Methods and equipment for removing stains from fabrics

• US 20040168260A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LHTaylor Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lawnie Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Lawnie
• Granted Patent: US 7,109,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/115.51
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3951 combined with specific additives
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3956 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/06 Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/23 using hypohalogenites
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/24 using chlorites or chlorine dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/26 combined with specific additives

Abstract

Methodologies and equipment for using a hypochlorite solution to remove menstrual fluid, underarm perspiration or other hard-to-remove stains from soft fabric articles with reduced damage to the fabric articles when compared with popular chlorine bleaches. The soft fabric articles preferably are in white, although the present invention can also be applied to articles in other colors. In one embodiment, the weight concentration ratio of the alkali metal hydroxide over the hypochlorite salt in the hypochlorite solution is no less than 1:12.5. The hypochlorite solution may contain at least 0.2% by weight of sodium hydroxide and/or have a pH of at least 11.8.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the damaging effect of a hypochlorite salt-containing solution on a soft fabric article, comprising the steps of:

(a) modifying the solution by adding an alkali metal hydroxide to the solution, such that the weight concentration ratio of the alkali metal hydroxide over the hypochlorite salt in the modified solution is no less than 1;

12.5; and

(b) contacting the modified solution with a stain on the soft fabric article for at least one minute to remove the stain.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, and the hypochlorite salt is sodium hypochlorite.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite in the modified solution is no less than 1:

10.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite in the modified solution is no less than 1:

5.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite in the modified solution is no less than 1:

2.5.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite in the modified solution is no less than 1:

1.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the modified solution includes at least 0.2 weight percent of sodium hydroxide.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the modified solution includes at least 0.3 weight percent of sodium hydroxide.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the modified solution includes from about 0.5 to about 3 weight percent of sodium hydroxide.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of contacting the modified solution with the stain on the soft fabric article for at least five minutes to remove the stain.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of contacting the modified solution with the stain on the soft fabric article for at least fifteen minutes to remove the stain.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stain is a menstrual fluid stain or an underarm perspiration stain.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the soft fabric article comprises cotton.

14. A method for reducing the damaging effect of a hypochlorite salt-containing solution on a soft fabric article, comprising the steps of:

(a) modifying the solution by adding an alkali metal hydroxide to the solution, such that the pH of the modified solution is at least 11.8; and

(b) contacting the modified solution with a stain on the soft fabric article for at least one minute to remove the stain.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pH of the modified solution is at least 12.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pH of the modified solution is at least 12.5.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the pH of the modified solution is about 13.

18. The method according to claim 14, comprising the step of contacting the modified solution with the stain on the soft fabric article for at least five minutes to remove the stain.

19. The method according to claim 14, comprising the step of contacting the modified solution with the stain on the soft fabric article for at least fifteen minutes to remove the stain.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, and the hypochlorite salt is sodium hypochlorite.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the modified solution comprises at least 0.5 weight percent of sodium hypochlorite.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the modified solution comprises at least 1 weight percent of sodium hypochlorite.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the modified solution comprises at least 2 weight percent of sodium hypochlorite.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the modified solution comprises at least 5 weight percent of sodium hypochlorite.

25. A kit useful for removing a stain from a soft fabric article, said kit comprising:

a cleaning composition which comprises an effective amount of a hypochlorite salt and an alkali metal hydroxide, the weight concentration ratio of the alkali metal hydroxide over the hypochlorite salt being no less than 1;

12.5; and

an instruction for removing said stain from said soft fabric article employing said cleaning composition.

26. The kit according to claim 25, wherein the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, and the hypochlorite salt is sodium hypochlorite.

27. The kit according to claim 26, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite is no less than 1:

10.

28. The kit according to claim 26, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite is no less than 1:

5.

29. The kit according to claim 26, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite is no less than 1:

2.5.

30. The kit according to claim 26, wherein the weight concentration ratio of sodium hydroxide over sodium hypochlorite is no less than 1:

1.

31. A kit useful for removing a stain from a soft fabric article, said kit comprising:

a first compartment which includes a sodium hypochlorite solution;

a second compartment which includes a sodium hydroxide solution; and

an instruction for removing said stain from said soft fabric article employing said kit.