US2117438A - Cleaning composition - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 17, 1938 CLEANING COMPOSITION Elizabeth P. MacDonald and Naomi W. Stenglein,

Saginaw, Mich.

No Drawing. Application January 17, 1936, Serial No. 59.552

6 Claims. (01, 87-5) protecting covering on the surface cleaned, and

is a continuation in part of our Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,032,372, issued March 3, 1936 for Method of cleaning and coating surfaces. Objects of the invention include the provision of a material which may be dissolved in water and employed to clean painted, varnished and other surfaces in a quick and eflicient manner without adversely affecting the finish thereof; the provision of a material as above described .which, when a small amount of a solution thereof is allowed to remain and dry upon the surface cleaned thereby, will leave a protecting film upon such surface; the provision of a material as above described in which such film allowed to remain and dry upon a surface cleaned by the material will act to protect the surface against foreign material thereafter deposited upon it and which film is soluble so as to thereafter enhance the ease with which subsequently deposited foreign material may be removed from such surface.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a cleaning mixture or compound including glue and a cleaning agent, the weight of the glue constituting 25% to 50% of the total weight of the mixture; the provision of a cleaning mixture including glue and one or more elements of a class including borax, sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate, the glue constituting approximately one-third of the total weight of the mixture; the provision of a cleaning mixture including glue, sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate, the glue constituting 25% to 50% of the entire weight of the. mixture and the sodium carbonate or borax, and trisodium phosphate being present in substantially equal amounts; and the provision of a cleaning compound including glue, and anhydrous sodium carbonate, and trisodium phosphate, the glue and anhydrous sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate being present in approximately equal amounts by weight.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists in a certain novel mixture of material to be hereinafter more fully described, and then claimed, having theabove and other objects in view.

We have found that a water solution of glue,

where the glue is present in suflicient quantities, when applied to a surface has an exceptional tendency to draw any water soluble or loose foreign material which may be upon the surface into the solution and away from the surface. If, in treating the surface, an appreciable amount of such solution is allowed to remain on the surface and dry, the glue in the solution remaining on the surface and drying will form a protective film over the surface which, because of the character 10 of glue, imparts a gloss or luster to the surface and which, because of its transparency, has no discoloring effect whatsoever. If foreign material should be again deposited upon the surface, the film of glue separates it from actual contact with the surface and should the surface again be cleaned the film of glue is readily dissolved and removed, carrying with it the foreign material. This not only provides a quick and convenient way of both protecting and/or cleaning a surface and by following out such procedure the character of the surface may be maintained free of the effects of foreign material for a relatively long period of time.

It is, of course, rather diil'icult, for a water solution of glue by itself to remove foreign material from a surface that is not soluble in water and which adheres to the surface, and we have discovered that if an additional suitable element or elements are introduced into the solution, practically all foreign material which may be found upon a surface, may be quickly and readily removed with a minimum of physical exertion. The additional element or elements which are preferably employed with the water and glue for this. purpose may be borax, sodium carbonate, trisodium phosphate or equivalent materials and one or more of such elements may be employed in the broader aspects of the invention. We have discovered that in order to prevent such elements from adversely affecting the surface by penetration thereof the glue should constitute threeeighths of one per, cent to two per cent of the total solution, and should constitute 25% to 50% of the combined weight of the glue and the cleaning element or elements other than water. Although any one or more of the elements described may be used with the glue and water to form a suitable solution, weprefer to employ either sodium carbonate or borax, and preferably the former, and trisodium phosphate for the reason that the sodium carbonate or borax acts to soften the water and the trisodium phosphate acts to penetrate the foreign material and permit its ready removal. Preferably the sodium carbonate is or borax and trisodium phosphate are present in approximately equal amounts and individually in amounts approximately equal to the glue.

In marketing the material it is, of course, preferable to mix the glue and one or more elements described in a dry state and allow the ultimate user to dissolve the required amount of the mixture in the required amount of water; In such case the mixture sold will comprise from 25% to 50% glue, bone glue being preferable because of economy although any other suitable type will function satisfactorily. The remainder of the mixture will, of course, constitute one or more of the elements borax, sodium carbonate, trisodium phosphate or their equivalent and preferably trisodium phosphate with either sodium carbonate or borax. While the proportions of the elements other than the glue may be varied where two or more such elements are employed, we prefer to employ sodium carbonate or borax in equal amounts with trisodium phosphate. Sodium carbonate is preferable particularly from the standpoint of cost. Also anhydrous sodium carbonate is preferably employed for the reason that its water content is usually about 12%, while the water content of hydrous sodium carbonate is approximately 54% and where the mixture is formed with hydrous sodium carbonate, there is a tendency to cake which, although it does not affect the ultimate result, makes it more difficult to dissolve the mixture in the water.

