DE20014021U1 - Textile cleaning kit - Google Patents

Description

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11.08.2000

Utility model version to be registered

H 4701-1 a
Treatment of dirt on textiles

The invention relates to a (pre-)treatment of stains using a textile cleaning liquid and a bottle with a spray system and to a kit containing, among other things, this cleaning liquid and a special liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent.

Agents for pre-treating stains before the actual washing process are state-of-the-art and well-known on the market. They are usually offered in paste form. Liquid detergents or detergent gels, which are usually used for hand washing or machine washing, can also be used for pre-treating stains. Detergent gels in particular can be applied to stains. They are left to act for a while and the textile is then washed in a conventional wash cycle.

Stain pretreatment agents which are sprayed onto stains are also known from the prior art and contain either relatively high amounts of anionic and especially non-ionic surfactants which produce a washing power-enhancing effect in the subsequent washing process and/or active substances which support the removal of bleachable stains in the subsequent washing process.

For some time now, products and kits have been available on the market which, when used, achieve a refreshing and/or cleaning effect on textiles not in a conventional washing process, but in a commercially available household tumble dryer. Such refreshing and/or cleaning processes are referred to as dry cleaning processes in the context of the present invention. There are also a number of patents and patent applications for dry cleaning processes in the printed state of the art. These include, for example, the US patents US 5,238,587, US 5,658,651, US 5,746,776, US 5,869,410, US 5,972,041 and US 5,997,586, but also the in-

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ternational applications WO 93/23603, WO 96/39556, WO 99/16995, WO 97/00738, WO 97/00990, WO 96/30471, WO 96/30472, WO 96/30580,WO 96/30582, WO 96/30583, WO 96/37652, WO 97/00939, WO 97/00991, WO 97/00992, WO 97/07278, WO 97/26821, WO 97/29178, WO 97/32004, WO 97/34519, WO 97/41292, WO 97/45416, WO 98/05814, WO 98/17771, WO 98/31863, WO 99/10586. The content of these applications is referred to by reference. In some of these patent applications and patents it is pointed out that the textiles can be pretreated in a commercially available household tumble dryer before the dry cleaning process is carried out. In this process, liquid textile cleaning agents are usually applied from a bottle to stained textiles using a device such as a sponge or a stamp, or the stains are dabbed with a soaked cloth which can be a textile material, for example, but also a normal paper towel, such as household kitchen paper.

One object of the present invention was to further develop the removal of stains from textiles within the framework of a combined pretreatment step and a subsequent processing step.

A further object of the invention was to put together a kit containing the components which excellently support stain removal, particularly in a dry cleaning process.

The invention therefore relates, in a first embodiment, to the use of a liquid and sprayable water-based textile cleaning agent in a bottle with a spray system for stain pretreatment, in particular in a dry cleaning process. The liquid and sprayable water-based textile cleaning agent contains not only high proportions of water but also significant amounts of organic solvents. Preferably, anionic and non-ionic surfactants are also used, with at least 3 different surfactants, in particular at least 4 different surfactants, being used.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a method for cleaning a soiled textile is claimed, wherein the stained/soiled textile is placed with the stained area on an absorbent pad, a liquid textile cleaning agent

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is applied from a bottle with a spray system to the dirty area and the liquid textile cleaning agent is left to act for any length of time.

A further embodiment of the invention comprises a textile cleaning kit which contains one or more bags and one or more porous flat cleaning cloths which are impregnated with a liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning liquid. The kit also contains a liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent on a water basis in a bottle with a spray system and optionally one or more absorbent pads for stain (pre)treatment.

A further embodiment of the invention relates to a liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent, which is used in particular in a bottle with a spray system and is particularly suitable for the stain or dirt pretreatment of textiles, preferably for the stain or dirt pretreatment of textiles which are subsequently subjected to a dry cleaning process. This agent is characterized by the fact that it can also be multi-phase and in particular two-phase.

In the context of the present invention, the term stain (pre-treatment) or dirt (pre-)treatment - both expressions can be used synonymously - is understood to mean the general treatment of dirt particles, undesirable components, by-products and other substances that have come into contact with textiles in an improper manner. From the stain or dirt (pre-)treatment, the consumer expects at least a large degree of freedom from the textile of, for example, dust, dirt, sweat and undesirable odorous substances contained in sweat and nicotine, but also mustiness or perfume residues that have become embedded in the textile, as well as the removal of visible small and large stains.

The term "textiles" includes not only clothing but also other items that were commonly dry-cleaned in the past, including sheets and blankets, curtains, small rugs, upholstery covers, towels, stuffed animals, and the like.

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As already explained above, the stain (pre)treatment of textiles before a subsequent dry cleaning process in a standard household tumble dryer is known from the state of the art. What is new, however, is the use of a liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent that is used in a bottle with a spray system.

Surprisingly, it has been found that the use of a liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent is not only faster and easier to handle than state-of-the-art methods, but also leads to better dirt removal.

All previously known pretreatment agents or dry cleaning agents can be used as liquid or sprayable textile cleaning agents. Particularly preferred are liquid and sprayable agents on a water basis which also contain a proportion of organic solvents. The water content, based on the entire agent, is preferably less than 99% by weight and in particularly advantageous embodiments - depending on the content of other components - is between 40 and 98% by weight, in particular between 60 and 95% by weight and advantageously between about 75 and 90% by weight.

