SYNERGISTIC SURFACTANT PACKAGE FOR CLEANING OF FOOD AND OILY SOILS

• US 20200131453A1
• Filed: 10/25/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dahlquist Howlett, Erin Jane, Mueggenborg, Renee Elizabeth, Molinaro, Matthew Paul
• Granted Patent: US 11,603,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/008 Polymeric surface-active agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/143 Sulfonic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/146 Sulfuric acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/22 derived from aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/722 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols having mixed oxyalkylene groups; Polyalkoxylated fatty alcohols or polyalkoxylated alkylaryl alcohols with mixed oxyalkylele groups C11D1/721 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/83 Mixtures of non-ionic with anionic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/8305 containing a combination of non-ionic compounds differently alcoxylised or with different alkylated chains
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/831 of sulfonates with ethers of polyoxyalkylenes without phosphates
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/006 containing mainly surfactants, but no builders, e.g. syndet bar
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/14 Hard surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0026 Low foaming or foam regulating compositions

Abstract

The disclosure relates a surfactant package for use in hard surface cleaning compositions, preferably floor cleaning compositions which pair an anionic linear alkyl sulfonate surfactant and a nonionic surfactant in a ratio of 1:1 to 9:1. This combination provides for synergistic cleaning of both proteinaceous food soils (red soils) and hydrocarbon-based oily soils (black soils) while also reducing foam produced by the composition. Synergistic nonionic surfactants include EO/PO alcohol alkoxylates or EO/PO fatty alcohol surfactants with a propylene oxide to ethylene oxide to ratio of greater than 1.

Claims

1. A surfactant package for hard surface cleaning compositions that is effective on both food and oily soils comprising:

one or more linear alkyl sulfonate surfactants; and

one or more nonionic ethoxylated propoxylated alcohol surfactants or ethoxylated propoxylated fatty alcohol surfactants, said nonionic surfactant with a ratio of propoxylation to ethoxylation of greater than 1.

3. The surfactant package of claim 1, wherein said linear alkyl sulfonate surfactant is linear alkyl benzene sulfonate.

4. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said nonionic surfactant has a ratio of propoxylation to ethoxylation of 2:

1.

5. The surfactant package of claim 4 wherein said nonionic surfactant is a C12 to C14 fatty alcohol with (EO)3(PO)6.

6. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said nonionic surfactant is a Alkyl-(EO)n-(PO)n-POH.

7. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said nonionic surfactant is a reverse EO/PO block copolymer.

8. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said ratio of anionic surfactant to nonionic surfactant is a ratio of greater than 1:

1.

9. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said ratio of anionic surfactant to nonionic surfactant is 2:

1, 3;

1, 4;

1, 5;

1, 6;

1, 7;

1, 8;

1, or 9;

1.

10. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein the surfactant package does not include alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS).

11. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein the surfactant package does not include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

12. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein the surfactant package does not include a secondary alkane sulfonate (SAS).

13. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said surfactant package includes 2 or more nonionic surfactant selected from the group of ethoxylated propoxylated alcohol surfactants or ethoxylated propoxylated fatty alcohol surfactants.

14. The surfactant package of claim 1 wherein said surfactant package includes 2 or more linear alkyl sulfonates.

15. A hard surface or floor cleaning composition comprising the surfactant package of claim 1.

16. A composition comprising the surfactant package of claim 1.

17. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 further comprising one or more of an alkalinity source, a stabilizer, and/or a pH adjuster.

18. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 wherein said composition has a pH of about 7 to about 9.

19. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 wherein said composition is a solid.

20. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 wherein said composition is a pressed solid.

21. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 wherein said compositions is used in an automatic cleaning units with acceptable foaming.

22. The hard surface or floor cleaning composition of claim 15 wherein said composition exhibits acceptable foaming for use in an abrasion suction automatic cleaning unit.

23. A method of cleaning a floor or hard surface comprising:

contacting a composition according to claim 1 with a floor or hard surface; and

thereafter removing the composition from said surface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the contacting of the composition is for a sufficient period of time to emulsify food and oily soils.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising rinsing said surface.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising scrubbing the surface.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising rinsing the surface with water after scrubbing.

28. A method of making a cleaning composition comprising combining the surfactant package of claim 1 with one or more additional functional ingredients to form a cleaning composition.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said combined composition is pressed to form a solid.

2. A surfactant package for hard surface cleaning compositions that is effective on both food and oily soils comprising:

one or more linear alkyl sulfonate surfactants; and

one or more nonionic alcohol alkoxylate surfactant or nonionic fatty alcohol surfactants, said nonionic surfactants having a cloud point that is below 23°

C.