Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-10
2002-11-05
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
C510S278000, C510S302000, C510S372000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06475970
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to bleaching compositions, which can be used to treat various surfaces including, but not limited to, fabrics, clothes, carpets and the like as well as hard-surfaces like walls, tiles, floors, glass, bathrooms surfaces, kitchen surfaces, toilet bowls and dishes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bleach-containing compositions for treating various surfaces, e.g., fabrics, carpets and the like, are well known in the art.
Peroxygen bleach-containing compositions have been extensively described in the art, especially in laundry applications as laundry detergents, laundry additives or laundry pretreaters, and in carpet treatment applications.
Indeed, it is known to use such peroxygen bleach-containing compositions in laundry and/or carpet treatment applications to boost the removal of dried on (encrusted) stains/soils and “problem” stains, such as grease, coffee, tea, grass, mud/clay-containing soils, which are otherwise particularly difficult to remove. In addition, peroxygen bleaches are considered as being safer to fabrics/carpets, specifically to coloured fabrics/carpets, compared to other bleaches, as for example hypohalite bleaches. However, peroxygen bleach-containing bleaching compositions have the inconvenience of being less stable compared to bleaching compositions based on other bleaches.
Indeed, a major problem associated with such peroxygen bleach-containing compositions, is their tendency to be unstable, especially upon storage, and more especially under conditions of elevated temperature. More particularly, it is believed that the peroxygen bleach (“oxidising agent”) present in such bleaching composition can decompose resulting in a reduction of the concentration of oxidising agent over time (“loss of available oxygen”). Loss of available oxygen in such compositions consequently leads to the reduction of the cleaning and whitening performance of the compositions.
Bleaching compositions can be formulated comprising a radical scavenger in addition to the peroxygen bleach. It is believed that radical scavengers act as a bleach stabilizer in such bleaching compositions. Examples of such compositions known in the art, include bleaching compositions used to treat fabrics and/or hard-surfaces and comprising a peroxygen bleach and a radical scavenger, as e.g., butyl hydroxy toluene (BHT) and the like (EP-A-0 791 362, EP-A-0 842 604, EP-A-0 842 606 and EP-A-0 843 001) or carpet treatment compositions comprising a peroxygen bleach and a radical scavenger, e.g., n-propyl gallate or butyl hydroxy toluene (BHT) and the like (EP-A-0 906 950).
However, the stability of the peroxygen bleach in said bleaching compositions immediately after the manufacture of said bleaching composition (“immediate chemical stability”) and the stability of the peroxygen bleach in said bleaching compositions upon prolonged periods of storage (“upon storage”) may still be further improved.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a peroxygen bleach-containing composition, said composition being not only immediately chemically stable but also chemically stable upon storage, especially at higher temperatures.
It has now been found that this objective can be met by a bleaching composition comprising a peroxygen bleach and an alkoxylated benzoic acid.
Advantageously, the bleaching compositions as described herein also provide excellent bleaching performance.
More particularly, the compositions of the present invention provide excellent bleaching performance when used in any laundry application (“fabric treatment applications”), e.g., as a laundry detergent, a laundry additive and/or a laundry pretreater, and in carpet treatment applications.
A further advantage of the bleaching compositions according to the present invention is that they are able to perform in a variety of conditions, i.e., in hard and soft water as well as when used neat or diluted.
Yet another advantage of the bleaching compositions of the present invention is that said bleaching compositions are also suitable for the bleaching of different types of surfaces including hard-surfaces like floors, walls, tiles, glass, kitchen surfaces, bathrooms surfaces, toilet bowls and/or dishes and the like, in addition to the above mentioned fabric and carpet treatment applications. Furthermore, the bleaching compositions of the present invention are suitable for bleaching any type of fabrics/carpets including natural fabrics/carpets (e.g., fabrics/carpets made of cotton, viscose, linen, silk and wool), synthetic fabrics/carpets, such as those made of polymeric fibers of synthetic origin, as well as those made of both natural and synthetic fibers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses a bleaching composition comprising a peroxygen bleach and an alkoxylated benzoic acid or a salt thereof.
The present invention further encompasses processes of treating a surface, e.g., a fabric or a carpet, with a bleaching composition as defined herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Bleaching Composition
The bleaching compositions according to the present invention may be formulated either as solids or liquids. By “liquids” it is meant to include conventional liquids, gels and pastes. By “solids” it is meant herein granules, tablets and/or powders.
Solids are preferably applied onto the fabrics/carpets to be treated in combination with, preferably dissolved in, an appropriate solvent, typically water.
In the case where the bleaching compositions are formulated as liquids, the bleaching compositions are preferably, but not necessarily formulated as aqueous compositions. Liquid bleaching compositions are preferred herein for convenience of use. Preferred liquid bleaching compositions of the present invention are aqueous and therefore, preferably may comprise water, more preferably may comprise water in an amount of from 60% to 98%, even more preferably of from 80% to 97% and most preferably 85% to 97% by weight of the total composition.
The pH of the liquid bleaching compositions herein, as is measured at 25° C., preferably is at least, with increasing preference in the order given, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 or 5. Independently, the pH of the liquid bleaching compositions herein, as is measured at 25° C., preferably is no more than, with increasing preference in the order given, 9, 8.5, 8, 7.5, 7, 6.5, 6 or 5.5.
Solid bleaching compositions or liquid bleaching compositions herein have a pH measured at 25° C., preferably of at least, with increasing preference in the order given, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, when diluted into 1 to 500 times its weight of water. Independently, solid bleaching compositions or liquid bleaching compositions herein have a pH measured at 25° C., preferably of no more than, with increasing preference in the order given, 12, 11.5, 11, 10.5, 10, 9.5, 9, 8.5 or 8, when diluted into 1 to 500 times its weight of water.
In a preferred embodiment the liquid compositions according to the present invention are formulated in the neutral to the acidic pH range. It is within this neutral to acidic pH range that the optimum chemical stability and bleaching and/or cleaning performance of the peroxygen bleach as well as fabric/carpet yellowing-prevention and/or safety are obtained.
Accordingly, the compositions herein may further comprise an acid or a base to adjust the pH as appropriate.
Preferred acids herein are organic or inorganic acids or mixtures thereof. Preferred organic acids are acetic acid, citric acid or a mixture thereof. Preferred inorganic acids are sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid or a mixture thereof. A particularly preferred acid to be used herein is an inorganic acid and most preferred is sulfuric acid.
Typical levels of such acids, when present, are of from 0.01% to 3.0%, preferably from 0.05% to 2.0% and more preferably from 0.1% to 1.0% by weight of the total composition.
The bases to be used herein can be organic or inorganic bases. Suitable bases for use herein are the caustic alkalis, such as sodi
Del Duca Valerio
Giunti Stefano
Leone Milena
Ricci Carlo
Sarcinelli Luca
Camp Jason J.
Miller Steven W.
Petruncio John M
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Zerby Kim W.
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