The amount of organic solvent is of lesser importance; it can be, for example, in the range of 2 to 30% by weight, preferably 5 to 25% by weight and in particular up to 20% by weight. Amounts of organic solvent between 5 and 15% by weight have proven to be particularly advantageous. The organic solvent is preferably ecologically and toxicologically harmless, namely non-toxic, and miscible with water.

Glycol ethers are preferably used as the sole organic solvent or as the main component of a mixture of organic solvents. These materials are lower (alkoxy) or lower (alkoxy) lower (alkoxy) ethers of ethanol or isopropanol. Some glycol ethers are available under the trade names Arcosolv® (Arco Chemical Co.) or Cellosolve®, Carbitol® or Propasol® (Union Carbide Corp.); these also include, for example, ButylCarbitol®, HexylCarbitol®, MethylCarbitol®, and Carbitol® itself, (2-(2-

Ethoxy)ethoxy)ethanol. The choice of glycol ether can be easily made by the person skilled in the art on the basis of its volatility, water solubility, its weight percentage of the total dispersion and the like. Pyrrolidone solvents such as N-alkylpyrrolidones, for example N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or N-Cs-Ci 2-alkylpyrrolidone, or 2-pyrrolidone, can also be used. Also preferred as sole solvents or as a component of a solvent mixture are glycerol derivatives, in particular glycerol carbonate.

The alcohols that can be used as cosolvents in the present invention include liquid polyethylene glycols with a low molecular weight, for example polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of 200, 300, 400 or 600. Other suitable cosolvents are other alcohols, for example (a) lower alcohols such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol and n-butanol, (b) ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, (c) C2-C4 polyols such as a diol or a triol, for example ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred from the class of diols is 1,2-octanediol.

Other organic solvents that are suitable in principle are conventional chlorinated solvents, as are usually known from commercial dry cleaning. These include, among others, the di- to tetrachlorinated derivatives of methane, the di- to pentachlorinated derivatives of ethane, the mono- to trichlorinated derivatives of cyclohexane and monochlorobenzene. Specific examples are carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethene, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, tetrachloroethene, pentachloroethane, monochlorocyclohexane, 1,4-dichlorocyclohexane, monochlorobenzene and mixtures of the above. However, these chlorinated hydrocarbons are less preferred for household use.

The liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agents used can be single-phase homogeneous, but also multi-phase and especially two-phase, with one phase having an aqueous base and the other an organic base. The multi-phase liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agents are either applied via a multi-chamber bottle with a spray system or they are shaken several times before use to create a temporary emulsion.

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Organic solvents which are suitable for bringing about the two-phase nature of the agents are, for example, hydrocarbons and alkyl ethers. Hydrocarbons which are particularly preferred are those which have a boiling point of above 150 ^° C and preferably above 180 ^° C. Particularly preferred multiphase and in particular two-phase liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agents contain paraffins or isoparaffins with a boiling range between 200 and 300 ^° C. Isoparaffins in particular are suitable for use as the sole organic solvent in the multiphase liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agents, although it can certainly be advantageous if the agents as a whole contain not only hydrocarbons as an organic solvent, but also one of the water-miscible organic solvents already mentioned above.

Suitable alkyl ethers are in particular dialkyl ethers, especially C6-C8-alkyl ethers, with particular preference being given to C8-C12-alkyl ethers, for example dioctyl ether.

The organic solvent content of the multiphase and in particular the two-phase liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agents is preferably 5 to 30% by weight and in particular 8 to 25% by weight. It is advantageous if the agents contain 2 to 20% by weight and in particular 3 to 15% by weight of dialkyl ethers and/or hydrocarbons with a high boiling range, especially paraffins and isoparaffins with a boiling range above 180 ^° C. If water-miscible and water-immiscible organic solvents are used, the weight ratio of the water-miscible to the water-immiscible organic solvents is preferably 3:1 to 1:3 and in particular 2:1 to 1:2, with the use of weight ratios of around 1.5:1 to 1:1.5 being particularly preferred.

Other organic solvents that also have an excellent cleaning effect include butoxypropoxypropanols (BPP), which are commercially available as a mixture of several isomers. Since BPP is not completely miscible with water, it is particularly suitable for use in multiphase textile cleaning agents. However, if BPP is to be used in single-phase, water-based textile cleaning agents, it is necessary to use additional emulsifiers. For examples of possible emulsifiers, reference is made to the disclosure of WO 96/30580.

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The agents according to the invention and the agents used according to the invention can contain surfactants, namely anionic, non-ionic, cationic, zwitterionic, amphoteric surfactants or any mixtures of these. The surfactant content of the agents can vary within a wide range. Smaller amounts, which still have a dirt-dispersing and thus cleaning-enhancing effect, can also be included; the surfactant content of the agents is, for example, in a range of 0.2 to 10 wt.%, with contents of 0.5 to 10 wt.% and in particular 1 to 8 wt.% of anionic and/or non-ionic surfactants being particularly preferred. Amphoteric surfactants and/or cationic surfactants are also preferred for use in the present invention and can additionally act as fabric softeners. Even small amounts of anionic surfactants not only increase the cleaning performance, but can also be suitable for achieving faster distribution of the agent in the dryer.

