Bleaching gel cleaner thickened with amine oxide, soap and solvent

The invention provides a bleaching gel cleaner and a method for preparing it, said cleaner comprising: a) an effective amount of a hypochlorite-generating compound; b) a ternary thickening system which comprises: (i) alkali metal soap; (ii) a hydrotrope selected from the group consisting of trialkylamine oxides, betaines and mixtures thereof; and (iii) a bleach stable solvent, each in amounts appropriate to create a gelled composition; c) a buffer/electrolyte in an amount effective to stabilize the hypochlorite; and d) the remainder as water.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to thickened bleaching gel cleaners 
containing hypochlorite bleach with improved thickening and bleach 
stability. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Thickened hypochlorite bleach solutions or compositions have long been used 
in a variety of applications including hard surface cleaning, disinfecting 
and the like. These compositions are typically provided with increased 
viscosity for a number of reasons, principally to increase residence time 
of the composition on non-horizontal surfaces. 
Many different examples of thickened hypochlorite bleach compositions have 
been available from a wide variety of sources for use in hard surface 
cleaning. For example, Finley et al., European Patent Application EP 
373,864 and Prince et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,043, disclosed hypochlorite 
bleach compositions consisting of polyacrylate thickeners, amine oxide 
detergent, and optional fatty acid soap and/or a bleach stable synthetic 
anionic detergent for cleaning hard surfaces such as toilet bowls, 
bathroom tiles and shower walls. Other prior art references have also 
described various thickened automatic dish washing liquid compositions 
using polyacrylates in combination with colloidal thickeners to provide 
proper rheology and stability in hypochlorite bleach compositions 
including various adjuncts. Stoddart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,728, and 
Corring, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,948, are representative of these other prior 
art references. However, as can be seen from the disclosures of each 
reference, there must be a polyacrylate thickener present in order to 
obtain the desired viscosity. 
Additionally, other examples of thickened hypochlorite-containing cleansers 
in the art, which usually are used to suspend abrasives, typically require 
either a colloidal clay thickener, such as disclosed in Hartman, U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 3,985,668, 4,005,027 and 4,051,056, a mixture of surfactants, such as 
disclosed in Jones et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,678, or a stearate soap, 
such as disclosed in Chapman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,919. All of these 
systems suffer from disadvantages, such as premature hardening in the 
colloidal clay-thickened systems, or poor phase stability, as in the 
stearate-thickened systems. 
Some references describe the unique phenomena that occurs when certain 
charge-bearing surfactants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds or 
betaines, are combined with a source of a counterion. U.S. Pat. Nos. 
4,900,467, 5,011,538 and 5,055,219, all issued to Smith (and of common 
assignment herein), provide exemplary cleaning compositions generally 
characterized as viscoelastic. 
There are a number of somewhat slightly thickened hypochlorite bleaching 
liquids, such as Citrone, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,109, Joy, U.S. Pat. No. 
4,229,313, Schilp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,163, Hynam et al., U.S. Pat. No. 
3,684,722, and Vipond, U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,492. Generally, however, each 
of these references discloses relatively thin liquids having relatively 
high amounts of surfactants which function as hydrotropic materials. These 
types of liquid bleaching compositions, because of their lack of body, 
generally cannot be effectively dosed onto vertical or curved surfaces. 
Published European patent applications EP 0336651 and 033652, of common 
assignment herewith, discloses thickened aqueous cleaning compositions, 
one of which can contain abrasives, both of which are thickened by the 
combination of surfactants and aluminum oxide, and both can have certain 
organic solvents present to assist in cleaning performance. Neither 
product is a gel. However, polymer-thickened bleach-containing systems 
need to be packaged in opaque packaging, since ultraviolet wavelength 
light may accelerate decomposition. 
A related application, Choy, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/780,360, 
filed Oct. 22, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,758 of common assignment 
herewith, discloses a thickened hypochlorite composition in which alkyl 
ether sulfate surfactant and certain solvents are combined to provide an 
advantageously thickened liquid cleaner. Yet another beneficially 
thickened gel cleaner, which used polyacrylate as a thickener, was 
described in Garabedian et al. (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 
08/097,738, filed Jul. 27, 1993, of common assignment herewith). The 
disclosures of these latter two applications are incorporated herein by 
reference thereto. 
