Methods, compositions, and articles for odor control

Details Methods, compositions, and articles for odor control Methods, compositions, and articles for odor control

2000-05-15

2004-01-20

Hardee, John (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

Specific organic component

C510S101000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06680289

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to improvements in the laundry process, including the provision of methods to improve the odor of fabrics that retain a malodor after the laundry step. The invention also includes odor-absorbing compositions for use in the laundry, especially concentrated additive compositions that can be used selectively on such fabrics and articles comprising said compositions in association with instructions for practicing the method and/or obtaining the benefits that can be derived from the method. Preferably the compositions restore and/or maintain freshness by reducing malodor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical laundry processes remove odors from normal fabrics containing relatively low levels of malodors. However, as the temperature for washing has gotten lower, or when the load has fabrics with high levels of odorants, or when there is some other factor like overloading involved, there is sometimes a lingering malodor. This lingering malodor is different from malodor that is present in some detergent compositions, or is generated after the wash, e.g., by antimicrobial action, or which thereafter becomes attached to the fabrics and is sometimes accompanied by the presence of large amounts of hydrophobic soils. This problem has not been generally recognized, since the general expectation is that the wash cycle removes all odors. However, some consumers have noticed the problem and have taken extreme measures such as doing such fabrics only in separate loads. In general, consumers do not take steps to remove, or counteract the odor, such as, e.g., washing the article again, since the additional measures are not successful. Also, such a second washing is wasteful of time, water, and detergent, and causes increased wear on clothing. Using more detergent is usually undesirable, since that may cause the article to have detergent remaining after the rinse step.
Cyclodextrin has been used to control odors from detergent compositions, to protect perfumes in detergent compositions, improve the solubility of compounds like nonionic surfactants to improve their removal, and like dyes to prevent their transfer to other fabrics by keeping them suspended.
The present invention relates to solving problems associated with having a malodor remaining after the wash process is completed, preferably by the addition of cyclodextrin to help remove/control the malodor, or, less optimally, provide malodor counteractants, like odor blockers or materials that react with the malodors or mask the malodors. The preferred approach uses those materials that result in the removal, or tying up of the malodor. The preferred methods and compositions are used as additives, since the majority of fabric laundry loads do not have the problem and since many of the materials that can neutralize the malodor have their own problems. Cyclodextrin tends to react with perfumes, and surfactants when incorporated in detergent compositions and the level required for malodor control is very high. Odor blockers, when used at the high levels needed for malodor control, block the desirable odors of perfumes as well as the malodors. Similarly, the masking compounds block other desirable odors and reactants can destroy desirable odors.
There is anecdotal information that indicates some consumers may have noticed the problem and have found some ways of solving the problem using materials that are part of the invention herein. However, to avoid causing problems, it is important to provide the general consumer with the identity of the laundry processes, soils, loads, conditions, etc. that typically provide insufficient removal of malodors and the level of ingredients needed to see the benefit. This allows the use of the additive when it is needed. Prior to this invention, the efforts to counteract malodor were based on insufficient information to ensure good results without wasteful use of excess material.
As stated before, in general, provision of such counteractants in the detergent, or fabric softener, is not efficient, since for some loads the benefit is not needed. Also, the level of many ingredients needed to provide good malodor removal/elimination is usually quite high, even for those counteractants that are really effective. Selection of the best counteractant can provide superior results. It is important to avoid the inclusion in the additive compositions of high levels of materials that interfere with the portion of the laundry process where the additive is used. For example, large amounts of acid materials usually hurts detergency by lowering the pH of the wash liquor; anionic materials are usually not compatible with cationic fabric softeners; etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the method of applying an effective amount of a malodor control agent (counteractant) to at least one step of a laundry process to provide a consumer noticeable improvement in the laundry process by either eliminating malodor, or improving the removal of hydrophobic soils, in an efficient way. Generally, because of the high level of ingredients required for this benefit, it is essential to supply the consumer with the requisite information required to make good decisions, e.g., as to when to use the method by defining the areas of greatest benefit, the amount of malodor counteractant required to provide such a benefit, etc. and providing concentrated compositions and delivery methods that minimize the use of too much or too little counteractant. The compositions are preferably supplied in a package in association with this information. The best counteractants provide some residual malodor prevention effects as well as providing superior end results for the laundry process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
I. Method of Use
The compositions described hereinafter can be used by adding an effective amount to fabrics in one, or more of the steps in a typical laundry cycle including a presoak, a wash step, a rinse step, or a water removal step, e.g., wringing or spinning, drying, etc. An effective amount as defined herein means an amount sufficient to absorb or counteract malodor to the point that it is less objectionable, preferably not discernible by the human sense of smell. As discussed herein, for certain odors, the level in the atmosphere around the fabrics, “head space”, should be less than the minimum detectable concentration for that odor.
The kinds of soils that are most likely to cause a severe malodor include: soils like those found on mechanics' clothes; food handlers, especially butchers' and kitchen workers' clothes; sewer workers' clothes; bar tenders' clothes; fire fighters' clothes; farm clothes; athletic clothing; factory workers' clothes; heavy machinery operators' clothes; etc. Such soils have an associated malodor that is almost impossible to counteract without the present invention. Such soils also have a relatively high level of hydrophobic soils such as lubricating oil, grease, food oils, body soils, smoke etc. The preferred cyclodextrin malodor counteractant improves the removal of such soils.
For control of malodors, beta cyclodextrin and alpha cyclodextrin are preferred. Gamma cyclodextrin has too large a cavity to control most malodor molecules. Substituted cyclodextrins can be especially valuable where they are more soluble than the corresponding unsubstituted cyclodextrin. The preferred compositions are concentrated and liquid to minimize packaging while maximizing the speed of action. Cyclodextrins can complex with surfactants and perfumes in the wash or rinse waters, thus it is important to disperse the cyclodextrin as soon as possible. It is surprising that the cyclodextrin is not inactivated by, e.g., the surfactant. Using an additive containing cyclodextrin rather than adding cyclodextrin to the detergent or softening composition minimizes the interaction of the cyclodextrin with the ingredients of the detergent and/or softening compositions.
The level of cyclodextrin required for odor removal is high, but it

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