LAUNDRY SOUR SOFTENER WITH EXTRA STABILITY AND ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF LAUNDRY FIRE MITIGATION AND SUNSCREEN REMOVAL

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to provisional application Ser. No. 63/199,403 filed Dec. 23, 2020, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] This disclosure relates to laundry finishing compositions which function as a laundry sour and a laundry softening. Methods of making and using the same are also provided. The finishing compositions comprise a chelating agent, an acidulant, and an amine or ammonium softening agent. The compositions and methods of use beneficially provide effective souring and softening while also reducing the risk of laundry fire and promoting stubborn soil removal. In particular, the compositions facilitate the removal of oily soils associated with non-trans-fat soils and sunscreens.

[0003] In typical commercial or industrial laundry processes, textiles are commonly laundered at elevated temperatures with highly alkaline detergent materials. Such detergent materials typically contain a source of alkalinity such as an alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate, alkali metal carbonate or other similar alkaline component. When the textile is treated with an alkaline detergent composition a certain amount of carryover alkalinity can occur. Carryover alkalinity refers to the chemistry that is contained within the fabric not fully removed following the wash phase and rinse phase of the wash cycle. The residual components of the alkaline detergents remaining in or on the laundered item can result in fabric damage and skin irritation by the wearer of the washed fabric. This is particularly a problem with towels, sheets and garments. Subsequent acidic souring steps are used to remove or mitigate the carryover alkalinity. Sour materials contain acid components that neutralize alkaline residues on the fabric.

[0004] Another ongoing problem in the laundering field is the removal soil or oily stains from various types of textiles. Textiles contain a variety of different fibers, including natural, manmade, or synthetic fibers. Natural fibers are generally derived from plants or animals. For example, protein-based natural fibers include wool and silk, while cellulosic fibers include cotton and linen. Manmade fibers such as rayon and acetate are generally manufactured from regenerated cellulose. Synthetic fibers include, for example, nylon, olefin, polyester, acrylic, and corterra. Cotton in particular is one of the most popular fibers used in textiles. Cotton can be combined or blended with other fibers to create blends that dry easily, demonstrate excellent elasticity, and feel soft. Cotton-containing textiles also demonstrate high absorbency, which is a desirable property for use but also means cotton stains easily. Additionally, cotton has poor resilience and poor abrasion resistance. The poor resiliency and abrasion resistance combined with harsher cleaning products typically required to remove soil from cotton-containing textiles result in a short lifespan and high replacement rate. Synthetic fibers are generally hydrophobic and oleophilic. As such the oleophilic characteristics of the fiber permit oil and grime to be readily embedded in the fiber, and the hydrophobic properties of the fiber prevent water from entering the fiber to remove the contaminants from the fiber.

[0005] These challenges are only exacerbated in the presence of stubborn soils such as cosmetic and oily soils. In the textile industry, a significant portion of textile replacement comes as a result of stains, such as oily stains, that simply cannot be fully removed from the fabric. Thus, despite various existing laundry sours and methods there remains a long-standing need to improve stain removal so that the replacement rate of fabrics can be reduced, and the textiles can remain in use for a longer time.

[0006] Beyond the challenges of soil removal, yellowing or fabric discoloration and fire hazards also complicate the process of developing successful commercial and industrial laundry compositions. Highly caustic wash conditions contribute to fabric degradation, discoloration, and yellowing. Similarly, another cleaning challenge presented has been the drastically increased use by consumers of sunscreens. Medical organizations such as the American Cancer Society recommend the use of sunscreen because it prevents the squamous cell carcinoma and the basal cell carcinoma which may be caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Many of these sunscreens contain components such as avobenzones and oxybenzones. These chemicals, while not visible prior to wash, typically appear on fabrics as yellow patches after washing with detergent-builder combinations at a high pH. Current methods to treat these types of stains have included bleach, and other traditional pretreatments, all to no avail.

[0007] Further, the increasing use of non-trans fats in foods and other produces has increased the incidence of laundry fires. Formulas and methods of cleaning to better remove non-trans fats, are prone to cause fire due to their substantial heat of polymerization. Non-trans fats have conjugated double bonds that can polymerize, and the substantial heat of polymerization involved can cause spontaneous combustion or fire, for example, in a pile of rags used to mop up these non-trans-fat soils.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need to provide laundry sour compositions which are stable and provide effective softening efficacy or at a minimum are compatible with laundry softening compositions.

[0009] There is also a need to provide compositions which assist in laundry fire mitigation and sunscreen removal benefits.

[0010] A further object of the disclosure is to provide cleaning methods and compositions that are effective at removing cosmetic or oily soils from cotton-containing textiles.

[0011] Another object of the disclosure is to methods and compositions is to provide cleaning methods and compositions that reduce the replacement of cotton-containing textiles.

[0012] Other objects, advantages and features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

[0013] An advantage of the methods and compositions disclosed herein is that they are effective sour softening compositions for textiles. It is an advantage that the methods and compositions contribute to stubborn soil removal, even oily soils. Still a further advantage of the methods and compositions is that by providing effective sour softening compositions, the replacement rate of textiles is reduced.

[0014] Laundry softening composition are provided, wherein the laundry softening composition comprises an amine softening agent comprising ethyl-bis(tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(oleylamidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(hydr. Tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, ditallow diamidoamine ethoxylated ammonium methylsulfate, dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, dimethyl di(C₁₄-C₁₈ alkyl) ammonium chloride, dicoco dimethyl ammonium chloride, methyl tri-C₅-C₁₀ ammonium chloride, tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, tallow diamine pentamethyl dichloride, or a combination thereof; a stabilizing agent comprising a chlorine scavenger or a chelant; and an acidulant; wherein the laundry softening composition removes fatty soil or oily soil and minimizes the risk of a laundry fire.

[0015] In an embodiment, the amine softening agent is present in an amount of between about 8 wt. % to about 25 wt. %, wherein the acidulant is present in an amount of between about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, or wherein the stabilizing agent is present in an amount of between about 0.5 wt. % to about 5 wt. %.

[0016] In an additional embodiment, the composition further comprises a polysiloxane polyethylene glycol ether.

[0017] In some embodiments, chlorine scavenger is calcium chloride, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the chelant is hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetrapropionic acid, triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid, alanine-N,N-diacetic acid, N,N-dicarboxymethyl glutamic acid tetrasodium salt, methylglycinediacetic acid, iminodisuccinate, or a combination thereof.

[0018] According to an embodiment, the acidulant is methane sulfonic acid, ethane sulfonic acid, propane sulfonic acid, butane sulfonic acid, xylene sulfonic acid, cumene sulfonic acid, benzene sulfonic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, mono, di, or tri-halocarboyxlic acids, picolinic acid, dipicolinic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid, beta-hydroxybutanoic acid, tropic acid, trethocanic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0019] In some embodiments, the compositions further comprise a carrier. In an embodiment, the carrier is present in an amount of from about 50 wt. % to about 75 wt. %. In a further embodiment, the carrier is water or a lipophilic fluid.

[0020] Treated textiles are also provided herein. Specifically provided is a textile comprising a

surface treated with a laundry softening composition, wherein the laundry softening composition comprises from about 8 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of an amine softening agent comprising ethyl-bis(tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(oleylamidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(hydr. Tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, ditallow diamidoamine ethoxylated ammonium methylsulfate, dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, dimethyl di(C₁₄-C₁₈ alkyl) ammonium chloride, dicoco dimethyl ammonium chloride, methyl tri-C₅-C₁₀ ammonium chloride, tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, tallow diamine pentamethyl dichloride, or a combination thereof; from about 0.5 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of a stabilizing agent comprising a chlorine scavenger or a chelant; from about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of an acidulant; wherein the composition is deposited on the surface of the textile; and wherein the composition removes soil from the surface for more than one wash cycle.

[0021] Methods of softening a textile are provided, the method comprising applying a laundry softening composition to a surface of the textile; wherein the laundry softening composition comprises an amine softening agent comprising ethyl-bis(tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(oleylamidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(hydr. Tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, ditallow diamidoamine ethoxylated ammonium methylsulfate, dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, dimethyl di(C₁₄-C₁₈ alkyl) ammonium chloride, dicoco dimethyl ammonium chloride, methyl tri-C₅-C₁₀ ammonium chloride, tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, tallow diamine pentamethyl dichloride, or a combination thereof; a stabilizing agent comprising a chlorine scavenger or a chelant; and an acidulant.

[0022] In an embodiment the method further comprises a step of depositing the laundry softening composition on the surface of the textile. According to an embodiment, the depositing removes carryover alkalinity from the textile. In a further embodiment, the depositing minimizes the risk of a laundry fire.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the method occurs during a wash cycle comprising a pre-soak phase, a wash phase, a rinsing phase, a finishing phase, and an extraction phase. In a preferred embodiment, the laundry softening composition is applied to the textile during the pre-soak phase or the finishing phase.

[0024] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises a step of diluting the laundry softening composition to form a use solution. In an embodiment, the use solution has a pH of less than about 5. In a further embodiment, the laundry softening composition of the methods comprises between about 8 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of the amine softening agent, between about 0.5 wt. % to about 5 wt. % of the stabilizing agent, and between about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of the acidulant.

[0025] In an embodiment, the contacting beneficially removes fatty soil or oily soil. In further embodiments, the contacting removes fatty soil or oily soil and softens the textile surface. In a still further embodiment, the removes fatty soil or oily soil and softens the textile surface for more than one wash cycle. In an embodiment, the fatty soil or oil soil comprises sunscreen oil or trans fats.

[0026] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent based on the detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. Each feature of the technology described herein may be combined with any one or more other features of the disclosure, e.g., the methods may be used with any composition described herein. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

[0034] Various embodiments of the invention(s) will be described in detail with reference to the figures. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention(s). Figures represented herein are not limitations to the various embodiments according to the invention and are presented for example illustration of the invention.

[0035] The present disclosure relates to sour softening compositions and method of use thereof. The methods and compositions have many advantages over existing laundry sours and softening compositions. For example, the laundry sour softening compositions beneficially soften textiles while removing or mitigating carryover alkalinity. Further, the cleaning methods and compositions reduce the risk of fire hazard associated with oily soils and facilitate sunscreen soil removal from textiles. The sour softening compositions ultimately reduce the replacement rate of textiles, which reduces costs associated with replacing textiles and time associated with attempting to remove stubborn soils.

[0036] The embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to particular types of textiles or sour softening compositions, which can vary. It is further to be understood that all terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting in any manner or scope. For example, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” can include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Unless indicated otherwise, “or” can mean any one alone or any combination thereof, e.g., “A, B, or C” means the same as any of A alone, B alone, C alone, “A and B,” “A and C,” “B and C” or “A, B, and C.” Further, all units, prefixes, and symbols may be denoted in its SI accepted form.

[0037] Numeric ranges recited within the specification are inclusive of the numbers defining the range and include each integer within the defined range. Throughout this disclosure, various embodiments of this disclosure are presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible sub-ranges, fractions, and individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed sub-ranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and decimals and fractions, for example, 1.2, 3.8, 1′₂, and 4% This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

[0038] So that the present disclosure may be more readily understood, certain terms are first defined. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the disclosure pertain. Many methods and materials similar, modified, or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the embodiments of the present disclosure without undue experimentation, the preferred materials and methods are described herein. In describing and claiming the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below.

[0039] The term “about,” as used herein, refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring techniques and equipment, with respect to any quantifiable variable, including, but not limited to, mass, volume, time, temperature, pH, reflectance, whiteness, etc. Further, given solid and liquid handling procedures used in the real world, there is certain inadvertent error and variation that is likely through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients used to make the compositions or carry out the methods and the like. The term “about” also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibrium conditions for a composition resulting from a particular initial mixture. The term “about” also encompasses these variations. Whether or not modified by the term “about,” the claims include equivalents to the quantities.

[0040] The term “actives” or “percent actives” or “percent by weight actives” or “actives concentration” are used interchangeably herein and refers to the concentration of those ingredients involved in cleaning expressed as a percentage minus inert ingredients such as water or salts.

[0041] As used herein, the term “alkyl” or “alkyl groups” refers to saturated hydrocarbons having one or more carbon atoms, including straight-chain alkyl groups (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, etc.), cyclic alkyl groups (or “cycloalkyl” or “alicyclic” or “carbocyclic” groups) (e.g., cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, etc.), branched-chain alkyl groups (e.g., isopropyl, tert-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, etc.), and alkyl-substituted alkyl groups (e.g., alkyl-substituted cycloalkyl groups and cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl groups).

[0042] Unless otherwise specified, the term “alkyl” includes both “unsubstituted alkyls” and “substituted alkyls.” As used herein, the term “substituted alkyls” refers to alkyl groups having substituents replacing one or more hydrogens on one or more carbons of the hydrocarbon backbone. Such substituents may include, for example, alkenyl, alkynyl, halogeno, hydroxyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, arylcarbonyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, aryloxy, aryloxycarbonyloxy, carboxylate, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylthiocarbonyl, alkoxyl, phosphate, phosphonato, phosphinato, cyano, amino (including alkyl amino, dialkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, and alkylarylamino), acylamino (including alkylcarbonylamino, arylcarbonylamino, carbamoyl and ureido), imino, sulfhydryl, alkylthio, arylthio, thiocarboxylate, sulfates, alkylsulfinyl, sulfonates, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, nitro, trifluoromethyl, cyano, azido, heterocyclic, alkylaryl, or aromatic (including heteroaromatic) groups.

