KR20010072904A - Cleaning compositions that reduce shrinkage of fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a fabric comprising a composition for reducing fabric shrinkage (a) and a liquid laundry / refreshing composition (b) selected from the group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof It relates to a composition for treatment. The fabric shrink reduction composition and the liquid laundry / refresh composition are releasably absorbed into the substrate in a weight ratio of about 1: 2 to about 1: 5. Compositions for reducing fabric shrinkage help to reduce shrinkage of fabrics that have been treated by household non-immersion laundry and refreshment methods performed in devices such as clothes dryers. There is also provided a non-immersive laundry / refresh method using such a composition, an article comprising the items necessary to carry out the method of the invention, and a sheet releasably absorbing the composition of the invention.

Description

Cleaning compositions that reduce shrinkage of fabrics

Certain sensitive fabrics are not suitable for conventional household immersion laundry methods. Household washing machines, which provide excellent laundering results for most fabrics used in today's society, can shrink or damage silk, linen, wool and other sensitive fabrics under certain conditions. Consumers typically "dry clean" their sensitive textile items. Unfortunately, dry cleaning typically involves a process of dipping the fabric in a variety of hydrocarbon and halocarbon solvents that require special handling and must be recovered, making the process unsuitable for home use. Thus, dry cleaning has traditionally been confined to commercial facilities and is therefore less convenient and expensive than laundry at home. However, with the exception of cost and convenience, dry cleaning methods are generally superior in terms of minimizing fabric shrinkage over household immersion washing methods.

Attempts have been made to provide a home dry cleaning system that combines the fabric washing and refreshing of the home immersion washing method with the textile protection benefits of the dry cleaning method. One such household garment laundry and refresh system includes a base sheet and a plastic bag containing various liquid or gelling detergents. The garment is placed in a bag with the sheets and then tumbling in a conventional clothes dryer. In current commercial embodiments, a plurality of disposable flat sheets including laundry / refreshing agents and a single, multi-use plastic bag are provided in a package. Unfortunately, this household method is only partially optimal with respect to fabric shrinkage. For clarity, this method of home immersion is substantially superior to home immersion in terms of minimizing fabric shrinkage. And this household non-immersion method is similar to commercial dry cleaning methods in terms of minimizing fabric shrinkage, but some slight shrinkage may occur as a result of performing one of these methods. Thus, there has been a continuing need to find improved home non-immersion laundry and refresh methods and compositions for washing and refreshing for use therein that provide acceptable laundry with minimal fabric shrinkage.

Unexpectedly, it has been found that when certain organic compounds are used as compositions for washing / refreshing within defined ratios, the degree of shrinkage that occurs during the home non-immersion laundry / refreshing process can be reduced. The present invention provides such a composition and when used in the method of the present invention and when used as a product of the present invention, the fabric can be washed and refreshed to be substantially less constricted than in conventional household immersion laundering methods. When using the compositions, methods and products of the present invention, fabric shrinkage is equivalent to, and in some cases substantially superior to, commercial dry cleaning using solvent dipping.

Summary of the Invention

In one aspect of the invention,

A group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1 Composition (a) for reducing fabric shrinkage selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof

There is provided a fabric treatment composition comprising a liquid laundry / refresh composition (b).

Preferably the composition for reducing fabric shrinkage and the composition for liquid laundry / refreshing are about 1: 2 to about 1: 5, preferably about 1: 2 to about 1: 4, more preferably about 1: 3 to about 1 Releasably absorbed into the substrate at a weight ratio of about 4: 4, most preferably about 1: 3.6. The laundry / refreshing composition preferably comprises water and a member selected from the group consisting of surfactants, perfumes, preservatives, bleaches, auxiliary cleaners, organic solvents and mixtures thereof. Preferred organic solvents are glycol ethers, specifically methoxy propoxy propanol, ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol and mixtures thereof. The surfactant is preferably a nonionic surfactant such as ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkyl phenol and is present at about 2% or less based on the weight of the laundry / refresh composition.

In another aspect of the invention,

(A) putting the fabric together with the substrate in a laundry bag,

(B) putting the bag into a device such as a hot air clothes dryer, and operating the device by heat and tumbling;

A total non-immersion laundry / refresh method for treating a fabric is provided, comprising step (c) of removing the fabric from the bag.

In the method described above, preferably,

A group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1- Composition (i) for reducing fabric shrinkage selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof

The liquid wash / refresh composition (ii) is releasably absorbed into the substrate.