Generally, the prior compositions have performed satisfactorily for their 
intended purpose. However, there is a need for thickened gel cleaner 
containing hypochlorite bleach with improved thickening and bleach 
stability, offering improved characteristics and benefits. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect of the invention, the invention provides a bleaching gel 
cleaner comprising: 
a) an effective amount of a hypochlorite-generating compound; 
b) a ternary thickening system which comprises: (i) alkali metal soap; (ii) 
a hydrotrope selected from the group consisting of trialkylamine oxides, 
betaines and mixtures thereof; and (iii) a bleach stable solvent, each in 
amounts appropriate to create a gelled composition; 
c) a buffer/electrolyte in an amount effective to stabilize the 
hypochlorite; and 
d) the remainder as water. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner, without significant phase separation. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner which obtains thickening without the need of 
polymer or inorganic thickeners, such as clay. 
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner which has excellent chemical and physical 
stability. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner which attains stable thickening through 
maintaining a desirable ratio between the surfactants and solvents 
contained therein. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner which attains stable thickening through the 
use of a ternary thickening system. 
It is also an object of this invention to provide a hypochlorite 
bleach-containing gel cleaner which can adhere to vertical or curved 
surfaces without significant migration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The invention provides a hard surface, hypochlorite-containing, gel cleaner 
having no significant syneresis, and improved thickening and cleaning 
performance. 
Furthermore, as compared to prior art cleaners which include either polymer 
or clay-thickened rheologies, or high levels of mixed surfactants, the 
present invention provides a stable gel cleaner which does not rely on 
expensive thickening additives and, instead, exploits the 
viscosity-thickening attributes of the surfactants and solvents used 
herein, which ordinarily are used purely for their discrete cleaning or 
aesthetic characteristics. For the purposes of the invention, a gel is a 
colloid comprising a continuous phase, which is mostly water, in which a 
dispersed phase, which is the actives, is dispersed in a manner such as to 
provide a viscous, jelly-like product. The gel is translucent to 
transparent and may also be opalescent. The gel is a favorable physical 
state for a hard surface cleaner since it may be dosed or extruded onto a 
vertical or inclined surface for localized cleaning, e.g., stained 
bathroom tiles or grout, or the like. Since the gel will be less fluid, or 
mobile, than a more liquid phase composition, there is little concern with 
overdosing and spillage. The gel is also an attractive medium for cleaning 
since it can be colored, or tinted, with, typically, a hypochlorite-bleach 
stable dye, colorant or pigment. Additionally, the inventive gel cleaners 
can advantageously be packaged in transparent to translucent packages 
(e.g., transparent plastic bottles) since ultraviolet wavelength 
light-mediated degradation does not appear to occur in these non-polymer 
thickened systems. 
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a bleaching gel cleaner 
comprising: 
a) an effective amount of a hypochlorite-generating compound; 
b) a ternary thickening system which comprises: (i) alkali metal soap; (ii) 
a hydrotrope selected from the group consisting of trialkylamine oxides, 
betaines and mixtures thereof; and (iii) a bleach stable solvent, each in 
amounts appropriate to create a gelled composition; 
c) a buffer/electrolyte in an amount effective to stabilize the 
hypochlorite; and 
d) the remainder as water. 
The individual constituents of the inventive cleaners are described more 
particularly below. As used herein, all percentages are weight percentages 
of actives, unless otherwise specified. Additionally, the term "effective 
amount" means an amount sufficient to accomplish the intended purpose, 
e.g., thickening, suspending, cleaning, etc. 
The formulations of this invention can develop viscosities in the range of 
20-5,000 centipoise (cP), preferably 50-2,000 cP, and most preferably 
100-1,500 cP. However, because these gels generally have low yield value, 
they do not suspend abrasives, or other larger size particulate matter, 
and so such additives are generally avoided. 
