Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D3/00—Other compounding ingredients of detergent compositions covered in group C11D1/00
  • C11D3/395—Bleaching agents
  • C11D3/3956—Liquid compositions

Definitions

• the present invention relates to cleaning compositions, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a cleaning composition that cleans mold, mildew, algae, grease, and stains from a variety of surfaces including natural wood, stucco, concrete, and other hard surfaces.
• Numerous cleaning products are currently being marketed in order to clean different types of wood which are used to make decks, fences, siding, and so forth.
• Examples of products on the market which are sold for these purposes include MILDEW CHEK, DECK BRIGHT, JOMAR, CEDAR CLEAN, and WOLMAN DECK BRIGHTENER. All of the these products require some type of scrubbing or brushing in order to achieve the stated purpose. Further, many of these products require mixing or measuring of some sort and therefore are very susceptible to being mixed improperly and being ineffective or being an environmental and safety hazard. Many of the products also harm plants, fish, animals, or birds which can destroy the landscaping around and/or wild life around the structure being cleaned.
• any one of several products currently being marketed to clean outside surfaces recommend brushing, scrubbing, mixing with other ingredients and/or mention incompatibility with some surfaces.
• chlorine bleach is often used to clean outside surfaces. However, although it will do a good job, even the manufacturers of chlorine bleach do not recommend it for this use because used alone, the bleach will dry wood too much and cause the knots to shrink and fall out. It will also cause wood to cup when exposed to direct sunlight.
• the invention seeks to reduce at least some of the problems.
• At lease some embodiments of the present invention provide cleaning compositions that will clean a variety of outdoor surfaces in addition to wood with absolutely no scrubbing or brushing.
• At least some embodiments of this invention provide a cleaning composition that can be sold full strength, so that mixing or measuring is not required, thereby leaving room for improper mixing resulting in ineffectiveness or being an environmental and safety hazard.
• At least some embodiments of this invention provide a cleaning composition which can be sold full strength and maintain maximum performance while at the same time being so mild that when used as directed will effectively clean without harming the environment such as plants, fish, animals, or birds.
• At least some embodiments of the present invention provide a cleaning composition for outdoor surfaces which is degradable and quickly breaks down into inert materials.
• the alcohol is isopropyl alcohol and the bleach solution is a 100 percent solution of sodium hypochlorite or potassium hydrochlorite.
• a preferred composition comprises
• Also provided is a method for cleaning soiled outdoor surfaces comprising the steps of:
• the alcohol is isopropyl alcohol and the bleach solution is a 100 percent solution of sodium hypochlorite or potassium hydrochlorite, and especially preferably sodium hypochlorite.
• composition is new in the industry because it is the only composition formulated with a combination of chemicals that are considered to be mild household cleaners but works as fast as most dangerous acids and has no disadvantages such as raising the nap of wood, causing some outside surfaces to deteriorate more rapidly than normal, or leaving a white scum.
• the presently claimed composition dramatically out-performed every product that could be found available in and was sold in major hardware, paint, and marine stores in the United States.
• the combination of ingredients is unique in that the chlorinated bleach solution will clean mold, mildew, fungus, algae, and other stains on outdoor surfaces, but at the same time the surfactant or surfactants act as a buffer in that they combine with and retard the harshness of the chlorinated bleach solution and enhance the action of the chlorinated bleach solution by emulsifying organic oils and any animal fatty acids and dirt residue.
• the surfactants are also penetrants that will actually penetrate porous surfaces and help lift the foreign matter to the surface for easy removal.
• the alcohol serves two purposes: first, it helps the chlorinated bleach to slightly raise the grain in wood so the wood will more easily release the foreign matter and cleaning action can take place with no labor, and second, it also acts a drying agent on the emulsified organic oils so that they tend to thicken and stick together for easier removal. With this combination of ingredients, the pressure from the average garden hose is all that is needed to cause the surface to be cleaned. This action is unsurpassed in cleaning and preparing surfaces and especially wood, for painting, staining, or sealing.
• composition described above with a caustic override importantly and unexpectedly does not cause the nap of wood to raise, does not cause premature deterioration of other materials such as some fabrics, and does not form a white scum on cleaned surfaces, as did its commercialized forerunner, which used about 5 percent by volume of a 100 percent chlorinated bleach solution.
• the surfactant can be any surfactant that is miscible with water and compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions.
• compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions means that the surfactant and chlorinated bleach solutions are soluble in each other without reacting or changing their chemical composition.
• the surfactant must be suitable for storage with hypochlorite solutions without loss of its cleaning ability and without reaction.
• the surfactant emulsifies the oils and dirt impregnated in the wood or surfaces being cleaned as well as any perfume or odorant oils added to the inventive composition. Further, the surfactant emulsifies undesirable materials in and on the surface being cleaned and helps remove these undesirable materials such as oxidized oils and dirt.