[0043] In some embodiments, substituted alkyls can include a heterocyclic group. As used herein, the term “heterocyclic group” includes closed ring structures analogous to carbocyclic groups in which one or more of the carbon atoms in the ring is an element other than carbon, for example, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen. Heterocyclic groups may be saturated or unsaturated. Example heterocyclic groups include, but are not limited to, aziridine, ethylene oxide (epoxides, oxiranes), thiirane (episulfides), dioxirane, azetidine, oxetane, thietane, dioxetane, dithietane, dithiete, azolidine, pyrrolidine, pyrroline, oxolane, dihydrofuran, and furan.

[0044] As used herein, the term “cleaning” refers to a method used to facilitate or aid in soil removal, bleaching, and any combination thereof.

[0045] The terms “dimensional stability” and “dimensionally stable” as used herein, refer to a solid composition having a growth exponent of less than about 3% in any dimension.

[0046] The term “laundry” refers to items or articles that are cleaned in a laundry washing machine. In general, laundry refers to any item or article made from or including textile materials, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and knitted fabrics. Preferably, the textile materials contain cotton fibers. The textile materials can comprise natural or synthetic fibers. Further, the textile materials can comprise additional non-cotton fibers such as silk fibers, linen fibers, polyester fibers, polyamide fibers including nylon, acrylic fibers, acetate fibers, and blends thereof including, but not limited, cotton and polyester blends. The fibers can be treated or untreated. Example treated fibers include those treated for flame retardancy. It should be understood that the term “linen” is often used to describe certain types of laundry items including bed sheets, pillowcases, towels, table linen, tablecloth, bar mops and uniforms.

[0047] As used herein, the term “polymer” generally includes, but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, and higher “x”mers, further including their derivatives, combinations, and blends thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term “polymer” shall include all possible isomeric configurations of the molecule, including, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and random symmetries, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term “polymer” shall include all possible geometrical configurations of the molecule.

[0048] “Soil” or “stain” refers to a non-polar oily substance which may or may not contain particulate matter such as mineral clays, sand, natural mineral matter, carbon black, graphite, kaolin, environmental dust, colorant, dyes, polymers, and oils. The terms “soil” and “stain” include, but are not limited to, cosmetic stains.

[0049] As used herein, a solid laundry sour refers to a laundry sour in the form of a solid such as a powder, a particle, an agglomerate, a flake, a granule, a pellet, a tablet, a lozenge, a puck, a briquette, a brick, a solid block, a unit dose, or another solid form known to those of skill in the art. The term “solid” refers to the state of the laundry sour under the expected conditions of storage and use of the solid laundry sour. In general, it is expected that the laundry sour will remain in solid form when exposed to temperatures of up to about 100° F. and greater than about 120° F. A cast, pressed, or extruded “solid” may take any form including a block. When referring to a cast, pressed, or extruded solid it is meant that the hardened composition will not flow perceptibly and will substantially retain its shape under moderate stress or pressure or mere gravity, as for example, the shape of a mold when removed from the mold, the shape of an article as formed upon extrusion from an extruder, and the like. The degree of hardness of the solid cast composition can range from that of a fused solid block, which is relatively dense and hard, for example, like concrete, to a consistency characterized as being malleable and sponge-like, similar to caulking material. In embodiments of the disclosure, the solid compositions can be further diluted to prepare a use solution or added directly to a cleaning application, including, for example, a laundry machine.

[0050] As used herein, the term “substantially free” refers to compositions completely lacking the component or having such a small amount of the component that the component does not affect the performance of the composition. The component may be present as an impurity or as a contaminant and shall be less than 0.5 wt. %. In another embodiment, the amount of the component is less than 0.1 wt. % and in yet another embodiment, the amount of component is less than 0.01 wt. %.

[0051] As used herein the terms “use solution,” “ready to use,” or variations thereof refer to a composition that is diluted, for example, with water, to form a use composition having the desired components of active ingredients for cleaning. For reasons of economics, a concentrate can be marketed, and an end user can dilute the concentrate with water or an aqueous diluent to a use solution.

[0052] The term “weight percent,” “wt. %,” “percent by weight,” “% by weight,” and variations thereof, as used herein, refer to the concentration of a substance as the weight of that substance divided by the total weight of the composition and multiplied by 100. It is understood that, as used here, “percent,” “%,” and the like are intended to be synonymous with “weight percent,” “wt. %,” etc.

[0053] As used herein, the term “antiredeposition” or “antiredeposition agent” refers to a compound that helps keep soil suspended in water instead of redepositing onto the article being cleaned. Antiredeposition agents are useful in reducing redepositing of the removed soil onto the surface being cleaned.

[0054] As used herein, the term “cleaning” refers to a method used to facilitate, or a composition used in, soil removal, bleaching, microbial population reduction, rinsing, pre-treating, post-treating, or any combination thereof.

[0055] The term “commercially acceptable cleaning performance” refers generally to the degree of cleanliness, extent of effort, or both that a typical consumer would expect to achieve or expend when using a cleaning product or cleaning system to address a typical soiling condition on a typical substrate. This degree of cleanliness may, depending on the particular cleaning product and particular substrate, correspond to a general absence of visible soils, or to some lesser degree of cleanliness. Cleanliness may be evaluated in a variety of ways depending on the particular cleaning product being used (e.g., textile detergent) and the particular hard or soft surface being cleaned (e.g., textile, fabric, and the like), and normally may be determined using generally agreed industry standard tests or localized variations of such tests. In the absence of such agreed industry standard tests, cleanliness may be evaluated using the test or tests already employed by a manufacturer or seller to evaluate the cleaning performance of its phosphorus-containing cleaning products sold in association with its brand.

[0056] As used herein, the term “microorganism” refers to any noncellular or unicellular (including colonial) organism. Microorganisms include all prokaryotes. Microorganisms include bacteria (including cyanobacteria), spores, lichens, fungi, protozoa, virinos, viroids, viruses, phages, and some algae. As used herein, the term “microbe” is synonymous with microorganism.

[0057] The term “substantially similar cleaning performance” refers generally to achievement by a substitute cleaning product or substitute cleaning system of generally the same degree (or at least not a significantly lesser degree) of cleanliness or with generally the same expenditure (or at least not a significantly lesser expenditure) of effort, or both.

[0058] As used herein, the term “soil” refers to polar or non-polar organic or inorganic substances including, but not limited to carbohydrates, proteins, fats, oils and the like. These substances may be present in their organic state or complexed to a metal to form an inorganic complex. Soils are also referring to the more specific lip cosmetic soils described herein.

[0059] The methods, systems, apparatuses, and compositions disclosed herein may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the components and ingredients described herein as well as other ingredients not described herein. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” means that the methods, systems, apparatuses and compositions may include additional steps, components or ingredients, but only if the additional steps, components or ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed methods, systems, apparatuses, and compositions.

[0060] It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “configured” describes a system, apparatus, or other structure that is constructed or configured to perform a particular task or adopt a particular configuration. The term “configured” can be used interchangeably with other similar phrases such as arranged and configured, constructed and arranged, adapted and configured, adapted, constructed, manufactured and arranged, and the like.

[0061] In some embodiments, the compositions beneficially remove oils and fatty acid soils, such as food soils, cosmetic soils, and sunscreens, while mitigating the risk of laundry fires. More particularly in some embodiments the compositions include surfactant systems, mixtures or blends including surfactants which form stable microemulsions with oils and fatty acids, such as lubricants, sunscreens, or triglyceride based products. The mixtures also improve the ease of formation of microemulsions, as well with resultant microemulsions that are non-gelling, have low viscosity and superwetting properties. These can be used in detergents, rinse aids and the like and form microemulsions without the need for linker or other cosurfactants. Uses of these compositions include but are not limited to laundry cleaning, reduction of laundry fires due to non-trans fats, hard surface cleaning such as manual pot-n-pan cleaning, machine warewashing (pretreatment, detergent or rinse aid), all-purpose cleaning, floor cleaning, CIP cleaning, open facility cleaning, foam cleaning, vehicle cleaning, etc. The compositions are also relevant to non-cleaning related uses and applications such as dry lubes, tire dressings, polishes, etc., as well as triglyceride based lotions, suntan lotions, potentially pharmaceutical emulsions and microemulsions. Further discussion of the use of the compositions to remove oily soils and mitigate the risk of laundry fire is provided in U.S. App. No. 2019/0330563, U.S. App. No. 2018/0208875, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,421,926, 9,034,813, and 10,273,433, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0062] Example ranges of the laundry sour compositions are shown in Tables 1A and 1B below in weight percentage of the solid or liquid compositions, including both concentrate and ready-to-use compositions.

TABLE 1A
	First	Second	Third	Fourth
	Example	Example	Example	Example
	Range	Range	Range	Range
Material	wt. %	wt. %	wt. %	wt. %
Carrier	20-95	40-85	50-90	60-85
Cationic Amine, Quaternary	0.5-45	1-35	1-25	5-15
Ammonium Softening
Agent, or Silicone
Chelating Agent or	0.1-20	0.5-15	0.5-10	1-8
Stabilizing Agent
Acidulant	0.5-50	1-40	5-30	5-15
Additional Functional	0-25	0-20	0-10	0-5
Ingredients

TABLE 1B
	First	Second	Third	Fourth
	Example	Example	Example	Example
	Range	Range	Range	Range
Material	wt. %	wt. %	wt. %	wt. %
Water	20-95	40-80	50-75	60-70
Dye	0.0001-3	0.0005-1	0.01-1	0.001-0.05
Fragrance(s)	0.01-10	0.1-5	0.1-3	0.2-1.2
Amine Softening Agent	1-50	5-30	8-25	10-20
Chelating Agent	0.001-20	0.01-10	0.5-5	0.1-2
Acidulant	1-40	5-35	10-30	15-25

[0063] The compositions can be provided in liquid, solid, paste, or gel forms used as part of a prewash, main wash, souring step, or other step(s). In a preferred embodiment, the compositions are provided as a laundry sour. The liquid compositions or may be diluted to form use compositions, as well as ready-to-use compositions. In general, a concentrate refers to a composition that is intended to be diluted with water to provide a use solution that contacts an object to provide the desired cleaning, rinsing, or the like. The laundry sour that contacts the articles to be washed can be referred to as a concentrate or a use composition (or use solution) dependent upon the formulation employed in methods. It should be understood that the concentration of the cationic amine compound and other components will vary depending on whether the laundry sour is provided as a concentrate or as a use solution.

[0064] A use solution may be prepared from the concentrate by diluting the concentrate with water at a dilution ratio that provides a use solution having desired detersive properties. The water that is used to dilute the concentrate to form the use composition can be referred to as water of dilution or a diluent and can vary from one location to another. The typical dilution factor is between approximately 1 and approximately 10,000 but will depend on factors including water hardness, the amount of soil to be removed and the like. In an embodiment, the concentrate is diluted at a ratio of between about 1:10 and about 1:10,000 concentrate to water, inclusive of all integers with this range, e.g., 1:50, 1:100, 1:1,000, and the like. Particularly, the concentrate is diluted at a ratio of between about 1:100 and about 1:5,000 concentrate to water.

[0065] If the laundry sour is a solid, it may be in various forms including, but not limited to, a powder, a flake, a granule, a pellet, a tablet, a lozenge, a puck, a briquette, a brick, a solid block, or a unit dose. Moreover, the methods can include one or more of the following: a prewash laundry sour, a main wash laundry sour, pretreatment compositions (including but not limited to soaks and sprays.

[0066] As described above, the potential cleaning steps employed in the methods described herein can comprise a variety of ingredients. Those ingredients can be formulated into liquid or solid laundry sours or individually dosed. Those ingredients can include, but are not limited to, an alkalinity source, a builder/chelating agent, defoamer, enzyme, enzyme stabilizing agent, polymer, surfactant, and whitening agent. The laundry sours can further include the colorants, fragrances, solidification agents, and water as described above. It should be understood that the compositions shown in Tables 1-3 are only example and that the methods and compositions disclosed herein can be used in conjunction with any laundry sours.

[0067] Acidulant

[0068] In some embodiments, the laundry sour compositions include one or more acidulants to modify the pH of the composition, add antimicrobial efficacy, or any. Acidulants may be employed in amounts sufficient to provide the intended antimicrobial efficacy. When present the one or more acidulants may be present in the composition in an amount of between about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, preferably at least about 0.1 wt. % to about 5 wt. %, more preferably from about 0.1 wt. % to about 1 wt. % by weight of the total composition, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0069] In an embodiment, the acidulant is included with the hydrogen peroxide reagent. Any suitable acid can be included in the compositions as an acidulant. In an embodiment the acidulant is an acid or an aqueous acidic solution. In an embodiment, the acidulant includes an inorganic acid. In some embodiments, the acidulant is a strong mineral acid. Suitable inorganic acids include, but are not limited to, sulfuric acid, sodium bisulfate, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the acidulant includes an organic acid. Suitable organic acids include, but are not limited to, methane sulfonic acid, ethane sulfonic acid, propane sulfonic acid, butane sulfonic acid, xylene sulfonic acid, cumene sulfonic acid, benzene sulfonic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, mono, di, or tri-halocarboyxlic acids, picolinic acid, dipicolinic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0070] Stabilizing Agent

[0071] The laundry compositions and methods can optionally include stabilizing agent(s) which improve the stability of the composition, especially enzymes, and which may be dispensed manually or automatically into a use solution of the laundry sour or textile treatment composition. In the alternative, when enzyme stability is particularly desirable, a stabilizing agent and enzyme may be formulated directly into the laundry sours. The formulations of the laundry sours or the textile treatment composition may vary based upon the particular composition, enzyme, or stabilizing agents employed.

