Cleaning substrates having low soil redeposition

• US 20050130870A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Ochomogo, Maria G., De Leo, Malcolm A., Phillippi, Martin A., Budd, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,048,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/499
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3703 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3723 Polyamines or polyalkyleneimines

Abstract

Incorporating dirt-attracting polycationic polymers, such as polyethyleneimines, into cleaning wipes, mop pads, and similar substrates, improves dirt pick-up and retards redeposition of the dirt back onto the cleaned surface. The polymers can be incorporated directly into the non-woven substrates or they can be formulated with a cleaning composition for use with the substrate. The substrate containing the dirt-attracting polycationic polymers can be employed to clean hard and soft surfaces. The presence of the dirt-attracting polycationic polymers also facilitates biocide release from the substrates.

Claims

1. A method of removing dirt from a dirt laden hard surface that comprises the steps of:

a. providing a surface cleaning substrate which comprises an absorbent or adsorbent material wherein the substrate is impregnated with a dirt-attracting polycationic polymer; and

b. engaging the dirt laden hard surface with a surface of the cleaning substrate with sufficient force to remove dirt from the dirt laden hard surface whereby dirt is prevented from being redeposited onto the hard surface once the dirt is removed therefrom.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymer comprises a polymer selected from a group consisting of polyalkyleneimine and copolymers of polyalkyleneimine.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprises a polymer selected from a group consisting of polyethyleneimine and copolymers of polyethyleneimine.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said polymer has a molecular weight ranging from about 100,000 to about 20,000,000.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said polymer has a molecular weight ranging from about 500,000 to about 2,000,000.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate that is impregnated with the polymer is non-tacky.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said polymer has a charge density greater than 10 meq/g at pH 4.5.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a cleaning wipe.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a cleaning pad attached to a cleaning implement

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is impregnated with a cleaning solution comprising a polycationic polymer and wherein said dirt laden hard surface exhibits at least 50% less colormetric change under the Soil Redeposition Test compared to the method using an identical substrate impregnated with an identical cleaning solution without the polycationic polymer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is impregnated with a polycationic polymer and is dry and wherein said dirt laden hard surface exhibits at least 50% less colormetric change under the Soil Redeposition Test compared to the method using an identical substrate not impregnated with the polycationic polymer.

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