Method for treating hydrophilic stains in a lipophlic fluid system

• US 20070056119A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Gardner, Robb, Scheper, William
• Application Number:
  US11/580,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/115.510
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0094 High foaming compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/162 containing Si

Abstract

A fabric article cleaning regimen, more particularly a fabric article cleaning regimen employing a hydrophilic, aqueous-based pretreating composition in combination with a lipophilic laundering system

Claims

1. A fabric treatment process comprising the steps of:

(a) contacting a stained portion of a substrate with an aqueous foam composition, thereby converting the substrate to a pre-treated substrate;

(b) contacting the pre-treated substrate with a non-aqueous wash medium comprising a predominant fluid comprising siloxane, thereby converting the pre-treated substrate to a treated substrate; and

(c) optionally, drying the treated substrate.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous foam composition comprises:

from about 0.0001% to about 20% by weight of the composition of a hydrophilic stain removal agent;

from about 0.01% to about 40% by weight of the composition of a surfactant; and

from about 50% to about 99% by weight of the composition of water.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein the hydrophilic stain removal agent is selected from the group consisting of bleaches, enzymes, soil repellents, soil release polymers, and mixtures thereof.

4. The process according to claim 3 wherein the bleach is a peroxygen bleach selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, organic or inorganic peracids, hydroperoxides, diacyl peroxides, and mixtures thereof.

5. The process according to claim 3 wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase, carbohydrase, and mixtures thereof.

6. The process according to claim 2 wherein the aqueous foam composition further comprises from about 0.1% to about 25% by weight of the composition of a foaming agent.

7. The process according to claim 6 wherein the surfactant is a silicone-containing surfactant.

8. The process according to claim 2 wherein the aqueous foam composition further comprises from about 0.001 to about 10% by weight of the composition of an adjunct ingredient, wherein the adjunct ingredient is selected from the group consisting of perfumes, pro-perfumes, pH modifiers, solvents, non-silicone surfactants, builders, alkalinity sources, optical brighteners, hydrotropes, thickeners, process aids, odor control agents, odor neutralizers, dye transfer inhibiting agents, anti-microbial agents, enzyme stabilizers, antibacterial agents, fabric softening agents, and mixtures thereof.

9. The process according to claim 2 wherein the composition comprises:

from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a hydrogen peroxide bleach;

from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a silicone-containing surfactant;

from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a foaming agent comprising a member selected from the group consisting of amine oxides, betaines, primary alkylamine surfactants, or mixtures thereof; and

the balance of water.

10. The process according to claim 8 wherein the composition further comprises a pH modifier such that the composition has a pH of about 6 to about 10.

11. The process according to claim 1 wherein the siloxane is a cyclic siloxane selected from the group consisting of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, and mixtures thereof.

12. The process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a dispenser comprising a vessel for containing the aqueous foam composition and a foam-generating dispensing device in fluid communication with the composition.

13. The process according to claim 12 wherein, when the dispenser is employed with the composition, the dispenser generates a foam having a foam to weight ratio of greater than about 2 mL/g.

14. The process according to claim 1 wherein amount of the composition applied to the fabric articles is from about 0.1 to about 900 mg/g of treated fabric.

15. The process according to claim 1 wherein amount of hydrophilic stain removal agent applied to the fabric articles is from about 0.03 to about 30 mg/g of treated fabric.

22. A substrate having been treated according to the method of claim 1.

16. A method for removing stains from fabric articles comprising the steps of:

a) contacting fabric articles with an aqueous foam composition; and

b) subsequently, contacting said fabric articles with a lipophilic fluid wash medium comprising at least about 50% by weight of the wash medium of siloxanes.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the aqueous foam composition comprises at least about 0.0001% by weight of the composition of a bleach, or an enzyme, or both;

at least about 0.01% by weight of the composition of a silicone-containing surfactant;

at least about 0.01% by weight of the composition of a foaming agent; and

at least about 80% by weight of the composition of water.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the aqueous foam composition is dispensed from an applicator comprising a vessel and a foam-generating dispenser.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the amount of the aqueous foam composition applied to the fabric articles is from about 0.1 to about 900 mg/g of treated fabric.

23. A fabric article having been treated according to the method of claim 16.

20. A stain removal method for dry cleaning application comprising the steps of:

(a) applying an effective amount of an aqueous foam composition to at least a portion of a fabric article;

(b) allowing the composition to penetrate the fabric article for at least about 10 seconds;

(c) contacting the fabric article with a non-aqueous wash medium comprising a predominant fluid of cyclic siloxanes.

24. A fabric article having been treated according to the method of claim 20.

21. A substrate having been contacted by

(a) an aqueous foam composition comprising at least one bleach;

and

(b) a lipophilic fluid comprising at least about 50 wt % cyclic siloxanes.

25. A garment stain removal kit comprising:

(a) a dispenser comprising a vessel and a foam-generating dispensing device;

(b) an aqueous foam composition comprising a hydrophilic stain removal agent and water, wherein the hydrophilic stain removal agent is selected from the group consisting of a bleach, an enzyme, a soil repellent, a soil release polymer, and mixtures thereof; and

(c) a set of instructions for using the kit comprising the steps of;

(i) placing the composition in the vessel, if the composition and the vessel are provided separately;

(ii) using the dispenser to apply an effective amount of the composition to at least a stained portion of a garment, wherein the composition is dispensed from the dispenser as a foam having a foam to weight ratio of greater than about 2 mL/g and the effective amount is at least about 0.1 mg/g of treated fabric;

(iii) allowing the composition to penetrate the garment for at least about 10 seconds;

(iv) placing the garment in a laundry apparatus and contacting the garment with a non-aqueous wash medium comprising a predominant fluid of cyclic siloxanes.