Nonionic surfactants include the condensation products of ethylene oxide with hydrophobic polyoxyalkylene formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol. The hydrophobic portion of these compounds has a sufficiently high molecular weight to render them water insoluble. The addition of polyoxyethylene moieties to this hydrophobic portion increases the water solubility of the molecule as a whole, and the liquid character of the product is maintained up to the point where the polyoxyethylene content is about 50% of the total weight of the condensation product. Examples of compounds of this type are certain of the commercially available Pluronic® surfactants (BASF Wyandotte Corp.), particularly those in which the polyoxypropylene ether has a molecular weight of about 1500 to 3000 and the polyoxyethylene content is about 35 to 55% by weight of the molecule. A product of such a composition is available as Pluronic® L-62.

The nonionic surfactants used are preferably alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, especially primary alcohols with preferably 8 to 22 C atoms and an average of 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mole of alcohol, in which the alcohol residue can be linear or preferably methyl-branched in the 2-position or can contain linear and methyl-branched residues in the mixture, as is usually the case in oxo alcohol residues. In particular, however, alcohol ethoxylates with linear residues from alcohols of native origin with 12 to 18 C atoms, e.g. from coconut, palm, palm kernel, tallow fat or oleyl alcohol, are suitable.

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alcohol, and on average 2 to 8 EO per mole of alcohol are preferred. The preferred ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, Cn-C] ₄ alcohols with 3 EO or 4 EO, Ct>Cii alcohols with 7 EO, C _n -Ci ₅ or C ₁₃ -C ₁₅ alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, Cn-Cig alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures of these, such as mixtures of C ₁₂ -C) ₄ alcohol with 3 EO and C ₁₂ -Cig alcohol with 7 EO. The degrees of ethoxylation stated represent statistical averages which can be a whole or a fractional number for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates have a narrow homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these non-ionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO can also be used. Examples of these are (tallow) fatty alcohols with 14 EO, 16 EO, 20 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO. Examples of compounds of condensation products of Cn-Ci5 fatty alcohol with 3 to 50 mol ethylene oxide per mol alcohol are Ci2-Ci3 fatty alcohols with about 7 EO, for example Neodol® 23-6.5 from Shell Chemical Co, the PolyTergent® SLF series from Olin Chemicals or the Tergitol® series from Union Carbide, for example Tergitol® 15-S-15, which is formed by condensing about 15 mol ethylene oxide with a secondary Cn-Ci5 alcohol, Tergitol® TMN-6, the condensation product of about 6 mol ethylene oxide and isolauryl alcohol, Incropol® CS-12, a mixture of stearyl and cetyl alcohol condensed with about 12 mol ethylene oxide, Incropol® L-7, lauryl alcohol with 7 EO, and Tergitol® 15-S-3, which Condensation product of about 3 mol of ethylene oxide with a mixture of secondary Cn-C15 alcohols.

The preferred nonionic surfactants also include Cg-C24 _fatty acid amides, for example the monoamides of a mixture of arachidic and behenic acid and the mono- or dialkanolamides of Cg-C22 fatty acids, for example the diethanolamide, monoethanolamide or monoisopropanolamide of coconut, lauric, myristic or stearic acid or mixtures of these. Examples of this are the monoethanolamide of stearic acid.

Other non-ionic surfactants that can be used are the ethylene oxide esters of C6-C12-alkylphenols, such as (nonylphenoxy)polyoxyethylene ether. Particularly suitable are the esters that are produced by condensation of about 8-12 moles of ethylene oxide with nonylphenol.

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Other suitable nonionic surfactants are the ethylene oxide esters of alkyl mercaptans, such as dodecyl mercaptan polyoxyethylene thioester, the ethylene oxide esters of fatty acids, such as the lauric acid ester of polyethylene glycol and the lauric acid ester of methoxypolyethylene glycol, the ethylene oxide esters of fatty acid amides, the condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial fatty acid esters such as sorbitol, such as the lauric acid ester of sorbitol polyethylene glycol ether, and other similar materials, wherein the molar ratio of ethylene oxide to the acid, phenol, amide or alcohol is about 5:1 to 50:1.

In addition, alkyl glycosides of the general formula RO(G) _x can also be used as further nonionic surfactants, in which R is a primary straight-chain or methyl-branched, in particular methyl-branched in the 2-position, aliphatic radical having 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 C atoms and G is the symbol which stands for a glycose unit having 5 or 6 C atoms, preferably glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, which indicates the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10; preferably x is 1.1 to 1.4.

Another class of preferably used nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, in particular together with alkoxylated fatty alcohols and/or alkyl glycosides, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters, as described, for example, in Japanese patent application JP 58/217598 or which are preferably prepared by the process described in international patent application WO-A-90/13533. Particular preference is given to Ci2-Ci8 fatty acid methyl esters with an average of 3 to 15 EO, in particular with an average of 5 to 12 EO.

Other suitable surfactants are polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of the formula (I),

R ² -CO-N-[Z] (I)

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in which R^CO is an aliphatic acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R^ is hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and [Z] is a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are preferably derived from reducing sugars having 5 or 6 carbon atoms, in particular from glucose.

