Dilutable compositions and method for cleaning of hard surfaces

Abstract: The present invention encompasses hard surface cleaning compositions comprising highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants, possibly in mixture with anionic surfactants The present invention also encompasses a method of cleaning a hard surface wherein said compositions are diluted in water and applied to said hard surface. The present invention also encompasses the diluted cleaning composition obtained in the method according to the present invention.

Description: Technical field The present invention relates to the cleaning of hard surfaces. Hard surface cleaning compositions comprising at least one one highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant, are diluted before use, exhibiting outstanding dilute cleaning performance. Background Hard surface cleaning compositions are well known in the art. It is known to use various surfactants in these compositions, including ethoxylated nonionic surfactants. Ethoxylated nonionic surfactants which are typically used in such compositions are lower ethoxylates, i.e. with a degree of ethoxylation of 5 to 7. Compositions which can be used in diluted form are also known in the art. In such compositions, the technical problem lies in sustaining upon dilution an efficient cleaning performance. Such compositions for dilute cleaning are described for instance in copending European Patent Application EP 91870109.5. In these compositions, the dilute cleaning performance is obtained by using alkanolamines. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide hard surface cleaning compositions which can be effectively used in diluted form. It has now been found that this object could be met by formulating hard surface cleaning compositions comprising at least one highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant, preferably with at least one anionic surfactant. These compositions unexpectedly exhibit outstanding cleaning performance upon dilution, compared to the same compositions without said nonionic surfactant while the cleaning performance of the neat, i.e. undiluted compositions is similar, regardless of the presence of said nonionic surfactant. In other words, it has now been found that hard surface cleaning compositions comprising said highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant exhibit outstanding cleaning performance when used both neat and diluted. Surprisingly, said compositions comprise a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant, yet they are especially effective on greasy soils. Such greasy soils are commonly brought by cooking with oils and fatty foods, and by simple contact with human skin, thus they are present on most surfaces, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens. The compositions according to the present invention are suitable for use on all such surfaces. This invention is also particularly useful as it allows to formulate compositions with reduced levels of other ingredients, which yet retain optimal cleaning performance, due to said highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant; also, the user needs less product to achieve the same task. This advantage is particularly valuable in terms of environmental compatibility. Compositions comprising highly ethoxylated fatty alcohols are described in SU 595369 (abstract). These compositions are designed for the cleaning of metallic surfaces in weaving machines. GB-A-1 120 148 discloses a cleaning agent for buildings, the cleaning agent comprising an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution, an aqueous phosphoric acid solution, a nonionic surfactant of the formula RO-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein R is a C1-C12 alkyl benzene and n is from 3 to 100 and water as diluent. GB-A-2 011 944 discloses an unbuilt aqueous composition comprising a ternary nonionic detergent mixture, wherein the nonionic surfactants are high-, medium- and low- ethoxylated primary, saturated fatty alcohols with specific alkyl chain lengths. No anionic surfactants are disclosed. GB-A- 916 203 discloses an alkaline aqueous solution containing an alkali metal metasilicate, an alkali metal phosphate or borax and a minor proportion of a mixture of surface-active agents consisting of an alkyl phenol ethylene oxide condensate having from 8 to 11 ethylene oxides units, an alkyl phenol ethylene oxide condensate having from 1 to 3 ethylene oxide units and a fatty alcohol ethylene oxide condensate in which the fatty alcohol has 16 to 18 carbon atoms and there are from 50 to 80 ethylene oxide units. No anionic surfactants are disclosed. GB-A-900 000 discloses a cleaning composition comprising 10%-70% by weight of a mixture comprising 75 to 35 parts by weight of at least one alkali metal alkylbenzene sulphonate and 25 to 65 parts by weight of alkylphenoxypolyethenoxyethanols in which the alkyl groups contain 8 or 9 carbon atoms and the polyethenoxyalcohol residues contain an average of 11 to 20 -CH 2 CH 2 O- groups. GB-A-986 049 discloses