WO2012056214A1

WO2012056214A1 - Method of cleaning with cleaning wipe

Info

Publication number: WO2012056214A1
Application number: PCT/GB2011/051991
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philip Smith
Original assignee: Reckitt & Colman (Overseas) Limited
Priority date: 2010-10-27
Filing date: 2011-10-14
Publication date: 2012-05-03
Also published as: GB201018130D0

Abstract

A method of cleaning comprises the use of a sheet of material to act as a dirt catcher. The dirt catcher is activated by frictional abrasion such that the temperature of a portion of its surface is elevated to or above the glass transition temperature of the material.

Description

METHOD OF CLEANING WITH CLEANING WIPE

This invention relates to a cleaning wipe.

Cleaning wipes are commonly available. They are typically used for cleaning hard surfaces, e.g. kitchen / bathroom floors and work surfaces and also for textile surfaces such as clothing / fabric. The cleaning wipes may be impregnated with a cleaning formulation or may consist entirely of an absorbent material.

Wipes currently available cause several problems for consumers in use. Many of the problems are connected with the materials of the wipe.

For wipes commonly cellulose based materials are used. These materials are acceptable in that they provide a fair level of absorbency at low cost. However, at their typical thickness cellulose based wipes can suffer from integrity issues, especially when being rubbed vigorously on a surface, particularly a rough surface such as a carpet .

Also, whilst it has been found to be possible to impreg- nate a cellulose wipe with a cleaning formulation, the use of cellulose materials present a number of limitations in both the amount and nature of the material being used. In this regard although cellulose has a high level of absorbency of standard (e.g. aqueous) cleaning compositions, it only permits a low level of the absorbed dirt to be taken up by the wipe. This can lead to poor treatment of stains on two counts; firstly because only a small (insufficient) amount of cleaning agent can be applied to the stain and secondly because when the stain has been treated the absorption of the treated stain is often incomplete with the disadvantage that the residue from the "treated" stain is smeared over the area being cleaned.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate / mitigate the disadvantages described above. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of cleaning comprising the use of a sheet of material to act as a dirt catcher, wherein the dirt catcher is activated by frictional abrasion such that the temperature of a portion of its surface is elevated to or above the glass transition temperature of the material.

Generally the absorption layer is a micro-fibre. Suitable materials for use in the sheet include polyamide based material, e.g. fibres, such as nylon, silk and wool.

Here it has been found that the use of a sheet material is advantageous. It is theorised that this is due to the way in which the sheet material is able to absorb dirt. This absorption is believed to be purely physical caused by the transition of the material above its glass transition temperature (especially when water is pre^¬ sent) such that dirt absorbing pores are opened.

This means that any soiled cleaning formulation can be highly effectively withdrawn back into the absorbent layer (without fear of re-deposition, and connected problems such as spreading) layer since it has a high level or absorbency.

In certain applications (e.g. for cleaning some hard surfaces) the sheet may be modified such that it is made abrasive. The sheet may comprise a laminate structure. In this case the lowermost sheet (the sheet contacting the surface being cleaned) may comprise the polyamide based material. The other sheet (s) may be used to provide structural support to the polyamide and / or protection / ease of use for the consumer.

Commonly the sheet contains a detergent composition. The absorption layer preferably contains around 20-800g, more preferably 50-750g, more preferably 100-750g, and most preferably 300-750g detergent composition per square metre.

The exact nature of the detergent cleaning composition will vary depending upon the intended end use of the wipe. However, usually the detergent composition com- prises an admixture of one or more of the following components; surfactant (anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, non-ionic) , bleach, bleach activator, solvent, enzyme, dye, preservative, builder, fragrance, thickener, pH adjusting agent, anti-microbial agent. Generally the detergent composition is a liquid. Gener^¬ ally the composition is free of suspended particles.

A preferred example of a carpet cleaning formulation is below: -

Formula σ

Alcohol Ethoxylate 7E0 2. .000

Iminodisuccinate 0. .612

Glycolether PPH 0. .700

Glycolether DPnP 7. .500

Fragrance 0. .100

Citric Acid 0. .440

Hydrogen Peroxide 1. .500

Water 86, .608

Acrylate Copolymer 0. .540 A preferred example of a hard surface cleaning formulation is below: -

Formula %

Lauryldimethaminoxide 1.05

onoethanolamine 0.75

Propylene glycol

phenyl ether 0.80

Fragrance 0.20

DI Water 97.200

Generally the wipe itself has a density of 10~500g per square metre, more preferably 100 - 400g per square metre. Of that the upper layer is preferably 10-200g / m². The absorption layer is preferably 10-400g / m². The lower layer is preferably 10-200g / m².

Generally the wipe is in the form of a simple planar sheet.

In an alternative embodiment the wipe is in the form of a glove, intended to be fitted onto / over a hand of a user. In this case preferably the wipe is constructed such that it has an additional sheet of material at- tached thereto [to the upper impermeable layer] , wherein between the wipe and the additional sheet there is a space to accommodate a user's hand. The space may be tailored such that it has finger spaces to fit a hand.

In a yet further alternative the wipe may have an asso- ciated handle to facilitate gripping by a user. In this case suitable forms of the handle include a band of material attached to two or more points of the wipe [to the upper impermeable layer] , wherein between the wipe and the band there is a space to accommodate a user' s hand or a portion of a hand. The additional sheet / handle may be attached to the wipe by any common attachment method such as by glue, welding or by being sewn to the wipe.

The additional sheet / handle preferably comprises an inert material such as a polyolefin, e.g. polyethylene.

The stain treatment method may involve a mechanical action provided by a user, such as a wiping or scrubbing motion. Such methods are particularly suitable for "instant" stain treatment, where the user addresses and completely removes a stain in a single operation.

As stated above it has been found that the wipe according to the invention has excellent dirt absorbency. In this way the wipe affords a different method of stain treatment . The stain treatment operation may be repeated a number of times until the stain has been completely addressed.

The wipe may be left on the surface being treated. In this way the user may be freed up to attend to other household duties whilst the stain is being ameliorated. The wipe can have a two-fold action in this regard. Firstly the wipe is able to provide a moisture barrier to the upper surface of the satin. This is important in that such a barrier prevents drying / oxidation or other action which, if untreated, normally allow the stain to become more difficult to remove or causes irreparable dame to the surface being treated. Secondly, a small amount of cleaning formulation can be mechanically re^¬ moved from the wipe so that the cleaning operation can begin without the user the present. It is envisaged that the wipe could be left on a stain to be treated for a period of from 2 - 24 hours before the user has to return top the stain and complete the cleaning operation. Generally the wipe is for use in cleaning fibrous surfaces, such as a carpet or an item of clothing.

Alternatively the wipe is for use in cleaning a hard surface such as a kitchen work surface or hard floor (e.g. a wooden / ceramic / plastic) floor. Generally the wipe is used by being manually grasped by a user and applied to the surface being addressed. It is also possible that the wipe may be used with an im^¬ plement, and retained on same. Suitable implements in^¬ clude mops, preferably mops which retain the wipe in a flat orientation.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning comprising the use of a sheet of material to act as a dirt catcher, wherein the dirt catcher is activated by frictional abrasion such that the temperature of a portion of its surface is elevated to or above the glass transition temperature of the material .

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material comprises a polyamide based material, e.g. fi- bres, such as nylon, silk and wool.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheet comprises a detergent composition.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the composition is a carpet, fabric, clothing, upholstery or hard surface cleaning formulation.

5. The use of a sheet in treating a stain on a surface, wherein the sheet is activated by frictional abrasion such that the temperature of a portion of its surface is elevated to or above the glass transition temperature of the material.