• the surfactant also serves as a buffer to prevent raising the wood grain by the hypochlorite solution.
• the surfactant is an amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, an ethoxylated carbon chain compound and/or a sulfonated carbon chain compound.
• Such surfactants suitable for use in the present composition include a lauryl dimethyl amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, an ethoxylated hydrogenated tallow amine, a hypochlorite solutions without loss of its cleaning ability and without reaction.
• the surfactant emulsifies the oils and dirt impregnated in the wood or surface being cleaned as well as any perfume or odorant oils added to the inventive composition. Further, the surfactant emulsifies undesirable materials in and on the surface being cleaned and helps remove these undesirable materials such as oxidized oils and dirt.
• the surfactant also serves as a buffer to prevent raising the wood grain by the hypochlorite solution.
• the surfactant is an ethoxylated and/or sulfonated carbon chain and an amine oxide and/or lauryl betaine.
• Such surfactants suitable for use in the present composition include a lauryl dimethyl amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, an ethoxylated hydrogenated tallow amine, a nonylphenol ethoxylated or triethanol amine salt of an alkylauryl sulfonate or an octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol.
• An amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, or an octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol are preferred.
• the surfactant can be one or a combination of surfactants and the total percent by volume ranges from about 0.1 to about 20. Where the override is present the surfactant ranges from about 0.1 to 10 vol %. The preferred amount of surfactant is about 1 percent by volume.
• the alcohol can be any of a primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol, as long as it is compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions.
• compatible with chlorinated bleach solutions means that the alcohol and chlorinated bleach solutions are soluble in each other without reacting or changing their chemical composition.
• suitable alcohols that are useful in the present composition, on a 100 percent basis, include methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and its denatured counterparts, and isopropyl alcohol.
• Isopropyl alcohol and/or methyl alcohol are preferred. Ethyl alcohol and its denatured counterparts are less desirable because of high cost and the complexity of the denaturant formulas. High alcohols such as butyl, octyl, and decyl alcohol are not desirable because they dry too slowly.
• the alcohol aids the penetration of the surfactant and bleach (hypochlorite) into the surface and helps emulsify undesirable oils.
• the alcohols can be used alone or in combination.
• the alcohol is used in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 8 percent by volume, and an amount of about 0.5 to 1.2 percent by volume is preferred. Where an override is not present an amount of about 0.5 to 1.0 volume percent is preferred.
• the chlorinated bleach solution can be any of sodium hydrochlorite, potassium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite.
• Calcium hypochlorite is less preferred because the calcium ion is relatively insoluble and causes surfactants, soaps or detergents to become inactive.
• hypochlorite removes the stains caused by mold, mildew, fungus and algae usually associated with dampness and moisture.
• the chlorinating and oxidizing action of the hypochlorite solution whitens and brightens the surface cleaned and returns it to a stain and dirt free surface as when new.
• the bleach solution is used in an amount of from about 1 to about 4 percent by volume of a 100 percent chlorinated bleach solution, and about 3 percent by volume is preferred.
• compositions with greater than about 4.0 percent bleach cause the nap of wood to raise and compositions with less than about 1.0 percent bleach are cleaners in themselves.
• cleaning time is excessively long.
• the inventive composition cleans effectively in minutes whereas concentrations of less than 1.0 percent bleach require hours, thereby making the job labor intensive. Concentrations less than 1.0 percent may require repeated applications of the solution to match the effective cleaning of the inventive composition.
• Bleach solutions are stabilized by the addition of excess alkali, usually sodium hydroxide (sometimes referred to as caustic or alkali or lye) in the manufacturing process in order to prevent loss of chlorine.
• This practice is commonly referred to as an "override" of caustic, e.g., sodium hydroxide.
• the present inventors have found that excess alkali, e.g., sodium hydroxide, in the bleach solution causes raising of the nap of wood and deterioration of fabrics and products sensitive to sodium hydroxide.
• excessive alkali, e.g., sodium hydroxide causes a white scum to form on some hard surfaces such as wood.
• the "override” of the caustic reduces this effect and also reduces the pH of the solution.
• the "override” is sometimes on the order of 1.5 percent by volume of alkali, e.g., sodium hydroxide, with 0.7 percent being the norm. This results in a pH of 11.5 to 11.7.
• Reducing the "override” to about 0.4 to about 0.6 percent in the final composition maintains the chlorine stability yet reduces the pH to 11.25.
• the lower the alkali content of the bleach solution the less the deleterious effect.
• the caustic override in the final composition is an approximate amount needed to maintain chlorine stability and yet avoid the deleterious effects of the bleach.
• the amount is an approximate amount, because a slightly higher amount than is needed to maintain chlorine stability can be tolerated without producing the deleterious effects.
