Method for cleaning hard surfaces using an aqueous solution of quaternary ammonium compound, combination of nonionic surfactant and glycol ether solvent

• US 5,522,942 A
• Filed: 07/07/1995
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reckitt Benckiser LLC (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Reckitt & Colman Inc. (Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC)
• Inventors: Streit, Allan L., Beronio, Carol A., Graubart, Beth T. G., Sachs, Ernest J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harriman, Erin M.
• Application Number:
  US08/499,770
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 134/40, 252/547, 252/548, 252/153, 252/174.21, 252/174.22
• US Class Current: 134/40
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/523 Carboxylic alkylolamides, or dialkylolamides, or hydroxycarboxylic amides (R1-CO-NR2R3), where R1, R2 or R3 contain one hydroxy group per alkyl group
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/526 Carboxylic amides (R1-CO-NR2R3), where R1, R2 or R3 are polyalkoxylated
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/62 Quaternary ammonium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/645 Mixtures of compounds all of which are cationic
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/72 Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/75 Amino oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/835 Mixtures of non-ionic with cationic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2068 Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3707 Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides

Abstract

A synergistic cleaning composition has been discovered comprising an aqueous solution a quaternary ammonium compound component; a nonionic surfactant component; and a glycol ether solvent. Surprisingly, the combination of the quaternary ammonium compound component, the nonionic surfactant component, and glycol ether solvent provides a synergistic effect where the cleaning composition functions with a low level of quaternary ammonium compound component while still maintaining at least one of the following desirable properties, as follows: an acceptable cleaning efficacy; a low level irritation or toxicity profile; and/or a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.

Claims

1. A method for the cleaning of particles of soil from hard surfaces comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a cleaning composition comprising an aqueous solution of;

(1) from about 0.08 to about 1.10 weight percent of a quaternary ammonium compound component;

(2) from about 4 to about 8 weight percent of a nonionic sufactant component containing a combination of an alkoxylated alkanolamide, an ethoxylated alcohol and an alkyldi (lower alkyl) amine oxide in which the alkyl group has from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein, based on 100 parts of said nonionic surfactant component, the alkanolamide is present in a ratio of from about 1 part to about 98.99 parts, the ethoxylated alcohol is present in a ratio of from about 1 to about 95 parts, and the amine oxide is present in a ratio of from about 0.01 to about 4.5 parts; and

(3) from about 3.5 to about 10 weight percent of a glycol ether solvent;

(b) diluting the composition with up to about 500 parts by weight of water; and

(c) contacting the diluted cleaning composition with a hard surface,

thereby removing soil particles.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant ingredients are present in a ratio of from 70 to 90 part ethoxylated alcohol, from 29 to 10 parts alkoxylated alkanolamide, and from 1 to 4 parts amine oxide.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein

said alkoxylated alkanolamide is represented by the formula

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said glycol ether solvent is represented by the formula

5. A method according to claim 2 herein said glycol ether component is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, and mixtures thereof.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein said glycol ether is a diethylene glycol n-butyl ether present in an amount ranging from 4.5 to 8 weight percent, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said quaternary ammonium component is a combination of a dialkyldimethylammonium chloride and an alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the ratio in said quaternary ammonium combination is from 30 to 13 parts of dialkyldimethylammonium chloride and from 70 to 87 parts of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, based on 100 parts of quaternary ammonium component.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the ratio in said quaternary ammonium combination if from 20 to 25 parts of dialkyldimethylammonium chloride and from 80 to 75 parts of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said quaternary ammonium combination is present in an amount ranging from 1.01 to 1.06 weight percent, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which:

(1) said quaternary ammonium compound comprises;

(A) a dialkyldimethylammonium chloride; and

(B) an alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride;

(2) said ethoxylated alcohol is (C) a secondary alcohol ethoxylate;

said alkyldi (lower alkyl) amine oxide is (D) an alkyldi (lower alkylamine) oxide in which the alkyl group has from 12 to 16 carbon atoms; and

said alkoxylated alkanolamide is (E) an ethoxylated alkanolamide; and

(3) said glycol ether solvent is (F) a diethylene glycol monobutyl ether,

wherein;

(A) is present in a range of from 87 to 70 parts, and (B) is present in a range of from 20 to 25 parts, based on a total of 100 parts of (A)+(B) , and the total weight percent of (A) and (B) together falls within the range of from 1.04 to 1.06 weight percent, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition;

(C) is present in a range of from 7 to 82 parts, (D) is present in a range of from 19 to 15 parts, and (E) is present in a range of from 3 to 4 parts based on a total sum of 100 parts of (C)+(D)+(E); and

the total weight percent of (C) and (D) and (E) together falls within the range of from 6 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition; and

(F) is present in a range of 4.5 to 5.5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the aqueous composition.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the composition is diluted with up to about 64 parts by weight of water.