Hypochlorite Bleach 
A hypochlorite-generating compound or bleach source is a principal 
ingredient. This oxidant chemical provides good stain and soil removal and 
is additionally a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. The hypochlorite 
bleach source may be selected from various hypochlorite-producing species, 
for example, bleaches selected from the group consisting of the alkali 
metal and alkaline earth salts of hypohalite, haloamines, haloimines, 
haloimides and haloamides. All of these are believed to produce hypohalous 
bleaching species in situ. Hypochlorite and compounds producing 
hypochlorite in aqueous solution are preferred, although hypobromite may 
also be suitable. Representative hypochlorite-producing compounds include 
sodium, potassium, lithium and calcium hypochlorite, chlorinated trisodium 
phosphate dodecahydrate, potassium and sodium dicholoroisocyanurate and 
trichlorocyanuric acid. Organic bleach sources suitable for use include 
heterocyclic N-bromo and N-chloro imides such as trichlorocyanuric and 
tribromocyanuric acid, dibromo and dichlorocyanuric acid, and potassium 
and sodium salts thereof, N-brominated and N-chlorinated succinimide, 
malonimide, phthalimide and naphthalimide. Also potentially suitable are 
hydantoins, such as dibromo and dichlorodimethylhydantoin, 
chlorobromo-dimethylhydantoin, N-chlorosulfamide (haloamide) and 
chloramine (haloamine). Particularly preferred in this invention is alkali 
metal hypochlorite, namely, sodium, potassium and lithium hypochlorite, 
and mixtures thereof. 
In this invention, it is possible to use an alkali metal hypochlorite 
bleach which has a relatively low salt content. For example, hypochlorite 
bleaches are commonly formed by bubbling chlorine gas through liquid 
sodium hydroxide or corresponding metal hydroxide to result in formation 
of the corresponding hypochlorite, along with the co-formation of a salt 
such as sodium chloride. In other contexts, it has been found desirable to 
use hypochlorites formed for example by reaction of hypochlorous acid with 
alkali metal hydroxide in order to produce the corresponding hypochlorite 
with water as the only substantial by-product. Hypochlorite bleach 
produced in this manner is referred to as "high purity, high strength" 
bleach, or also, as "low salt, high purity" bleach, and is available from 
a number of sources, for example Olin Corporation which produces 
hypochlorite bleach as a 30% solution in water. The resulting solution 
could then diluted to produce the hypochlorite strength suitable for use 
in the present invention. 
The hypochlorite may be formed with other alkaline metals as are well known 
to those skilled in the art. Although the term "hypochlorite" is employed 
herein, it is not intended to limit the invention only to the use of 
chloride compounds but is also intended to include other halides or 
halites, as discussed above. 
The hypochlorite and any salt present within the composition can be a 
source of ionic strength for the composition, although the 
buffer/electrolyte also plays a significant role. The ionic strength of 
the composition may also have an effect on thickening. 
The hypochlorite is preferably present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 
weight percent to about 10 weight percent, more preferably about 0.2% to 
5%, and most preferably about 0.5% to 3%. 
Ternary Thickening System 
As disclosed above, the thickening in the invention is mediated by a 
ternary system which comprises: (i) alkali metal soap; (ii) a hydrotrope 
selected from the group consisting of trialkylamine oxides, betaines and 
mixtures thereof; and (iii) a bleach stable solvent, each in amounts 
appropriate to create a gelled composition. 
1. Alkali Metal Soap 
The first component of the ternary thickening system is alkali metal soap 
(alkyl carboxylates). The soaps utilized are typically formed in situ, by 
using the appropriate carboxylic acid (e.g., a C.sub.6-18 carboxylic acid, 
such as, without limitation, lauric, stearic, myristic acids, and 
unsaturated acids, such as coco fatty acid), and neutralizing with e.g., 
sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Other alkali metal hydroxides, such as potassium 
and lithium hydroxides, can be utilized. Commercial sources of these fatty 
acids include Henkel Corporation's Emery Division. The soap should be 
present in an amount of about 0.1 to 10%, more preferably 0.5 to 3% by 
weight. 
It may be possible to add, as a co-surfactant, alkali metal alkyl sulfates, 
alkyl aryl sulfonates, primary and secondary alkane sulfonates (SAS, also 
referred to as paraffin sulfonates), alkyl diphenyl ether disulfonates, 
and mixtures thereof. These latter anionic surfactants will preferably 
have alkyl groups averaging about 8 to 20 carbon atoms. Further, alkali 
metal salts of alkyl aryl sulfonic acids might be useful, such as linear 
alkyl benzene sulfonates, known as LAS's. Typical LAS's have C.sub.8-16 
alkyl groups, examples of which include Stepan Chemical Company's 
BIOSOFT.RTM., and CALSOFT.RTM. manufactured by Pilot Chemical Company. 