In addition, the fabric shrink reduction composition and the liquid laundry / refresh composition are preferably about 1: 2 to about 1: 5, preferably about 1: 2 to about 1: 4, more preferably about 1: 3. To about 1: 4, most preferably about 1: 3.6. Preferably, the vapor is withdrawn from the bag during step (b). Even more preferably, in the above method the fabric has a first side and a second side,

(A) applying the stain wash composition from the dispenser to the discrete contaminated areas of the first side of the fabric,

Concurrently or continuously with step (a), (b) contacting a first side of the fabric adjacent the contaminated area with a treatment member and

(C) contacting the second side of the fabric adjacent the contaminated area with the absorbent contaminant receiving product.

In another aspect of the invention,

A multi-substrate (a) in which the composition for reducing fabric shrinkage and the composition for liquid laundry / refreshment are releasably absorbed therein;

Reusable laundry bag (b),

Any processing member (c),

Any separate stain wash composition (d) and

An article is provided comprising any one or more absorbent contaminant receiving articles (e).

In the product of the invention, a separate stain-washing composition is preferably provided in the container and the treatment member is at the terminal end of the container.

In another aspect of the invention,

Substrate (a),

From about 10 to about 30 g of a liquid laundry / refreshing composition (b) comprising at least about 80% by weight, preferably at least about 90% by weight, most preferably at least about 95% by weight of water absorbably resorbed to the substrate and

A group consisting of ethylene glycol and all isomers of propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol, hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1 -Particularly for washing and / or refreshing fabrics in a hot air dryer, comprising from about 2 to about 20 g of a composition for reducing the shrinkage of the fabric releasably absorbed into the substrate, selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof Suitable sheets are provided.

The sheet of the invention preferably encases the outer surface of the substrate and further comprises a vapor permeable fibrous coversheet permeable to the composition for washing / refreshing and reducing fabric shrinkage. The coversheet preferably has a minimum thickness of at least about 8 mils and adheres to the substrate in discrete areas.

The present invention relates to a composition intended to clean and refresh the fabric by an immersion washing method while minimizing shrinkage of the fabric and to products containing the composition.

While the claims include the claims that clearly define the invention, it is believed that these claims may be better understood with reference to the description and drawings of the invention, in the drawings,

1 is a schematic representation of a woven garment with dimensions used to calculate the degree of shrinkage after each cycle of fabric treatment.

In one embodiment, the invention includes a composition that is a mixture of a fabric shrink reduction composition and a liquid laundry / refresh composition. The composition for reducing fabric shrinkage and the composition for liquid washing / refreshing are preferably in the form of a sheet, and even more preferably, are releasably absorbed by a substrate wrapped in a cover sheet. Unimmersed laundry / refresh methods for treating fabrics are also defined herein. These methods

(A) placing the fabric in a laundry bag with the substrate,

(B) putting the bag into a device such as a hot air clothes dryer and operating the device by heat and tumbling; and

(C) removing the fabric from the bag.

The fabric can be stained at any time using the laundry and refresh process of the present invention, preferably the staining is carried out before the washing and refreshing step. Stain treatment is typically

(A) applying the stain wash composition from the dispenser to the discrete contaminated areas of the first side of the fabric,

Concurrently or continuously with step (a), contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the contaminated area with the treatment member; and

(C) contacting the second side of the fabric with an absorbent contaminant receiving product.

Each of the components of the present invention is described in turn below.

By “laundry” herein is meant removing contaminants and stains from the fabric. "Stain wash" is a topical wash of contaminated areas before and after the wash / refresh step performed in the bag. "Refresh" herein means primarily to remove odors and / or wrinkles from the entire fabric, rather than to remove contamination and stains, or to improve the overall appearance of the fabric, but some contamination and stains may be removed at the same time as the refresh. .

“Shrink” herein is defined as the reduction of one or more of the four different measurements for the test garment shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, wool, wool / acrylic blends, cotton, ramie / cotton blends, and rayon / acrylic blend garments (e.g. sweaters) are test garments that measure shrinkage resulting from various laundry methods using various laundry compositions. Is selected. Test garments are collectively referred to herein as "long sleeve garments." Although different garments can be used for test shrinkage, long sleeve garments each have a number of dimensions that can shrink independently of one another. Thus, long-sleeved garments are chosen as the test garment for experimental reasons only because they provide many data points. It is understood that fabric shrinkage generally occurs regardless of the particular garment type.