mixtures of one or more salts of at least one alkylbenzene having a molecular weight between 240 and 290 and at least one condensation product of an alkyl phenol with alkylene oxide of the general formula ROR 1 (OR 1 ) n OH wherein R is C8-C18 alkylbenzene, R1 is alkylene radical -CH 2 CH 2 - or -CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 - and n is 24 to 60. EP-A-0 125 854 discloses a stable liquid compositions comprising 20%-80% by weight of anionic surfactants and 1%-10% of an ethoxylated C6-C13 aliphatic alcohol containing an average of from 1.5 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, said ethoxylated alcohol contains not more than 1% by weight of unethoxylated alcohol where the ethoxylated alcohol contains an average of less than 9 moles of ethylene oxide and not more than 2% by weight of unethoxylated alcohol where the ethoxylated alcohol contains an average of from 9 to 25 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. EP-A-0 034 039 discloses an aqueous liquid detergent composition containing from 10% to 50% by weight of an anionic surfactant and an acid drainage-promoting ethoxylated nonionic surfactant like for example an ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol of the formula R(OC 2 H 4 ) n OH wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical containing from 16 to 30 carbon atoms, wherein n is from 16 to 100, in combination with from 1.5% to 10% of a suds stabilizing nonionic surfactant selected from a) amides of general formula R 1 -CO-N(H) m-1 (R 2 OH) 3-m wherein R 1 is a C 7 -C 21 saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radicle, R 2 is methylene or ethylene and m is 1-3; b)amine oxides of general formula wherein R 3 is an alkyl,2-hydroxyalkyl,3-hydroxyalkyl or 3-alkoxy 2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy groups respectively have 8-18 carbon atoms, R 4 and R 5 ar C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxy C 2 -C 3 alkyl and n is 0 to 10, and c) mixtures thereof. Summary of the invention The present invention thus encompasses a hard surface cleaning composition comprising from 0.5% to 30% by weight of the total composition of a mixture comprising at least one anionic surfactant and at least one nonionic surfactant of the formula RO-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein R is a C 8 to C 22 alkyl chain, and n is an integer of from 21 to 65, or mixtures thereof, said anionic surfactant and said nonionic surfactant are present in a weight ratio of said anionic surfactant to said nonionic surfactant of from 0.5 to 2.5, with the proviso that when said cleaning composition comprises 10% or more by weight of an anionic surfactant, said composition does not comprise from 1.5% to 10% of a suds stabilizing nonionic surfactant selected from a) amides of general formula R 1 -CO-N(H) m-1 (R 2 OH) 3-m wherein R 1 is a C 7 -C 21 saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, R 2 is methylene or ethylene and m is 1-3; b) amine oxides of general formula wherein R 3 is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl or 3-alkoxy 2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy groups respectively have 8-18 carbon atoms, R 4 and R 5 are C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxy C 2 -C 3 alkyl and n is 0 to 10, and c) mixtures thereof The present invention also encompasses the diluted compositions obtained by diluting the above compositions in water. Said diluted compositions comprise from 0.01 % to 3.5% by weight of the total composition of said mixture of anionic surfactant and nonionic surfactant. The present invention also encompasses a method of cleaning hard surfaces wherein a composition as described herein is diluted in water and applied to said hard surface. Detailed description of the invention The compositions according to the invention comprise, as an essential ingredient, a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant. The highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants to be used in the compositions according to the present invention are carefully selected, and belong to the group according to the formula RO-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, wherein R is a C 8 to C 22 alkyl chain and n is an integer of from 21 to 65, or mixtures thereof. Indeed, it is unforeseeably only those ethoxylated alcohols with such a high degree of ethoxylation which allow to obtain the observed cleaning benefits in diluted form, especially on greasy soils. Accordingly, the preferred nonionic surfactants for use in the compositions according to the present invention are those according to the above formula where n is from 21 to 30. The preferred R chains for use herein are the C 8 to C 22 alkyl chains. Suitable chemical processes for preparing the highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants for use herein have been extensively described in the art. Suitable highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants for use herein are also commercially available, for instance in the series commercialized under