Still further potentially suitable cosurfactants include the alkyl 
diphenyl ether disulfonates, such as those sold by Dow Chemical Company 
under the name "Dowfax," e.g., Dowfax 3B2. Other potentially suitable 
anionic cosurfactants include alkali metal alkyl sulfates such as Conco 
Sulfate WR, sold by Continental Chemical Company, which has an alkyl group 
of about 16 carbon atoms; and secondary alkane sulfonates such as HOSTAPUR 
SAS, manufactured by Farbwerke Hoechst A.G., Frankfurt, Germany. 
2. Hydrotropes 
In the invention, the most preferred hydrotropes are the amine oxides, 
especially trialkyl amine oxides, as represented below. 
##STR1## 
Additionally, it may be suitable to use mono-short chain C.sub.1-4 alkyl, 
di-long chain C.sub.10-20 alkyl amine oxides. In the structure above, R' 
and R" can be alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and are most preferably 
methyl, and R is alkyl of about 10 to 20 carbon atoms. When R' and R" are 
both methyl and R is alkyl averaging about 12 carbon atoms, the structure 
for dimethyldodecylamine oxide, a preferred amine oxide, is obtained. 
Other preferred amine oxides include the C.sub.14 alkyl (tetradecyl) and 
C.sub.16 (hexadecyl) amine oxides. It is acceptable to use mixtures of any 
of the foregoing. In general, it has been found that the longer alkyl 
group results in reduced skin sensitivity, while the shorter alkyl group 
appears to contribute to better cleaning performance. Representative 
examples of these particular type of bleach-stable nonionic surfactants 
include the dimethyldodecylamine oxides sold under the trademarks 
AMMONYX.RTM. LO and CO by Stepan Chemical. Yet other preferred amine 
oxides are those sold under the trademark BARLOX.RTM. by Lonza, Conco XA 
sold by Continental Chemical Company, AROMAX.TM. sold by Akzo, and 
SCHERCAMOX.TM. sold by Scher Brothers, Inc. These amine oxides preferably 
have main alkyl chain groups averaging about 10 to 20 carbon atoms. 
Betaines and their derivatives, especially C.sub.10-20 betaines, also 
appear to be useful hydrotropes in the compositions of the invention. This 
definition includes both alkylbetaines, sulfoalkylbetaines and mixtures 
thereof. Particularly preferred are betaines such as those described in 
the patents to Choy et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,599,186, 4,657,692 and 
4,695,394, all of common assignment herewith and the disclosures of which 
are incorporated herein by reference. 
The invention can also beneficially include mixtures of such amine oxides 
and betaines. 
The hydrotrope is present in a range of, generally about 0.1 to 10% by 
weight, more preferably about 0.5 to 3% by weight. 
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, one of the most important 
aspects of the ternary thickening system is the ratio of the hydrotrope, 
preferably, amine oxide, to alkali metal soap. In the preferred 
embodiment, this ratio should be between above at least about 5:1 to 1:1, 
and most preferably, about 3:1 to 1:1. Here, it is this ratio of 
hydrotrope to alkali metal soap which is responsible, along with the 
bleach stable solvent described hereinbelow, for the surprising and 
advantageous thickening achieved in the gel cleaner, as well as for 
exemplary bleach (chemical) stability. 
3. Bleach-Stable Solvents 
Additionally, certain less water soluble or dispersible organic solvents, 
some of which are advantageously hypochlorite bleach stable, are crucial 
components of the invention. These solvents will, in cooperation with the 
alkali metal soap and the hydrotropes described above, provide the 
thickened gel phase characteristic of the invention. These bleach stable 
solvents include those commonly used as constituents for proprietary 
fragrance blends, such as terpene derivatives. The terpene derivatives 
herein include terpene hydrocarbons with a functional group. Effective 
terpenes with a functional group include, but are not limited to, tertiary 
alcohols and ethers. Representative examples for each of the above classes 
of terpenes with functional groups include but are not limited to the 
following: Terpene alcohols, including, for example, cis-2-pinanol, 
pinanol, thymol, 1,8-terpin, dihydro-terpineol, tetrahydromyrcenol, 
tetrahydrolinalool, and tetrahydro-alloocimenol; and terpene ethers, 
including, for example, benzyl isoamyl ether, 1,8-cineole, 1,4-cineole, 
isobornyl methylether, methyl hexylether. Further, other tertiary alcohols 
are useful herein. Additional useful solvents include alicyclic 
hydrocarbons, such as methylcyclohexane. 
