Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-17
2002-08-27
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S505000, C510S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06440910
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition and method for removal of hydrophobic and particulate soil from an article. Stubborn hydrophobic greasy or oily soils, including associated organic particulate soils, such as finely divided elemental carbon, are frequently encountered on fabrics including textiles and on hard surfaces including engine parts. The composition is selected to provide enhanced soil renoval, preferably in institutional laundry applications and in industrial parts cleaning applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Detergent pre-treatment or pre-spotting compositions, solids or sticks are known in the art and are known to commonly use solvent materials and typically nonionic surfactants. For example, see DiSalvo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,023; Kelly, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,962; Steinhauer et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,644; and Sabol, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,762. These patents describe pretreatment or pre-spotting compositions containing a small amount of water and a substantial proportion of solvent, nonionic surfactant and a solidification or gelling agent. Wilsberg, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,556, and Clark, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,962 describe compositions which include hydrocarbon solvent. Borrello, U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,521 teaches liquid aqueous pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions containing about 35 wt % water and substantial water soluble solvent compositions to create a use solution. Such aqueous and solvent based materials are typically less effective on oily hydrophobic soils due to the nature of the soil and its hydrophobicity with respect to the aqueous formulated materials. A solvent based laundry pre-treatment stick is disclosed in Steinhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,644, and includes a minor amount of water but relatively large percent of immiscible solvent in separate but combined phases. Klier et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,662 and Yang, U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,829, describe pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions. One liquid detergent composition having a specialized phosphate ester solubilizer is disclosed in Klajnscek, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,949. The patent discloses preferred formulations for use in a liquid stabilized laundry detergent.
While these prior art pre-spot or pre-treatment compositions have some utility in pre-spotting common household laundry, commercial laundry having large quantities of hydrophobic soils, particularly oily or greasy soils containing substantial quantities of particulate matter, can resist conventional pre-spotting pre-treatments and also resist the effects of conventional laundry detergents even in industrial or commercial laundry machines such as commercial 450 pound wash wheels or tunnel washers. A substantial need exists for improved pre-spotting or pre-treating laundry compositions.
The invention relates to a parts cleaning composition and can promote the removal of hydrophobic and particulate soil from parts or hard surfaces, particularly those parts encountered in the engine cleaning industry. Parts cleaning compositions commonly used include hydrocarbon solvent. These types of compositions generally provide a high level of volatile organic compounds, are flammable and corrosive, and are tough on a worker's hands.
BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE INVENTION
A hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition is provided by the invention. The hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition includes an effective soil treating amount of an ethoxylate component and an effective soil treating amount of a fatty acid ester component. The ethoxylate component has the formula:
R
1
—(OC
2
H
4
)
m
—OH
wherein R
1
contains about 6 to about 26 carbon atoms and m is about 2 or less. Preferably, R
1
is an alkyl group containing from about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group containing from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms, and m is between about 1 and about 2. The ethoxylate component is preferably an alcohol ethoxylate or an alkyl phenol ethoxylate. The fatty acid ester component has the formula:
R
3
—CO
2
—R
4
wherein R
3
is an alkyl group having about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms and R
4
is an alkyl group having about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms. Preferably, R
3
is an alkyl group containing from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms, and R
4
is an alkyl group containing from about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms. The soil removal composition is preferably substantially free of hydrocarbon solvent.
The weight ratio of ethoxylate component to fatty acid ester component is preferably between about 1:4 and about 4:1, and more preferably between about 3:1 and about 1:3. It should be appreciated that the ethoxylate component can include mixtures of different ethoxylates, and the fatty acid ester component can include mixtures of different fatty acid esters. In addition, the soil removal composition can include a processing aid for providing freeze stability, and other components which are conventional in the detergent industry. The concentration of ethoxylate component and fatty acid ester component in the soil removal composition depends on the desired use of the composition. When applied as a pre-treatment or pre-spotting composition, the composition can be relatively concentrated and may be provided in the form of a solid or stick. In addition, the composition can be provided as a fluid which will flow through a dispenser. When used as a hard surface cleaning composition, the use concentration of ethoxylate component and fatty acid ester component is preferably relatively dilute. Of course, the composition can be provided as a concentrate, and then diluted to provide the use concentration. When used to wash skin, such as hands, the composition can be provided in the form of a solid bar, a viscous gel, or a flowable fluid which can be dispensed through a liquid dispenser. The soil removal composition can then be rubbed on the skin and wiped away or washed off.
A method for removing hydrophobic and particulate soil from an article is provided by the invention. The method includes the step of contacting a soiled article with a hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition. The hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition is allowed to penetrate into the soil in order to break apart the soil. The soil removal composition of the invention is particularly suited for breaking apart caked soil. Caked soil can generally be characterized as having an average thickness of between about 0.1 mm and about 10 mm. The soil can be removed from textiles, including natural and synthetic fiber-containing textiles, hard surfaces such as those encountered in the automotive industry, and skin. In the case of using the soil removal composition of the invention to remove soil from textiles, the composition is preferably used as a pre-treatment composition which is then followed by a wash treatment with a detergent composition such as a conventional detergent composition. Preferably, the textiles are treated with the pre-treatment composition for a length of time sufficient to break up the soil. The pre-treatment composition is then preferably allowed to drain from the textiles prior to treatment of the textiles with a detergent composition. When the soil removal composition of the invention is used to remove soil from hard surfaces, it is preferably used as a relatively dilute fluid such as a recirculation fluid. That is, it can be diluted with water and then recirculated over a hard surface to remove the soil from the hard surface. In the case of treating skin, the soil removal composition can be rubbed onto the skin and washed off with water or wiped off.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition, and to a method for removing hydrophobic and particulate soil from an article. It should be understood that hydrophobic and particulate soils refer to oily or greasy soils containing particulate matter. In general, this type of soil can often be characterized by a caked appearance. Exemplary
Armstrong Carrie
Hei Robert D. P.
Layton Jennifer
Levitt Mark
Mattia Paul
Ecolab Inc.
Hardee John
Merchant & Gould P.C.
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