GB2359818A

GB2359818A - Hard surface cleaning composition

Info

Publication number: GB2359818A
Application number: GB0017289A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Duncan Roger Harper
Original assignee: Reckitt and Colman Products Ltd
Current assignee: Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare UK Ltd
Priority date: 2000-03-01
Filing date: 2000-07-14
Publication date: 2001-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-14
Also published as: GB0004769D0; GB0017289D0; GB2359818B

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO ORGANIC COMPOSITIONS The present invention relates to a hard surface cleaning composition and, in particular, to a hard surface cleaning composition which contains an optical brightener therein.

Hard surface cleaning compositions are well known and presented as many different formulations, depending upon the particular application and use. Accordingly, hard surface cleaning compositions may, for example, be provided as ready-to-use compositions or as concentrates which are diluted before use; as liquid sprayable formulations or cream formulations; as multi-surface cleaning formulations or as antibacterial or bleach formulations. The hard surface cleaners may be used, for example, to clean surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom or other areas, including work surfaces, floors, tiles, glass, sanitary ware, windows, domestic appliances etc.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a hard surface cleaning composition, being formulated as a solution or dispersion ready to use without dilution, which composition comprises at least one cleaning agent and an optical brightener in an amount of from 0.001 to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

Preferably the composition is an aqueous composition, water being present in an amount of at least 75%, more preferably in an amount of at least 85%, most preferably in an amount of 90-98% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. Alternatively the composition could be in an organic solvent, for example a C1_6 alkanol, in amounts as stated above for water.

Optical brighteners have been used heretofore in laundry products but to the best of our knowledge have not gained acceptance in other cleaning contexts. The optical brightener is preferably used in the composition in an amount of from 0.01 to 1 % by weight based on the weight of the compositions, and more preferably 0.005 to 0.5%.

Any optical brightener may be used in the compositions of the present invention, provided that it is compatible with the other ingredients contained therein, in particular the cleaning agent.

Examples of optical brighteners which may be used in the present invention are stilbene derivatives, such as 4,4'-bis(triazine-2-ylamino)stilbene - 2,2'-disulphonic acid, mono(azol-2-yl)stilbene and bis(azol-2-yl)stilbene; styryl derivatives of benzene and biphenyl, such as 1,4-bis(styryl)benzene, 4,4'- bis(styryl)benzene, 4,4'-bis-(styryl)biphenyl, 4,4'-bis(sulphostryryl)biphenyl sodium salt; pyrazolines such as 1,3-diphenyl-2-pyrazoline; bis(benzene-2-yl) derivatives, bis(benzoxazol-2-yl) derivatives and bis(benzimidazol-2-yl) derivatives; 2-(benzofuran-2-yl) benzimidazole; coumarins such as 4-methyl-7- hydroxy-coumarin or 4-methyl-7-diethylaminocoumarin; carbostyrils; naphthalimides; dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide; pyrene; or pyridotriazole derivatives.

A cleaning agent may, for example, be selected from a chemical compound - for example a surfactant - able to remove or aid the removal of dirt, an abrasive material which effects cleaning by mechanical action, a bleaching compound or a biocidal agent or the like. A biocidal agent may be, for example, a fungicidal, germicidal, antibacterial or viricidal agent.

A surfactant used in the present invention may be selected from one or more surfactants which may be anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwitteronic surface active agents. The amount of the surfactant, or of the surfactants in total, is preferably up to 10% w/w, more preferably up 5% w/w.

One class of nonionic surfactants which may be used in the present invention are alkoxylated alcohols, particularly alkoxylated fatty alcohols. These include ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty alcohols, as well as ethoxylated and propoxylated alkyl phenols, both having alkyl groups of from 7 to 16, more preferably 8 to 13 carbon chains in length.

Examples of alkoxylated alcohols include certain ethoxylated alcohol compositions presently commercially available from the Shell Company, (Houston, TX) under the general trade name Neodol , which are described to be linear alcohol ethoxylates and certain compositions presently commercially available from the Union Carbide Company, (Danbury, CT) under the general trade name Tergitol , which are described to be secondary alcohol ethoxylates.