the trade name LUTENSOL R from BASF or DOBANOL R from SHELL. A preferred highly ethoxylated alcohol for use herein is LUTENSOL R AO30 (R is a mixture of C 13 and C 15 alkyl chains, and n is 30). It is also possible to use mixtures of such highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactants, with different R groups and different ethoxylation degrees. The compositions according to the present invention additionally comprise an anionic surfactant. The prior art extensively describes anionic surfactants, including alkyl benzene sulfates and sulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, sulfonates of fatty acids and of fatty acid esters, all of which are suitable for use herein. Said anionic surfactants can also be used in the form of their salts, including sodium, potassium, ammonium and triethanolammonium salts. The preferred anionic surfactants for use in the compositions according to the present invention are paraffin sulfonates, preferably in the form of their sodium salt. Said highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant and said anionic surfactant, are present in a weight ratio of said anionic surfactant to said nonionic surfactant of from 0.5 to 2.5. In one embodiment of the present invention, a hard surface cleaning composition according to the present invention comprises from 0.5 % to 30 %, preferably from 1 % to 15 % by weight of the total composition of at least one nonionic surfactant of the formula RO-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein R is a C 8 to C 22 alkyl chain, and n is an integer of from 21 to 65, or mixtures thereof. The diluted compositions according to the present invention, which are obtainable by diluting the compositions described hereinabove, comprise from 0.001 % to 3.5 % by weight of the total composition of the mixture described hereinabove, preferably from 0.01 % to 0.3 %. The hard surface cleaning compositions according to the present invention may further comprise additional surfactants, including other nonionic surfactants, amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof. Typical of these are lower ethoxylated nonionic surfactants (e.g with an ethoxylation degree of about 7), amine oxides, betaines, and sulphobetaines, which are well-known in the detergency art. The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise an alkanolamine, or mixtures thereof, in amounts ranging from 0.1% to 10 % by weight of the total composition, preferably from 0.5% to 5%, most preferably from 0.8% to 3%. At such levels, the alkanolamine has a buffering effect in the undiluted product, as well as an unexpected boosting effect on the cleaning performance of the diluted compositions. Suitable alkanolamines for use in the compositions according to the present include monoalkanolamines, dialkanolamines, trialkanolamines, alkylalkanolamines, dialkylalkanolamines and alkoxyalkanolamines. Preferred alkanolamines to be used according to the present invention include monoethanolamine, triethanolamine, aminoethylpropanediol, 2-aminomethyl propanol, and ethoxyethanolamine. Particularly preferred are monoethanolamine, triethanolamine and ethoxyethanolamine. The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise builders. Suitable builders for use herein include nitrilotriacetates (NTA), polycarboxylates, citrates, water-soluble phosphates such as tripolyphosphate and sodium ortho-and pyro-phosphates, silicates, ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA), amino-polyphosphonates (DEQUEST), ether carboxylate builders such as in EP-A-286 167, phosphates, iminodiacetic acid derivatives such as described in EP-A-317 542, EP-262 112 and EP-A-399 133, and mixtures thereof. Preferred builders/sequestrants for use herein are selected from Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, citric acid and sodium carbonate. The hard surface cleaning compositions according to the present invention may comprise up to 15% by weight of the total composition of a builder, preferably from 1% to 10% The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise solvents. Suitable solvents for use herein include propylene glycol derivatives such as n-butoxypropanol or n- butoxypropoxypropanol, water-soluble CARBITOL R solvents or water-soluble CELLOSOLVE R solvents; water-soluble CARBITOL R solvents are compounds of the 2-(2-alkoxyethoxy)ethanol class wherein the alkoxy group is derived from ethyl, propyl or butyl; a preferred water-soluble carbitol is 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol also known as butyl carbitol. Water-soluble CELLOSOLVE R solvents are compounds of the 2-alkoxyethoxy ethanol class, with 2-butoxyethoxyethanol being preferred. Other suitable solvents include benzyl alcohol, and diols such as 2-ethyl-1, 3-hexanediol and 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol and mixtures thereof. Preferred solvents for use herein are n-butoxypropoxypropanol, BUTYL CARBITOL R and mixtures thereof. The compositions according to the present invention comprise up to 15 % by weight of the total composition of a