Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-28
2004-04-20
Mruk, Brian P. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S101000, C510S182000, C510S212000, C510S235000, C510S433000, C510S499000, C510S506000, C252S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06723692
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is in the field of hard surface cleaning compositions, in particular it relates to products and methods suitable for the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils from cookware and tableware.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils are amongst the most severe types of soils to remove from surfaces. Traditionally, the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils from cookware and tableware requires soaking the soiled object prior to a mechanical action. Apparently, the automatic dishwashing process alone does not provide a satisfactory removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils. Manual dishwashing process requires a tremendous rubbing effort to remove cooked-, baked- and burnt-on soils and this can be detrimental to the safety and condition of the cookware/tableware.
The use of cleaning compositions containing solvent for helping in the removal of cooked-, baked- and burnt-on solids is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,573 provides a method for treating hard surfaces soiled with cooked-on, baked-on or dried-on food residues comprising applying a pre-spotting composition to the soiled article. The composition applied comprises surfactant, builder, amine and solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,007 provides an aqueous hard surface cleaning composition for removing hardened dried or baked-on grease soil deposits. The composition comprises nonionic surfactant, chelating agent, caustic, a glycol ether solvent system, organic amine and anti-redeposition agents. WO-A-94/28108 discloses an aqueous cleaner concentrate composition, that can be diluted to form a more viscous use solution comprising an effective thickening amount of a rod micelle thickener composition, lower alkyl glycol ether solvent and hardness sequestering agent. The application also describes a method of cleaning a food preparation unit having at least one substantially vertical surface having a baked food soil coating. In practice, however, none of the art has been found to be very effective in removing baked-on, polymerized soil from metal and other substrates.
Thus, there is still need for cleaning compositions and methods used prior to the washing process of tableware and cookware soiled with cooked-on, baked-on or burnt-on food in order to facilitate the removal of these difficult food residues. Compositions effective for the removal of cooked-, baked- or burnt-on soils generally contain chemicals which have an unpleasant odor associated with them. Normally said malodorous base odour is masked using a perfume. However when using the solvents of the present invention the malodour is so strong that normal levels of perfume do not adequately mask the malodour. One solution to this problem is to use higher levels of perfume, however then the perfume is overbearing and equally unpleasant to the user. Another method used in the art is to mask the odour using a perfume comprising particularly strong smelling elements, but which are not perceived by the consumer as overbearing for example essential oils or herbal notes. It has therefore been the object of the present invention to provide a composition suitable for the removal of cooked-, baked- or burnt-on soils with minimum malodor and pleasant odor during use in order to provide a more enjoyable cleaning experience for the user.
The problems discussed above can be exacerbated in spray-type compositions and products. Furthermore, in the case of compositions for the removal of cooked-, baked- or burnt-on soils the contact of these compositions with the soils can aggravate the malodor issue. Another factor which can aggravate the malodor issue is the interaction of the cleaning composition with water leading to a perceived malodor, for instance, when the user rinses off the composition from the treated utensil. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide sprayable household cleaning compositions with minimum malodor and pleasant odor during use in order to provide a more enjoyable cleaning experience for the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hard surface cleaning composition for removing cooked-, baked- or burnt-on soils (such as grease, meat, dairy, fruit, pasta and any other food especially difficult to remove after the cooking process) from cookware and tableware (including stainless steel, glass, plastic, wood and ceramic objects), wherein the composition has surface tension of less than 30 mN/m and comprises an organic solvent system and no more than:
0.09% by weight of the composition of ethers having molecular weight of less than 210
0.007% by weight of the composition of esters having molecular weight of less than 110
0.045% by weight of the composition of glycol ethers having molecular weight of less than 130
0.0025% by weight of the composition of ketones having molecular weight of less than 90.
The composition is preferably in sprayable form and incorporated in a spray dispenser. The spray droplet size is also preferably carefully controlled by the inclusion of a thickening system as herein described.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present composition comprises an organic solvent system. A problem generally associated with the use of organic solvents in cleaning compositions is that of solvent odor—an odor which many consumers do not like and which they perceive as “malodorous”. Such compositions can be made more attractive to consumers by using a high concentration of perfumes. The addition of such high concentrations of perfumes can alter or reduce the overall offensive character of the compositions, but it often results in an undesirably overbearing perfume odor. Moreover, these malodor problems can be exacerbated in compositions designed for spray-type applications. The Applicants according to the present invention have dealt with this problem via a different and previously unexplored route. The Applicants rather than attempting to mask the odour have sought to eliminate it or at least reduce it to a point where normal levels of perfume can be used to mask the malodour.
The Applicants have found that by eliminating or reducing the level of certain chemicals from the composition the existence of malodour can be dramatically reduced. These particularly malodorous chemicals are removed by fractional distillation using known techniques.
Hence the composition of the present invention, whilst comprising a solvent system, comprises no more than 0.09% by weight of the composition of ethers having molecular weight of less than 210; 0.007% by weight of the composition of esters having molecular weight of less than 1 10; 0.045% by weight of the composition of glycol ethers having molecular weight of less than 130; and 0.0025% by weight of the composition of ketones having molecular weight of less than 90. More preferably the composition comprises no more than 0.045% by weight of the composition of ethers having molecular weight of less than 210; 0.0035% by weight of the composition of esters having molecular weight of less than 110;
0.0225% by weight of the composition of glycol ethers having molecular weight of less than 130; and
0.00125% by weight of the composition of ketones having molecular weight of less than 90.
Such solvents are available from Dow under the tradename of low odour Dowanal PnB.
Examples of chemicals which should be limited, preferably excluded from the composition include: butyl formate (MW 102), 1-(propoxy) butane (MW1 16), 1-(2-propenyloxy)-butane (MW 114), n-butyl ether (MW130), 1-(1-methylpropoxy)-butane (MW131), diisopropyl ether (MW104), dibutoxy butane (MW203), 1-(1-dibutoxy)-butane (MW202), 1-(2-propenyloxy)-2 propanol (MW116), 1-(2-methylpropoxyl)-2-propanol (MW133), 1-butoxy-2-propanol (MW133), 1-(1-methylethoxy)-propanol (MW 119), 2-heptanone (85), and mixtures thereof.
The compositions of the present invention have a surface tension of less than 30 mN/m. More preferably the composition has a surface tension of less than 28 mN/m, more preferably less
Foley Peter Robert
Hutton Howard David
Camp Jason J.
Mruk Brian P.
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Waugh Kevin L.
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