The group of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides also includes compounds of the formula (II),
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in which R ³ is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R ⁴ is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and R ⁵ is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical or an oxyalkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, with Ci-C4-alkyl or phenyl radicals being preferred, and [Z] is a linear polyhydroxyalkyl radical whose alkyl chain is substituted by at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated derivatives of this radical. [Z] is also preferably obtained here by reductive amination of a sugar such as glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds can then be converted into the desired polyhydroxy fatty acid amides by reaction with fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of an alkoxide as a catalyst, for example according to the teaching of the international patent application WO-A-95/07331.

Non-ionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, which are also classified as amphoteric surfactants, for example N-coconut alkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alkyl-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and fatty acid alkanolamides can also be suitable. Such amine oxides can be obtained, for example, under the name Schercamox® (Scher Chem. Co.).

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A suitable surfactant from this series is, for example, Schercamox® DML (lauryl dimethylamine oxide).

Other amphoteric surfactants are known to the person skilled in the art.

Other surfactants that can be considered are so-called gemini surfactants. These are generally understood to be compounds that have two hydrophilic groups and two hydrophobic groups per molecule. These groups are usually separated from one another by a so-called "spacer". This spacer is usually a carbon chain that should be long enough so that the hydrophilic groups are sufficiently spaced apart so that they can act independently of one another. Such surfactants are generally characterized by an unusually low critical micelle concentration and the ability to greatly reduce the surface tension of the water. In exceptional cases, however, the term gemini surfactants is understood to mean not only dimeric but also trimeric surfactants.

Preferred anionic surfactants of the sulfonate type are C9-C13 alkylbenzenesulfonates, olefinsulfonates, i.e. mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates and disulfonates, such as those obtained, for example, from Ci2-Ci8 monoolefins with a terminal or internal double bond by sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Also suitable are alkanesulfonates obtained from Ci2-Ci8 alkanes, for example by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation with subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization. Also suitable are the esters of α-sulfofatty acids (estersulfonates), e.g. the α-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids. Other suitable anionic surfactants are sulfated fatty acid glycerol esters, which are mono-, di- and triesters as well as mixtures thereof, as obtained in the preparation by esterification of a monoglycerol with 1 to 3 moles of fatty acid or in the transesterification of triglycerides with 0.3 to 2 moles of glycerol.

Alk(en)yl sulfates are the alkali and especially the sodium salts of the sulfuric acid half esters of the Cio-Ci8 fatty alcohols, for example from coconut fatty alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or the Cio-C2o oxo alcohols and those

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Half esters of secondary alcohols of this chain length are preferred. Also preferred are alk(en)yl sulfates of the chain length mentioned, which contain a synthetic, straight-chain alkyl radical produced on a petrochemical basis, which have a degradation behavior similar to that of the corresponding compounds based on oleochemical raw materials. From a washing point of view, Cio-Ci6-alkyl sulfates and C12-Ci5-alkyl sulfates as well as C14-Ci5-alkyl sulfates and Cn-Ci6-alkyl sulfates are particularly preferred. 2,3-alkyl sulfates, which are produced, for example, according to US patents 3,234,258 or 5,075,041 and can be obtained as commercial products from the Shell Oil Company under the name DAN ^(R) , are also suitable anionic surfactants.

The sulfuric acid monoesters of straight-chain or branched C7-C21 alcohols ethoxylated with 1 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide, such as 2-methyl-branched C9-C11 alcohols with an average of 3.5 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) or C10-C16 fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO, are also suitable. Due to their high foaming behavior, they are used in detergents only in relatively small amounts, for example in amounts of 1 to 5% by weight.

Suitable anionic surfactants are also the salts of alkyl sulfosuccinic acid, which are also referred to as sulfosuccinates or sulfosuccinic acid esters and are the monoesters and/or diesters of sulfosuccinic acid with alcohols, preferably fatty alcohols and in particular ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Preferred sulfosuccinates contain Cs to Cg fatty alcohol residues or mixtures of these. Particularly preferred sulfosuccinates contain a fatty alcohol residue which is derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols, which in themselves are nonionic surfactants (see description below). Sulfosuccinates whose fatty alcohol residues are derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols with a narrow homolog distribution are particularly preferred. It is also possible to use alk(en)ylsuccinic acid with preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alk(en)yl chain or its salts.

Other anionic surfactants that can be considered are fatty acid derivatives of amino acids, for example N-methyltaurine (taurides) and/or N-methylglycine (sarcosides). Particularly preferred are sarcosides or sarcosinates, especially sarcosinates of higher and optionally mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids such as oleyl sarcosinate.

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In principle, soaps are also suitable anionic surfactants. In particular, saturated fatty acid soaps, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, hydrogenated erucic acid and behenic acid, as well as soap mixtures derived from natural fatty acids, e.g. coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, and also oleates, come into consideration.

The anionic surfactants can be in the form of their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts and as soluble salts of organic bases such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine. The anionic surfactants are preferably in the form of their sodium or potassium salts, in particular in the form of the sodium salts.

The content of anionic surfactants has a positive effect even in small amounts of 0.2 to 0.5% by weight. Even higher amounts are desirable, for example above 0.5% by weight to 5% by weight, although amounts of up to 10% by weight are not excluded, as long as the agents remain liquid and sprayable.

Cationic surfactants that can be used are those that are usually used in fabric softeners. They mostly belong to the large classes of quaternary ammonium salts or the so-called esterquats. Other suitable cationic surfactants are described, for example, in WO 93/23603. Some of these substances have an antistatic and/or germ-inhibiting effect in addition to their softening effect.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a liquid and sprayable cleaning agent is used which contains anionic and non-ionic surfactants. The liquid and sprayable agents preferably contain at least 3 different and in particular at least 4 different surfactants.