[0072] In an embodiment, the stabilizing agent is a starch, poly sugar, amine, amide, polyamide, or poly amine. In still further embodiments, the stabilizing agent may be a combination of any of the aforementioned stabilizing agents. In an embodiment, the stabilizing agent may include a starch and optionally an additional food soil component (e.g., fat or protein). In an embodiment, the stabilizing agent is a poly sugar. Beneficially, poly sugars are biodegradable and often classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Example poly sugars include, but are not limited to amylose, amylopectin, pectin, inulin, modified inulin, potato starch, modified potato starch, corn starch, modified corn starch, wheat starch, modified wheat starch, rice starch, modified rice starch, cellulose, modified cellulose, dextrin, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, glycogen, oligofructose and other soluble starches. Particularly suitable poly sugars include, but are not limited to inulin, carboxymethyl inulin, potato starch, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, linear sulfonated alpha-(1,4)-linked D-glucose polymers, gamma-cyclodextrin and the like. Combinations of poly sugars may also be used according to embodiments of the disclosure.

[0073] In an embodiment, the stabilizing agent is a chlorine bleach scavenger, also called an antichlor material and chlorine scavenger, added to prevent chlorine bleach species present in many water supplies from attacking and inactivating active agents in the composition, particularly enzymes, and particularly under alkaline conditions. While chlorine levels in water may be small, typically in the range from 0.5 ppm to 1.75 ppm, the available chlorine in the total volume of water that comes in contact with the enzyme can be relatively large; accordingly, stability (particularly enzyme stability) is a challenge.

[0074] Suitable chlorine scavenger anions include, without limitation, salts containing ammonium or sodium cations with calcium, sulfite, bisulfite, thiosulfite, thiosulfate, chloride, or iodide. Preferred chlorine scavengers include, without limitation, calcium chloride, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, or a combination thereof. Antioxidants such as carbamate, ascorbate, organic amines such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or alkali metal salt thereof, monoethanolamine (MEA), and mixtures thereof can likewise be used. One or more chlorine scavengers may be used so as to provide suitable stability for different enzymes. In a preferred embodiment, the composition comprises calcium chloride as a stabilizing agent; beneficially calcium chloride maintains an ideal viscosity while providing excellent stabilization. In a further preferred embodiment, the stabilizing agent comprises a combination of monoethanolamine and calcium chloride. Other conventional scavengers include, without limitation, bisulfate, nitrate, chloride, sources of hydrogen peroxide such as sodium perborate tetrahydrate, sodium perborate monohydrate and sodium percarbonate, as well as phosphate, condensed phosphate, acetate, benzoate, citrate, formate, lactate, malate, tartrate, or salicylate.

[0075] In a further embodiment, the stabilizing agent may also comprise a chelant described herein. In a preferred embodiment, the stabilizing agent is a small molecule organic chelating agent, for example, aminocarboxylic acids, including salts and derivatives thereof, such as alkali metal salts, amino acetates, and the like. Examples of suitable aminocarboxylates include, without limitation, N-hydroxyethyl amino diacetic acid, also referred to as hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid (HIDA); nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA); ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA); diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA); ethylenediaminetetrapropionic (EDTP) acid, triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (TTHA), and alanine-N,N-diacetic acid; N,N-dicarboxymethyl glutamic acid tetrasodium salt (GLDA), methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), iminodisuccinate (IDS) and the like, and the respective alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. Suitable aminocarboxylic acid type chelating agents are commercially available as Trilon® M available from BASF; Versene® 100, Low NTA Versene®, Versene® Powder, and Versenol® 120 all available from Dow; and Dissolvine® D-40 and GL-38 available from Akzo.

[0076] The stabilizing agent may also comprise an organic acid chelant such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid, beta-hydroxybutanoic acid, tropic acid, trethocanic acid, or a combination thereof.

[0077] When present, the stability agent may be present individually or in sum in an amount of between about 0.5 wt. % to about 25 wt. %, preferably between about 0.5 wt. % and about 10 wt. % and more preferably between about 0.01 wt. % to about 6 wt. %.

[0078] The stabilizing agent according to the disclosure may be an independent entity or may be formulated in combination with the laundry sour or enzyme composition. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a stabilizing agent may be formulated into the laundry sour (with or without an enzyme) in either liquid or solid formulations. In addition, stabilizing agent compositions may be formulated into various delayed or controlled release formulations. For example, a solid molded laundry sour may be prepared without the addition of heat. Alternatively, the stabilizing agent may be provided separate from the composition, such as added directly to the wash liquor or wash water of a particular application of use, e.g., dishwasher.

[0079] Chelant

[0080] The laundry sours can also include effective amounts of one or more chelants, also referred to as chelating agents, including sequestering agents and builders to stabilize highly concentrated sour softener compositions. In general, a chelating agent is a molecule capable of coordinating (i.e., binding) the metal ions commonly found in water sources to prevent the metal ions from interfering with the action of the other ingredients of a rinse aid or other laundry sour. The chelating/sequestering agent may also function as a water conditioning agent when included in an effective amount. In preferred embodiments, the total amount of chelating agent(s) present in the compositions is from about 1 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, between about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, or from about 3 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0081] In some embodiments, a phosphonate can be included. However, in other embodiments, it is preferred that the compositions are free or substantially free of phosphonates, and other phosphorus containing compounds.

[0082] In embodiments, the laundry sour is not phosphate-free and may include added chelating/sequestering agents comprising phosphates, such as a condensed phosphate, a phosphonate, and the like. Some examples of condensed phosphates include sodium and potassium orthophosphate, sodium and potassium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and the like. A condensed phosphate may also assist, to a limited extent, in solidification of the composition by fixing the free water present in the composition as water of hydration.

[0083] In embodiments of the laundry sour which are not phosphate-free, the composition may include a phosphonate such as 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid CH₃C(OH)[PO(OH)₂]₂; aminotri(methylene phosphonic acid) N[CH₂ PO(OH)₂]₃; aminotri(methylene phosphonate), sodium salt

2-hydroxyethyliminobis(methylene phosphonic acid) HOCH₂ CH₂ N[CH₂ PO(OH)₂]₂; diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (HO)₂ POCH₂ N[CH₂ N[CH₂ PO(OH)₂]₂]₂; diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonate), sodium salt C₉ H_(28-x) N₃ Na_xO₁₅P₅ (x=7); hexamethylenediamine(tetramethylene phosphonate), potassium salt C₁₀ H_(28-x)N₂K_xO₁₂P₄ (x=6); bis(hexamethylene)triamine(pentamethylene phosphonic acid) (HO₂)POCH₂N[(CH₂)₆ N[CH₂ PO(OH)₂]₂]₂; and phosphorus acid H₃PO₃. In some embodiments, a phosphonate combination such as ATMP and DTPMP may be used. A neutralized or alkaline phosphonate, or a combination of the phosphonate with an alkali source prior to being added into the mixture such that there is little or no heat or gas generated by a neutralization reaction when the phosphonate is added can be used.

[0084] Commercially available phosphonate chelating agents include, without limitation, those sold under the trade name DEQUEST® from Italmatch or Cublen® from Zschimmer & Schwarz or Briquest® from Solvay including, for example, HEDP, as DEQUEST® 2010; ATMP, available from Italmatch as DEQUEST® 2000 or from Zschimmer & Schwarz as Cublen® AP5 or from Solvay as Briquest® 301-50A; EDTMP available from Italmatch as DEQUEST® 2041; DTPMP available as DEQUEST® 2066 from Italmatch or as Cublen® D from Zschimmer & Schwarz, and PBTC available from Lanxess as Bayhibit® AM.

[0085] In some embodiments organic chelating agents are used. Organic chelating agents include both polymeric and small molecule chelating agents. Organic small molecule chelants are typically organocarboxylate compounds or organophosphate compounds. Polymeric chelants commonly include polyanionic compositions such as polyacrylic acid compounds, carboxy-methylated polyethyleneimine compounds, and mixtures thereof. Other suitable chelating agents include organic amino- or hydroxy-polyphosphonic acid complexing agents (either in acid or soluble salt forms), carboxylic acids (e.g., polymeric polycarboxylate), hydroxy acids, aminocarboxylic acids, heterocyclic carboxylic acids, and combinations thereof. Suitable hydroxy acids include, but are not limited, alpha-hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, and combinations thereof, and beta-hydroxy acids such as salicylic acid, beta-hydroxybutanoic acid, tropic acid, trethocanic acid, and combinations thereof. The compositions may also include salts of organic chelating agents, for example sodium gluconate, sodium lactate, sodium malate, mono- or di-sodium or potassium tartrate, citrate, and the like.

[0086] Example commercially available chelating agents include but are not limited to gluconic acid salts and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), available from Innophos; the aminocarboxylate Trilon® M available from BASF; Versene® 100, Low NTA Versene®, Versene® Powder, and Versenol® 120 all available from Dow; Dissolvine® D-40 and GL-38 available from Akzo; and sodium citrate.

[0087] Small molecule organic chelating agents include, for example, aminocarboxylic acids, including salts and derivatives thereof, such as alkali metal salts, amino acetates, and the like. Examples of suitable aminocarboxylates include, without limitation, N-hydroxyethyl amino diacetic acid, also referred to as hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid (HIDA); nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA); ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA); diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA); ethylenediaminetetrapropionic (EDTP) acid, triethylenetetraaminehexaacetic acid (TTHA), and alanine-N,N-diacetic acid; N,N-dicarboxymethyl glutamic acid tetrasodium salt (GLDA), methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA), iminodisuccinate (IDS) and the like, and the respective alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. Suitable aminocarboxylic acid type chelating agents are commercially available as Trilon® M available from BASF; Versene® 100, Low NTA Versene®, Versene® Powder, and Versenol® 120 all available from Dow; and Dissolvine® D-40 and GL-38 available from Akzo.

[0088] Aminophosphonates are also suitable for use as chelating agents) and include ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonates, nitrilotris methylene phosphonates, and diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonates, for example. These aminophosphonates commonly contain alkyl or alkenyl groups with 8 or fewer carbon atoms. In some embodiments, the sequestrant includes phosphonic acid or a phosphonate salt. Suitable phosphonic acids and phosphonate salts include, without limitation, 1-hydroxy ethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP); ethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid) (EDTMP); diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DETPMP); cyclohexane-1,2-tetramethylene phosphonic acid; aminotris(methylene phosphonic acid) (ATMP); 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC); or salts thereof, such as the alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, or alkylol amine salts, such as mono, di, or tetra-ethanolamine salts; picolinic, dipicolinic acid or mixtures thereof.

[0089] Suitable polycarboxylate chelating agents include acrylic acid homopolymers and acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymers. In an embodiment, the one or more polycarboxylate sequestrants may be partially neutralized. In a further embodiment, the one or more polycarboxylate sequestrants may have a molecular weight of between about 1,000 g/mol to about 90,000 g/mol, more preferably between about 3,000 g/mol to about 50,000 g/mol, inclusive of all integers within these ranges. According to an embodiment, the compositions include a low molecular weight polycarboxylate having a molecular weight of between about 2,000 g/mol to 6,000 g/mol, a medium molecular weight polycarboxylate having a molecular weight of between about 30,000 g/mol to about 50,000 g/mol, a partially neutralized polyacrylic acid polycarboxylate, or a combination thereof.

[0090] Suitable homopolymeric and copolymeric chelating/sequestering agent(s) include polymeric compositions with pendant (—CO2H) carboxylic acid groups and include polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, acrylic acid-methacrylic acid copolymers, acrylic-maleic copolymers, hydrolyzed poly acrylamide, hydrolyzed methacrylamide, hydrolyzed acrylamide-methacrylamide copolymers, hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile, hydrolyzed polymethacrylonitrile, hydrolyzed acrylonitrile methacrylonitrile copolymers, polymaleic acid, polyfumaric acid, copolymers of acrylic and itaconic acid, phosphine polycarboxylate, acid or salt forms thereof, or mixtures thereof. Water soluble salts or partial salts of these polymers or copolymers such as their respective alkali metal (for example, sodium or potassium) or ammonium salts can also be used. The weight average molecular weight of the polymers is from about 4,000 to about 90,000.

[0091] Examples of suitable commercially available acrylic-maleic acid copolymers include, but are not limited to, Acusol® 505N and Acusol® 448 available from Dow Chemical Company, and Sokalan® CP5, available from BASF Corporation. Acusol® 505N has a molecular weight of about 40,000 g/mol, Acusol® 448 has a molecular weight of about 3,500 g/mol and Sokalan® CP5 has a molecular weight of about 70,000 g/mol. Examples of suitable partially neutralized polyacrylic acid (acrylic acid homopolymer) includes Acusol® 944, available from Dow Chemical Company and Acusol® 445, available from Dow Chemical Company. Acusol® 445 is a homopolymer of acrylic acid with an average molecular weight of 4,500 g/mol. Both Acusol® 944 and Acusol® 445 are available as partially neutralized, liquid detergent polymers.

[0092] Cationic Amine Softening Compound

[0093] The compositions include one or more cationic amine or ammonium compounds, preferably non-quaternary multi-branched amine surfactants or quaternary ammonium surfactants. In an embodiment, the one or more of the cationic amine or ammonium compounds are included in the composition in an amount of from about 5 wt. % to about 80 wt. %, 10 wt. % to about 80 wt. %, 15 wt. % to about 80 wt. %, from about 15 wt. % to about 60 wt. %, from about 25 wt. % to about 60 wt. %, from about 25 wt. % to about 55 wt. % by weight based on the total weight of the laundry sour composition. In an embodiment, the compositions are free of quaternary ammonium compounds.