• the skilled artisan can readily determine the approximate amount of caustic suitable for use in the composition of the present invention.
• the bleach solution is used in an amount of from about 0.025 to about 0.35 percent by volume of a 100 percent chlorinated bleach solution, and about 5 percent by volume is preferred. Further, in practice, the stock solution is a 5 percent solution. Therefore, 0.025 percent by volume of a 100 percent chlorinated bleach solution would actually involve using 0.5 percent by volume of a 5 percent stock solution. Satisfactory results with up to about 5 percent bleach on a 100 percent basis can be achieved.
• the balance of the composition is water or water and other additives which do not affect the efficacy of the composition.
• the water can be tap water, deionized water or distilled water.
• ingredients that can be used in the composition include perfumes, odorants and/or masking agents for the odors of the hypochlorites and colorants.
• certain silicones such as those used in the car wash industry commonly called amino-functional may be added to leave the wood water proofed for a short period of time after cleaning.
• the silicone must be compatible with the oil or solvent based final water proofing applied after using the composition of the present invention.
• Suitable perfumes, odorants and/or masking agents as well as suitable silicones can be readily selected by those skilled in the art of manufacturing silicones and their emulsions.
• suitable silicones include the aminofunctional type such as those sold under the trade names "DOW 531” and “DOW 536” and aminofunctional silicones which are offsets to the DOW materials such as those manufactured by General Electric, Waccker Silicones, P.P.G. and others, both foreign and domestic.
• the silicone additives are used in an amount of from 1 to 5 percent by volume of the final composition, which will be an emulsion.
• Suitable amounts of the other additives can be readily determined by those skilled in the art.
• the composition according to the present invention can be used to clean a broad range of surfaces.
• the composition is unusual in that it can be used on such a wide range of materials. Any kind of wood (pine, cedar, redwood, mahogany, salt treated, juniper, cypress, etc.) can be treated, with the exception of teak.
• Other surfaces which can be cleaned with the inventive composition include vinyl, fiberglass, ceramic tile, concrete, brick, canvas, stone, roof shingles made of asphalt, wood, tile, or fiberglass, plastics, and aluminum.
• the composition has been used on houses, decks, boats, trailers, roofs, driveways, walkways, stonewalls, fences, and lawn furniture. In all cases, the same ultra-fast amazing results were obtained.
• the most appealing aspect of the inventive composition to the consumer is that it can be applied by virtually any method, including brushing, pouring, brooming, or spraying, including high pressure or low pressure as obtained, for example, from a garden hose.
• the most efficient method of application is spraying.
• the composition is then let to stand for 15 minutes or until visually clean eg about 10 minutes and washed off with water, usually by spraying the water from a garden hose.
• the coverage of the inventive composition ranges from about 5m2/l to 7.5 m2/ l (about 200 square feet to about 300 square feet per gallon). The difference depends upon the type and constitution (e.g. dryness) of the surface. Thus a smooth hard surface, such as fiberglass, will require less than an old dried out wood surface. The necessary coverage can readily be determined by first testing a small area of the surface to be cleaned.
• the newly cleaned wood will last for many months and if unprotected will simply age as it did before.
• Other surfaces such as ceramic tile, concrete, brick, fiberglass, stone, and canvass will collect dirt and stains as they did before and over a period of months will require recleaning.
• the cleaning composition had the following composition (all percents are by volume):
• a blackened portion of a chemically treated yellow pine wooden deck was treated as described below.
• the wood of the deck was of the type that is pretreated and sold for outdoor use and is very persistent to the outdoor elements. It is the most widely used product to build wooden decks, walkways and fences. The industry commonly refers to the product as salt treated lumber.
• a greyed portion of a standard concrete walkway leading to a residence was treated as described below. This walkway was located among oak trees.
• a portion of a weathered deck lounger constructed of a painted aluminum frame with fiberglass webbing was treated as described below.
• the cleaning composition had the following components (all percents are by volume ):
• a deck made of southern yellow pine, commonly referred to as "pressure treated” lumber was treated as described below.
• Pressure treated lumber is the most widely used type of lumber to build outside decks and docks. The deck was approximately ten years old. It also was surrounded by flowers and a small vegetable garden.
• a house with horizontal lap siding was treated as described below.
• the siding was white cedar wood which is a commonly used wood for sliding houses, particularly along coastal areas. The wood is usually not painted or stained and is applied in its natural state. This house had the original siding and was approximately six years old. It was surrounded by flowers and a nice green grass lawn.
• a concrete walkway was treated as described below. The residence was located in a heavily wooded area and the walkway exhibited the typical black residue that builds up on surfaces located in wooded areas.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)

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Cited By (2)

Citations (2)

• 1993
  • 1993-01-15 EP EP93300263A patent/EP0552056A1/fr not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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