solvent, preferably from 3% to 10%. The compositions according to the present invention may also comprise minor ingredients to provide aesthetic or additional product performance benefits. Typical minor ingredients include perfumes, dyes, optical brighteners, soil suspending agents, detersive enzymes, gel-control agents, thickeners, freeze-thaw stabilizers, bactericides, and preservatives. In the method for the cleaning of hard surfaces according to the present invention, a hard surface cleaning composition as described herein, is diluted in water and applied to said hard surface. In a preferred method according to the present invention, said composition is diluted into 10 to 200 times its weight of water, more preferably 50 to 150 times, before it is applied to said hard surface. The different embodiments of the present invention are further illustrated by the following examples Examples The following compositions were made by mixing the listed ingredients in the listed proportions: Ingredients: Compositions #1 #2 Weight % Sodium paraffin sulfonate 3 3 Alcohol ethoxylate 30EO (1) 2 2 Alcohol ethoxylate 12EO (2) - - Alcohol ethoxylate 7EO (3) 1 1 Alcohol benzene ethoxylate 10EO (4) - - Citric acid 2 3 Butylcarbitol R 4 7 n-butoxypropoxypropanol - 2.5 Triethanolamine 1 1 water & minors up to 100% Ingredients: Compositions #3 #4 Weight % Sodium paraffin sulfonate 3 - Sodium alkyl sulfate - 3 Sodium alcohol ethoxylate sulfate - - Alcohol ethoxylate 30EO (1) 2 2 Alcohol ethoxylate 12EO (2) 1 - Alcohol ethoxylate 7EO (3) - 1 Citric acid 4 3 Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate - - Butylcarbitol R 4 4 n-butoxypropoxypropanol - - Triethanolamine - 1 Monoethanolamine 2 - Ethoxyethanolamine - - water & minors up to 100% In the examples hereinabove, (1) is a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant wherein R is a mixture of C 13 and C 15 alkyl chains and n is 30. (2) is a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant wherein R is a mixture of C 13 and C 15 alkyl chains and n is 12. (3) is a lower ethoxylated nonionic surfactant wherein n is 7. (4) is a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant wherein R is a mixture of C 19 and C 21 alkyl benzene chains and n is 10. Compositions 1-4 described hereinabove can be used neat or diluted. In a method according to the present invention, these compositions are diluted in 65 times their weight of water and applied to a hard surface.

Claims: A hard surface cleaning composition comprising from 0.5 % to 30 % by weight of the total composition of a mixture comprising at least one anionic surfactant and at least one nonionic surfactant of the formula RO-(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein R is a C 8 to C 22 alkyl chain, and n is an integer of from 21 to 65, or mixtures thereof, said anionic surfactant and said nonionic surfactant are present in a weight ratio of said anionic surfactant to said nonionic surfactant of from 0.5 to 2.5 with the proviso that when said cleaning composition comprises 10% or more by weight of an anionic surfactant, said composition does not comprise from 1.5% to 10% of a suds stabilizing nonionic surfactant selected from a) amides of general formula R 1 -CO-N(H) m-1 (R 2 OH) 3-m wherein R 1 is a C 7 -C 21 saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical, R 2 is methylene or ethylene and m is 1-3; b)amine oxides of general formula wherein R 3 is an alkyl,2-hydroxyalkyl,3-hydroxyalkyl or 3-alkoxy 2-hydroxypropyl radical in which the alkyl and alkoxy groups respectively have 8-18 carbon atoms, R 4 and R 5 are C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxy C 2 -C 3 alkyl and n is 0 to 10, and c)mixtures thereof. A composition according to claim 1, wherein said anionic surfactant is a paraffin sulfonate in the form of its sodium salt. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein n is an integer of from 21 to 35. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein n is an integer of from 21 to 30. A diluted hard surface cleaning composition obtainable by diluting in water a composition according to any of the preceding claims, comprising from 0.001 % to 3.5 %, preferably from 0.01 % to 0.3 % by weight of the total composition of said mixture of anionic surfactant and nonionic surfactant. A method for the cleaning of greasy soils on a kitchen or bathroom hard surface wherein a composition according to any of claims 1 to 5 is diluted in water and applied to said hard surface. A method according to claim 6, wherein said composition is diluted into 10 to 200 times its weight of water, more preferably 50 to 150 times, before it is applied to said hard surface. The use of a hard-surface cleaning composition according to claims 1 to 5 for improved grease cleaning performance when said composition is used diluted into 10 to 200 times its weight of water.

Inventors: SCOTT LOUISE GAIL, WAELE JOHAN KAREL EMMA DE, DE WAELE, JOHAN KAREL EMMA, SCOTT, LOUISE GAIL
Applicants: PROCTER & GAMBLE, THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C11D1
IPC codes: C11D1