As shown in FIG. 1, four specific dimensions are measured before and after each treatment cycle. All measurements are taken from the front of the long-sleeve garments on a flat hard surface and smoothly tucked up by hand. That is, long sleeved garments are not ironed before measurement. Measurements are made at the same location after each treatment cycle, since each measurement position can be accurately marked with a permanent stitch using a needle thread or other method using a colored thread. With these instructions, from Figure 1, the "full length" is the distance from the hem of a long sleeved garment to the shoulder hem, and the "arm length" is from the hem of one sleeve to the exact midpoint of the hem connecting the sleeve to the shirt. It can be seen that it is the distance to reach, "width 1" is the distance between the side ends near the bottom of the shirt, and "width 2" is the distance between the two side ends near the underside of the shirt.

Shrinkage Reducing Composition

The shrinkage reducing composition of the present invention is preferably a group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2 -Propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1-octanol and mixtures thereof. The shrinkage reducing composition is preferably neopentyl glycol or 1,2-propanediol, more preferably 1,2-propanediol. Preferably the ratio of the shrinkage reducing composition to the laundry / refreshing composition is about 1: 2 to about 1: 5, preferably about 1: 2 to about 1: 4, more preferably about 1: 3 to about 1 : 4, most preferably about 1: 3.6.

Mixtures of shrinkage reducing compositions and waterborne laundry / refreshing compositions as defined below, when used in the non-immersive fabric treatment methods defined herein, are substantially identical to garments treated in the same manner using only wash / refreshing compositions. Substantially reduce the shrinkage of the treated garment as compared to In addition, in the non-immersion method of the present invention, using the shrinkage reducing composition on one substrate and the wash / refreshing composition on the second substrate, substantial shrinkage reduction was observed when both compositions were releasably absorbed into the same substrate. Turned out not to be.

Without wishing to be bound by any one theory, it is believed that the composition for reducing shrinkage of the present invention helps to maintain the fibers of the treated fabric in a relaxed state while treating the fabric with an aqueous wash / refresh composition. Relaxed fibers tend to shrink less. As mentioned above, the reduced shrinkage is measured compared to the non-immersion method using only the composition for washing / refreshing. It is noteworthy that non-immersion methods using only wash / refresh compositions produce substantially less shrinkage than conventional immersion washing methods. Thus, the compositions and methods taught herein were not only improved over known non-immersion methods, but also substantially improved over conventional immersion washing methods.

Laundry / Refresh Composition

The composition for washing / refreshing preferably comprises water and a member selected from the group consisting of surfactants, paints, preservatives, bleaches, auxiliary cleaners, organic solvents and mixtures thereof. Preferred organic solvents are glycol ethers, specifically methoxy propoxy propanol, ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol and mixtures thereof. The surfactant is preferably a nonionic surfactant such as ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkyl phenol and is present at about 2% or less based on the weight of the wash / refresh composition. Typical fabric laundry / refreshing compositions herein may comprise at least about 80% by weight, preferably at least about 90% by weight, more preferably at least about 95% by weight of water.

The examples below show specific ranges for the individual components of a laundry / refreshing composition preferred for use herein. A more detailed description of the individual components of the laundry / refreshing composition, namely solvents, surfactants, paints, preservatives, bleaches and auxiliary cleaners, is found in U.S. Patent No. 5,789,368 to You et al., Dated August 4, 1998. Can be. The entire contents of the patent documents, such as Yu, are incorporated herein by reference. Further, compositions for laundry / refresh are described in co-pending US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 789,171 filed January 24, 1997 in the name of Trinh et al. The entire disclosure of the patent application in Trin et al. Is incorporated herein by reference.

materials

When used in the dryer step of the process of the present invention, the shrink reducing composition and the composition for washing / refreshing are used together with an absorbent substrate (hereinafter referred to as "substrate") to be releasably absorbed. The substrate releasably contains the composition. “Releasably containing” means herein that the composition is effectively released from the substrate into the contaminated fabric as part of the non-immersive laundry and fabric refresh method. This release is primarily accomplished by evaporating the composition from the substrate through the vapor permeable coversheet, or by combining vapor and liquid migration, but bulk liquid migration is preferably minimized by the coversheet herein.

The substrate may be in any desired form, such as powder, flakes, shreds and the like. However, it is highly desirable that the substrate is in the form of a complete pad or "sheet" that substantially maintains its structural integrity throughout the process. The substrates and sheets of the present invention are sometimes referred to in the literature as "carriers" or "absorbent carrier sheets"; it is understood that all of these terms are liquid absorbent materials that can be used to conveniently convey liquids. This description is described in detail in U.S. Patent 5,789,368 to Yu et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference as described above. The production of these sheets is not part of the invention and has already been published in the literature. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,009,747 to Viazmensky et al., April 23, 1991, and 5,292,581 to Biazmensky et al., March 8, 1994, incorporated herein by reference. See arc.

