GB1002614A - A disinfecting dry cleaning process - Google Patents

Abstract

A disinfecting dry cleaning composition comprises conventional solvents, an intensifier with a water retention of at least 5% water, measured at 80% relative humidity, formaldehyde and the maximum quantity of water which does not lead to shrinking, matting or other damage of the textiles, the formaldehyde being added as a substantially anhydrous solution in n-propyl or iso-propyl alcohol, in an amount such that substantially all pathogenic germs in the textile being treated are killed. The intensifier may be anionic, non-ionic, cationic or an ampholyte. Anionic intensifiers specified are alkali metal, ammonium or amine salts of sulphonic acids, e.g. sodium petroleum sulphanates of molecular weight about 380-480, sodium dioctyl-sulphosuccinic acid, alkali metal or ammonium salts of Twitchell reagent, salts of aromatic alkyl sulphonic acids especially alkyl benzene sulphonic acids with a molecular weight of at least 380, e.g. the methoxy-propylamine salt of dodecyl-benzene sulphonic acid, salts of sulphated products together with buffering agents, soaps, e.g. of methoxypropylamine and morphaline and oleic acid. Non-ionic intensifiers specified are condensates of 1 mol. of octylphenol, nonylphenol, coconut fatty alcohol, oleyl alcohol, oleic acid amide, oleic acid, a fatty acid partial ester of glycerine, sorbitol or mannitol and 2-10 mols. of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. Cationic intensifiers specified are diisobutylphenoxyethoxyethyl - benzyl - dimethyl ammonium chloride, oleylamidopropyl-dimethyl ammonium chloride, oleylamidopropyl-trimethyl ammonium chloride, oleylamidopropyl-trimethylammonium methosulphate, octadecyloxyethyl-dioxyethyl ammonium acetate, tetradecyl - 4,5 - dichlorobenzyl - dimethyl ammonium chloride, and didodecyl-dimethyl ammonium bromide. Ampholytes specified are amino-carboxylic acids with molecular weights of at least 320. Mixtures of the above intensifiers with detergents which are normally insoluble in the dry cleaning solvents, e.g. alkali metal soaps, alkali metal or ammonium salts of fatty alcohol sulphates, sulphated oils, fatty acid condensation products and aliphatic sulphonic acids may be employed. Solution promoters, e.g. ethanol, propanol, butanol, benzyl alcohol, cyclohexanol and oleyl alcohol may be employed. Dry cleaning solvents specified are carbon tetrachloride, perchlorethylene, trichloroethylene, trichlorotrifluorethane, benzene and white spirit.