GB2228740A

GB2228740A - Cleaning composition

Info

Publication number: GB2228740A
Application number: GB8904939A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Stuart Parsons
Original assignee: Unilever PLC
Current assignee: Unilever PLC
Priority date: 1989-03-03
Filing date: 1989-03-03
Publication date: 1990-09-05
Also published as: GB8904939D0

Abstract

Liquid abrasive cleaner comprises an aqueous liquid composition having an abrasive solid e.g. calcite suspended therein and including both a calcium salt e.g. calcium chloride, calcium nitrate, and a phosphate salt e.g. orthophosphate, pyro- or tripolyphosphate. The insoluble solid is suspended in the cleaning composition by including the calcium salt and the phosphate in the aqueous phase.

Description

CLEANING COMPOSITION This invention relates to liquid abrasive cleaners for use on hard surfaces such as glass, plastic laminates and porcelain tiles. Known cleaners for such surfaces include liquids with an insoluble abrasive solid suspended therein. The suspended solid is, frequently, finely divided calcite.

We have now found that, surprisingly, the suspension of insoluble solid in such a cleaning composition can be achieved by including a calcium salt and a phosphate in the aqueous phase.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an aqueous liquid composition having an abrasive solid suspended therein, characterised in that the composition includes both a calcium salt and a phosphate salt.

The calcium and phosphate salts are preferably both used in amounts between 0.2 and 5% by weight of'the composition, preferably between 0.5 and 2.5%. The insoluble solid is preferably used in an amount between 10 and 50% by weight of the composition, more preferably between 12 and 40t.

Many water-soluble calcium salts may be used. The preferred calcium salt is calcium chloride. Another possibility is calcium nitrate. The phosphate may be orthophosphate or a condensed phosphate such as pyro- or tripolyphosphate. It is preferably an alkali metal salt.

The preferred suspended solid is calcite having an average particle size of less than 200pm, preferably less than 125pm. A mean particle size in the range 5 to 125pm, with 90% of the particles not greater than 200pm is preferred. Even better is a mean size in the range 10 to 50 m, with 90% of the particles not greater than 75pm.

Other abrasives of similar particle size may be used.

The composition preferably includes detergent active. This may be one or more anionic (possibly nonsoap) surfactants in an amount from 1 to 5% by weight of the composition. Additionally or alternatively it may be nonionic surfactant in an amount from 0.5 to 5% by weight of the composition. Preferably the total amount of surfactant is in the range from 1 to 8% by weight of the composition.

Other categories of surfactants which may be used, preferably in amounts from 0.5 to 5% by weight, are amphoteric, zwitterionic and cationic classes.

Suitable anionic surfactants are alkali metal or alkanolamine salts of C10-C18 branched or straight chain alkyl aryl sulphonates, Cl2 Cl8 paraffin sulphonates, C8-C18 branched or straight chain alkylsulphonates, Cl0 Cl 8 alkyl EOl lo sulphates, sulphosuccinates, C12C24 fatty acid soaps, etc. Suitable examples of nonionic detergents are water-soluble condensation products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with linear primary or secondary C8-C18 alcohols, with C8C18 fatty acid amides or fatty acid alkylolamides (both mono- and diamides), with C9-C18 alkyl phenols and so on. The alkoxylated C8 ~ C1 8 fatty acid monoand dialkylolamides should contain more than one alkylene oxide unit, for instance they should be condensed with e.g.

2-5 moles of alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide. Fatty acid mono- or dialkylolamides in which the fatty acid radical contains 10-16 carbon atoms are also suitable nonionics, such as e.g. cocofatty acid monoethanolamide.

Suitable zwitterionic detergents are trialkylolamine oxides having one long alkyl chain (C8C18) and two short alkyl chains (C1 C4 ) ) betaines and sulphobetaines. Other surfactants and combinations of surfactants are those referred to for use in scouring cleanser compositions described in British patent specifications 8822569, 955081, 1007342, 1044314, 1167597, 1181607, 1262280, 1303810, 10308190, 1345119 and 1418671.

It is often desirable that scouring compositions of the present invention contain adjuncts, especially builder salts such as alkali metal silicates, carbonates, orthophosphates, pyrophosphates and polyphosphates, nitrilotriacetates, citrates, and mixtures thereof, colouring agents, perfumes, fluorescers, hydrotropes, soilsuspending agents, bleaching agents and precursors therefor, enzymes, opacifiers, germicides, humectants and salt electrolytes such as those referred to in the above patent specifications.

Alkali, and/or alkaline salts may be included to give a composition of pH in the range from 8 to 12, preferably 9 to 11.

The compositions may be prepared by adding the calcium salt and phosphate to water, then adding the remaining ingredients. If the acid form of an anionic surfactant is used, it is preferably neutralised before being mixed with any carbonate.

All additions to water are preferably carried out in a mixer.

The invention is illustrated by the following Example, in which all percentages are by weight based on the whole composition.

C1013 alkyl benzene sulphonic acid 2.90% Coconut fatty acid 0.66% Q2-l5 primary alcohol ethoxylated with average 7E0 1.30% Sodium tripolyphosphate 1.00% Calcite, mean particle size approx 23-30pm 30 % Sodium carbonate, anhydrous 1.00% Calcium chloride, anhydrous 1.50% Sodium hydroxide (added as 50% aqueous solution) 0.58% Perfume, minors 0.36% Water Balance to 100% To prepare this composition, demineralised water amounting to about 10% of the composition was mixed with the alkali after which the alkyl benzene sulphonic acid and fatty acid were mixed into it, forming a premix of neutralisd anionic surfactant.

Next the main mixing operation was carried out, commencing with water in an amount of 40% of the composition. The various constituents were added in the order: tripolyphosphate, calcium chloride, calcite, anionic surfactant premix, nonionic surfactant, perfume.

Finally a solution of the sodium carbonate in the remaining water was mixed in.

Claims

1. An aqueous liquid composition having an abrasive solid suspended therein, characterised in that the composition includes both a calcium salt and a phosphate salt.

2. An aqueous liquid composition according to claim 1 including 0.2 to 5%, preferably 0.5 to 2.5t, by weight of the composition, of calcium salt.

3. An aqueous liquid composition according to claim 1 or claim 2 including 0.2 to 5%, preferably 0.5 to 2.5%, by weight of the composition, of phosphate salt.

4. An aqueous liquid composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the calcium salt is calcium chloride and/or calcium nitrate.

5. An aqueous liquid composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the phosphate salt is orthophosphate or a condensed phosphate such as pyro- or tripolyphosphate.

6. An aqueous liquid composition containing 10 to 50% by weight of the composition, preferably 12 to 40% by weight of the composition, of insoluble solid.

7. An aqueous liquid composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the abrasive suspended solid is calcite having an average particle size of less than 200pom, preferably less than 125ism.

8. An aqueous liquid composition according to any one of the preceding claims including detergent active.

9. An aqueous liquid composition according to claim 8 containing one or more anionic surfactants in an amount from 1 to 5% by weight of the composition and/or nonionic surfactant in an amount from 0.5 to 5% by weight of the composition.

10. Method for preparing an aqueous liquid composition according to any one of the preceding claims comprising admixing the calcium salt and phosphate with water, and the admixing the remaining ingredients.