The substrate is intended to contain a sufficient amount of the reducing composition and the composition for washing / refreshing to be effective for the intended purpose. The capacity of the substrate for such compositions will vary depending on the intended use. The size of the substrate should not be so large that it is inconvenient for the user to handle. Typically, the dimensions of the substrate are sufficient to provide a macroscopic surface area (both sides of the substrate) in the range of about 360 cm 2 or more, preferably in the range of about 360 to about 3000 cm 2. For example, generally rectangular substrates can have dimensions of about 10 to about 35 cm (horizontal) and about 18 to about 45 cm (vertical).

Cover sheet

As used herein, the coversheet is distinguished from the substrate because it is relatively nonabsorbent for the shrinkage reducing composition and the laundry / refreshing composition as compared to the substrate. Coversheets are made from hydrophobic fibers that do not absorb, tend to "wick" or promote fluid movement. Fluid can pass through the void spaces between the fibers of the coversheet, but this only occurs when overpressure is applied to the product. Thus, under typical conditions of use, the coversheet provides a physical barrier that retains the absorbent substrate, which is in direct contact with the fabric to be treated and wetting due to the loading of the reducing composition and the composition for washing / refreshing. However, the coversheet allows vapor movement of the shrinkage reducing composition and the laundry / refreshing composition from the substrate through the coversheet to the laundry bag and thus the fabric to be treated. If necessary, the coversheet is provided with macropores through which lint, fibers or particulate contaminants can pass, thereby further assisting in capturing such foreign material within the product itself.

Such fibrous, preferably heat resistant, most preferably hydrophobic coversheets are described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 5,789,368 to Yu et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference as described above. In addition, co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 077,556, filed March 11, 1998, in the name of Wise et al., Describes certain improvements in the coversheet of the present invention. The entire description of Wise et al. Is incorporated herein by reference. If the cover sheet described in the literature such as Yu and the improvement described in the literature such as Wise are suitably blended, it can be used depending on the production purpose without departing from the intention and scope of the present invention.

One potential problem with the sheet of the present invention, namely the problem associated with the substrate or the combination of the substrate and the cover sheet, is that it can be abused by the consumer. The sheets are typically provided with disposable disposable shrink reduction compositions and wash / refresh compositions. If the sheet looks clean after the first use, the consumer will try to reuse it. It is generally ineffective to reuse sheets containing insufficient amounts of shrinkage reducing and laundry / refreshing compositions. Thus, an indicator such as a dye that changes color can be added to one of the substrate and cover sheet. The indicator reminds the consumer that the sheet has already been used and should be discarded. Preferably, the indicator changes the sheet color to yellow, brown or grey.

As described above, Wise et al., Incorporated herein by reference, propose different but equally effective solutions to this problem. Specifically, an adhesive is added to the sheet. The adhesive pulls loose fibers, hair, lint and other scattered material from the fabric to be treated. This not only removes these unwanted materials from the fabric, but also serves as an indicator. At the end of the treatment process, the scattering material that has become attached to the sheet provides the sheet with a “dirty” appearance, allowing the consumer to know that the sheet should be discarded.

Laundry bag

The present invention provides a non-impregnated laundry and refresh method performed in a laundry bag. The process can be performed here in a sealed bag, but in a very preferred manner, the method of the present invention uses a steam discharge laundry bag. The bag is preferably designed for multiple use and reuse and is adapted for consumer use in the most common hot air drying equipment, especially as found in the home. The bag is designed to discharge water and other vapors (including odorous substances) released into the bag when used in the manner described herein. Vapor released from the bag is then discharged through the pores of the drying apparatus.

The design of the discharge force of the bag achieves a suitable balance of the above effects. Tightly sealed, vapor impermeable " sealed " bags remove odors and excessively wet the fabric to wrinkle. Excessive "open" bag designs do not wet the fabric or contaminants sufficiently to flow more odors and remove pre-existing fabric wrinkles. In addition, the bag must be "closed" enough to expand and create void volume under water vapor pressure, where the fabric can rotate freely in the bag and be exposed to steam.

Preferred discharge bags and methods for using the bags in non-immersive laundry and refresh processes are described in U.S. Patent 5,789,368 to Yu et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional descriptions of the bags, methods of making and using the bags, and preferred bag components for use in the present invention are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,762,648 to Yeazell, dated June 9, 1998, and October 28, 1997. US Pat. No. 5,681,355 to Law Davis, et al. The patent documents of Easel and patent documents such as Davis are all incorporated herein by reference.

