Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Oils – grease – tar – or wax removal – by dissolving
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-17
2001-10-16
Ogden, Necholus (Department: 1751)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Oils, grease, tar, or wax removal, by dissolving
C510S218000, C510S432000, C510S477000, C510S478000, C510S505000, C510S509000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302969
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to compositions, methods and/or articles for removing dirt and other unwanted residues from hard surfaces, especially those surfaces which are contacted by food intended for ingestion by humans or lower animals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Alkaline liquid hard surface cleaning compositions are well known in the art. The alkalinity provides improved grease cleaning properties but typically is employed in conjunction with other components which require careful rinsing of the cleaned surface before this surface could be used in any direct contact with items intended for ingestion by humans or lower animals. Conventional hard surface cleaners typically include inorganic and organic compounds which would be unacceptable if transferred to foods which contact the cleansed surface. Some cleaners employ bleaching agents, abrasives, and/or solvents which could also negatively impact food items.
Another consideration on formulation of hard surface cleaners, particularly those not intended to be thoroughly rinsed off after use, is the film/streak performance after wiping and drying of the cleaner on the surface. It is well known that liquid cleaning compositions, and especially compositions prepared for cleaning glass and kitchen tile, need exceptionally good filming/streaking properties. Because good filming/streaking properties are required especially for these cleaners, the levels of surfactants and other actives must be kept low in order to achieve this benefit. Such compositions frequently rely on the use of ammonia and strong organic solvents to achieve good results.
It will be appreciated that the formulation of truly effective compositions, especially those which can be used safely by individual consumers, for washing hard surfaces presents a unique problem to the formulator, inasmuch as many art-disclosed cleaning ingredients would, presumably, not be desirable for use in direct contact with foods where they might not be fully removed.
Moreover, it would be especially desirable to provide effective, toxicologically-acceptable cleaning compositions for hard surfaces in the form of substantially low-sudsing liquid solutions which are clear or which have only minimal haziness. Liquid solutions are convenient for the user, since they can be applied directly to hard surfaces, followed by wiping. The clarity of the liquids connotes cleanliness to the user and is thus highly desirable. Low sudsing is an important attribute so that removal of the solution by wiping is achieved quickly and easily. It would also be of advantage if such compositions could be provided in the form of concentrates, which could be diluted by the consumer before use and/or applied to the surfaces as a direct spray-on.
Unfortunately, many toxicologically-acceptable cleaning ingredients do not meet the aforesaid requirements for clear, low-sudsing, dilutable liquid products. Many detersive surfactants form cloudy or even opaque suspensions in water. Of course, many surfactants are specifically designed to be high sudsing. Still others form relatively intractable phases in their concentrated form.
It has now been discovered that certain anionic and nonionic surfactants, properly formulated with other ingredients can provide liquid compositions having the desired properties described above.
BACKGROUND ART
The use and selection of cleaning ingredients for the purpose of washing fruits and vegetables is described by the United States Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Section 172, 173, 182, and/or 184. These regulations restrict the ingredients that may be used for direct contact with food to those described as “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS), and a few other selected ingredients. For purposes of the present invention, ingredients that are food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption as defined as “food grade”. These sections also provide certain limitations on the amount of material that can be used in a given context.
Among these ingredients, the experienced formulator will find only a few ingredients which can provide effective cleaning of hydrophobic residues, such as waxes, oils, or man-made chemical residues. It is recognized these types of residues are removed most readily by surface active ingredients in water, or by organic solvents largely in the absence of water. Other types of soils, especially particulate insoluble soils that do not readily disperse in water, are effectively removed by surface active materials in water, especially when aided by complex anionic salts, such as citrates (polycarboxylates), or polyphosphate salts.
Within this limited group of ingredients the range of effective cleaning compositions well suited to the task of cleaning foods such as fruits and vegetables, especially as practiced by individual consumers, have been previously described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,500,048, 5,500,143, 5,500,295, and 5,503,764. This prior art, however, deals primarily with problems associated with cleaning fruits and vegetables and does not take into consideration the unique characteristics, including the superior film/streak performance, of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses compositions, articles of commerce, and methods for cleaning hard surfaces, especially those surfaces which are contacted by food intended for ingestion by humans or lower animals. The compositions demonstrate superior film/streak performance.
These aqueous compositions are suitable for cleaning hard surfaces, even when the compositions are incompletely removed from said surfaces. Such a composition comprises only food grade ingredients, has a pH of greater than 11.6, preferably greater than about 12.0, more preferably greater than about 12.5, and is essentially free of C
8
-C
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fatty acid or salts thereof. In order to deliver superior film/streak performance, said compositions preferably comprise less than about 2.0%, by weight of the total composition, more preferably below about 1.75%, and even more preferably below about 1.0% of non-volatile components. The compositions of the present invention comprise:
(a) from about 0.001% to about 1%, by weight of the composition, preferably from about 0.005% to about 0.5%, more preferably from about 0.01% to about 0.1 %, of nonionic and/or anionic surfactant;
(b) up to about 6% by weight of the composition, preferably from about 0.01% to about 4%, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 2% of GRAS perfume;
(c) a toxicologically acceptable alkali compound;
(d) optionally, a toxicologically acceptable sequestrant/builder;
(e) optionally, a toxicologically-acceptable preservative; and
(f) the balance comprising aqueous carrier selected from water and, optionally, low molecular weight, toxicologically-acceptable organic solvent.
Preferred compositions for use herein contain only materials that are GRAS, including, of course, direct food additives affirmed as GRAS, to protect against possible misuse by the consumer.
A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a composition suitable for cleaning hard surfaces, even when the composition is incompletely removed from said surfaces, comprising only food grade ingredients; wherein said composition consists essentially of:
(a) from about 0.005% to less than 0.5%, preferably from about 0.01% to about 0.1% of nonionic or anionic surfactant, preferably anionic;
(b) from about 0.01% to about 4%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 2%, by weight the composition, of GRAS perfume;
(c) a toxicologically-acceptable alkali compound;
(d) from about 0.5% to about 8%, preferably from about 2 to about 6% of low molecular weight, toxicologically-acceptable organic solvent; and
(e) the balance comprising water; said composition having a pH of greater than 11.6, preferably greater than 12.0, and even more preferably greater than 12.5. Surprisingly, this formulation provides superior cleaning performance without the traditional builders, sequestrants or other components traditionally found in hard surface cleaning
Kershner Karen Marie
Moster Heather Lynn
Rollins David Kent
Roselle Brian Joseph
Camp Jason J.
Ogden Necholus
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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