WO2019193325A1 - Cleaning wipe - Google Patents

Abstract

A wet cleaning comprising a blendless or low blend material substrate. The wipe is moistened with a cleaning liquid that has a fluorescent dye, an alkalinity additive and an active agent. The dye provides visual indication for a user in respect of the moistness of the wipe, allowing them to determine whether the wipe is suitable for use. The additive renders the cleaning liquid to be mildly alkaline in order to ensure the visibility of the dye is reliable.

Description

CLEANING WIPE

The present invention relates to cleaning wipes.

Wet cleaning wipes are generally moistened with water based liquid including a cleaning agent, typically a surfactant. The surfactant may become exhausted before the wipe loses its moistness, with the result that the user lacks indication of whether the use of the wipe is being as effective as it might be.

We have determined that a colouring agent can be arranged to be dissipated from a wet wipe at a rate that not only can be similar to the rate at which the cleaning agent is dissipated, but also at a rate such as to be invisible on the surface being cleaned.

Dyes which are more readily seen to be present are fluorescent dyes and yellow fluorescent dyes in particular. Surprisingly, these are not reliably visible on wet wipes unless the cleaning agent liquid is neutral to mildly alkaline.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved wet cleaning wipe.

According to the invention there is provided a wet cleaning wipe, comprising:

• a blendless or low blend material substrate and

• a cleaning liquid moistening the wipe, the liquid having:

• a fluorescent dye;

• an alkalinity additive in concentration to render the liquid to be from

substantially neutral to mildly alkaline and

• an active agent.

Normally the substrate will be non-woven fabric. The preferred material of the substrate is blendless viscose fibre. However it is anticipated that a blend of up to 25% at the most and normally up to 10% of other fibres can be used. The fluorescent dye could be of other colours but is preferably yellow. We have found Liquitint Yellow FLW from Milliken to be suitable.

Normally the alkalinity additive will act as a pH buffer, rendering the liquid to be between 7.0 pH and 10.0 pH and preferably between 9.0 pH and 10.0 pH. The alkalinity additive can be an acid, such as citric acid, where the liquid is otherwise too alkaline. However it can also be an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide or sodium citrate.

The active agent will normally be a surfactant. Whilst anionic and cationic surfactants can be used, normally amphoteric or non-ionic surfactants will be used. Preferably, the surfactant will be alkaline stable for example amphopropionates and alkyl polyglycosides. The active agent can also be a biocidal agent. Indeed both types of active agents can be used together.

Other ingredients will normally be included in the liquid, as well, typically:

• Chelating agents, to boost preservation and typically sodium gluconate or tetrasodiu glutamate diacetate

• Preservatives

• Solvents to aid removal of dirt by dissolving it, typically alcohols, glycols, and esters, and

• Fragrances.

Typical w/w compositions of the liquid are as follows:

De-ionised water up to 95%

Colourant(s) up to 1%

Chelating agent(s) up to l%

Preservative(s) up to 3%

Antibacterial Active(s) up to 3%

Surfactants up to 5%

Polymer(s) up to 5%

Solvents up to 20%

Fragrance(s) up to 5% Alkalinity additive(s) Quantum satis.

Suitable preservatives are:

Methylisothiazolinone / Benzisothiazolinone

Phenoxyethanol / Isothiazolinone

Methylchloroisothiazolinone,

Methylisothiazolinone,

Bronopol.

Typically, in production the cleaning liquid, the preservative and/or biocidal agent will be added first to the water, normally de-ionised. The surfactants are then added. Typically the fragrance will be added with the surfactant as a pre-mix. The chelating agents, polymers and finally the colourant are added. The pH of the solution is adjusted with buffers, including, but not restricted to the following Citric Acid or Sodium Citrate or Sodium Hydroxide.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, wipes for atypical uses may require additional atypical ingredients.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wet cleaning wipe, comprising:

• a blendless or low blend material substrate, and

• a cleaning liquid moistening wipe, the liquid having:

• a fluorescent dye;

• an alkalinity additive in concentration to render the liquid to be from

substantially neutral to mildly alkaline; and

• an active agent.

2. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a blendless viscose fibre.

3. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the substrate is a non-woven fabric.

4. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 1 , claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the substrate is a blend of up to 10% other fibres.

5. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the substrate is a blend of no more than 25% other fibres.

6. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent dye is yellow.

7. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fluorescent dye could be of any visible colour.

8. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim any preceding claim, wherein the alkalinity additive is added to the cleaning liquid to act as a pH buffer, rendering the pH of the liquid to be between 7.0 and 10.0.

9. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pH buffering additive renders the pH of the cleaning liquid to be between 9.0 and 10.0.

10. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pH buffering additive is an acid.

11. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pH buffering additive is an alkali.

12. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active agent is a surfactant.

13. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the active agent is an amphoteric or non-ionic surfactant.

14. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the active agent is an anionic or cationic surfactant.

15. A wet cleaning wipe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the active agent is a biocidal agent.