Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-23
2003-12-02
Webb, Gregory E. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S238000, C510S240000, C134S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656897
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a process of cleaning enamel surfaces with a liquid acidic composition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Compositions for cleaning enamel surfaces are well known in the art.
Liquid compositions having an acidic pH for cleaning enamel surfaces have been extensively described in the art, especially in hard surface cleaning application (e.g., bathroom cleaner).
Indeed, it is known to use acidic compositions to clean enamel surfaces as such formulations show good soap scum removal performance and limescale removal performance. Soap scum and limescale are soils that frequently occur on enamel surfaces, especially enamel surfaces located in bathrooms, kitchens and the like.
However, there are some limitations to the convenience of acidic compositions employed as enamel surface cleaner. In particular it is know, that enamel surfaces are sensitive to acids and may be severely damaged by acidic compositions used to clean said surfaces.
It is thus and object of the present invention to provide a process of cleaning enamel surfaces with an acidic composition which is safe to said enamel surfaces whilst also exhibiting good cleaning performance on a variety of soils.
It has now been found that the above object is met by a process of cleaning an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe acid.
Advantageously, said process of cleaning enamel surfaces may be used on various enamel surfaces. Enamel surfaces can be found in various places, e.g., in households in kitchens (sinks and the like); in bathrooms (tubs, sinks, shower tiles, bathroom enamelware and the like); in washing machines; and dishes.
A further advantage of the process as described herein is that the compositions used to clean enamel surfaces show good stain/soil removal performance.
More particularly, the liquid acidic compositions show good stain/soil removal performance on various types of stains/soils in particular greasy soils, e.g., greasy soap scum or greasy soils found in kitchens; limescale; mold; mildew; and other tough stains found on enamel surfaces.
BACKGROUND ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,680 discloses acidic liquid detergent compositions comprising mixtures of organic acids, an ether of diethylene glycol and a surfactant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses a process of cleaning an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe acid wherein the pK
a
of said acid is 3.5 or higher; with the proviso that no mono-lower alkyl ethers or phenyl ethers or benzyl ethers of diethylene glycol, wherein the lower alkyl is of 2 to 6 carbon atoms, are present in said composition.
In another preferred embodiment said composition further comprises a surfactant.
The present invention further encompasses the use of an enamel safe acid in a composition to clean an enamel surface wherein the pK
a
of said acid is 3.5 or higher and said composition is safe to enamel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Process of Treating a Hard-surface
The present invention encompasses a process of treating an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe acid as described herein. In a preferred embodiment said acidic liquid composition is contacted with said enamel surface.
By “enamel surface” it is meant herein any kind of surface being made of or coated with enamel.
By “enamel” it is meant titanium or zirconium white enamel or titanium or zirconium white powder enamel used as a coating for metal (e.g., steel) surfaces preferably to prevent corrosion of said metal surfaces.
Enamel surfaces can typically be found in: houses: e.g., in bathrooms or in kitchens: e.g., tiles, sinks, showers, shower wash basins, WCs, tubs, sinks, fixtures and fittings and the like. Furthermore, cookware, dishes and the like may have an enamel surface. Enamel surfaces may also be found on household appliances which may be coated with enamel on their inside and/or outside surface including, but not limited to heating boiler, washing machines, automatic dryers, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, microwave ovens, dishwashers and so on. Further enamel surfaces may be found in industrial, architectural and the like applications. Examples of enamel surfaces found in said applications include enamel surfaces on or in tanks, pipelines, reaction vessels, pumps, chemical processing equipment, mechanical equipment, heat exchangers, hot water tanks, signs, silos or architectural panels.
The process of the present invention provides that the liquid acidic composition is applied to the surface to be treated. The composition may be in its neat form or in its diluted form.
By “diluted form”, it is meant herein that said liquid composition is diluted by the user typically with water. The composition is diluted prior to use to a typical dilution level of 10 to 400 times its weight of water, preferably from 10 to 200 and more preferably from 10 to 100. A usually recommended dilution level is a 1.2% dilution of the composition in water.
By “in its neat form”, it is to be understood that the liquid compositions are applied directly onto the enamel surface to be treated without undergoing any dilution, i.e., the liquid compositions herein are applied onto the hard-surface as described herein.
A preferred process of cleaning an enamel surface according to the present invention, is to apply the composition in diluted form without rinsing the hard-surface after application in order to obtain good soil/stain removal performance.
Another preferred process of treating a enamel surface, is to apply the composition, described by the present invention, either in neat or diluted form, leave it on said surface for a period of time to allow the composition to act, optionally wipe said surface with an appropriate instrument, e.g., a sponge, and then preferably rinse said surface with water.
The enamel surfaces to be treated may be soiled with a variety of soils, e.g., greasy soils (e.g., greasy soap scum, body grease, kitchen grease or burnt/sticky food residues typically found in a kitchen and the like) or so called “limescale-containing stains”. By “limescale-containing stains” it is meant herein any pure limescale stains, i.e., any stains composed essentially of mineral deposits, as well as limescale-containing stains, i.e., stains which contain not only mineral deposits like calcium and/or magnesium carbonate but also soap scum (e.g., calcium stearate) and other grease (e.g. body grease).
Cleaning Performance Test Method
The dilute cleaning performance may be evaluated by the following test method: tiles of enamel are prepared by applying to them a representative grease/particulate artificial soil followed by ageing. The test compositions and the reference composition are diluted (e.g., composition:water 1:50 or 1:100), applied to a sponge, and used to clean the tiles with a Sheen scrub tester. The number. of strokes required to clean to 100% clean is recorded. The result, i.e., number of strokes, of the test composition is compared against the result of the reference composition.
The test method for evaluating neat cleaning performance is identical to above except that the test compositions and reference are used undiluted and that after cleaning a rinsing cycle is performed with clean water.
Greasy Soap Scum Cleaning Performance Test Method
In this test method enamel white tiles (typically 24 cm*4 cm) are covered with typical greasy soap scum soils mainly based on calcium stearate and artificial body soils commercially available (e.g., 0.3 grams with a sprayer). The soiled tiles are then dried in an oven at a temperature of 140° C. for 20 minutes and then aged overnight at room temperature (around 20° C.-25° C.). The soiled tiles are then cleaned using 3 ml of the liquid composition of the present invention poured directly onto a Spontex® sponge. The ability of the composition to remove greasy soap scum is measured through the number of strokes needed to perfectly clean the surface. The lower the number of strokes, the higher the greasy soap scum clean
Cardola Sergio
Iakovides Panos
Orlandini Laura
Rescio Maria Rosa
Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
The Procter & Gamble & Company
Webb Gregory E.
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