Examples of alkoxylated alkyl phenols include certain compositions presently commercially available from the Rh6ne-Poulenc Company (Cranbury, NJ) under the general trade name Igepal , which are described to be octyl and nonyl phenols. Another class of non-ionic surfactants that may be used are sorbitan esters of fatty acids, typically of fatty acids having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms, for example sorbitan mono oleate.

Examples of anionic surface active agents which may be used in the present invention include but are not limited to: alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, amine salts, aminoalcohol salts or the magnesium salts of one or more of the following compounds: alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether sulphates, alkylamidoether sulphates, alkylaryl polyether sulphates, monoglyceride sulphates, alkylsulphonates, alkylamide sulphonates, alkylarylsulphonates, olefmsulphonates, paraffin sulphonates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates, alkylamide sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkyl sulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, acyl saronsinates, acyl isothionates and N-acyl taurates. Generally, the alkyl or acyl group in these various compounds comprises a carbon chain containing 12 to 20 carbon atoms.

Other anionic surface active agents which may be used include fatty acid salts, including salts of oleic, ricinoleic, palmitic and stearic acids; copra oils or hydrogenated copra oil acid, and acyl lactylates whose acyl group contains 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

Amphoteric surfactants which may be used in the present invention including amphoteric betaine surfactant compounds having the following general formula:

wherein R is a hydrophobic group which is an alkyl group containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl or arylalkyl group containing a similar number of carbon atoms with a benzene ring being treated as equivalent to about 2 carbon atoms, and similar structures interrupted by amido or either linkages; each R, is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and RZ is an alkylene group containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

One or more such betaine compounds may be included in the compositions of the invention. Examples of cationic surfactants which may be used in the present invention include quaternary ammonium compounds and salts thereof, including quaternary ammonium compounds which also have germicidal activity and which may be characterized by the general structural formula:

when at least one of R,, R2, R3 and R4 is a hydrophobic, aliphatic, aryl aliphatic or aliphatic aryl group containing from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and the entire cationic portion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165. The hydrophobic groups may be long-chain alkyl, long-chain alkoxy aryl, long-chain alkyl aryl, halogen-substituted long-chain alkyl aryl, long-chain alkyl phenoxy alkyl or aryl alkyl. The remaining groups on the nitrogen atoms, other than the hydrophobic radicals, are generally hydrocarbon groups usually containing a total of no more than 12 carbon atoms. The radicals R,, R2, R3 and R4 may be straight chain or may be branched, but are preferably straight chain, and may include one or more amide or ester linkages. The radical X may be any salt- forming anionic radical.

Examples of quaternary ammonium salts within the above description include the alkyl ammonium halides such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, alkyl aryl ammonium halides such as octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium bromide, and N-alkyl pyridinium halides such as N-cetyl pyridinium bromide. Other suitable types of quaternary ammonium salts include those in which the molecule contains either amide or ester linkages, such as octyl phenoxy ethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and N laurylcocoaminoformylmethyl)-pyridinium chloride. Other effective types of quaternary ammonium compounds which are useful as germicides includes those in which the hydrophobic radical is characterized by a substituted aromatic nucleus as in the case of lauryloxyphenyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, cetylaminophenyltrimethyl ammonium methosulphate, dodecylphenyltrimethyl ammonium methosulphate, dodecylphenyltrimethyl ammonium chloride and chlorinated dodecylphenyltrimethyl ammonium chloride.

Preferred quaternary ammonium compounds which act as germicides and which are useful in the present invention include those which have the structural formula:

wherein R2 and R3 are the same or different Cg C,Zalkyl, or RZ is C,2 C,balkyl, C8 C,8alkylethoxy, C8 C,Balkyl-phenolethoxy and R2 is benzyl, and X is a halide, for example chloride, bromide or iodide, or methosulphate. The alkyl groups R2 and R3 may be straight chain or branched, but are preferably substantially linear.