A preferred composition of material or mixture for the above described purposes includes approximately 36% glue, 32% anhydrous sodium carbonate and 32% trisodium phosphate. Coloring matter or material designed to give a distinct scent or odor to the mixture may be added if desired, but inasmuch as such material is usually and preferably inert as far as the action of the mixture is concerned, it may be considered as merely additive to the above stated proportions and, accordingly, is not taken into consideration in the following claims. It will also be apparent that other elements that may have certain desirable results may be added to the above composition without affecting the broad invention herein.

Where such a dry mixture is prepared for marketing purposes it will, of course, be understood that the various elements entering into it are preferably reduced to powdered or granular form and intimately inter-mixed with each other. In employing this mixture for the purposes of cleaning a surface, preferably two to five ounces of the mixture are dissolved in a gallon of water. A cloth or other element is then immersed in the solution, partially wrung out and then employed to rub or wash the surface whichit is desired to clean, the cloth being repeatedly rinsed in the solution as often as is required to maintain it suitably free of the foreign material and, of course, as soon as the solution becomes sufficiently contaminated with the foreign material, it is dispensed with and replaced by some new solution. In cleaning a surface in the manner de scribed, it is preferable not to wipe the surface dry but rather to leave an appreciable amount of the solution on the surface and allow it to dry thereon. The solution in drying on a wall will leave aminute coating of glue over the surface and any foreign material which may thereafter become deposited on the surface will be separated from actual contact therewith by the film of glue. Furthermore, this coating of glue will enhance the luster and gloss of the surface. Obviously, should the surface thereafter be again cleaned,

the a lication of water to the m of glue will disso' e ,it and the foreign material will readily be removed therewith.

may be noted that the material may be used as n initial protective covering for newly painted o "ither surfaceajhereby permitting greater ease in subsequent cleaning operations and eliminating the possibility of the foreign material initially affecting the surface before it is cleaned with the preparation disclosed.

It is to be particularly noted that the cleaning agents disclosed herein, namely borax, sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate, it alone or in combination with each other, are dissolved in water without the addition of glue and employed to clean a surface, they will have an adverse effect upon the surface such as, for instance, attacking the paint where the surface is a painted surface, but we have discovered that where glue in sufllcient amounts is employed with such a cleaning agent, the glue prevents such agent from penetrating the surface sufliciently to effect the character thereof, and a minimum amount of glue which we have found capable of being employed to successfully resist the penetrating effect particularly of the trisodium phosphate is approximately 25% of the dry mixture. We have also discovered that if less than 25% of the dry mixture disclosed comprises glue then there will be an insufficient amount of glue left on the surface to provide the necessary film or coating to properly protect the surface from foreign material thereafter deposited upon it.. Accordingly, it will be understood that the amount of glue should never be reduced below the minimum amount stated if the objects of the present invention are to be adequately attained.

Likewise we have found that the addition of glue in amounts greater than 50% of the dry mixture is undesirable for the reason that not only does it tone down or reduce the cleaning effect of the other element or elements to an undesirable extent, but additionally it is liable to leave too heavy a deposit of glue on the surface where the coating of the solution of the material allowed to remain on the surface and to be dried thereon is unusually heavy and unevenly distributed, for in such case visible streaks due to the variation in thickness of the glue film may often times be apparent. As above stated we have found that when the glue constitutes approximately one-third of the dry mixture best all round results are obtainable.

While the mixture disclosed is particularly adaptable for use in connection with cleaning painted, varnished or other like surfaces, we have also discovered that it is also admirably suitable for use in connection with cleaning carpets, rugs or the like as the sodium compound loosens the dirt or other foreign material in the nap and the adhesive qualities of the glue draw the dirt or foreign material into the solution leaving the nap free from any soapy film. This is of considerable importance in protecting the life of a rug or carpet. In this connection it may be pointed out that where rugs or carpets the rug or carpet even thoughthe same is apparently rubbed as dry as practical for, unlike painted surfaces, the nap of the rug or carpet will absorb a certain amount of the material from which the water will escape only by evaporation, thus leaving the required deposit of glue.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the-invention described without departing from th'espirit or substance of the broad invention the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What we claim is: I

1. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of'25% to 50% by weight of bone glue,and the balance consisting of a material selected from a class of substances consisting of borax, sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate.

2. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of 25% to 50% by weight of bone glue, and the balance consisting of a material selected from a class of substances consisting of borax, anhydrous sodium carbonate and trisodium phosphate.

3. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of 25%to 50% by weight of bone glue, and the balance consisting of approximately equal parts by weight of trisodium phosphate, and a material selected from a class of substances consisting of sodium carbonate and borax.

4. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of 25% to 50% by weight of bone glue, and the balance consisting of approximately equal parts by weight of trisodium phosphate and sodium carbonate.

5. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of 25% to 50% by weight of bone glue, and the balance consisting of approximately equal parts by weight of trisodium phosphate and anhydrous sodium carbonate.

6. A cleaning mixture to be thereafter dissolved in water for cleaning painted or varnished surfaces consisting of approximately 335 93 by weight of bone glue, and the balance consisting of approximately equal parts by weight of trisodium phosphate and sodium carbonate.

EHZABE'IH P. MACDONALD. NAOMI W. S'I'ENGLEIN.