Terpene hydrocarbons with functional groups which appear suitable for use 
in the present invention are discussed in substantially greater detail by 
Simonsen and Ross, The Terpenes, Volumes I-V, Cambridge University Press, 
2nd Ed., 1947 (incorporated herein by reference thereto). See also, 
co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 
07/780,360, filed Oct. 22, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,758 of Choy, 
incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
In this application, the most preferred solvents are tetrahydromyrcenol, 
dihydroterpineol, which are tertiary terpene alcohols, and tertiary 
alcohols, such as benzyl alcohol, dimethyl benzyl carbinol, 
2-methyl-2-hexanol. 
It is preferred to add about 0.05 to about 5% solvent, more preferably 
about 0.05 to 3% and most preferably about 0.05 to about 2.5%, of the 
bleach stable solvent herein. Mixtures of any of the foregoing solvents 
are also useful herein. 
Buffers/Electrolytes 
pH adjusting agents may be added to adjust the pH, and/or buffers may act 
to maintain pH. In this instance, alkaline pH is favored for purposes of 
both rheology and cleaning effectiveness. Additionally, if the cleaner 
includes a hypochlorite source, a high pH is important for maintaining 
hypochlorite stability. Examples of buffers include the alkali metal 
silicates, metasilicates, polysilicates, carbonates, bicarbonates, 
sesquicarbonates, hydroxides, orthophosphates, metaphosphates, 
pyrophosphates, polyphosphates and mixtures of the same. Certain organic 
buffers also appear suitable (although may require an additional ionizable 
compound), such as polyacrylates, and the like. Control of pH may be 
necessary to maintain the stability of a hypochlorite source and to avoid 
protonating the amine oxide. 
For the latter purpose, the pH should be maintained above the pKa of the 
amine oxide. Thus for the hexadecyl dimethyl amine oxide, the pH should be 
above about 6. Where the active halogen source is sodium hypochlorite, the 
pH is maintained above about pH 10.5, preferably above or about pH 12. 
Most preferred for this purpose are the alkali metal hydroxides, 
especially sodium, potassium, or lithium hydroxide. The total amount of pH 
adjusting agent/buffer including that inherently present with bleach plus 
any added, can vary from about 0.1% to 15%, preferably from about 0.1-10%. 
Water 
It should be briefly noted that the main ingredient in the inventive 
compositions is water, preferably softened, distilled or deionized water. 
Water provides the continuous liquid phase into which the other 
ingredients are added to be dissolved/dispersed. This provides the unique 
fluid properties of the invention. The amount of water present generally 
exceeds 30% and, indeed, can be as high as 98%, although generally, it is 
present in a quantity sufficient (q.s.) to provide the appropriate gel 
characteristics desired of the invention. 
Optional Ingredients 
The composition of the present invention can be formulated to include such 
components as fragrances, coloring agents, whiteners, solvents, chelating 
agents and builders, which enhance performance, stability or aesthetic 
appeal of the composition. From about 0.01% to about 0.5% of a fragrance 
such as those commercially available from International Flavors and 
Fragrance, Inc. may be included, although it should be noted that many of 
the solvents described hereinabove may actually perform in place of such 
fragrances. Dyes and pigments may be included in small amounts. 
Ultramarine Blue (UMB) and copper phthalocyanines are examples of widely 
used pigments which may be incorporated in the composition of the present 
invention. 
Experimental 
The following Example I illustrates one preferred embodiment of this 
invention: 
______________________________________ 
Example I 
Ingredient Wt. % Actives 
______________________________________ 
Solvent (tetrahydromyrcenol) 
0.1-0.4% 
Amine oxide.sup.1 1.80 
Soap.sup.2 1.00 
NaOCl 1.00 
NaOH 0.8 
D.I. H.sub.2 O q.s 
100.00% 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 Barlox 12, from Lonza Chemicals. In the Examples following, unless 
otherwise noted, the identification of the ingredients in these footnotes 
is the same. 