[0094] Non-Quaternary Amine

[0095] Suitable cationic amines include but are not limited to N-(3-aminopropyl)-N-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, N-(3-aminopropyl)-N-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, N, N-Bis (3-aminopropyl) dodecylamine, N1,N1,N3-tris(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, N1,N1-bis(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, N1-(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, N-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine, among others. Suitable cationic amine compounds are available by the trade names Lonzabac 12.100, Lonzabac 12.30, Cotilps 739, Tomamine DA-17, Tomamine DA-14, Tomamine DA-1618, Tomamine DA-1214, and the like.

[0096] More particularly, suitable triamines include N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)-octylamine, N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)-dodecylamine, 4-aminomethyl-1,8-octanediamine, 1,3,5-tris-(aminomethyl)-benzene, 1,3,5-tris-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexane, tris-(2-aminoethyl)-amine, tris-(2-aminopropyl)-amine, tris-(3 aminopropyl)-amine, or a combination thereof.

[0097] Suitable ether diamines include, but are not limited to hexyloxypropyl amine, 2-Ethylhexyloxypropyl amine, octyl/decyloxypropyl amine, isodecyloxypropyl amine, dodecyl/tetradecyloxypropyl amine, isotridecyloxypropyl amine, tetradecyl/dodecyloxypropyl amine, linear alkyloxypropyl amines, or a combination thereof.

[0098] Suitable aliphatic diamines include but are not limited to bis (2-aminoethyl) ether, 3,6-dioxoctane-1,8-diamine, 4,7-dioxadecane-1,10-diamine, 4,7-dioxadecane-2, 9-diamine, 4,9-dioxadodecane-1,12-diamine, 5,8-dioxadodecane-3,10-diamine, 4,7,10-trioxatridecane-1,13-diamine and higher oligomers of these diamines, bis-(3-aminopropyl) polytetrahydrofurans and other polytetrahydrofuran-diamines, as well as polyoxyalkylene-diamines. Suitable ether diamines include, but are not limited to isotridecyloxypropyl-1,3-diaminopropane, octyl/decyloxypropyl-1,3-diaminopropane, isodecyloxypropyl-1,3-diaminopropane, dodecyl/tetradecyloxypropyl-1, 3-diaminopropane, or a combination thereof.

[0099] Suitable ethoxylated amines include but are not limited to bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) isodecyloxypropylamine, poly (5) oxyethylene isodecyloxypropylamine, bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) isotridecyloxypropylamine, poly (5) oxyethylene isotridecyloxypropylamine, bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) tallow amine (including 5 and 15-mole adducts), N-tallow-poly (3) oxyethylene-1,3-diaminopropane, or a combination thereof.

[0100] Preferred cationic multi-branched amine surfactants include, but are not limited to: N, N-Bis (3-aminopropyl) dodecylamine; N1,N1,N3-tris(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine; N1,N1-bis(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine; N1-(3-aminopropyl)-N3-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine; N-dodecylpropane-1,3-diamine; isotridecyloxypropyl-1,3-diaminopropane; dimethyltetradecylamine oxide, lauramine oxide, or a mixture thereof.

[0101] Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

[0102] In addition, or in alternative to non-quaternary amines, in some embodiments the compositions include one or more quaternary ammonium compounds. Example quaternary ammonium compounds include alkylated quaternary ammonium compounds, ring or cyclic quaternary ammonium compounds, aromatic quaternary ammonium compounds, diquaternary ammonium compounds, alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds, amidoamine quaternary ammonium compounds, ester quaternary ammonium compounds, and mixtures thereof.

[0103] The compositions described herein include at least one quaternary ammonium compound. Quaternary ammonium compounds have the following general formula:

wherein R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ can each be C₁-C₂₄ aliphatic, normal or branched saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon groups, alkoxy groups (R—O—), polyalkoxy groups, benzyl groups, allyl groups, hydroxyalkyl groups (HOR—), and the like, and X is an anion, selected from halide, methyl sulphate or ethyl sulphate radicals. The quaternary ammonium compounds can include any anion or counter ion that allows the component to be used in a manner that imparts fabric-softening properties. Example counter ions include chloride, methyl sulfate, ethyl sulfate, and sulfate.

[0104] Example quaternary ammonium compounds for the compositions have the following general formula:

wherein R¹ and R² represent the same or different hydrocarbyl groups having from about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms, from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms, more from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms, or still more from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms; R³ and R⁴ represent the same or different hydrocarbyl groups containing about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; and X is any suitable anion, such as a halide.

[0105] Preferred quaternary ammonium compounds have highly saturated carbon backbones (i.e., high degree of saturation of alkyl groups) of the hydrocarbyl groups. the quaternary ammonium compounds has two long R alkyl or alkenyl based chains (i.e., R¹ and R²) As referred to herein, “highly saturated” or a “high degree of saturation” with reference to the carbon backbones are represented by a low iodine value of the quaternary ammonium compounds, namely an iodine value equal to 15 or less.

[0106] Representative examples of these quaternary ammonium compounds include, for example, di(tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium methyl sulphate; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium methyl sulphate; dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium chloride; di(coconut alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow alkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; and di(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride, and combinations thereof.

[0107] Further representative examples of quaternary ammonium compounds useful in the compositions include but are not limited to mono-C8-C24 alkyl trimethyl quaternary ammonium compounds, monomethyl tri-C8-24 alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, imidazolinium quaternary ammonium compounds, dimethyl-C8-24 alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds, complex di quaternary ammonium compounds, di-C8-24 alkyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium compounds, mono or dialkyl di or trialkoxy quaternary ammonium compounds, mono or dialkyl di or tripolyalkoxy quaternary ammonium compounds, (the alkoxy group being a methoxy, ethoxy or propoxy group or a hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl; the polyalkoxy being polyethoxy or polypropoxy group with 2-50 alkoxy groups), diamidoamine-methyl-C8-C22 alkyl-quaternary ammonium compounds, and di-C8-C22 alkyl methyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds.

[0108] The compositions can include a quaternary ammonium compound having sufficient saturated hydrocarbon groups, such as the alkyl groups, to have an iodine value equal to 15 or less. In a further embodiment, the compositions can include a dialkyl quaternary ammonium compound having saturated alkyl groups for R¹ and R² having from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms, from about 12 to about 24 carbon atoms, from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms, more from about 14 to about 22 carbon atoms, or still more from about 14 to about 20 carbon atoms. In a preferred embodiment, the dialkyl quaternary ammonium compound is a di(hydrogenated tallowalkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride (DHTDMAC), DEEDMA(C) quat, or an ester quat, such as a di(hydrogenated) tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (DHTDMAMS) esterquat.

[0109] Representative examples of quaternary ammonium compounds include, for example, alkyl benzyl ammonium chloride or alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC), such as alkyl C12-C18 benzyl ammonium chloride, alkyl ethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or alkyl dimethyl ethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADEBAC), such as alkyl C12-C18 ethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, dialkyl ammonium salt or dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, such as di alkyl C12-C18 di alkyl C1-C4 ammonium salt.

[0110] The compositions can include an amidoamine quaternary ammonium compound, including for example diamidoamine quaternary ammonium compounds. Example diamidoamine ethoxylate quaternary ammonium compounds are available under the name Varisoft®, including ditallow diamidoamine ethoxylated ammonium methylsulfate, dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, dimethyl di(C₁₄-C₁₈ alkyl) ammonium chloride, dicoco dimethyl ammonium chloride, methyl tri-C₅-C₁₀ ammonium chloride, tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, tallow diamine pentamethyl dichloride, or a combination thereof.

[0111] Example amidoamine quaternary ammonium compounds include methyl-bis(tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(oleylamidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, methyl bis(hydr. Tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, commercially available as Accosoft® 501, and methyl (1) tallow amidoethyl(2) tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate, commercially available as Accosoft® 808.

[0112] The compositions can include an imidazolinium quaternary compound. Example imidazolinium quaternary ammonium compounds include methyl-1hydr. tallow amido ethyl-2-hydr. tallow imidazolinium-methyl sulfate, methyl-1-tallow amido ethyl-2-tallow imidazolinium-methyl sulfate, methyl-1-oleyl amido ethyl-2-oleyl imidazolinium-methyl sulfate, and 1-ethylene bis(2-tallow, 1-methyl, imidazolinium-methyl sulfate).

[0113] The compositions can include an alkylated quaternary compound. Example alkylated quaternary ammonium compounds include ammonium compounds having an alkyl group containing between 6 and 24 carbon atoms. Example alkylated quaternary ammonium compounds include monoalkyl trimethyl quaternary ammonium compounds, monomethyl trialkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, and dialkyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium compounds. The alkyl group is C12-C24, C14-C24, C14-C22, or C14-C20 group that is aliphatic and saturated, straight or branched.

[0114] The compositions can include an ester quaternary compound. Ester quats refer to a compound having at least two or more alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the molecule via at least one ester link. An ester quaternary ammonium compound can have at least one or can have two or more ester links present. Example ester quaternary ammonium compounds include for example, di-alkenyl esters of triethanol ammonium methyl sulphate and N,N-di(tallowoyloxy ethyl)N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride, polyol ester quat (PEQ). Commercial examples of compounds include, but are not limited to, di-oleic ester of triethanol ammonium methyl sulphate, di-oleic ester of triethanol ammonium methyl sulphate, partially hardened tallow ester of triethanol ammonium ethyl sulphate, palm ester of triethanol ammonium methyl sulphate, hardened tallow ester of triethanol ammonium methyl sulphate, unsaturated carboxylic acid reaction products with triethanolamine dimethyl sulphate quaternized. Further examples include triethanolamine (TEA) ester quats (e.g., methyl bis(ethyl tallowate)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) ester quats, diamidoquats (e.g., methyl bis(hydrogenated tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate), and dialkyldimethyl quats (e.g., dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride). Preferred MDEA esterquats include methyl diethanolamine esterquat, commercially available as Variquat S. Preferred DHTDMAMS esterquats include, for example, the esterquat commercially available as Agent 2246. Additional preferred ester quats are those made from the reaction of alkyl carboxylic acid fraction, methyl ester and triglyceride with triethanolamine, for example triethanolamine ester quats, such as those sold under the commercial name, WE-45 HF. Additional description of the ammonium quaternary fabric softening actives is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,159, which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0115] Carrier

[0116] The compositions may optionally include one or more carriers or solvents. Suitable carriers for the compositions include water and other solvents such as lipophilic fluids. In an embodiment, the compositions include from about 1 wt. % to about 95 wt. % carrier, from about 20 wt. % to about 95 wt. % carrier, from about 40 wt. % to about 85 wt. % carrier, from about 50 wt. % to ab out 90 wt. % carrier, and preferably from about 60 wt. % to about 70 wt. % carrier, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0117] Examples of suitable lipophilic fluids include glycol ethers, glycerin derivatives such as glycerin ethers, perfluorinated amines, perfluorinated and hydrofluoroether solvents, low volatility nonfluorinated organic solvents, diol solvents, siloxanes, other silicones, hydrocarbons, other environmentally friendly solvents and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the solvent includes water, propylene glycol, or dipropylene glycol methyl ether.

[0118] In other embodiments, examples of suitable carriers include, but are not limited to organic solvents, such as simple alkyl alcohols, e.g., ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, benzyl alcohol, and the like. Polyols are also useful carriers, including glycerol, sorbitol, and the like. Suitable carriers include glycol ethers. Suitable glycol ethers include diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-propyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol t-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether and tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether, and the like, or mixtures thereof.

[0119] In other embodiments, examples of suitable stabilizing agents include, but are not limited to borate, calcium/magnesium ions, and mixtures thereof. The concentrate need not include a stabilizing agent, but when the concentrate includes a stabilizing agent, it can be included in an amount that provides the desired level of stability of the concentrate.

[0120] In a preferred embodiment, the carrier is water. Water can be added to solid laundry sours in sufficient amount for the solidification process and potentially for hydration. In a liquid composition, can be added to achieve the desired concentration or viscosity.

[0121] Water may be independently added to the finishing composition or may be provided in as a result of its presence in an aqueous material that is added to the finishing composition. For example, materials added to the finishing composition include water or in a solid embodiment, preferably, may be prepared in an aqueous premix available for reaction with the solidification agent component(s). In a solid embodiment, the water can be introduced into the to provide the finishing composition with a desired powder flow characteristic prior to solidification, and to provide a desired rate of solidification.

[0122] The components used to form the solid finishing composition can include water as hydrates or hydrated forms of the binding agent, hydrates or hydrated forms of any of the other ingredients, or added aqueous medium as an aid in processing. It is expected that the aqueous medium will help provide the components with a desired viscosity for processing. In addition, it is expected that the aqueous medium may help in the solidification process when is desired to form the concentrate as a solid.

[0123] Silicone Compound

[0124] The compositions may optionally include a silicone compound. When present, the silicone compound optionally comprises a volatile silicone, a curable silicone, or a mixture thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the silicone is hydrophobic. When present, the one or more silicone compounds may be present in an amount of between about 0 wt. % to about 99 wt. %, between about 0.005 wt. % to about 95 wt. %, between about 0.01 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, or between about 0.015 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0125] Suitable silicones include those according to the general formula:

wherein, each R₁ and R₂ in each repeating unit, —(Si(R₁)(R₂)O)—, are independently selected from a C₁-C₁₀ alkyl or alkenyl radicals, phenyl, substituted alkyl, substituted phenyl, or units of —[—R₁R₂Si—O—]—; x is a number from 50 to 300,000, preferably from 100 to 100,000, more preferably from 200 to 50,000, wherein, the substituted alkyl or substituted phenyl are typically substituted with halogen, amino, hydroxyl groups, quaternary ammonium groups, polyalkoxy groups, carboxyl groups, or nitro groups, and wherein the silicone polymer is terminated by a hydroxyl group, hydrogen or —SiR₃, wherein, R₃ is hydroxyl, hydrogen, methyl or a functional group.

