Carpet cleaning composition

• US 4,581,385 A
• Filed: 12/20/1984
• Issued: 04/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser Incorporated (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Airwick Industries, Inc. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Smith, James A., Murphy, Betty J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Welsh, Maurice J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moore, M. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/684,746
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 521/111, 521/159, 521/905, 521/122, 521/918, 521/123, 521/76, 521/52, 210/924
• US Class Current: 521/111
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2375/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2491/00 Characterised by the use of oils, fats or waxes; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/0061 characterized by the use of several polymeric components
• CPC Class Codes: C09G 1/02 containing abrasives or grinding agents abrasives as such C09K3/14; polishing of semi-conductors H01L
• CPC Class Codes: C09G 1/10 based on mixtures of wax and natural or synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/048 Soap or detergent bars or cakes with an inner core consisting of insoluble material floating soaps C11D17/02
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0031 Carpet, upholstery, fur or leather cleansers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/162 containing Si
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/18 Hydrocarbons C11D3/164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/373 containing silicones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/924 using physical agent, e.g. sponge, mop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 521/905 Hydrophilic or hydrophobic cellular product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 521/918 Physical aftertreatment of a cellular product

Abstract

A dry-type carpet cleaning composition is disclosed which comprises shreds of a hydrophilic polyurethane foam which incorporates abrasive particles surfactants, and adjuvants such as fragrance, solvents, anti-static agents and fiber emollients. The foam shreds are effective to clean both wet and dry carpeting since they are highly water-absorbent and can be readily removed from the carpet surface when wet.

Claims

1. A water absorbent carpet cleaning composition comprising shreds of a hydrophilic, polyurethane foam having substantially closed cells, wherein the walls of said cells incorporate abrasive particles and an aqueous phase, and wherein said shreds are obtained from a friable foam bun having a tensile strength of less than about 10 psi.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said shreds have a density of about from 0.1-0.5 g/cc and a shred size of about 5-20 mesh.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said shreds incorporate about 30-95% by weight of said abrasive particles on a dry weight basis.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said cell walls further incorporate particles of an inorganic dispersing agent.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase comprises a nonionic surfactant and a cationic amine anti-static agent.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein the anti-static agent comprises a quaternary ammonium salt.

7. The composition of claim 5 wherein the anti-static agent comprises the acid salt of an alkylamidoalkyl(dimethyl)amine.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase comprises a silicone fluid.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase comprises an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, meta-pyrol or mixtures thereof.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous phase comprises an odoriferous agent.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein said foam shreds substantially have a structure selected from those shown in FIGS. 1-2.

21. A method for cleaning soiled natural or synthetic carpeting characteristics thereto which comprises applying an effective amount of the composition of claims 1, 12 or 16 to the surface of said soiled carpeting, and thereafter removing said composition.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said carpeting is soiled with aqueous soil.

12. A water absorbent carpet cleaning composition prepared by a process comprising:

(a) foaming an aqueous reactant phase comprising about 45-70% of abrasive solid particles, about 0.1-5% by weight of a clay suspending agent, about 0.1-10% of a nonionic surfactant about 0.05-10% of a cationic amine anti-static agent, about 1-10% silicone fluid and about 15-65% water;

(b) mixing said aqueous reactant phase with a water-foamable prepolymer resin which contains at least 2 free isocyanate groups per resin molecule so that the final mole ratio of water to total free isocyanate groups is within the range of about 5-100;

1, thereby converting said resin into a hydrophilic, polyurethane foam bun; and

(c) shredding said foam bun.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein said shredded foam has a density of about 0.1-0.5 g/cc and a shred size of about 5-20 mesh.

14. The composition of claim 12 wherein the aqueous reactant phase further comprises about 0.01-10% by weight of fragrance.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the aqueous phase further comprises about 0.5-15% of an organic solvent.

16. A water absorbent carpet cleaning composition prepared by a process comprising:

(a) forming an aqueous reactant phase comprising about 20-55% by weight of water, about 0.1-10% of a nonionic surfactant, about 0.1-5% by weight of a cationic amine anti-static agent, about 1-10% by weight of a polysiloxane silicone fluid, about 1-15% of an organic solvent, about 25-60% of abrasive mineral particles, about 0.1-5% of a clay suspending agent, and about 0.01-10% fragrance;

(b) mixing said aqueous reactant phase with a water-foamable prepolymer resin in a weight ratio of aqueous phase to prepolymer of about 20-1;

1, said prepolymer resin comprising a toluene diisocyanate-capped polyalkoxylene ether polyol having a molecular weight within the range of about 1300-1400 and comprising about 1.5-2.5 mEq/g of isocyanate groups, so as to convert such resin into a hydrophilic, friable polyurethane foam bun having a tensile strength of less than about 8 psi; and

(c) shredding said bun into foam shreds having a free-flow density of about 0.15-0.25 g/cc.

17. The composition of claim 16 wherein said aqueous phase is heated to about 60°

-85°

F. and mixed with said prepolymer resin which is heated to about 90°

-110°

F.

18. The composition of claim 16 wherein said aqueous phase and said resin phase are mixed in a ratio of about 10-2:

1.

19. The composition of claim 16 wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises the condensation product of a polyoxypropylene ether and polyoxyethylene ether wherein the polyoxypropylene ether has a molecular weight of about 1500-3000 and the polyoxyethylene content is about 35-55% by weight of the surfactant molecule, and wherein the cationic anti-static agent comprises myrisalkonium chloride.

20. The composition of claim 16 wherein the abrasive mineral particles comprise about 45-55% by weight of the aqueous phase.