A mixture of two or more surface active agents may also be used. Other known surface active agents not particularly described above may also be used. Such surface active agents are described in McCutcheon's Detergents and Emulsifiers, North American Edition, 1982; Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopaedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Ed., Vol. 22, pp 346-387.

The compositions may contain agents which act to promote the retention of the optical brighteners on a substrate to which the compositions have been applied, so that the substrate has a bright, clean appearance over time. For example the composition may contain film-forming polymers, for example selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrollidone or EO/PO block copolymers. Alternatively or additionally the composition may be such that the optical brighteners readily migrate to the interface between the composition and the substrate, for example by careful formulation design, and/or the optical brighteners may have an attraction to the substrate. To this end cationic optical brighteners may be favoured, preferably formulated with non-ionic surfactant(s).

The compositions of the invention may optionally include one or more conventional additives known to be useful in cleaning compositions including viscosity modification agents, fragrances (natural or synthetically produced), foaming agents, water softening agents, solvents and colouring agents. Such optional constituents should be selected so to have little or no detrimental effect upon the cleaning efficacy of the compositions, and generally the total weight of such further conventional additives may comprise up to 30% by weight of the composition, but preferably less.

Certain compositions of the invention are intended for aerosol delivery and so contain a propellant. Suitable propellants include lower alkanes, especially C3-5 alkanes, and LPG (liquid petroleum gas). An aerosol composition suitably includes 5-40% w/w of a propellant, preferably 7-30% w/w. Percentages of ingredients are expressed herein with reference to the total weight of such compositions without a propellant.

If the surfactant is not a cationic surfactant having germicidal properties as detailed above, then as indicated above, a germicidal agent may be incorporated as an optional ingredient into the compositions of the invention, Examples are phenolic group containing compounds such as o-phenyl-phenol, o- benzyl[p-chlorophenol] and 4-tertamylphenol.

A natural or synthetic fragrance composition may also be incorporated into the compositions in a conventional manner by admixing with a concentrate composition or blending with other constituents used to form a concentrate composition, in amounts which are found to be useful to enhance or impart the desired fragrance characteristics to the compositions.

The compositions of the present invention may include therein one or more organic solvents, such as C1_12 alkyl alcohols, lower alkyl diols, or glycol ethers. Such compounds may function as said cleaning agent of the compositions, and may be especially useful in glass cleaners due to their lack of tendency to smear. Such compounds may suitably be present in aqueous compositions in an amount up to 10% w/w, preferably up to 6% w/w.

The compositions may include one or more colouring agents which find use in modifying the appearance of the compositions and enhance their appearance from the perspective of a consumer or other end user. Known colouring agents, may be incorporated in the compositions in effective amount to improve or impart a desired colour to the compositions. The colouring agent may be added in any useful amount in a conventional fashion, i.e. admixing into the composition or blending with other constituents used to form the composition.

The composition may contain one or more builders. Suitable builders include metal carbonates, metal phosphates, and citric acid.

We have found that the stability of aqueous compositions of the invention is enhanced by dissolving or dispersing the optical brightener in water before the addition of other ingredients. Accordingly a further aspect of the present invention relates to the manufacture of compositions of the first aspect, such compositions being aqueous compositions, by mixing an optical brightener into water, prior to addition of the remaining ingredients. However, other orders of addition, or co-mixing all ingredients at the same time, are acceptable within the scope of this invention.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a ready-to-use surface cleaner, being a solution or dispersion, and comprising: (i) 0.1-10% w/w of surfactant(s) (ii) 0.001-5% w/w of optical brightener(s) (iii) 0-20% w/w of additional components which may be selected from organic solvents, fragrances, abrasives, biocidal agents, builders, colorants, water softening agents and viscosity modifiers; and (iv) the balance being water; provided that for an aerosol composition a propellant is also present, the amount of propellant being up to 40% of the composition (by weight not including the propellant).