More specifically, preferred steam evacuation laundry bags for use in the present invention are at least about 40% based on the total weight of moisture introduced into the bag prior to the operational circulation of the clothes dryer or other hot air device used in the process herein, It is preferably designed to discharge at least about 60%, at most about 90%, preferably at most about 80%. The percent steam emission can be determined from the Steam Emission Assessment Test (VVE), defined in Example IV below. As noted above, preferred laundry bags have a discharge of at least about 40% (40VVE), preferably at least about 60% (60VVE), at least about 90% (90VVE), even more preferably at most about 80% (80VVE). Is designed to achieve degrees or VVE "scores".

Stain Washing Composition

The user of the present invention may be provided with various stain wash compositions for use in any of the pre-spotting processes of the present invention. Such compositions are used to remove localized stains from the fabric being treated, either before or after the laundry and refresh processes defined herein. The stain wash composition must be miscible with the fabric to be treated. That is, a significant amount of dye should not be removed from the fabric during staining, and the stain wash composition should not leave visible stains on the fabric. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stain wash composition that is substantially free of substances that leave visible residue on the treated fabric. This inevitably formulates the desired composition such that the highest concentration of volatile material, preferably water, is typically about 95%, preferably about 97.7%, and the concentration of the surfactant is preferably about 0.1 to about 0.7%. Means. Preferred stain-washing compositions also contain a cleaning solvent such as butoxy propoxy propanol (BPP) at low but effective concentrations, typically about 1 to about 4%, preferably about 2%.

Preferred stain wash compositions are exemplified below, as described above in U.S. Patent 5,789,368 to Yu et al., Incorporated herein by reference. In addition, stain cleaning compositions are described in US Pat. No. 5,630,847, issued to Reotker on May 20, 1997. The entire description of the Lötker patent literature is incorporated herein by reference.

Treatment member

In one embodiment, the treatment member is provided to assist in removing localized stains from the fabric. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stain-washing composition is provided in a dispenser such as a bottle, and the dispenser has a terminal end that can act as a treatment member. In addition, the treating member may comprise an absorbent base material, which may be, for example, a natural or synthetic sponge, an absorbent cellulose sheet or pad, or the like. In contact with and extending therefrom the base material may protrude many times. Specific examples of treatment members can be found in U.S. Patent 5,789,368 to Yu et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference.

Absorbent Contaminant Acceptance Products

Absorbent contaminant receiving products, sometimes referred to as contaminant acceptors, are optionally used herein for any pre-spotting operation. Such contaminant acceptors can be any absorbent material that absorbs the liquid composition used in the pre-spotting operation. Disposable Paper Towel, Trade Name BOUNTY Cloth towels such as towels, clean rags, and the like may be used. However, in a preferred manner the contaminant receptors are especially designed to "carry" or "pull" the liquid composition from the contaminated area. One preferred type of contaminant acceptor consists of a nonwoven pad, eg, a heat bonded air laying fabric (“TBAL”). Another very preferred type of contaminant receptor for use herein includes polymerized water-in-oil emulsions, and includes polymeric foams, sometimes referred to as "poly-HIPE". The preparation of polymeric foams is described very broadly in the patent literature: DesMarais, Stone, Thompson, Young as of November 9, 1993, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. ), LaVon and Dyer, U.S. Pat.No. 5,260,345, U.S. Patent No. 5,550,167, issued Aug. 27, 1996, and Dismares, issued July 22, 1997, etc. U.S. Patent 5,650,222. Typical conditions for forming the polymeric foams of the present invention are set forth on March 13, 1998 in T.A. Co-pending US patent application Ser. No. 09 / 042,418, entitled "Absorbent Material for Distributing Aqueous Solution," filed by Dispares et al., The disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Further description of the conditions for forming polymeric foams for use in the present invention is available from T. a. Described in co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 077,955, entitled "Abrasion Resistant Polymeric Foam and Contaminant Receptor Produced therefrom," filed by Dismares et al., The disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. do.

The various contaminant receptors, described herein and in the literature cited herein, preferably comprise a liquid impermeable backsheet. The backsheet is made of a thin layer of, for example, polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like. The backsheet protects the surface where the contaminant receptors are present from the stain wash composition. For example, stain washing methods are typically performed on a hard surface, such as a table top. The contaminant receptor is placed on the table and the fabric to be treated is placed on the contaminant receptor. The stain cleaning composition is applied to the contaminated area of the fabric and then drawn to the contaminant receptor. However, in the absence of the back sheet, the stain cleaning composition may leak to the table top and be damaged.

