneous disinfection depending on the particular application. For these reasons, various compositions have also been developed for this sector.
In practice, the choice of composition is largely determined by whether the composition performs the cleaning function on the various materials in a short time without harming them, irrespective of the type of soil. For economic reasons, machines are used for this purpose in institutional cleaning. Vacuum scrubbing machines (automatic cleaners) and scrubbing machines (single-disk or contrarotating multiple-disk machines or brush cylinder machines) are generally used for cleaning floors. In the latter case, the cleaning composition is removed by suction in a second operation carried out with a so-called wet vacuum cleaner.
The cleaning of floors with rough surfaces, for example stoneware tiles and unpolished natural and artificial stones, is attended by the problem that dirt settles very quickly on such floors because of their large surface. If cleaning compositions only are used, the surfaces become heavily soiled after only a very short time. In order to delay the redeposition of soil, cleaning is generally carried out in two steps, namely the cleaning step as such and subsequent surface protection of the floor covering. Products which contain both cleaning and floor care ingredients do not show adequate cleaning performance so that there is a continuous buildup of dirt.
Although combination products with better cleaning performance are also commercially available, they foam so vigorously that they are unsuitable for application by machine. In addition, the floor wiping compositions frequently contain floor care components which form a thick floor care film so that, despite intensive “vacuuming” during machine cleaning, the nonslip behavior of fine stoneware tiles can be adversely affected. Other attempts to develop combination products with enhanced cleaning performance often lead to problems during machine application on account of the unfavorable foaming behavior of such products. In addition, a relatively high surfactant content leads to sticky residues on floors which in turn result in more intensive soiling of the floor.
On the other hand, the solubility of film-forming substances is only limited so that they do not dissolve completely and cannot be removed completely, if at all, when the floor is next cleaned so that a thick floor care film can be built up. This again adversely affects the nonslip behavior and appearance of the floor and makes special cleaning necessary at certain intervals.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to improve conventional cleaning compositions and, at the same time, to develop cleaning compositions for hard surfaces, particularly for the institutional sector, which would show good cleaning performance and, at the same time, would preserve the surface so that cleaning could be carried out in a single operation and preferably with automatic cleaning machines.
The present invention relates to a water-based composition with a pH above 7 for cleaning hard surfaces, characterized in that it contains
A) 5 to 45% by weight of at least one polymer compound which is soluble in the alkaline range, is not crosslinked through metal ions and has a film-forming temperature of 0 to 80° C. and
B) 2 to 90% by weight of a surfactant combination of alkoxylated linear C
8-18
fatty alcohol containing 1 to 10 ethylene oxide groups and 1 to 5 propylene oxide groups per molecule, the free OH group optionally being end-capped by a C
1-4
alkyl group, and at least one other surfactant from the group consisting of alkoxylated branched-chain C
8-18
alcohols containing 1 to 8 ethylene oxide units in the molecule, the free OH groups optionally being end-capped by a C
1-4
alkyl group, C
8-18
fatty alcohol ethoxylates containing 1 to 12 ethylene oxide units in the molecule and hydroxy mixed ethers corresponding to formula (I):
R
1
O[CH
2
CH(CH
3
)O]
x
(CH
2
CHR
2
O)
y
[CH
2
CH(OH)]
z
R
3
  (I)
 where
R
1
is a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing on average 4 to 18 carbon atoms in the molecule, including mixtures thereof,
R
2
is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and
R
3
is a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing on average 2 to 14 carbon atoms in the molecule, including mixtures thereof,
x=0 or 1 to 5,
y=1 to 30 and
z=1 to 3.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment, components A and B are present in a ratio of 1:1 to 10:1 and preferably 5:1 to 1:1.
The compositions according to the invention are preferably diluted with water for use, the concentration in which they are applied generally being between 0.5 and 5% by weight and preferably between 2 and 5% by weight, based on the solution. They may be applied manually or by conventional automatic cleaners, for example by applying the cleaning solution and machine-scrubbing the floor with vacuum or other scrubbing machines. The partly dissolved soil is thoroughly dispersed in the cleaning solution so that it is not redeposited in the pores of the floor material before the solution is removed by suction. The floor is not rinsed after the scrubbing/vacuuming process and the residual moisture remaining dries. A paper-thin floor care film is formed on the surface, preventing or reducing the adhesion of soil. This floor care film is completely re-dissolved the next time the floor is cleaned and re-forms from the residual moisture remaining.
The cleaning composition according to the invention is distinguished in particular by the fact that the surfactant combination removes a broad spectrum of oily and pigment-containing soil types. The cleaning composition according to the invention matches the cleaning performance of the particularly detersive anionic cleaning compositions, but has the advantage that it does not form excessive volumes of foam in use which would impair the continuous operation of automatic cleaning machines.
Where the cleaning composition according to the invention is used in the cleaning of surfaces, there is no buildup of the floor care film because it is completely dissolved again when the floor is next cleaned. The thinness of the film and its properties also ensure that the tiles are safe to walk on.
Polymers suitable for use in accordance with the invention are, generally, any polymer compounds soluble in water in the alkaline range providing they are not metal-crosslinked. The film-forming temperature is preferably in the range from 0 to 80° C. (Meth)acrylic acid (ester) copolymers are preferred. Solubility is generally achieved through carboxylic acid groups. Preferred polymers contain a (meth)acrylate copolymer of 1 to 30 parts by weight, based on the copolymer, of carboxylic-acid-containing monomers, 30 to 70 parts by weight, based on the copolymer, of monomers which form homopolymers with glass transition temperatures below 20° C., preferably C
1-6
alkyl esters of acrylic acid and/or C
4-8
alkyl esters of methacrylic acid, and 30 to 70 parts by weight, based on the copolymer, of comonomers which form homopolymers with glass temperatures above room temperature, preferabl

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