A preferred class of compositions of the present invention are so-called cream cleaners, being dispersions of solid abrasives in single-phase liquid formulations. Such compositions are typically provided in flexible plastics containers which are squeezed to express the compositions.

Another preferred class of compositions of the present invention are single-phase liquid cleaners. Such compositions are typically provided in containers which have a manually operable pump such as a "trigger spray", or in containers from which the contents are poured, or expressed by squeezing the container, or in aerosol dispensers. Containers containing ready-to-use compositions of the invention constitute a further aspect of the present invention, notably containers adapted to deliver such compositions directly to hard surfaces (for example aerosols and "trigger sprays").

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cleaning a surface comprising the step of applying to it, without dilution, a composition as defined in accordance with the first or second aspect. Preferably the composition is applied to the surface directly from the container in which it was purchased.

The present invention is further described with reference to the following Examples.

EXAMPLE I A ready-to-use multi-surface cleaner, a clear single-phase liquid, was prepared having the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Sodium laureth sulphate 0.6% (anionic surfactant) Isopropanol 1.5% Ethyl alcohol 1.0% Fragrance 0.2% Colour trace Ethanolamine 0.5% Tinopol CBS-X 2.0% (anionic optical brightener)* Deionised water to 100% *Tinopol CBS-X (trade mark) is 4,4'-bis(sulphostyryl)-biphenyl disodium salt, obtainable from Ciba Speciality Chemicals. In preparing the composition the optical brightener was stirred into water prior to additions of the other ingredients. A similar formulation was prepared without the optical brightener for comparative purposes.

The two compositions were sprayed onto light coloured work surfaces to effect cleaning thereof. On spraying the composition containing the optical brightener, an immediate brightening effect was noted. The surface was cleaned in the normal manner and the residual cleaner wiped from the surface after cleaning. The surface treated with the composition containing the optical brightener showed a lasting improved brightness after cleaning, as compared with the composition without the optical brightener.

EXAMPLE 2 A ready-to-use antibacterial cleaner, a clear single-phase liquid, was prepared having the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Ethoxylated alcohol 3.0% (non-ionic surfactant) Benzalkonium chloride 1.5% (cationic surfactant and disinfectant) Sodium EDTA 0.3% Fragrance 0.3% Uvitex AMS-N* 1.0% (cationic optical brightener) Citric acid 0.05% Soft water to 100% * Uvitex AMS-N (trade mark) is 2-(4-(3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-pyrazolin-1 yl)phenylsulfonyl)-ethyldimethylammoniumformiate, obtainable from Ciba Speciality Chemicals. Such a cleaner was tested by 29 individuals in a range of household hard surface cleaning tasks, in comparison with a corresponding cleaner not containing the optical brightener. A significant majority of people concluded that the composition of the invention produced better cleaning, and a brighter surface finish.

EXAMPLE 3 A ready-to-use surface cleaner, a clear single-phase liquid, was prepared having the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Sodium laureth sulphate 2.0% Sodium EDTA 0.3% Ethylene glycol-n-butyl 2.0% ether Fragrance 0.5% Colour trace Ethanolamine 0.5% Anionic optical brightener 0.5% (Tinopol CBS-X) Soft water to 100% EXAMPLE 4 A ready-to-use heavy duty cream cleaner, a dispersion of an abrasive in a single-phase liquid, was prepared having the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Titanium dioxide 0.1 Ethylene glycol 5.0% Magnesium-aluminium 1.5% silicate flakes Sodium hydroxide 6.0% Anionic optical brightener 0.2% Fragrance 0.1 Soft water to 100% EXAMPLE 5 A ready-to-use bleach cleaner, a single-phase liquid formulation, was prepared having the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Sodium hypochlorite 3.0% Sodium lauryl sulphate 0.5% Fragrance 0.1% Sodium hydroxide 0.3% Anionic optical brightener 0.6% Soft water to 100% To make a thickened bleach formulation 2% of sodium lauryl sulphate may be used, and 1 % of sodium chloride added.