The backsheet can preferably cover only one side of the absorbent contaminant receptor, exposing the opposite side to the stain laundry solution, while extending over the edge of the receptor to protect against leakage of the stain laundry solution from the edge of the stain receptor. However, extending the backsheet across the edge to the absorbent side of the receptor minimizes the effective surface area for receiving the stain wash solution. The solution to this paradox is to extend a portion of the back sheet beyond one or more of the edges of the contaminant receptor in the form of "wings". The wing provides additional protection by ensuring that the stain wash composition is contained when leaking from the edge of the contaminant receptor while at the same time maximizing the absorbent surface area of the contaminant receptor.

Laundry and refresh process

The composition for reducing shrinkage and the composition for washing / refreshing are preferably loaded on a substrate wrapped in a cover sheet, and the substrate is placed in a bag with the fabric to be treated. The bag is sealed and placed in a heated work clothes dryer or the like to remove odor from the fabric. The warm wet environment created inside the bag volatilizes the malodorous components in the manner of a "stream distillation" process and wets the fabric and contaminants thereon. This wetting of the fabric may loosen the preformed wrinkles without forming new ones during the drying step at the end of the dryer cycle. Suitable amounts of shrinkage reducing and laundry / refreshing compositions, and in particular the amount of water used in the process, and, importantly, the proper drainage of the bags of this method can minimize shrinkage of the fabric. In addition, if the bag is not discharged, volatile odorous material removed from the fabric may be unnecessarily reattached to the fabric.

In more detail, the washing and refreshing method herein can be performed by the following method. Modifications of the method may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

(i) optionally, the pre-spotting method is performed on locally contaminated areas of the fabric according to the description below,

(ii) the whole fabric is placed in a laundry bag with a substrate containing the composition for shrinkage reduction and the composition for washing / refreshing to be releasable;

(iii) the bag is placed in a device that provides agitation, such as a hot air clothes dryer, and the dryer is operated by heat and tumbling to wet the fabric,

(iv) remove the fabric from the bag,

(v) The fabric is quickly hung to complete drying and / or to prevent creases.

More specifically, the washing and refreshing process is conveniently carried out in a tumbling apparatus, preferably in the presence of heat. Substrates containing releasable absorbed shrink reduction compositions and wash / refresh compositions are placed with nylon or other heat resistant, preferably vapor, discharge fabrics. The bag is sealed and placed in a drum of an automatic hot air clothes dryer at a temperature of 40 to 150 ° C. Rotating the drum imparts a tumbling action to the bag and agitates its contents simultaneously with tumbling. Tumbling and heating is performed for at least about 10 minutes, typically from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. This step can be performed for longer or shorter periods of time depending on factors such as the degree of contamination and type of contamination of the fabric, the nature of the contamination, the nature of the fabric, the fabric load, the amount of heat applied, and the like.

More specifically, the pre-spotting process can be performed by the following method. Modifications of the process can be carried out without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. Contaminated areas of the fabric contacted across the poly-HIPE or TBAL contaminant receptors described herein or less preferably conventional folded paper towels (e.g. preferably white or unprinted to avoid dye transfer from the towel). Trade Name BOUNTY ) Is placed on any suitable surface, such as a table top, in a tray, or the like.

2. From the dispenser bottle with a narrow tube facing the composition, add enough stain-washing composition to the contaminants (not necessarily saturating the surrounding area of the fabric) to saturate the localized contaminated area-about 10 drops, larger amount Can be used for contaminants.

3. Optionally, the composition is permeated with contaminants for 3-5 minutes.

4. Optionally, additional composition—approximately 10 drops are added and higher amounts may be used for larger contaminants.

5. Completely remove the contaminants using a treatment member such as a distal end on the dispenser bottle. Light contaminants can remain in contact for 1 to 60 seconds, and severe or more persistent contaminants can remain in contact for 1 to 5 minutes.

6. Optionally, the fabric is sucked through a paper towel to remove excess composition, for example. Otherwise, the treated area is sucked with a damp sponge or other absorbent medium to flush the fibers and remove excess composition.

The following examples further illustrate the present invention but are not intended to limit it.

Example I

Cleaning and refreshing composition

Fabric washing / refreshing compositions for use in laundry bags according to the invention are prepared as follows:

ingredient weight% Emulsifier (TWEEN 20) ^* 0.5 Medicine 0.5 KATHON 0.0003 Sodium benzoate 0.1 water Remaining amount ^* Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate available from ICI Surfactants

In addition, a preferred composition for use in the dryer wash / refresh step of the process herein is prepared as follows:

ingredient weight% Range (% by weight) water 99.0 95.1 to 99.9 Spices 0.5 0.05 to 1.5 Surfactant ^* 0.5 0.05 to 2.0 Ethanol or isopropanol 0 Any to 4% Solvent (e.g. BPP) 0 Any to 4% pH ranges from about 6 to about 8.