[0126] Preferably, the silicone is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or an emulsion thereof. The silicone typically has an average molecular weight, as measured by viscosity, of from 5,000 cst to 5,000,000 cst, or from 7,500 cst to 1,000,000 cst or even from 10,000 cst to 600,000 cst. Silicones particularly suitable for textile softening and cleaning are described in WO 03/097778, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0127] The silicone may be a cationic silicone polymer, such as those described in WO 02/18528, amino-silicones, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,891,166, 5,593,611 and 4,800,026; quaternary-silicones, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,810; high-viscosity silicones, such as those described in WO 00/71806 and WO 00/71807; modified polydimethyl siloxanes; functionalized polydimethyl siloxanes such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,102 and 6,136,215 including, for example polydimethyl siloxanes comprising a pendant amino functionality; cationic amino-silicones; silicone amino-esters; biodegradable organo-silicones such as those described in WO 01/23394; polyquaternary polysiloxane polymers, cationic silicones comprising repeating N⁺ units; amino-silicones comprising pendant EO/PO and epoxy glucamine side chains; coated amino-silicones; or block copolymers of polydimethyl siloxane and EO/PO units, as described in WO 97/32917. Each of these documents is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0128] In some embodiments, the silicone may also comprise a mixture of two or more different types of silicone. For example, the silicone may be a mixture of a high-viscosity silicone and a low viscosity silicone. The silicone may comprise a mixture of a functionalized silicone and a non-functionalized silicone.

[0129] In some embodiments the silicone is provided in the form of an emulsion and has an average primary particle size of from 1 micrometer to 5,000 micrometers, preferably from 1 micrometer to 50 micrometers. Beneficially, such silicone emulsions are easily deposited onto textile surfaces during the laundering process. Commercially available silicone oils that are suitable for use are DC200™ (12,500 cst to 600,000 cst), supplied by Dow Corning. Alternatively, preformed silicone emulsions are also suitable for use. These emulsions may comprise water or other solvents in an effective amount to aid in the emulsion.

[0130] Suitable volatile silicones include but are not limited to dimethyl silicone. Preferred curable silicones include, but are not limited to, an aminosilicone, a phenyl silicone, and a hydroxy silicone. Examples of suitable silicones include, but are not limited to, silicones such as dimethyl silicone, glycol polysiloxane, especially polysiloxane polyethylene glycol ethers (such as SLM 21210 from Wacker Chemical), methylphenol polysiloxane, trialkyl or tetraalkylsilanes, hydrophobic silica compounds, alkali metal silicates, metal silicates, and combinations thereof can all be used. Commercial commonly available include silicones such as ARDEFOAM™ from Armour Industrial Chemical Company which is a silicone bound in an organic emulsion; FOAM KILL™ or KRESSEO™ available from Krusable Chemical Company; and ANTI-FOAM ATM and DC-200 from Dow Corning Corporation which are both food grade type silicones among others.

[0131] In some embodiments, the silicone is an amino alkyl functionalized silicone; an amino alkyl functionalized MQ silicone; an unreacted MQ silicone; a siloxane or silicone blend; a silicone polyvinyl acetate; a silicone polyvinyl acetate neutralized with ammonium hydroxide; or a silicone functionalized acrylic. Suitable functionalized silicones include but are not limited to oil-in-water emulsions of polydimethylsiloxane, polyorganosiloxane diamines, silicone impregnating agents, and the like.

[0132] The polydiorganosiloxane diamines of formula HR⁴N—Y¹-Q¹-Y¹—NR⁴H can be formed using methods such as those described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,748, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Polydiorganosiloxane diamines also are commercially available under the trade names DMS-A11 (molecular weight 850 to 900 Da), DMS-A32 (molecular weight about 30,000 Da), and DMS-A35 (molecular weight about 50,000 Da) and those sold under the trade names WACKER FLUID (e.g., WACKER FLUID NH 130 D (molecular weight 9,500 to 12,000 Da), NH 30 D (molecular weight 2400 to 3400 Da), and NH 15 D (950 to 1200 Da)), including Wacker® HC 303, Wacker® HC 321, Wacker® HC 401, Wacker® MQ-RESIN POWDER 803 TF, Wacker® HC 103, and Wacker® HC 130. Other suitable silicones include those sold under the trade names DOWSIL™ MQ-1640 Flake Resin; DOWSIL™ FA 4002 ID Silicone Acrylate; TEGOTOP® 210; and BELSIL® P 1101.

[0133] Alkalinity Source

[0134] In some embodiments, the compositions include an effective amount of one or more alkalinity sources. In other embodiments, the compositions do not include an alkalinity source and unexpectedly can provide effective soil removal. In compositions employing an alkalinity source, an effective amount of one or more alkaline sources should be considered as an amount that provides a composition having a pH between about 7 and about 14. In a particular embodiment the laundry sour will have a pH of between about 7.5 and about 13.5. In a particular embodiment the laundry sour will have a pH of between about 8 and about 13. During the wash cycle the use solution will have a pH between about 8 and about 13. In particular embodiments, the use solution will have a pH between about 9 and 11. Examples of suitable alkaline sources of the laundry sour include but are not limited to carbonate-based alkalinity sources, including, for example, carbonate salts such as alkali metal carbonates; caustic-based alkalinity sources, including, for example, alkali metal hydroxides; other suitable alkalinity sources may include metal silicate, metal borate, and organic alkalinity sources. Example alkali metal carbonates that can be used include, but are not limited to, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate, and mixtures thereof. Example alkali metal hydroxides that can be used include, but are not limited to sodium, lithium, or potassium hydroxide. Example metal silicates that can be used include, but are not limited to, sodium or potassium silicate or metasilicate. Example metal borates include, but are not limited to, sodium or potassium borate.

[0135] Organic alkalinity sources are often strong nitrogen bases including, for example, ammonia (ammonium hydroxide), amines, alkanolamines, and amino alcohols. Typical examples of amines include primary, secondary or tertiary amines and diamines carrying at least one nitrogen linked hydrocarbon group, which represents a saturated or unsaturated linear or branched alkyl group having at least 10 carbon atoms and preferably 16-24 carbon atoms, or an aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl group containing up to 24 carbon atoms, and wherein the optional other nitrogen linked groups are formed by optionally substituted alkyl groups, aryl group or aralkyl groups or polyalkoxy groups. Typical examples of alkanolamines include monoethanolamine, monopropanolamine, diethanolamine, dipropanolamine, triethanolamine, tripropanolamine and the like. Typical examples of amino alcohols include 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-amino-1-butanol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, hydroxymethyl aminomethane, and the like.

[0136] In general, alkalinity sources are commonly available in either aqueous or powdered form, either of which is useful in formulating the present laundry sours. The alkalinity may be added to the composition in any form known in the art, including as solid beads, granulated or particulate form, dissolved in an aqueous solution, or a combination thereof.

[0137] When present, the alkalinity source(s) may be utilized in an amount between about 0% and about 99% by weight, between about 0.005% and about 95% by weight, between about 0.01% and about 90% by weight, between about 0.015% and about 90% by weight, between about 10% and about 90% by weight, between about 20% and about 90% by weight, between about 40% and about 90% by weight, between about 50% and about 90% by weight, or between about 50% and about 85% by weight of the total weight of the composition.

[0138] Surfactants

[0139] In some embodiments, the laundry sours comprise one or more surfactants. Surfactants suitable for use in the methods and the laundry sours can include, but are not limited to, nonionic, anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic surfactants. In a preferred embodiment the laundry sours include at least one nonionic surfactant and at least one cationic surfactant. In a still further preferred embodiment, the compositions comprise at least one nonionic surfactant, at least one semi-polar nonionic surfactant, and at least one cationic surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, the nonionic surfactant comprises a fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, the semi-polar nonionic surfactant comprises dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide, and the cationic surfactant comprises N,N-Diethoxylated-N-coco-N-methylammonium chloride. The class, identity, and number of surfactant(s) selected for use in the compositions and methods may be altered and selected based on the other components in the compositions and methods and based on the types of soils targeted for removal.

[0140] In an embodiment, the compositions include from about 10 wt. % to about 99 wt. % surfactants, from about 20 wt. % to about 90 wt. % surfactants, from about 40 wt. % to about 80 wt. % surfactants, from about 50 wt. % to about 90 wt. % surfactants, preferably from about 50 wt. % to about 80 wt. % surfactants, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0141] Nonionic Surfactants

[0142] Useful nonionic surfactants are generally characterized by the presence of an organic hydrophobic group and an organic hydrophilic group and are typically produced by the condensation of an organic aliphatic, alkyl aromatic or polyoxyalkylene hydrophobic compound with a hydrophilic alkaline oxide moiety which in common practice is ethylene oxide or a polyhydration product thereof, polyethylene glycol. Practically any hydrophobic compound having a hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino, or amido group with a reactive hydrogen atom can be condensed with ethylene oxide, or its polyhydration adducts, or its mixtures with alkoxylenes such as propylene oxide to form a nonionic surface-active agent. The length of the hydrophilic polyoxyalkylene moiety which is condensed with any particular hydrophobic compound can be readily adjusted to yield a water dispersible or water-soluble compound having the desired degree of balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. Useful nonionic surfactants include:

[0143] 1. Block polyoxypropylene-polyoxyethylene polymeric compounds based upon propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylolpropane, and ethylenediamine as the initiator reactive hydrogen compound. Examples of polymeric compounds made from a sequential propoxylation and ethoxylation of initiator are commercially available from BASF Corp. One class of compounds are difunctional (two reactive hydrogens) compounds formed by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the addition of propylene oxide to the two hydroxyl groups of propylene glycol. This hydrophobic portion of the molecule weighs from about 1,000 to about 4,000. Ethylene oxide is then added to sandwich this hydrophobe between hydrophilic groups, controlled by length to constitute from about 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of the final molecule. Another class of compounds are tetra-functional block copolymers derived from the sequential addition of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide to ethylenediamine. The molecular weight of the propylene oxide hydrotype ranges from about 500 to about 7,000; and the hydrophile, ethylene oxide, is added to constitute from about 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of the molecule.

[0144] 2. Condensation products of one mole of alkyl phenol wherein the alkyl chain, of straight chain or branched chain configuration, or of single or dual alkyl constituent, contains from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms with from about 3 to about 50 moles of ethylene oxide. The alkyl group can, for example, be represented by diisobutylene, di-amyl, polymerized propylene, iso-octyl, nonyl, and di-nonyl. These surfactants can be polyethylene, polypropylene, and polybutylene oxide condensates of alkyl phenols. Examples of commercial compounds of this chemistry are available on the market under the trade names Igepal® manufactured by Rhone-Poulenc and Triton® manufactured by Union Carbide.

[0145] 3. Condensation products of one mole of a saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched chain alcohol having from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms with from about 3 to about 50 moles of ethylene oxide. The alcohol moiety can consist of mixtures of alcohols in the above delineated carbon range or it can consist of an alcohol having a specific number of carbon atoms within this range. Examples of like commercial surfactant are available under the trade names Lutensol™, Dehydol™ manufactured by BASF, Neodol™ manufactured by Shell Chemical Co. and Alfonic™ manufactured by Vista Chemical Co.

[0146] 4. Condensation products of one mole of saturated or unsaturated, straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms with from about 6 to about 50 moles of ethylene oxide. The acid moiety can consist of mixtures of acids in the above defined carbon atoms range or it can consist of an acid having a specific number of carbon atoms within the range. Examples of commercial compounds of this chemistry are available on the market under the trade names Disponil or Agnique manufactured by BASF and Lipopegm manufactured by Lipo Chemicals, Inc.

[0147] In addition to ethoxylated carboxylic acids, commonly called polyethylene glycol esters, other alkanoic acid esters formed by reaction with glycerides, glycerin, and polyhydric (saccharide or sorbitan/sorbitol) alcohols have application in this disclosure for specialized embodiments, particularly indirect food additive applications. All of these ester moieties have one or more reactive hydrogen sites on their molecule which can undergo further acylation or ethylene oxide (alkoxide) addition to control the hydrophilicity of these substances. Care must be exercised when adding these fatty esters or acylated carbohydrates to compositions of the present disclosure containing amylase or lipase enzymes because of potential incompatibility.

[0148] Examples of nonionic low foaming surfactants include:

[0149] 5. Compounds from (1) which are modified, essentially reversed, by adding ethylene oxide to ethylene glycol to provide a hydrophile of designated molecular weight; and, then adding propylene oxide to obtain hydrophobic blocks on the outside (ends) of the molecule. The hydrophobic portion of the molecule weighs from about 1,000 to about 3,100 with the central hydrophile including 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of the final molecule. These reverse Pluronics™ are manufactured by BASF Corporation under the trade name Pluronic™ R surfactants. Likewise, the Tetronic™ R surfactants are produced by BASF Corporation by the sequential addition of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to ethylenediamine. The hydrophobic portion of the molecule weighs from about 2,100 to about 6,700 with the central hydrophile including 10% by weight to 80% by weight of the final molecule.