EXAMPLE 6 An aerosol spray cleaner, a single-phase liquid, has the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Ethoxylated fatty alcohol 0.5% (3 EO, C,Z_,4) (non-ionic surfactant) Fragrance 0.1 Ethanol-soluble anionic optical 1.0% brightener Water 5.0% Ethanol to 100% Butane (propellant) 20% additional to total weight of composition stated above. EXAMPLE 7 A ready-to-use shower cleaner, a single-phase liquid, has the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Ethoxylated fatty alcohol 0.75% (5 EO, Cl,-,,) (non-ionic surfactant) Ethylene glycol-n-butyl ether 2.5% Benzalkonium chloride 0.14% (cationic surfactant and disinfectant) Potassium EDTA 0.3% Fragrance 0.05% Anionic optical brightener 0.6% brightener Deionised water to 100% Ethanol to 100% This composition may be packaged in a trigger spray container and is suitable for the daily spraying of surfaces in shower areas.

EXAMPLE 8 An aerosol bathroom cleaner, a single-phase liquid which foams on emission from the aerosol canister, has the following composition:

Ingredients % by weight Ethoxylated fatty alcohol 0.5% (4 EO, C12_,4) (non-ionic surfactant) Sodium EDTA 1.9% Butoxyethanol 5.0% Laurylamine oxide (foam stabiliser) 0.2%

Benzalkonium chloride (cationic 0.14% surfactant and disinfectant) Fragrance 0.1 Morpholine (corrosion inhibitor) 0.1% Water to 100% Butane (propellant) 7.0% additional to total weight of components stated above.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A hard surface cleaning composition, being formulated as a solution or dispersion, ready to use without dilution, which composition comprises at least one cleaning agent, and an optical brightener in an amount of from 0.001 to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.
2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optical brightener is present in an amount of from 0.01 to 1 % by weight based on the total weight of the composition.
3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the optical brightener is a stilbene derivative, a styryl derivative of benzene or biphenyl, a pyrazoline, a bis(benzazol-2-yl) derivative, a bis(benzoxazol-2-yl) derivative or a bis(benzimidazol-2-yl) derivative, 2-(benzofuran-2-yl) benzimidazole, a coumarin, a carbostyril, a naphthalimide, dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide, pyrene or a pyridotriazole derivative.
4. A composition as claimed in claim 3 wherein the optical brightener is 4,4'-bis(triazine-2-ylamino)stilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid, mono(azol-2- yl)stilbene, bis(azol-2-yl)stilbene, 1,4-bis(styryl)benzene, 4,4'- bis(styryl)benzene, 4,4'-bis-(styryl)biphenyl, 4,4'-bis(sulphostryryl)biphenyl sodium salt, 1,3-diphenyl-2-pyrazoline, 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin or 4- methyl-7-diethylaminocoumarin.
5. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface cleaning agent is selected from a surface active agent, an abrasive material, a bleaching compound or a biocidal agent.
6. A composition as claimed in claim 5, wherein the surface active agent comprises at least one anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwitterionic surface active agent.
7. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which additionally contains one or more optional additives selected from organic solvents, fragrances, colouring agents, chelating agents, antioxidants and bleaching compounds in an amount of up to 30% by weight based on the weight of the composition.
8. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising water in an amount at least 75% weight, by total weight of the composition.
9. A composition as claimed in any preceding claim, being a single phase liquid without dispersed solids.
10. A composition as claimed in claims 1 to 6, being a dispersion of an abrasive material within a single-phase liquid.
11. A method of cleaning a hard surface, comprising the step of applying a composition as claimed in any preceding claim, without dilution, to the surface.
12. A hard surface cleaning composition substantially as hereinbefore described, with particular reference to the examples.
13. A method of cleaning a hard surface, substantially as hereinbefore described, with particular reference to the examples.