In addition to the other components, the preceding compositions may contain enzymes to further enhance laundry performance, as described in Trin et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference.

Example II

Preparation of a substrate comprising a composition for reducing shrinkage and a composition for washing / refreshing

HYDRASPUN, manufactured by Dexter Corp., for 10 1/4 in x 14 1/4 in (26 cm x 36 cm) substrates in sheet form Prepared from the material. Both sides of the base sheet are covered with a top sheet and a bottom sheet of 8 mil (0.2 mm) Reemay fabric coversheet material. Vertrod the cover sheet (ie the top and bottom sheets) Or other standard heat seal devices, such as conventional sound wave seal devices, to bond the substrate sheet, thereby bonding the laminated structure together around the entire periphery of the sheet. The edge of the sheet around its perimeter is sandwiched between the top sheet and the bottom sheet with an adhesive. As noted above, the width of the adhesive is kept to a minimum and is about 0.25 inches (6.4 mm).

The bonded laminate sheet thus prepared is folded and placed in a pouch. Any plastic bag that has not leaked will be suitable. For example, foil laminated pouches of the type used in the food service industry can be used. Such bags are well known in the industry and are made of materials that do not absorb food flavors. In a similar manner, the formulator here may wish to avoid absorption of the fragrance used in the laundry / refreshing composition by the bag. Various pockets are useful herein and are commercially available as custom.

Place the folded substrate / coversheet in a pocket. For example, you can fold it in accordion style, or you can fold it in any form, such as folding the next roll in half. This size is not important but should be comfortable to place in your pocket.

5 g of the shrink reduction composition and 18 g of the wash / refresh composition are added to the base sheet / cover sheet in any order, and more preferably, the shrink reduction composition and the wash / refresh composition are mixed prior to the addition of the substrate. The composition is absorbed into the substrate. Immediately after introduction of the liquid product into the bag, the bag is sealed and stored until use.

Example III

Stain Washing Composition

Preferably, a stain wash composition for use in the present invention, including the dispenser and TBAL or poly-HIPE foam contaminant receptors defined above, is prepared as follows.

ingredient % By weight (nonionic) Range (% by weight) Hydrogen peroxide 1.000 0 to 2 Amino tris (methylene phosphonic acid) ^* 0.040 0 to 0.06 Butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP) 2.000 1 to 6 Neodoll 23 6.5 0.250 0 to 1 Carton preservative 0.0003 Random ^** water 96.710 Remaining amount pH target = 7, range 6 to 8. * Stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide. ** Sufficient to provide preservative function.

Another example of a high water content and low residue stain cleaning composition for use in the pre-spotting step of the present application is as follows.

ingredient Anionic Composition (%) Hydrogen peroxide 1.000 Amino tris (methylene phosphonic acid) ^* 0.0400 Butoxypropoxypropanol (BPP) 2.000 NH ₄ Coconut E ₁ S 0.285 Dodecyldimethylamine oxide 0.031 Magnesium chloride 0.018 Magnesium sulfate 0.019 Hydrotropes, paints, and other trace substances 0.101 Carton preservative 0.0003 Water (deionized or distilled) 96.507 Target pH 6.0 ^* Stabilizer for Hydrogen Peroxide

Preferably, in order to minimize the potential for dye damage herein, the H ₂ O ₂ containing pre-spotting composition has an anionic or nonionic surfactant in an amount less than the amount of H ₂ O ₂ (by weight of the composition). Included. Preferably, the weight ratio of surfactant to H ₂ O ₂ ranges from about 1:10 to about 1: 1.5, most preferably from about 1: 4 to about 1: 3.

Example IV

Vapor Emission Assessment Test (VVE)

Materials required for the VVE test :

-An adjustable laundry bag to evaluate for bags or "standard", ie VVE.

HYDRASPUN from Dexter with or without carrier substrate (15 "x 11"; 38.1 cm x 27.9 cm) (10444) or without binder (10244) Carrier base sheet

Wool blouse: RN77390, style 12288, weight approx. 224 g.

Silk blouse: RN40787, style 0161, weight 81 g.

Rayon specimen: 45 "x 17" (114.3 cm x 43.2 cm), weight about 60 g.