.sup.2 Coco soap, from Emery Division of Henkel Chemicals. 
In Example II, a competitive gel cleaner was analyzed and its formulation 
set forth, and the effect of adding the preferred terpene solvent, 
tetrahydromyrcenol was observed. 
______________________________________ 
Example II 
Ingredient Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
NaOCl 0.76 
Soap.sup.1 (Na salt) 
1.04 
LO amine oxide.sup.2 
1.76 
NaOH 0.82 
Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 
0.08 
Silicon 0.017 
Fragrance present 
D.I. H.sub.2 O q.s 
100.00% 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 The soap is believed to be a stripped coconut fatty acid, with a 
chain length distribution corresponding to coco fatty acid by Emery 
Division of Henkel Chemicals, Emery 637. 
.sup.2 Believed to be a trimethyl, C.sub.12 amine oxide, such as sold by 
Stepan Chemical Company, Ammonyx LO. 
To the above formulation in Example II, 0.15% of various solvents were 
added, to ascertain the co-thickening effect of the preferred solvents: 
TABLE I 
______________________________________ 
Solvent Co-Thickening Effects 
Example Added Solvent Viscosity 
______________________________________ 
Base Formulation.sup.1 
-- .about.50 
cP 
V tetrahydromyrcenol 
.about.490 
cP 
VI dihydroterpineol .about.250 
cP 
VII benzyl alcohol .about.100 
cP 
VIII 3-methyl-2-pentanol 
.about.100 
cP 
IX dimethyl benzyl carbinol 
.about.100 
cP 
X 2-methyl-2-hexanol 
.about.90 
cP 
XI methylcyclohexane 
.about.80 
cP 
XII benzyl isoamyl ether 
.about.70 
cP 
XIII dimethoxy ethane .about.50 
cP 
XIV pentane .about.50 
cP 
XV p-cymene .about.50 
cP 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 Product of Example II is remade without presence of any fragrance. 
In each succeeding example, the solvent is added back. 
As can be seen from the foregoing data, the addition of 0.15% of the 
preferred solvents can result in surprisingly advantageous thickening of a 
bleaching gel. Thus, even though the formulation of Example II is of a 
competitive cleaner, the addition of the solvents to obtain the thickening 
of the resulting gel forms a part of this invention. 
In the test depicted below in TABLE II, the formulation of Example II and a 
preferred composition of this invention (Example XVI) were compared for 
hypochlorite stability. The two formulations were stored at 48.8.degree. 
C. and measured for remaining hypochlorite level at various intervals. The 
storage at such elevated temperatures is to simulate longer term storage. 
TABLE II 
______________________________________ 
Hypochlorite Storage Stability 
Time (Days) Example IV 
Example XVI.sup.1 
______________________________________ 
0 0.89% 0.97% 
10 0.67% 0.79% 
21 0.43% 0.77% 
39 0.06% 0.70% 
______________________________________ 
.sup.1 Example XVI contained 0.15% tetrahydromyrcenol, 1.80% C.sub.12 
amine oxide, 1.00 coco fatty acid soap, 1.00% NaOCl, 0.8% NaOH and the 
remainder, deionized water. 
The composition of Example XVI, a preferred composition, had superior 
hypochlorite stability over that of Example II, a competitive example 
(including fragrance). 
EXAMPLE XVII 
In FIG. 1, the effect of the hydrotrope (amine oxide): fatty acid soap 
ratio was plotted against changes in viscosity, with viscosity 
measurements comprising the y-axis and the amine oxide : fatty acid levels 
comprising the x-axis. Plotted point A represents about 5:1 ratio of amine 
oxide to soap ratio, while plotted point B represents about 2:1 amine 
oxide to soap ratio, and finally, plotted point C represents about 1:1 
amine oxide to soap ratio. These points demonstrate that a particularly 
preferred embodiment of the inventive compositions have surprisingly 
exemplary thickening efficacy and viscosity stability between the ranges 
of about above a 5:1 ratio amine oxide : soap to about 1:1 ratio amine 
oxide: soap. All of the plotted points contained 0.15% tetrahydromyrcenol 
solvent, 1.0% NaOCl. 
The above examples have been depicted solely for purposes of 
exemplification and are not intended to restrict the scope or embodiments 
of the invention. The invention is further illustrated with reference to 
the claims which follow hereto.