[0150] 6. Compounds from groups (1), (2), (3) and (4) which are modified by “capping” or “end blocking” the terminal hydroxy group or groups (of multi-functional moieties) to reduce foaming by reaction with a small hydrophobic molecule such as propylene oxide, butylene oxide, benzyl chloride; and short chain fatty acids, alcohols or alkyl halides containing from 1 to about 5 carbon atoms; and mixtures thereof. Also included are reactants such as thionyl chloride which convert terminal hydroxy groups to a chloride group. Such modifications to the terminal hydroxy group may lead to all-block, block-heteric, heteric-block or all-heteric nonionics.

[0151] Additional examples of effective low foaming nonionics include:

[0152] 7. The alkylphenoxypolyethoxyalkanols of U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,486 issued Sep. 8, 1959 to Brown et al. and represented by the formula

in which R is an alkyl group of 8 to 9 carbon atoms, A is an alkylene chain of 3 to 4 carbon atoms, n is an integer of 7 to 16, and m is an integer of 1 to 10.

[0153] The polyalkylene glycol condensates of U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,548 issued Aug. 7, 1962, to Martin et al. having alternating hydrophilic oxyethylene chains and hydrophobic oxypropylene chains where the weight of the terminal hydrophobic chains, the weight of the middle hydrophobic unit and the weight of the linking hydrophilic units each represent about one-third of the condensate.

[0154] The defoaming nonionic surfactants disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,178 issued May 7, 1968, to Lissant et al. having the general formula Z[(OR)_nOH]_z wherein Z is alkoxylatable material, R is a radical derived from an alkylene oxide which can be ethylene and propylene and n is an integer from, for example, 10 to 2,000 or more and z is an integer determined by the number of reactive oxyalkylatable groups.

[0155] The conjugated polyoxyalkylene compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,700, issued May 4, 1954, to Jackson et al. corresponding to the formula Y(C₃H₆O)_n (C₂H₄O)_mH wherein Y is the residue of organic compound having from about 1 to 6 carbon atoms and one reactive hydrogen atom, n has an average value of at least about 6.4, as determined by hydroxyl number and m has a value such that the oxyethylene portion constitutes about 10% to about 90% by weight of the molecule.

[0156] The conjugated polyoxyalkylene compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,619, issued Apr. 6, 1954 to Lundsted et al. having the formula Y[(C₃H₆O_n (C₂H₄O)_mH]_x wherein Y is the residue of an organic compound having from about 2 to 6 carbon atoms and containing x reactive hydrogen atoms in which x has a value of at least about 2, n has a value such that the molecular weight of the polyoxypropylene hydrophobic base is at least about 900 and m has value such that the oxyethylene content of the molecule is from about 10% to about 90% by weight. Compounds falling within the scope of the definition for Y include, for example, propylene glycol, glycerin, pentaerythritol, trimethylolpropane, ethylenediamine and the like. The oxypropylene chains optionally, but advantageously, contain small amounts of ethylene oxide and the oxyethylene chains also optionally, but advantageously, contain small amounts of propylene oxide.

[0157] Additional conjugated polyoxyalkylene surface-active agents which are advantageously used in the compositions of this disclosure correspond to the formula: P[(C₃H₆O)_n (C₂H₄O)_mH]_x wherein P is the residue of an organic compound having from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and containing x reactive hydrogen atoms in which x has a value of 1 or 2, n has a value such that the molecular weight of the polyoxyethylene portion is at least about 44 and m has a value such that the oxypropylene content of the molecule is from about 10% to about 90% by weight. In either case the oxypropylene chains may contain optionally, but advantageously, small amounts of ethylene oxide and the oxyethylene chains may contain also optionally, but advantageously, small amounts of propylene oxide.

[0158] 8. Polyhydroxy fatty acid amide surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions include those having the structural formula R₂CON_R1Z in which: R1 is H, C₁-C₄ hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxy ethyl, 2-hydroxy propyl, ethoxy, propoxy group, or a mixture thereof, R₂ is a C₅-C₃₁ hydrocarbyl, which can be straight-chain; and Z is a polyhydroxy hydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, or an alkoxylated derivative (preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated) thereof. Z can be derived from a reducing sugar in a reductive amination reaction; such as a glycityl moiety.

[0159] 9. The alkyl ethoxylate condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with from about 0 to about 25 moles of ethylene oxide are suitable for use in the present compositions. The alkyl chain of the aliphatic alcohol can either be straight or branched, primary or secondary, and generally contains from 6 to 22 carbon atoms.

[0160] 10. Fatty alcohol nonionic surfactants, including ethoxylated C₆-C₁₈ fatty alcohols and C₆-C₁₈ mixed ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty alcohols and fatty alcohols polyglycol ether. Suitable ethoxylated fatty alcohols include the C₆-C₁₈ ethoxylated fatty alcohols with a degree of ethoxylation of from 3 to 50.

[0161] 11. Suitable nonionic alkylpolysaccharide surfactants, particularly for use in the present compositions include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,647, Llenado, issued Jan. 21, 1986. These surfactants include a hydrophobic group containing from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms and a polysaccharide, e.g., a polyglycoside, hydrophilic group containing from about 1.3 to about 10 saccharide units. Any reducing saccharide containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms can be used, e.g., glucose, galactose and galactosyl moieties can be substituted for the glucosyl moieties. (Optionally the hydrophobic group is attached at the 2-, 3-, 4-, etc. positions thus giving a glucose or galactose as opposed to a glucoside or galactoside.) The intersaccharide bonds can be, e.g., between the one position of the additional saccharide units and the 2-, 3-, 4-, or 6-positions on the preceding saccharide units.

[0162] 12. Fatty acid amide surfactants suitable for use the present compositions include those having the formula: R₆CON(R₇)₂ in which R₆ is an alkyl group containing from 7 to 21 carbon atoms and each R₇ is independently hydrogen, C₁-C₄ alkyl, C₁-C₄ hydroxyalkyl, or —(C₂H₄O)_xH, where x is in the range of from 1 to 3.

[0163] 13. A useful class of non-ionic surfactants include the class defined as alkoxylated amines or, most particularly, alcohol alkoxylated/aminated/alkoxylated surfactants. These non-ionic surfactants may be at least in part represented by the general formulae: R²⁰—(PO)_SN-(EO)_tH, R²⁰—(PO)_SN-(EO)_tH(EO)_tH, and R²⁰—N(EO)_tH; in which R²⁰ is an alkyl, alkenyl or other aliphatic group, or an alkyl-aryl group of from 8 to 20, preferably 12 to 14 carbon atoms, EO is oxyethylene, PO is oxypropylene, s is 1 to 20, preferably 2-5, t is 1-10, preferably 2-5, and u is 1-10, preferably 2-5. Other variations on the scope of these compounds may be represented by the alternative formula: R²⁰—(PO)v-N[(EO)_wH][(EO)_zH] in which R²⁰ is as defined above, v is 1 to 20 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or 4 (preferably 2)), and w and z are independently 1-10, preferably 2-5. These compounds are represented commercially by a line of products sold by Huntsman Chemicals as nonionic surfactants. A preferred chemical of this class includes Surfonic™ PEA 25 Amine Alkoxylate. Preferred nonionic surfactants for the compositions of the disclosure include alcohol alkoxylates, EO/PO block copolymers, alkylphenol alkoxylates, and the like.

[0164] The treatise Nonionic Surfactants, edited by Schick, M. J., Vol. 1 of the Surfactant Science Series, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1983 is an excellent reference on the wide variety of nonionic compounds generally employed in the practice of the present disclosure. A typical listing of nonionic classes, and species of these surfactants, is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 issued to Laughlin and Heuring on Dec. 30, 1975. Further examples are given in “Surface Active Agents and detergents” (Vol. I and II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch).

[0165] Semi-Polar Nonionic Surfactants

[0166] The semi-polar type of nonionic surface-active agents are another class of nonionic surfactant useful in compositions of the present disclosure. Generally, semi-polar nonionics are high foaming and foam stabilizers, which can limit their application in CIP systems. However, within compositional embodiments of this disclosure designed for high foam cleaning methodology, semi-polar nonionics would have immediate utility. The semi-polar nonionic surfactants include the amine oxides, phosphine oxides, sulfoxides and their alkoxylated derivatives.

[0167] 14. Amine oxides are tertiary amine oxides corresponding to the general formula:

wherein the arrow is a conventional representation of a semi-polar bond; and R¹, R², and R³ may be aliphatic, aromatic, heterocyclic, alicyclic, or combinations thereof. Generally, for amine oxides of detergent interest, R¹ is an alkyl radical of from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms; R² and R³ are alkyl or hydroxyalkyl of 1-3 carbon atoms or a mixture thereof; R² and R³ can be attached to each other, e.g., through an oxygen or nitrogen atom, to form a ring structure; R⁴ is an alkaline or a hydroxyalkylene group containing 2 to 3 carbon atoms; and n ranges from 0 to about 20.

[0168] Useful water soluble amine oxide surfactants are selected from the coconut or tallow alkyl di-(lower alkyl) amine oxides, specific examples of which are dodecyldimethylamine oxide, tridecyldimethylamine oxide, tetradecyldimethylamine oxide, pentadecyldimethylamine oxide, hexadecyldimethylamine oxide, heptadecyldimethylamine oxide, octadecyldimethylaine oxide, dodecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldipropylamine oxide, hexadecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldibutylamine oxide, octadecyldibutylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-dodecoxy-1-hydroxypropylamine oxide, dimethyl-(2-hydroxydodecyl)amine oxide, 3,6,9-trioctadecyldimethylamine oxide and 3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyldi-(2-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide.

[0169] Useful semi-polar nonionic surfactants also include the water-soluble phosphine oxides having the following structure:

wherein the arrow is a conventional representation of a semi-polar bond; and R¹ is an alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl moiety ranging from 10 to about 24 carbon atoms in chain length; and R² and R³ are each alkyl moieties separately selected from alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

[0170] Examples of useful phosphine oxides include dimethyldecylphosphine oxide, dimethyltetradecylphosphine oxide, methylethyltetradecylphosphone oxide, dimethyl hexadecyl phosphine oxide, diethyl-2-hydroxyoctyldecylphosphine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecyl phosphine oxide, and bis(hydroxymethyl)tetradecyl phosphine oxide.

[0171] Semi-polar nonionic surfactants useful herein also include the water-soluble sulfoxide compounds which have the structure:

wherein the arrow is a conventional representation of a semi-polar bond; and R¹ is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl moiety of about 8 to about 28 carbon atoms, from 0 to about 5 ether linkages and from 0 to about 2 hydroxyl substituents; and R² is an alkyl moiety consisting of alkyl and hydroxyalkyl groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

[0172] Useful examples of these sulfoxides include dodecyl methyl sulfoxide; 3-hydroxy tridecyl methyl sulfoxide; 3-methoxy tridecyl methyl sulfoxide; and 3-hydroxy-4-dodecoxybutyl methyl sulfoxide.

[0173] Semi-polar nonionic surfactants for the compositions of the disclosure include dimethyl amine oxides, such as lauryl dimethyl amine oxide, myristyl dimethyl amine oxide, cetyl dimethyl amine oxide, combinations thereof, and the like. Useful water soluble amine oxide surfactants are selected from the octyl, decyl, dodecyl, isododecyl, coconut, or tallow alkyl di-(lower alkyl) amine oxides, specific examples of which are octyl dimethyl amine oxide, nonyl dimethyl amine oxide, decyl dimethyl amine oxide, undecyl dimethyl amine oxide, dodecyldimethylamine oxide, iso-dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide, dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide (sold commercially as Barlox 12), tridecyldimethylamine oxide, tetradecyldimethylamine oxide, pentadecyldimethylamine oxide, hexadecyldimethylamine oxide, heptadecyldimethylamine oxide, octadecyldimethylaine oxide, dodecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldipropylamine oxide, hexadecyldipropylamine oxide, tetradecyldibutylamine oxide, octadecyldibutylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dodecylamine oxide, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-dodecoxy-1-hydroxypropylamine oxide, dimethyl-(2-hydroxydodecyl)amine oxide, 3,6,9-trioctadecyldimethylamine oxide and 3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyldi-(2-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide.

[0174] Suitable nonionic surfactants suitable for use with the compositions of the present disclosure include alkoxylated surfactants. Suitable alkoxylated surfactants include EO/PO copolymers, capped EO/PO copolymers, alcohol alkoxylates, capped alcohol alkoxylates, mixtures thereof, or the like. Suitable alkoxylated surfactants for use as solvents include EO/PO block copolymers, such as the Pluronic and reverse Pluronic surfactants; alcohol alkoxylates, such as Dehypon LS-54 (R-(EO)₅(PO)₄) and Dehypon LS-36 (R-(EO)₃(PO)₆); and capped alcohol alkoxylates, such as Plurafac LF221 and Tegoten EC11; mixtures thereof, or the like.

[0175] Anionic Surfactants

[0176] Also useful in the present disclosure are surface active substances which are categorized as anionics because the charge on the hydrophobe is negative; or surfactants in which the hydrophobic section of the molecule carries no charge unless the pH is elevated to neutrality or above (e.g., carboxylic acids). Carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfate and phosphate are the polar (hydrophilic) solubilizing groups found in anionic surfactants. Of the cations (counter ions) associated with these polar groups, sodium, lithium and potassium impart water solubility; ammonium and substituted ammonium ions provide both water and oil solubility; and calcium, barium, and magnesium promote oil solubility. As those skilled in the art understand, anionics are excellent detersive surfactants and are therefore favored additions to heavy duty laundry sours.