-Pouch to contain substrate and water: 5 "x 6.375" (12.7 cm x 16.2 cm)

Deionized water; Weight is variable for VVE.

Fabric pretreatment :

1. The wool, silk and rayon materials are placed in a Whirlpool dryer (Model LEC7646DQO) and set to high heat for 10 minutes and the heating cycle is in the range of about 140 to 165 ° F. to remove moisture absorbed at ambient conditions.

2. The fabric is then removed from the dryer and placed in a sealed nylon or plastic bag (thickness at least 3 mils) to minimize moisture absorption from the atmosphere.

Test process

1. Add 0-40 g of water of varying measured weights to the substrate at least 30 minutes before running the released bag test. The substrate is folded, put in a bag and sealed.

2. Improve each fabric individually and record the dry weight. The weight is also recorded for the dry substrate to be evaluated, the dry bag containing the substrate, and the dry laundry bag.

3. Each garment is placed in a bag for evaluating the water vapor released with the water-containing substrate.

4. The bag is sealed to prevent air from escaping, placed in a whirlpool dryer and held at high temperature for 30 minutes while tumbling to the dryer's standard operating mode.

5. At the end of 30 minutes, the bag is removed from the dryer and each fabric, substrate, bag and bag is weighed against the water weight obtained for the dry condition (the smallest possible weight loss for the laundry bag due to dryer heat is Ignored.)

6. Record the weight of each garment as a percentage of the total moisture added to the substrate.

7. Remaining unmeasured moisture divided by total moisture is reported as a percentage discharged from the dryer bag.

8. When measuring the total amount of water added, about 15 to 20 g of% water discharged is essentially constant, which is the vapor-equilibrium equilibrium value or VVE for a particular bag discharge design.

Claims (10)

A group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1- (A) a fabric shrink reduction composition selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof It characterized in that it comprises a liquid washing / refreshing composition (b), wherein the composition for reducing the shrinkage of the fabric and the composition for liquid washing / refreshing 1: 2 to 1: 5, preferably 1: 2 to 1 A composition for textile treatment which is releasably absorbed into the substrate in a weight ratio of 4: 4, more preferably 1: 3 to 1: 4, and most preferably 1: 3.6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition for washing / refreshing comprises water and a component selected from the group consisting of surfactants, perfumes, preservatives, bleaches, auxiliary cleaners, organic solvents and mixtures thereof, preferably the organic solvent is a glycol ether And more preferably the organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methoxy propoxy propanol, ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol and mixtures thereof. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the composition for washing / refreshing comprises water and a surfactant. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant, preferably ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkyl phenol. (A) placing the fabric in a laundry bag with the substrate, (B) placing the bag in a hot air clothes dryer or similar device and running the device with heat and tumbling; (C) removing the fabric from the bag, A group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1- The fabric shrink reduction composition (i) and liquid wash / refresh composition (ii) selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof are releasably absorbed into the substrate, and further, the fabric shrink reduction composition and liquid wash / The fabric, wherein the composition for refresh is present in a weight ratio of 1: 2 to 1: 5, preferably 1: 2 to 1: 4, more preferably 1: 3 to 1: 4, most preferably 1: 3.6 Totally non-immersed laundry / refresh method for treatment. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein steam is withdrawn from the bag during step (b). 7. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric has a first side and a second side, (A) applying the stain wash composition from the dispenser to the discrete contaminated areas of the first side of the fabric, Concurrently or continuously with step (a), contacting the first side of the fabric adjacent the contaminated area with the treatment member; and And (c) contacting the second side of the fabric adjacent the contaminated area with the absorbent contaminant receiving product. A multi-substrate (a) in which the composition for reducing fabric shrinkage and the liquid laundry / refreshing composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are releasably absorbed therein, Reusable laundry bag (b), Any processing member (c), Any separate stain wash composition (d) and An article comprising any one or more absorbent contaminant receiving products (e). The product of claim 1, wherein a separate stain-washing composition is provided in the container and the treatment member is present at the end of the container. Substrate (a), (B) a composition for liquid washing / refreshing comprising at least about 80% by weight, preferably at least about 90% by weight, and most preferably at least about 95% by weight of water absorbably resorbed to the substrate. To about 30 g and A group consisting of all isomers of ethylene glycol, propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol and hexanediol and mixtures thereof, more preferably neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1- Washing and / or washing the fabric in a hot air dryer, characterized in that it comprises from about 2 to about 20 g of a composition for reducing fabric shrinkage, selected from the group consisting of octanol and mixtures thereof and releasably absorbed into the substrate. Sheets especially suited for refreshing.