Composition for treating stains on laundry items and method...

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Liquid composition

Reexamination Certificate

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C510S281000, C510S283000, C510S284000, C510S505000, C510S506000, C134S042000, C015S209100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06277808

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to compositions for treating stains on laundry items. Laundry items can be treated either before or after a conventional laundering process by application of the composition in the region of the stain so that the stain is at least partially released and removal of the stain is made easier.
Emulsions of solvent-aqueous systems are known to be effective as spot pretreating compositions on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic stains.
GB-A-2 194 547, published on March 9, 1988, discloses mixtures of n-dodecane with both short-chain (Neodol 91-6) and long chain (Neodol 45-1) nonionics. The compositions are in the form of liquid solutions; water-in-oil or oil-in-water microemulsions, or gels. However this application does not disclose compositions which comprise alkali material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,418, issued on Jun. 6, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,178, 262, issued on Dec. 11, 1979, disclose isoparaffin (C
11
-C
14
) in combination with long-chain (C
10
-C
18
) nonionics.
The present invention relates to a cleaning composition which is an-oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion or a solution comprising non-aqueous hydrophobic solvent; first anionic or nonionic surfactant having an alkyl chain, the length of the alkyl chain being C
11
or less; and second anionic or nonionic surfactant having an alkyl chain, the length of the alkyl chain being C
12
or more.
It is the objective of the present invention to improve the cleaning performance of stain treatment compositions particularly on fatty or greasy stains, including cosmetics and food stains such as cream, milk, sauces. Another object of the present invention is to improve the removal of bleachable stains through the application of the composition of the present invention and the application of a bleaching compound, preferably a peroxide compound.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is achieved by providing a cleaning composition which has a pH greater than 8, thereby enhancing cleaning performance for both fatty stains and bleachable stains. Preferably the pH is greater than 9, and more preferably greater than 10.
The cleaning composition preferably comprises water from 5% to 95% by weight of the composition.
The invention also relates to a method for treating a spot or stain on a textile fabric using the cleaning compositions of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hydrophobic solvents are an essential feature of the compostions of the present invention. Preferred hydrophobic solvents are defined in terms of Hansen parameters. A hydrophobic solvent as defined herein is considered to be a solvent having Hansen hydrogen bonding cohesion parameter dH below 18 (Joule/cm
3
)
0.5
. Preferred hydrophobic solvents have a Hansen hydrogen bonding cohesion parameter dH below 12 (Joule/cm
3
)
0.5
and a Hansen polar parameter dP below 8 (Joule/cm
3
)
0.5
.
Preferred solvents for use comprise mixtures of hydrocarbons with a flash point no lower than 70° C., an initial boiling point no lower than 130° C., preferably no lower than 145° C., and a solidification point not above 20° C. and aliphatic fatty acid esters. More preferred solvents would be alkanes or alkenes with a chain length above C7, and particularly alkanes and alkenes with an average of C8 to C20 atoms. Particularly preferred hydrophobic solvents are deodorised kerosine; solvent naphta; chlorinated hydrocarbons; and terpenes. Even more preferred are paraffins; isoparaffins; naphthenes; aromatics; olefins; 1,1,1-trichloroethane perchloroethylene; methylene chloride; Shellsol SS® mixture (C8-C11 isoparaffin+5% aliphatic C7 ester); D-Limonene; and Glidsafe® supplied by Glidsol. Solvents are used in the detergent compositions of the present invention preferably at a level of from 3% to 90%, more preferably from 4% to 45%, and most preferably from 5% to 25% by weight of the detergent composition.