Enzymes that can be used are those from the class of hydrolases, such as proteases, esterases, lipases or lipolytic enzymes, amylases, cellulases or other glycosyl hydrolases and mixtures of the enzymes mentioned. All of these hydrolases help to remove stains in laundry, such as protein, fat or starch-containing stains, and greying. Cellulases and other glycosyl hydrolases can

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can help to preserve the color and increase the softness of the textile by removing pilling and microfibrils. Oxidoreductases can also be used for bleaching or to inhibit color transfer.

Enzymatic active substances obtained from bacterial strains or fungi such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Streptomyces griseus and Humicola insolens are particularly suitable. Proteases of the subtilisin type and in particular proteases obtained from Bacillus lentus are preferably used. Enzyme mixtures, for example of protease and amylase or protease and lipase or lipolytic enzymes or protease and cellulase or cellulase and lipase or lipolytic enzymes or of protease, amylase and lipase or lipolytic enzymes or protease, lipase or lipolytic enzymes and cellulase, but in particular mixtures containing protease and/or lipase or mixtures with lipolytic enzymes are of particular interest. Examples of such lipolytic enzymes are the well-known cutinases. Peroxidases or oxidases have also proven to be suitable in some cases. Suitable amylases include in particular α-amylases, iso-amylases, pullulanases and pectinases. Cellobiohydrolases, endoglucanases and β-glucosidases, which are also called cellobiases, or mixtures of these are preferably used as cellulases. Since the various cellulase types differ in their CMCase and avicelase activities, the desired activities can be set by using targeted mixtures of cellulases.

The enzymes can be adsorbed on carriers and/or embedded in coating substances in order to protect them against premature decomposition. The proportion of enzymes, enzyme mixtures or enzyme granules can be, for example, about 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to about 2% by weight.

The agents may also contain small amounts of bleach, particularly oxygen bleach, such as hydrogen peroxide. The bleach content is generally in the range of about 1 to 5% by weight.

In addition, the products may contain fragrances, deodorants, preservatives, antibacterial agents, insect repellents (moth repellents) and/or colorants.

as well as one or more finishing agents, lubricants, fungicides, etc., as long as these additives do not interfere with the distribution and removal properties of the agent for small or large stains. pH-regulating substances such as organic acids, in particular citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid and any mixtures of these, can also be included. The amounts of these additives - if present - generally comprise about 0.2 to 5% by weight of the total agent. Organic fragrances such as cedar oil, which also have an insect-repelling function, are preferred.

The liquid and sprayable agents are used in a bottle with a spray system for stain (pre)treatment. Bottles with a spray system are known to those skilled in the art. Bottles with a pump or trigger spray container are particularly suitable, as they allow a fine and concentrated spray jet to be applied to the textile in a targeted manner. Pumps that generate foam when used are also suitable. One such foam generating device is known on the market as the "F2 Finger Pump Foamer" from Airspray®. Single-lever or single-arm dispensers that include and encase a liquid container and a foam generating device are also known to those skilled in the art. An improved embodiment of such a foam dispenser is described in the unpublished German patent application 199 51 011.3.

The use of such sprayable textile cleaning agents in bottles with spray systems has clear advantages over the systems for stain (pre)treatment available on the market or described in the current state of the art, especially when treating fine textiles, since the risk of fiber damage is minimized by the contactless application of the cleaning formulation using the pump or trigger spray bottle. In addition, the use of such a system of liquid and sprayable textile cleaning fluid in a pump or trigger spray bottle also means faster and easier handling and thus also represents more effective dirt removal. The improved dirt removal is particularly evident when using a foam dispenser.

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The bottles can be made from any material known for such purposes; they are usually plastic and plastic bottles, with polyethylene and polypropylene materials being preferred. However, the person skilled in the art also knows other materials that are equally suitable. To protect the spray device, the bottle can have a plug-in cap. Here, too, embodiments from the prior art are known to the person skilled in the art.

To (pre)treat a stain, the stained textile is placed on an absorbent surface with the stained area facing up and then the liquid textile cleaning agent is applied to the dirty area from a bottle with a spray system. Depending on the spray system, the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent can also be applied to the textile in the form of a covering foam.

The textiles used in this process can in principle be of any conventional type. However, it is particularly preferred that textiles are used which would otherwise only be washed in the delicates programs of standard household washing machines or which even have to be dry-cleaned. The process according to the invention is therefore particularly suitable for cleaning textiles made of wool, cotton, synthetic fibers including rayon and natural silk.

Absorbent pads are known from the prior art. Absorbent pads that are used in a stain (pre)treatment process before a subsequent dry cleaning process are also known from the prior art and can also be used in the process according to the invention. In particular, cellulose-containing pads should be mentioned here, for example airlaid cellulose or standard household kitchen paper, as already described in WO 93/23603 or other applications mentioned above, or an absorbent pad made of a plastic. Household kitchen paper is preferably folded up before use and placed in multiple layers under the stained textile. Typical plastic pads that can be used are made from polyurethane foams, for example. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an absorbent pad is used which has an absorbent layer and a water-impermeable layer.

