Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-11-13
Gupta, Yogendra N. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
With oxygen or halogen containing chemical bleach or oxidant...
C510S376000, C510S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316400
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the bleaching of fabrics.
BACKGROUND
Peroxygen bleach-containing compositions have been described in laundry applications as laundry detergents, laundry additives or even laundry pretreaters.
Indeed, it is known to use peroxygen bleach-containing compositions comprising surfactants like zwitterionic betaine surfactants in laundry applications to boost the removal of encrustated stains/soils which are otherwise particularly difficult to remove, such as grease, coffee, tea, grass, mud/clay-containing soils and the like. However, we have found that a drawback associated with such peroxygen bleach-containing compositions comprising such surfactants is that said compositions may damage fabrics and/or colors, resulting in loss of tensile strength and/or color change/decoloration, especially when used in laundry pretreatment application, e.g., when applied directly (neat) onto the fabrics, and left to act onto said fabrics for prolonged periods of time before rinsing the fabrics, or washing and then rinsing the fabrics.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide improved fabric safety and color safety upon bleaching, especially in pretreatment applications where the compositions are left neat into contact with the fabrics for prolonged periods of time before rinsing the fabrics, or washing and then rinsing the fabrics.
It has now been found that improved fabric safety and color safety can be achieved by formulating a liquid bleaching composition comprising a peroxygen bleach and a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant. Indeed, it is by combining these ingredients that a liquid bleaching composition is provided which exhibits a great flexibility in the soils it may clean while being safe to the fabrics bleached therewith as well as to colors. Indeed using such salts free zwitterionic betaine surfactants instead of conventional zwitterionic betaine surfactants provides improved color and fabric safety.
Advantageously, the present compositions also provide effective stain removal performance on various stains including greasy stains and effective bleaching performance.
In a preferred embodiment these salts free zwitterionic betaine surfactants are used in combination with ethoxylated nonionic surfactants. It has been found that the addition of such an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant in the compositions of the present invention further boosts the removal of various types of stains including greasy stains like mayonnaise, vegetal oil, sebum, make-up, and more surprisingly boost the bleaching performance.
Advantageously, the compositions of the present invention provide excellent stain removal performance on a broad range of stains and soils and excellent bleachable performance when used in any laundry application, e.g., as a laundry detergent or a laundry additive, and especially when used as a laundry pretreater, or even in other household applications like in hard surface cleaning applications.
A further advantage is that the compositions herein are physically and chemically stable upon prolonged periods of storage.
Yet another advantage of the compositions according to the present invention is that they are able to perform in a variety of conditions, i.e., in hard and soft water as well as when used neat or diluted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses a liquid bleaching composition comprising a peroxygen bleach and a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant.
The present invention also encompasses the use of a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant, in a liquid peroxygen bleach-containing composition, for the bleaching of fabrics, for reducing the loss of tensile strength in said fabrics.
The present invention also encompasses the use of a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant, in a liquid peroxygen bleach-containing composition, for the bleaching of fabrics, for reducing color damage to said fabrics.
The present invention further encompasses processes of bleaching fabrics starting from a liquid composition as defined herein. The processes of bleaching fabrics include the steps of contacting said fabrics with the liquid composition herein neat or diluted, and subsequently rinsing said fabrics. In the preferred embodiment, when the fabrics are “pretreated”, the composition is applied neat on the fabrics, and the fabrics are subsequently washed in a normal wash cycle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The Liquid Cleaning Composition
The compositions according to the present invention are liquid compositions as opposed to a solid or a gas. As used herein “liquid” includes “pasty” compositions. The liquid compositions herein are preferably aqueous compositions. The liquid compositions according to the present invention preferably have a pH up to 7, more preferably from 1 to 6, and even more preferably from 1.5 to 5.5. Formulating the compositions according to the present invention in the acidic pH range contributes to the chemical stability of the compositions and to the stain removal performance of the compositions. The pH of the compositions may be adjusted by any acidifying agents known to those skilled in the art. Examples of acidifying agents are organic acids such as citric acid and inorganic acids such as sulphuric acid.
Peroxygen Bleach
As a first essential element the compositions according to the present invention comprise a peroxygen bleach or a mixture thereof. Indeed, the presence of peroxygen bleach contributes to the excellent bleaching benefits of said compositions. Suitable peroxygen bleaches to be used herein are hydrogen peroxide, water soluble sources thereof, or mixtures thereof. As used herein a hydrogen peroxide source refers to any compound which produces perhydroxyl ions when said compound is in contact with water.
Suitable water-soluble sources of hydrogen peroxide for use herein include percarbonates, persilicates, persulphates such as monopersulfate, perborates, peroxyacids such as diperoxydodecandioic acid (DPDA), magnesium perphtalic acid, perlauric acid, perbenzoic and alkylperbenzoic acids, hydroperoxides, aliphatic and aromatic diacyl peroxides, and mixtures thereof. Preferred peroxygen bleaches herein are hydrogen peroxide, hydroperoxide and/or diacyl peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is the most preferred peroxygen bleach herein.
Suitable hydroperoxides for use herein are tert-butyl hydroperoxide, cumyl hydroperoxide, 2,4,4-trimethylpentyl-2-hydroperoxide, di-isopropylbenzenemonohydroperoxide, tert-amyl hydroperoxide and 2,5-dimethyl-hexane-2,5-dihydroperoxide. Such hydroperoxides have the advantage to be particularly safe to fabrics and color while delivering excellent bleaching performance when used in any laundry application.
Suitable aliphatic diacyl peroxides for use herein are dilauroyl peroxide, didecanoyl peroxide, dimyristoyl peroxide, or mixtures thereof. Suitable aromatic diacyl peroxide for use herein is for example benzoyl peroxide. Such diacyl peroxides have the advantage to be particularly safe to fabrics and color while delivering excellent bleaching performance when used in any laundry application.
Typically, the compositions herein comprise from 0.01% to 20% by weight of the total composition of said peroxygen bleach or mixtures thereof, preferably from 1% to 15% and more preferably from 2% to 10%.
Salt Free Zwitterionic Betaine Surfactant
As a second essential element the compositions according to the present invention comprise a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant or a mixture thereof.
Typically, the compositions of the present invention comprise from 0.001% to 20% by weight of the total composition of a salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactant or a mixture thereof, preferably from 0.01% to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.5% to 8% and most preferably from 1% to 5%.
By “salt free zwitterionic betaine surfactants”, it is meant herein that the zwitterionic betaine surfactant (raw material) herein contains less than 5% by weight of salts, preferably less than 3%, more preferably less than 2%, even more preferably less than 1% and mo
Antonioli Sabina
Del Duca Valerio
Giunti Stefano
Echler Sr. Richard S.
Gupta Yogendra N.
Miller Steven W.
Petruncio John M
The Procter & Gamble Co.
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