Other solvents having a Hansen parameter of dH less than 18 (Joule/cm
3
)
0.5
include glycol ethers, more preferably glycol ethers based upon ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred are ethylene glycol monoethyl ether; Propylene glycol monomethyl ether; 2-butoxy ethanol; butyl diethylene glycol ether ethanol; butoxytriglycol; butylene glycol; hexylene glycol; and propyl propanol. Such solvents are used in combination with mixtures of short chain surfactants and long chain surfactants.
By “short-chain” what is meant herein is surfactants which comprise a C
6
-C
11
alkyl chain as their hydrophobic portion. Such short-chain surfactants are accordingly those conventionally used in this field, but with a shorter alkyl chain, and can be of any type. Accordingly, suitable short chain surfactants for use herein include C
6
-C
11
alkyl sulfates (C
6
-C
11
SO
4
), alkyl ether sulfates (C
6
-C
11
(OCH
2
CH
2
)eSO
4
), alkyl sulfonates (C
6
-C
11
SO
3
), alkyl succinates (C
6
-C
11
OOCCH
2
CH
2
COOZ), alkyl carboxylates (C
6
-C
11
COOM), alkyl ether carboxylates (C
6
-C
11
(OCH
2
CH
2
)eCOOM), alkyl sarcosinates (C
6
-C
11
CON(CH
3
)R), alkyl sulfo succinates (C
6
-C
11
OOCCH(SO
3
M)CH
2
COOZ), amine oxides (C
6
-C
11
RR′NO), glucose amides (C
6
-C
11
CONR″X), alkylpyrrolidones (C
6
-C
11
(C
4
H
6
ON), alkylpolysaccharides (C
6
-C
11
OGg), alkyl alkoxylates (C
6
-C
11
(OCH
2
CH
2
)e(OCH
2
CH
2
CH
2
)pOH) and betaines (C
6
-C
11
N+(CH
3
)
2
CH
2
COO—). In the formulae in brackets, e and p are independently from 0 to 20 and e+p>0, Z is M or R,M is H or any counterion such as those known in the art, including Na, K,Li, NH
4
, amine, X is a polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, or an alkoxylated derivative thereof, R, R′ and R″ are C
1
-C
5
alkyl groups, possibly functionalized with hydroxyl groups, R and R′ are preferably C
1
-C
3
, most preferably methyl, R″ is preferably 2-hydroxyethyl or 2 hydroxypropyl, G is saccharide, preferably glucose, and g is of from 1.5 to 8. All these surfactants are well known in the art. A more complete disclosure of conventional glucose amides can be found for instance in WO 92-06154 and a more complete disclosure of conventional alkyl polysaccharides can be found for instance in U.S. Pat No. 4,536,319. The compositions according to the present invention may comprise any of the above surfactants alone, or any combination thereof.
Preferred short chain nonionic surfactants for use herein are alkyl alkoxylates according to the formula C
6
-C
11
(OCH
2
CH
2
)
e
(OCH
2
CH
2
CH
2
)
p
OH, where e and p representing respectively the degree of ethoxylation and propoxylation, are independently of from 0 to 20, and that e+p>0. Most preferred short chain nonionic surfactants for use herein are those where e and p are such that e+p is from 3 to 10, particularly those where p is 0 and e is 3 to 8. Also, most preferred short chain nonionic surfactants for use herein are those where said short chain is a hydrocarbon chain comprising from 7 to 11 carbon atoms. Said preferred short chain nonionic surfactants for use herein can be manufactured by the processes well known to the man skilled in the art, such as condensation of the corresponding alcohol and alkylene oxide, but such short chain surfactants are more conveniently commercially available for instance from Sidobre under the trade name Mergital® C
4
(C8EO4), from Kolb under the trade names Imbentin® AG/810/050 and AG/810/080 (respectively C8-10EO5 and C8-10EO8); from Shell under the trade name Dobanol 91-2.5 (C
9
-C
11
EO2.5), Dobanol 91-6 (C
9
-C
11
EO6), Dobanol 91-4-6; from Vista Chemicals Vista 1012-52, from EXXON Asopol 91-4.6.
Another preferred class of short chain nonionic surfactants are secondary alcohol ethoxylates according to the formula
wherein (X+Y) is from 2 to 10 and the number of ethoxylate groups n is from 1 to 7. Example of commercially available surfactants of this type include the Tergitol S series from Union Carbide.
Preferred short chain anionic surfactan

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