H 4701-1 a -17-

The absorbent layer advantageously has a product weight of 150 to 800 g/cm ³ and in particular of 200 to 600 g/cm ³ . The water absorption capacity is preferably at least 1.5 g/cm ² , in particular at least 2 g/cm ² .

When used, it immediately becomes clear to the consumer what advantages an absorbent base that is covered with a waterproof layer has. Such layers are preferably made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or cardboard with plastic additives. The list of materials for the waterproof layer is not exhaustive; the expert knows which other materials can be used in addition to those mentioned.

In a further embodiment of the invention, bottles with a spray system are used in the process, which provide a spray quantity of 0.01 to 2 g, preferably 0.02 to 1 g and in particular 0.05 to 0.5 g per spraying process.

Depending on the type of dirt and stain as well as the size of the stain, the spraying process can be carried out once or repeated several times.

The applied liquid textile cleaning agent, which may be in the form of a covering foam, is allowed to act for an indefinite period of time. The textile cleaning agent is preferably allowed to act for between 10 and 300 seconds, in particular between 15 and 250 seconds. An exposure time of between 20 and 180 seconds has proven to be particularly advantageous.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is preferred, in addition to spraying and in particular after one of the above-mentioned exposure times of the liquid textile cleaning agent, to press a porous flat cloth soaked with a cleaning formulation onto the stained area or to dab the stained area with the porous flat cloth.

Suitable porous flat cloths are also already known from the state of the art. They can consist of a fibrous or cellular flexible material that has sufficient thermal stability for use in the dryer and that can absorb sufficient amounts

&eegr; 4701-1 a -18-*: :.· : :*..* : :: :

of a liquid to gel-like cleaning agent to effectively clean fabrics without significant leakage or bleeding of the cleaning agent during storage. These cloths include cloths made of woven and nonwoven synthetic and natural fibers, felt, paper or foam such as hydrophilic polyurethane foam.

Preferably, conventional nonwoven cloths (nonwovens) are used here. Nonwovens are generally defined as adhesively bonded fibrous products having a mat or layered fiber structure, or those comprising fiber mats in which the fibers are distributed randomly or in a random arrangement. The fibers may be natural, such as wool, silk, jute, hemp, cotton, linen, sisal or ramie; or synthetic, such as rayon, cellulose esters, polyvinyl derivatives, polyolefins, polyamides or polyesters. In general, any fiber diameter or linear density is suitable for the present invention. The nonwoven fabrics used here do not tend to tear or disintegrate when used in, for example, a domestic clothes dryer due to the random or random arrangement of fibers in the nonwoven material which imparts excellent strength in all directions. Examples of nonwoven fabrics suitable as substrates in the present invention are known, for example, from WO 93/23603. Preferred porous and flat cleaning cloths consist of one or different fiber materials, in particular cotton, refined cotton, polyamide, polyester or mixtures of these.

The liquid to gel-like cleaning agent with which the cloth is soaked can have the same composition or a different composition than the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent which is stored in a bottle with a spray system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition of the liquid to gel-like cleaning agent is at least largely identical to the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent formulation. It is preferred that the liquid and sprayable water-based cleaning agent, which can be single-phase or multi-phase and which is used in a bottle with a spray system, and the liquid to gel-like cleaning agent on the porous and flat cleaning cloth have 90 to 100% and in particular 95 to 100% of the same composition.

&eegr; 4701-1 a -19-*: :.♦&idigr; : *..* : :: :

With regard to the ingredients used in both the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent in the bottle with spray system and also in the cleaning agent with which the porous and flat cleaning cloth is impregnated, reference is made to the above description. The gel-thickened cleaning agents additionally comprise an amount of organic gelling agent which causes the liquid dispersions to thicken to gel when cooled and applied to the cloths. Any organic gelling agent or mixture of organic gelling agents can be used if it stabilizes the dry cleaning composition and allows it to adhere to the cloths during manufacture, storage and use and if there are cloths which disperse the solvent and surfactants while leaving no significant residue on the textile. Suitable gelling agents include modified starches, modified celluloses such as CMC or HPMS, fatty acid salts and polysaccharide gums, i.e. polysaccharide gums that can be gelled in situ by the addition of an effective amount of one or more metal or ammonium cations.

Preferred gums for use in the present invention are vegetable gums such as the alkali metal salts of alginic acid (alginates), carrageenan, pectin, guar gum and mixtures thereof. These "strong" gums return to the gel state from solution or dispersion, thus providing a continuous gel structure.

Other organic gelling agents suitable for the practice of the present invention are polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamides and polymeric organic waxes. Suitable polymeric waxes include ethylene-acrylate copolymers, ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers and polyethylene (e.g., oxidized polyethylenes). These materials are commercially available in the form of aqueous emulsions or dispersions. Waxy polyethylene glycols, and especially those having a molecular weight of about 800 to 2000, are preferred.

Preferably, 0.1 to 5% by weight, in particular 0.2 to 4% by weight, based on the total composition, of the gelling agent or gelling agents are used in the liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning compositions.