[0177] Anionic sulfate surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions include alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfates, the linear and branched primary and secondary alkyl sulfates, alkyl ethoxysulfates, fatty oleyl glycerol sulfates, alkyl phenol ethylene oxide ether sulfates, the C₅-C₁₇ acyl-N—(C₁-C₄ alkyl) and —N—(C₁-C₂ hydroxyalkyl) glucamine sulfates, and sulfates of alkylpolysaccharides such as the sulfates of alkylpolyglucoside, and the like. Also included are the alkyl sulfates, alkyl poly(ethyleneoxy) ether sulfates and aromatic poly(ethyleneoxy) sulfates such as the sulfates or condensation products of ethylene oxide and nonyl phenol (usually having 1 to 6 oxyethylene groups per molecule).

[0178] Anionic sulfonate surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions also include alkyl sulfonates, the linear and branched primary and secondary alkyl sulfonates, and the aromatic sulfonates with or without substituents.

[0179] Anionic carboxylate surfactants suitable for use in the present compositions include carboxylic acids (and salts), such as alkanoic acids (and alkanoates), ester carboxylic acids (e.g., alkyl succinates), ether carboxylic acids, sulfonated fatty acids, such as sulfonated oleic acid, and the like. Such carboxylates include alkyl ethoxy carboxylates, alkyl aryl ethoxy carboxylates, alkyl polyethoxy polycarboxylate surfactants and soaps (e.g., alkyl carboxyls). Secondary carboxylates useful in the present compositions include those which contain a carboxyl unit connected to a secondary carbon. The secondary carbon can be in a ring structure, e.g., as in p-octyl benzoic acid, or as in alkyl-substituted cyclohexyl carboxylates. The secondary carboxylate surfactants typically contain no ether linkages, no ester linkages and no hydroxyl groups. Further, they typically lack nitrogen atoms in the head-group (amphiphilic portion). Suitable secondary soap surfactants typically contain 11-13 total carbon atoms, although more carbons atoms (e.g., up to 16) can be present. Suitable carboxylates also include acylamino acids (and salts), such as acylgluamates, acyl peptides, sarcosinates (e.g., N-acyl sarcosinates), taurates (e.g., N-acyl taurates and fatty acid amides of methyl tauride), and the like.

[0180] Suitable anionic surfactants include alkyl or alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates of the following formula:

R—O—(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH₂)_m—CO₂X  (3)

in which R is a C₈ to C₂₂ alkyl group or

in which R¹ is a C₄-C₁₆ alkyl group; n is an integer of 1-20; m is an integer of 1-3; and X is a counter ion, such as hydrogen, sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, or an amine salt such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine or triethanolamine. In some embodiments, n is an integer of 4 to 10 and m is 1. In some embodiments, R is a C₅-C₁₆ alkyl group. In some embodiments, R is a C₁₂-C₁₄ alkyl group, n is 4, and m is 1.

[0181] In other embodiments, R is

and R¹ is a C₆-C₁₂ alkyl group. In still yet other embodiments, R¹ is a C₉ alkyl group, n is 10 and m is 1.

[0182] Such alkyl and alkylaryl ethoxy carboxylates are commercially available. These ethoxy carboxylates are typically available as the acid forms, which can be readily converted to the anionic or salt form. Commercially available carboxylates include, Neodox 23-4, a C_12-13 alkyl polyethoxy (4) carboxylic acid (Shell Chemical), and Emcol CNP-110, a C₉ alkylaryl polyethoxy (10) carboxylic acid (Witco Chemical). Carboxylates are also available from Clariant, e.g., the product Sandopan® DTC, a C₁₃ alkyl polyethoxy (7) carboxylic acid.

[0183] In some embodiments the compositions include one or more anionic surfactants according to the formula:

R-[L]_x-[O—CH₂—CH₂]_y-M

where R is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having from about 6 to 20 carbon atoms, L is a linking group wherein said linking group has greater than 5 moles of propoxylation, M is any ionic species such as carboxylates, sulfonates, sulfates, and phosphates, x is the chain length of the linking group ranging from 2-16, and y is the average degree of ethoxylation ranging from 1 to 5; wherein said extended chain anionic surfactant is C₁₂—(PO)₁₆-(EO)₂ sulfate.

[0184] Cationic Surfactants

[0185] Surface active substances are classified as cationic if the charge on the hydrotrope portion of the molecule is positive. Surfactants in which the hydrotrope carries no charge unless the pH is lowered close to neutrality or lower, but which are then cationic (e.g., alkyl amines), are also included in this group. In theory, cationic surfactants may be synthesized from any combination of elements containing an “onium” structure RnX+Y— and could include compounds other than nitrogen (ammonium) such as phosphorus (phosphonium) and sulfur (sulfonium). In practice, the cationic surfactant field is dominated by nitrogen containing compounds, probably because synthetic routes to nitrogenous cationics are simple and straightforward and give high yields of product, which can make them less expensive.

[0186] Cationic surfactants preferably include, more preferably refer to, compounds containing at least one long carbon chain hydrophobic group and at least one positively charged nitrogen. The long carbon chain group may be attached directly to the nitrogen atom by simple substitution; or more preferably indirectly by a bridging functional group or groups in so-called interrupted alkylamines and amido amines. Such functional groups can make the molecule more hydrophilic or more water dispersible, more easily water solubilized by co-surfactant mixtures, or water soluble. For increased water solubility, additional primary, secondary or tertiary amino groups can be introduced, or the amino nitrogen can be quaternized with low molecular weight alkyl groups. Further, the nitrogen can be a part of branched or straight chain moiety of varying degrees of unsaturation or of a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring. In addition, cationic surfactants may contain complex linkages having more than one cationic nitrogen atom.

[0187] The surfactant compounds classified as amine oxides, amphoterics and zwitterions are themselves typically cationic in near neutral to acidic pH solutions and can overlap surfactant classifications. Polyoxyethylated cationic surfactants generally behave like nonionic surfactants in alkaline solution and like cationic surfactants in acidic solution.

[0188] The simplest cationic amines, amine salts and quaternary ammonium compounds can be schematically drawn thus.

in which, R represents an alkyl chain, R′, R″, and R′″ may be either alkyl chains or aryl groups or hydrogen and X represents an anion. The amine salts and quaternary ammonium compounds are preferred for practical use in this disclosure due to their high degree of water solubility.

[0189] The majority of large volume commercial cationic surfactants can be subdivided into four major classes and additional sub-groups known to those or skill in the art and described in “Surfactant Encyclopedia,” Cosmetics & Toiletries, Vol. 104 (2) 86-96 (1989). The first class includes alkylamines and their salts. The second class includes alkyl imidazolines. The third class includes ethoxylated amines. The fourth class includes quatemaries, such as alkyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium salts, alkyl benzene salts, heterocyclic ammonium salts, tetra alkylammonium salts, and the like. Cationic surfactants are known to have a variety of properties that can be beneficial in the present compositions. These desirable properties can include detergency in compositions of or below neutral pH, antimicrobial efficacy, thickening or gelling in cooperation with other agents, and the like.

[0190] Cationic surfactants useful in the compositions of the present disclosure include those having the formula R¹_mR²_xY_LZ wherein each R¹ is an organic group containing a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl group optionally substituted with up to three phenyl or hydroxy groups and optionally interrupted by up to four of the following structures:

or an isomer or mixture of these structures, and which contains from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms. The R¹ groups can additionally contain up to 12 ethoxy groups. m is a number from 1 to 3. Preferably, no more than one R¹ group in a molecule has 16 or more carbon atoms when m is 2 or more than 12 carbon atoms when m is 3. Each R² is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group with no more than one R² in a molecule being benzyl, and x is a number from 0 to 11, preferably from 0 to 6. The remainder of any carbon atom positions on the Y group are filled by hydrogens.
Y is a group including, but not limited to:

or a mixture thereof. Preferably, L is 1 or 2, with the Y groups being separated by a moiety selected from R¹ and R² analogs (preferably alkylene or alkenylene) having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms and two free carbon single bonds when L is 2. Z is a water-soluble anion, such as a halide, sulfate, methylsulfate, hydroxide, or nitrate anion, particularly preferred being chloride, bromide, iodide, sulfate or methyl sulfate anions, in a number to give electrical neutrality of the cationic component.

[0191] Additional suitable cationic surfactants include those derived from coconut products such as coconut oil or coconut fatty acid. Additional suitable coconut derived surfactants include, for example, complex fatty tertiary amines with cationic surfactant properties, both as free amines and in the salt form. Such surfactants include, but are not limited to N,N-Diethoxylated-N-coco-N-methylammonium chloride (also sometimes referred to as Coconut oil alkyl)bis(2-hydroxyethyl, ethoxylated)methylammonium Chloride) Such surfactants are commercially available under the trade names Ameenex™, specifically Ameenex™ 1154 and Rewoquat, specifically Rewoquat CQ 100 G.

[0192] Amphoteric Surfactants

[0193] Amphoteric, or ampholytic, surfactants contain both a basic and an acidic hydrophilic group and an organic hydrophobic group. These ionic entities may be any of anionic or cationic groups described herein for other types of surfactants. A basic nitrogen and an acidic carboxylate group are the typical functional groups employed as the basic and acidic hydrophilic groups. In a few surfactants, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphonate or phosphate provide the negative charge.

[0194] Amphoteric surfactants can be broadly described as derivatives of aliphatic secondary and tertiary amines, in which the aliphatic radical may be straight chain or branched and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and one contains an anionic water solubilizing group, e.g., carboxy, sulfo, sulfato, phosphato, or phosphono. Amphoteric surfactants are subdivided into two major classes known to those of skill in the art and described in “Surfactant Encyclopedia” Cosmetics & Toiletries, Vol. 104 (2) 69-71 (1989), which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. The first class includes acyl/dialkyl ethylenediamine derivatives (e.g., 2-alkyl hydroxyethyl imidazoline derivatives) and their salts. The second class includes N-alkylamino acids and their salts. Some amphoteric surfactants can be envisioned as fitting into both classes.

[0195] Amphoteric surfactants can be synthesized by methods known to those of skill in the art. For example, 2-alkyl hydroxyethyl imidazoline is synthesized by condensation and ring closure of a long chain carboxylic acid (or a derivative) with dialkyl ethylenediamine. Commercial amphoteric surfactants are derivatized by subsequent hydrolysis and ring-opening of the imidazoline ring by alkylation—for example with chloroacetic acid or ethyl acetate. During alkylation, one or two carboxy-alkyl groups react to form a tertiary amine and an ether linkage with differing alkylating agents yielding different tertiary amines.

[0196] Long chain imidazole derivatives having application in the present disclosure generally have the general formula:

[0197]

[0198]

wherein R is an acyclic hydrophobic group containing from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and M is a cation to neutralize the charge of the anion, generally sodium. Commercially prominent imidazoline-derived amphoterics that can be employed in the present compositions include for example: Cocoamphopropionate, Cocoamphocarboxy-propionate, Cocoamphoglycinate, Cocoamphocarboxy-glycinate, Cocoamphopropyl-sulfonate, and Cocoamphocarboxy-propionic acid. Amphocarboxylic acids can be produced from fatty imidazolines in which the dicarboxylic acid functionality of the amphodicarboxylic acid is diacetic acid or dipropionic acid.

[0199] The carboxymethylated compounds (glycinates) described herein above frequently are called betaines. Betaines are a special class of amphoteric discussed herein below in the section entitled, Zwitterion Surfactants.

[0200] Long chain N-alkylamino acids are readily prepared by reaction RNH₂, in which R=C₈-C₁₈ straight or branched chain alkyl, fatty amines with halogenated carboxylic acids. Alkylation of the primary amino groups of an amino acid leads to secondary and tertiary amines. Alkyl substituents may have additional amino groups that provide more than one reactive nitrogen center. Most commercial N-alkylamine acids are alkyl derivatives of beta-alanine or beta-N(2-carboxyethyl) alanine. Examples of commercial N-alkylamino acid ampholytes having application in this disclosure include alkyl beta-amino dipropionates, RN(C₂H₄COOM)₂ and RNHC₂H₄COOM. In an embodiment, R can be an acyclic hydrophobic group containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and M is a cation to neutralize the charge of the anion.

[0201] Suitable amphoteric surfactants include those derived from coconut products such as coconut oil or coconut fatty acid. Additional suitable coconut derived surfactants include as part of their structure an ethylenediamine moiety, an alkanolamide moiety, an amino acid moiety, e.g., glycine, or a combination thereof, and an aliphatic substituent of from about 8 to 18 (e.g., 12) carbon atoms. Such a surfactant can also be considered an alkyl amphodicarboxylic acid. These amphoteric surfactants can include chemical structures represented as: C₁₂-alkyl-C(O)—NH—CH₂—CH₂—N⁺(CH₂—CH₂—CO₂Na)₂—CH₂—CH₂—OH or C₁₂-alkyl-C(O)—N(H)—CH₂—CH₂—N⁺(CH₂—CO₂Na)₂-CH₂—CH₂—OH. Disodium cocoampho dipropionate is one suitable amphoteric surfactant and is commercially available under the tradename Miranol™ FBS from Rhodia Inc., Cranbury, N.J. Another suitable coconut derived amphoteric surfactant with the chemical name disodium cocoampho diacetate is sold under the tradename Mirataine™ JCHA, also from Rhodia Inc., Cranbury, N.J.

