GB712327A - Acidic cleansing agent - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleansing powder comprises diglycollic acid and/or acid alkali metal diglycollate and a synthetic organic detergent. The organic detergent, which constitutes preferably more than 10 per cent. of the composition may be a fatty alcohol sulphate, an alkyl or alkaryl sulphonate, an ethylene-oxide condensation product, the condensation product of a fatty acid with N-methyl taurine or a fatty acid-protein condensation product. The diglycollic acid or acid salt should constitute at least 10 per cent. of the composition, and the pH of the composition in concentrated solution should be between 2 and 5. Other substances which may be added to the compositions include citric acid, tartaric acid, adipic acid, mono-sodium tartrate, anhydrous alkali metal phosphates such as pyropoly- or meta-phosphates, which may be acid, neutral, or weakly alkaline, for example acid sodium pyrophosphate, sodium sulphate, fillers and abrasives. Disinfectants such as cresols and phenols, e.g. 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol may be included in the composition. The powders can be sprayed with a solution of mineral oil, paraffin oil, wax or fatty acid in a solvent such as petroleum ether or carbon tetrachloride. In the examples, mono-sodium diglycollate is mixed with (1) oleic alcohol sulphate, coconut oil alcohol sulphate and sodium sulphate and (2) diglycollic acid, mixed alkyl benzene and alkyl naphthalene sulphonates with from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, and sodium sulphate.