η4701-1 a -20-*; :!♦ :"":\I· :'V/*:

Under certain circumstances, such as when using carrageenans as gelling agents, a white residue can be deposited on the textile when the coated cloth is applied to the textile to be cleaned. Therefore, particularly when colored textiles are to be treated, a small but effective amount of a metal salt, such as a metal halide, is preferably incorporated into the gelled liquid cleaning agent composition. Alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts are preferred for this purpose, with potassium, sodium, lithium or calcium chloride being used in particular. The salt is effective in very small amounts, for example in amounts of just 0.0025 to 0.1% by weight, based on the total agent. For the production of gel-like thickened cleaning agents with which porous and flat cloths are soaked, reference is made, for example, to the disclosure of WO 93/23603.

The finished wipes are preferably packed in a moisture-impermeable cover, e.g. in (metal) foil or in a cover made of composite material such as metal-plastic foil or (metal) foil-treated paper.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, in addition to the previously mentioned treatment, the moist and cleaned part of the textile is placed on a new and dry, preferably folded, household kitchen towel or another dry absorbent pad to largely remove the dissolved dirt and the cleaning formulation. Then, preferably, another dry household kitchen towel or another dry absorbent pad is placed on the moist, cleaned part of the textile, with pressure being exerted on the upper household kitchen towel or the absorbent pad.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the textile pretreated in this way is placed in a plastic bag, optionally with other pretreated or non-pretreated textiles and a porous flat cleaning cloth which is stably impregnated with a liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning agent. Such plastic bags are also described in the prior art and can be permeable to water vapor or largely impermeable to water vapor. The bag with the textiles and the impregnated cleaning cloth is then rolled back and forth in a commercially available tumble dryer, whereby the liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning agent

H 4701-1 a - 21 - "

The cleaning agent on the cleaning cloth comes into contact with the soiled textiles and disperses the dirt. Tumble drying is preferably carried out in a standard household tumble dryer at temperatures between 40 and 95 ⁰ C. The tumble drying process is preferably carried out over a period of 15 to 45 minutes. After the tumble drying process, the cleaned textiles are removed from the bag again.

The plastic bags can be made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides, for example nylon, polyester or a multi-layer or multi-layer complex comprising such materials. Polypropylene and polypropylene-polyamide bags are particularly preferred. Depending on the manufacturing process, the bags are welded on the sides or at the bottom. In another variant, one side is open and provided with an adhesive or welded Velcro fastener.

The bag can be open-pored, as described, for example, in US patent US 5,658,651 or in international applications WO 97/27354 or WO 98/31863.

Preferably, however, a largely water vapor-impermeable bag is used, which represents a closed system so that the evaporated cleaning liquid can be effectively enclosed within the bag. It is particularly preferred that the bag is formed into a closed system by equipping the opening of the bag with a reversible closure system. The bags preferably have a closure system made up of snap fasteners, clips, a zipper, a Velcro fastener, a snap-in type zipper or opposing strips with a resealable adhesive.

After use, the bag can be thrown away. However, it is preferable that the bag is made of a dryer and heat resistant material so that it can be used repeatedly for multiple cleaning processes.

In a further embodiment, the invention relates to a textile cleaning kit comprising one or more bags which are largely impermeable to water vapor or

η4701-1 a -22-*: ;.. : :\.· i ::

can be permeable, and one or more porous flat cleaning cloths which are impregnated with a liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning fluid.

The kit also contains a) a liquid and sprayable water-based textile cleaning agent of the type described above in a bottle with a spray system and b) optionally one or more absorbent pads of the type described above.

η4701-1 a -23-:···..· :!··!.· :i ·

Examples

Examples 1 to 11 of liquid and sprayable aqueous-based textile cleaning agents in a bottle with a pump or trigger spray container are given in Table 1.

Table 1: Sprayable cleaning agent in bottle with spray system (data in % by weight ); Examples 1 to 6

Ingredients 12 3 4 5 6

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 8.00 8.00 10.00 8.00 10.00 8.00

C,oC, ₆ -alkyl sulfate 0.10 0.20 0.35 0.80 0.25 0.40

Cio-Ci 6-alkyl ether sulfate 0.05 0.20 0.35

Cio-C,6-fatty alcohol ethoxylate 0.05 0.30 0.15 0.30 0.20

N-Cg-Cia-alkylpyrrolidone 0.25 0.20

CiO-Ci ₆ - alkyldimethylamine oxide 0.15 2.80 2.20 2.00 2.00 1.50

Cs-Cio-alkylpolyglucoside (x between 0.40 0.25

1.1 and 1.4)

Other ingredients: preservatives
+ + + + + + Defoamers + + Perfume + + + + + + pH regulators + +

Water ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad

The pH value of the agents according to Examples 1 to 11 was between 7.40 and 8.0 at 20 ^° C.

H 4701-1 a -24-'· ···..· · ]··'. . i ··

Table 1: Continued; Examples 7 to 11

Ingredients 7 8 9 10

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 8.00 5.00 5.00

Glycerol carbonate 2.00 8.00 Di-Cs-Cn alkyl ether 5.00

Isoparaffin (boiling range between 200 5.00 10.00

and 260 ⁰ C)

Cio-Cio-alkyl sulfate 0.25 0.35 0.40 0.80

Ci ₀ -Ci ₆ -alkyl ether sulfate 0.35 0.25 0.20 1.00

Cio-Cie fatty alcohol ethoxylate 0.20 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.40

Ci ₀ -Ci ₆ -alkyldimethylamine oxide 1.80 2.00 2.00 2.50 2.70

Other ingredients: preservatives
+ + + + + Defoamers + + Perfume + + + + + pH regulators + + +

Water ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad

Examples 9 to 11 disclose two-phase textile cleaning compositions which were shaken before spraying.

