Indicator kit

• US 6,814,816 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa Division Of Conopco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa Division Of Conopco, Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Nimish Harshadrai, Achar, Sudhir
• Primary Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US10/678,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 436/56, 436/164, 436/169, 436/172, 134/26, 134/27, 134/36, 134/42, 510/130
• US Class Current: 134/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/45 Colour indicators, e.g. pH- or Redox indicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/49 containing heterocyclic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/494 with more than one nitrogen as the only hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/4973 with oxygen as the only hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/10 Washing or bathing preparations
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/40 Specific cleaning or washing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/22 using chemical indicators G01N31/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/13 Tracers or tags

Abstract

The invention provides method for the evaluation of washing or cleaning techniques on a substrate comprising:

i. applying a selective indicator system on the substrate to be evaluated;

ii. washing the substrate with water and/or detergent containing composition; and

ii. contacting the washed surface with an indicator complimentary developer,

whereby inadequate washing is indicated when upon contacting of the developer it acts on the unwashed indicator to develop a colour indicative of the insufficient washing or cleaning.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating the cleanliness of a person'"'"'s hands comprising the steps of:

a) applying a selective indicator to a person'"'"'s hands, wherein said selective indicator changes color upon interaction with an indicator complimentary developer;

b) washing both hands with water and/or a detergent containing composition;

c) contacting both hands with said indicator complimentary developer; and

d) determining inadequate washing of a person'"'"'s hands by visually detecting the presence of a color change resulting from the interaction of said selective indicator with said indicator complementary developer, wherein the detection of the presence of the color change does not require a UV light source.

2. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising contacting the person'"'"'s hands with a selected oily material prior to applying said selective indicator.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a selected oily material is included with said selective indicator.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed simultaneously.