Table 2 lists 12 liquid to gel-like cleaning agents (examples 12 to 23) with which porous and flat cleaning cloths can be impregnated.

H 4701-1 a -25-" *?·. I :*..* I &Pgr;

Table 2: Liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning agent on porous flat sheet (data in % by weight); Examples 12 to 17

Ingredients 12 13 14 15 16 17

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 10.00 10.00

Carrageenane (Hercules) 1.00 0.50 1.00

Carrageenans (FMC) 0.90

Potassium chloride 0.06

Cio-Cie alkyl sulfate 0.20 0.40 0.20 0.40 0.80 0.80

C,o-C,6-alkyl ether sulfate 0.05 0.20 0.05 0.20

Cio-C,6-fatty alcohol ethoxylate 0.15 0.30 0.15 0.30 0.25

C] ₀ -Ci ₆ - alkyldimethylamine oxide 0.50 2.00 0.50 2.00 1.20 2.00

Cg-Ci6-alkylpolyglucoside (x between 0.20

1.1 and 1.4)

other ingredients:

Preservative Defoamers Perfume

pH regulators

Water ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad

The cleaning agent formulations 12 to 23 had a pH value between 7.20 and 7.90 at 20 ^° C.

The formulations according to Examples 12 to 14, 16, 18 to 19, 21 and 23 were cloudy and thickened like a gel. Formulations 15, 17, 20 and 22 were clear liquids.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

H4701-Ia -26-" :.. *. :'..* I Il I

Table 2: Continued; Examples 18 to 23

Ingredients 18 19 20 21 22 23

Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether 10.00 8.00 8.00 2.00 2.00

Glycerol carbonate 2.00 2.00 8.00 8.00 10.00

Carageenane (Hercules) 1.00 1.00 0.50

Carrageenan (FMC) 0.90

Potassium chloride 0.06

Cio-Cio-alkyl sulfate 0.60 0.40 0.40 0.35 0.35 0.40

Cio-C,6-alkyl ether sulfate 0.10 0.20 0.20 0.25 0.25 0.10

Cio-C,6-fatty alcohol ethoxylate 0.10 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.20

NC ₈ -C 12-alkylpyrrolidone 0.20

O-Ci ₆ -alkyldimethylamine oxide 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

Cg-Ciö-alkyl polyglucoside (x between 0.25

1.1 and 1.4)

other ingredients:

Preservatives + + + + + +

Defoamers + + + + + +

Perfume + + + + + +

pH regulators + + +

Water ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad 100 ad

Any of the textile cleaning agents 1 to 11 can be combined with any of the cleaning agents 12 to .

Claims (15)

1. Textile cleaning kit, containing one or more bags and one or more porous flat cleaning cloths, which are impregnated with a liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning liquid, characterized in that the kit further (a) a liquid and sprayable water-based textile cleaning product in a bottle with a spray system and b) optionally contains one or more absorbent pads. 2. Kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent on an aqueous basis in a bottle with a spray system contains, in addition to water and organic solvents, also anionic and non-ionic surfactants, preferably at least 3 different surfactants, in particular at least 4 different surfactants, being used. 3. Kit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent on an aqueous basis in the bottle with spray system and the liquid to gel-like thickened cleaning agent on the porous and flat cleaning cloth have 90 to 100%, preferably 95 to 100%, of the same composition. 4. Kit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it contains one or more flexible, porous and flat cleaning cloths made of fleece or a fabric consisting of one or different fiber materials, in particular cotton, refined cotton, polyamide, polyester or mixtures of these. 5. Kit according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it contains one or more heat and dryer-resistant bags which are made of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester or mixtures or at least predominantly made thereof. 6. Kit according to claim 5, characterized in that it contains one or more water vapor impermeable bags. 7. Kit according to claim 5, characterized in that it contains one or more water vapor permeable bags. 8. Kit according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the bag has a closure system made up of snap fasteners, clips, a zipper, a Velcro fastener, a snap-in type zipper or opposing strips with a resealable adhesive. 9. Kit according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it contains one or more absorbent pads which have an absorbent layer and a water-impermeable layer. 10. Kit according to claim 9, characterized in that the absorbent layer has a product weight of 150 to 800 g/cm ³ , preferably of 200 to 600 g/cm ³ . 11. Kit according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the absorbent layer consists of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene or a plastic-added cardboard. 12. Aqueous-based liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent containing anionic and nonionic surfactants, characterized in that it is multiphase, in particular two-phase. 13. Liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent according to claim 12, characterized in that it contains 5 to 30 wt.% and in particular 8 to 25 wt.% of organic solvents, wherein it contains 2 to 20 wt.% and in particular 3 to 15 wt.% of dialkyl ethers and/or hydrocarbons with a high boiling range, in particular paraffins and isoparaffins with a boiling range above 180°C and/or butoxypropoxypropanols. 14. Liquid and sprayable textile cleaning agent according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it contains at least 3 different surfactants, preferably at least 4 different surfactants. 15. Textile cleaning agent according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the weight ratio of the water-miscible to the water-immiscible organic solvents is preferably 3:1 to 1:3 and in particular 2:1 to 1:2, the use of weight ratios of around 1.5:1 to 1:1.5 being particularly preferred.