[0202] A typical listing of amphoteric classes, and species of these surfactants, is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 issued to Laughlin and Heuring on Dec. 30, 1975. Further examples are given in “Surface Active Agents and Detergents” (Vol. I and II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch). Each of these references are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0203] Zwitterionic Surfactants

[0204] Zwitterionic surfactants can be thought of as a subset of the amphoteric surfactants and can include an anionic charge. Zwitterionic surfactants can be broadly described as derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, or derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium or tertiary sulfonium compounds. Typically, a zwitterionic surfactant includes a positive charged quaternary ammonium or, in some cases, a sulfonium or phosphonium ion; a negative charged carboxyl group; and an alkyl group. Zwitterionics generally contain cationic and anionic groups which ionize to a nearly equal degree in the isoelectric region of the molecule and which can develop strong“inner-salt” attraction between positive-negative charge centers. Examples of such zwitterionic synthetic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, and sulfonium compounds, in which the aliphatic radicals can be straight chain or branched, and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and one contains an anionic water solubilizing group, e.g., carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphate, or phosphonate.

[0205] Betaine and sultaine surfactants are example zwitterionic surfactants for use herein. A general formula for these compounds is:

wherein R¹ contains an alkyl, alkenyl, or hydroxyalkyl radical of from 8 to 18 carbon atoms having from 0 to 10 ethylene oxide moieties and from 0 to 1 glyceryl moiety; Y is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur atoms; R² is an alkyl or monohydroxy alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms; x is 1 when Y is a sulfur atom and 2 when Y is a nitrogen or phosphorus atom, R³ is an alkylene or hydroxy alkylene or hydroxy alkylene of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and Z is a radical selected from the group consisting of carboxylate, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphonate, and phosphate groups.

[0206] Examples of zwitterionic surfactants having the structures listed above include: 4-[N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-octadecylammonio]-butane-1-carboxylate; 5-[S-3-hydroxypropyl-S-hexadecylsulfonio]-3-hydroxypentane-1-sulfate; 3-[P,P-diethyl-P-3,6,9-trioxatetracosanephosphonio]-2-hydroxypropane-1-phosphate; 3-[N,N-dipropyl-N-3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyl-ammonio]-propane-1-phosphonate; 3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate; 3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-2-hydroxy-propane-1-sulfonate; 4-[N,N-di(2(2-hydroxyethyl)-N(2-hydroxydodecyl)ammonio]-butane-1-carboxylate; 3-[S-ethyl-S-(3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyl)sulfonio]-propane-1-phosphate; 3-[P,P-dimethyl-P-dodecylphosphonio]-propane-1-phosphonate; and S[N,N-di(3-hydroxypropyl)-N-hexadecylammonio]-2-hydroxy-pentane-1-sulfate. The alkyl groups contained in said detergent surfactants can be straight or branched and saturated or unsaturated.

[0207] The zwitterionic surfactant suitable for use in the present compositions includes a betaine of the general structure:

[0208] These surfactant betaines typically do not exhibit strong cationic or anionic characters at pH extremes, nor do they show reduced water solubility in their isoelectric range. Unlike “external” quaternary ammonium salts, betaines are compatible with anionics. Examples of suitable betaines include coconut acylamidopropyldimethyl betaine; hexadecyl dimethyl betaine; C_12-14 acylamidopropylbetaine; C_8-14 acylamidohexyldiethyl betaine; 4-C_14-16 acylmethylamidodiethylammonio-1-carboxybutane; C_16-18 acylamidodimethylbetaine; C_12-16 acylamidopentanediethylbetaine; and C_12-16 acylmethylamidodimethylbetaine.

[0209] Sultaines useful in the present disclosure include those compounds having the formula (R(R¹)₂ N⁺ R²SO³⁻, in which R is a C₆-C₁₈ hydrocarbyl group, each R¹ is typically independently C₁-C₃ alkyl, e.g., methyl, and R² is a C₁-C₆ hydrocarbyl group, e.g., a C₁-C₃ alkylene or hydroxyalkylene group.

[0210] A typical listing of zwitterionic classes, and species of these surfactants, is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 issued to Laughlin and Heuring on Dec. 30, 1975. Further examples are given in “Surface Active Agents and Detergents” (Vol. I and II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch). Each of these references are herein incorporated in their entirety.

[0211] Defoaming Agent

[0212] The laundry sours employed in some of the cleaning steps can comprise a defoamer. Defoaming agents include a variety of different materials adapted for defoaming a variety of compositions. Defoaming agents can comprise an anionic or nonionic material such as polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives, fatty acid sulfates, phosphate esters, sulfonated materials, silicone-based compositions, and others.

[0213] Preferred silicone defoaming agents can include a polydialkylsiloxane, such as polydimethylsiloxane, or a silicone emulsion such as silicone emulsion. In some embodiments, silicone based defoaming agents can be combined with silica, including, for example silica, fumed silica, derivatized silica, and silanized silica.

[0214] Preferred fatty acid defoaming agents can comprise simple alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts of a fatty acid or fatty acid derivatives. Examples of such derivatives include mono, di- and tri-fatty acid esters of polyhydroxy compounds such as ethylene glycol, glycerin, propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, etc. Preferably such defoaming agents comprise a fatty acid monoester of glycerol. Fatty acids useful in such defoaming compositions can include any C_8-24 saturated or unsaturated, branched or unbranched mono or polymeric fatty acid and salts thereof, including for example myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and others commonly available.

[0215] Other suitable defoaming agents include water insoluble waxes, preferably microcrystalline wax, petroleum wax, synthetic petroleum wax, rice base wax, beeswax having a melting point in the range from about 35° C. to 125° C. with a low saponification value, white oils, etc.

[0216] When a defoaming agent is added it can be added in an amount suitable to reduce foam to the desired amount. Thus, the amount of defoaming agent added can depend on the other ingredients in the formulation.

[0217] Enzyme

[0218] Embodiments of the disclosure can include the use of one or more enzymes. The one or more enzymes can comprise a protease. The one or more enzymes can comprise an amylase. In certain embodiments, the methods employ a protease and an amylase. The enzymes can be included in a laundry sour in any step of the methods. In some preferred embodiments, the enzymes are in a booster composition used in the pre-wash step or in its own step.

[0219] Protease enzymes are particularly advantageous for cleaning soils containing protein, such as blood, cutaneous scales, mucus, grass, food (e.g., egg, milk, spinach, meat residue, tomato sauce), or the like. Additionally, proteases have the ability to retain their activity at elevated temperatures. Protease enzymes are capable of cleaving macromolecular protein links of amino acid residues and convert substrates into small fragments that are readily dissolved or dispersed into the aqueous use solution. Proteases are often referred to as detersive enzymes due to the ability to break soils through the chemical reaction known as hydrolysis. Protease enzymes can be obtained, for example, from Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Streptomyces griseus. Protease enzymes are also commercially available as serine endoproteases.

[0220] Examples of commercially available protease enzymes are available under the following trade names: Esperase, Purafect, Purafect L, Purafect Ox, Everlase, Liquanase, Savinase, Prime L, Prosperase and Blap.

[0221] The enzyme compositions can be an independent entity or may be formulated in combination with a laundry sour. According to an embodiment, an enzyme composition may be formulated into the laundry sours in either liquid or solid formulations. In addition, enzyme compositions may be formulated into various delayed or controlled release formulations. For example, a solid molded laundry sour may be prepared without the addition of heat. As a skilled artisan will appreciate, enzymes tend to become denatured by the application of heat and therefore use of enzymes within laundry sours require methods of forming a laundry sour that does not rely upon heat as a step in the formation process, such as solidification. Enzymes can improve cleaning in cold water wash conditions. Further, cold water wash conditions can ensure the enzymes are not thermally denatured.

[0222] The enzyme composition may further be obtained commercially in a solid (i.e., puck, powder, etc.) or liquid formulation. Commercially available enzymes are generally combined with stabilizers, buffers, cofactors and inert vehicles. The actual active enzyme content depends upon the method of manufacture, which is well known to a skilled artisan and such methods of manufacture are not critical to the present disclosure.

[0223] Alternatively, the enzyme composition may be provided separate from the laundry sour, such as added directly to the wash liquor or wash water of a particular application of use, e.g., laundry machine or dishwasher.

[0224] Additional description of enzyme compositions suitable for use in the cleaning methods is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,670,549, 7,723,281, 7,670,549, 7,553,806, 7,491,362, 6,638,902, 6,624,132, and 6,197,739 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2012/0046211 and 2004/0072714, each of which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. In addition, the reference “Industrial Enzymes”, Scott, D., in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Edition, (editors Grayson, M. and EcKroth, D.) Vol. 9, pp. 173-224, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980 is incorporated herein in its entirety.

[0225] Polymer

[0226] In some embodiments the compositions include one or more polymers A polymer can be beneficial to serve as a binder, improve performance, and inhibit crystal growth thereby preventing precipitation of carbonates. Suitable polymers include but are not limited to high molecular weight polyacrylates (or polyacrylic acid homopolymers). Suitable high molecular weight polyacrylates can have a molecular weight of at least about 5000. The high molecular weight polyacrylates can contain a polymerization unit derived from the monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, iso-butyl acrylate, iso-butyl methacrylate, iso-octyl acrylate, iso-octyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate and hydroxypropyl methacrylate and a mixture thereof, among which acrylic acid. Methacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, iso-butyl acrylate, iso-butyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl acrylate, and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, and a mixture thereof are preferred.

[0227] The above-mentioned acrylate monomers can be selected from the group consisting of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-phenoxy ethyl acrylate, ethoxylated 2-phenoxy ethyl acrylate, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl acrylate, cyclic trimethylolpropane formal acrylate, β-carboxyethyl acrylate, lauryl(meth)acrylate, isooctyl acrylate, stearyl(meth)acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, isobornyl(meth)acrylate, benzyl acrylate, hydroxypivalyl hydroxypivalate diacrylate, ethoxylated 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, dipropylene glycol diacrylate, ethoxylated dipropylene glycol diacrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, propoxylated neopentyl glycol diacrylate, ethoxylated bisphenol-A di(meth)acrylate, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol diacrylate, ethoxylated 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol diacrylate, 2-butyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol diacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphate, tris(2-hydroxy ethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate, propoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, ethoxylated pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, ditrimethylolpropane tetraacrylate, propoxylated pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate, (meth)acrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), tripropylene glycol di(meth)acrylate-1,4-butanediol di(meth)acrylate, 1,6-hexanediol di(meth)acrylate, allylated cyclohexyl di(meth)acrylate, isocyanurate di(meth)acrylate, ethoxylated trimethylol propane tri(meth)acrylate, propoxylated glycerol tri(meth)acrylate, trimethylol propane tri(meth)acrylate, and tris(acryloxyethyl)isocyanurate, and a mixture thereof.

[0228] Preferred are polyacrylic acids, (C₃H₄O₂)_n or 2-Propenoic acid homopolymers; Acrylic acid polymer; Poly(acrylic acid); Propenoic acid polymer; PAA have the following structural formula:

where n is any integer.

[0229] One source of commercially available polyacrylates (polyacrylic acid homopolymers) useful for the disclosure includes the Acusol 445 series from The Dow Chemical Company, Wilmington Del., USA, including, for example, Acusol® 445 (acrylic acid polymer, 48% total solids) (4500 MW), Acusol® 445N (sodium acrylate homopolymer, 45% total solids)(4500 MW), and Acusol®445ND (powdered sodium acrylate homopolymer, 93% total solids)(4500 MW) Other polyacrylates (polyacrylic acid homopolymers) commercially available from Dow Chemical Company suitable for the disclosure include, but are not limited to Acusol 929 (10,000 MW) and Acumer 1510. Yet another example of a commercially available polyacrylic acid is AQUATREAT AR-6 (100,000 MW) from AkzoNobel Strawinskylaan 2555 1077 ZZ Amsterdam Postbus 75730 1070 AS Amsterdam. Other suitable polyacrylates (polyacrylic acid homopolymers) for use in the disclosure include, but are not limited to those obtained from additional suppliers such as Aldrich Chemicals, Milwaukee, Wis., and ACROS Organics and Fine Chemicals, Pittsburgh, Pa., BASF Corporation and SNF Inc.

[0230] In some embodiments the compositions include positively charged polymers such as ethoxylated polyethyleneimine (PEI) polymers and derivatives thereof, polyamines, polyquats, polyglycerol quats, and products commercially available from Nalco such as VX10035 a propoxylated PEI and two other Nalco products, VX9945 and VX9946, in which the PEI is first propoxylated then ethoxylated.

[0231] The positively charged class of polymers such as polyethyleneimine (PEI) and its derivatives such as ethoxylated (PEI) polymers, propoxylated (PEI) polymers, polyamines, polyquats, polyglycerol quats, and other PEI derivatives, their salts or mixtures thereof are used in foaming compositions to provide the electrostatic interaction with surfactants present in the foaming compositions, particularly preferred are ethoxylated or propoxylated PEI polymers. In such embodiments, the PEI or PEIs are branched, spherical polymeric amines, and the molecular weight of the PEI or PEI salt used is from about 800 daltons to about 2 million Daltons. In addition, in preferred such embodiments, the charge density of the PEI or PEI salt used is from about 15 meq/g to about 25 meq/g, more preferably from about 16 meq/g to about 20 meq/g. Examples of such preferred PEIs include the BASF products LUPASOL WF (25 kDa; 16-20 meq/g) and Lupasol® FG (800 daltons; 16-20 meq/g), and the SOKALAN® family of polymers available from BASF, e.g., SOKALAN® HP20, SOKALAN® HP22 G, and the like.

[0232] In an embodiment, the PEI polymer is a multifunctional polyethyleneimine polymer, such as Polyquat PN 60 or Sokalan® HP 20.

[0233] When present, the compositions one or more polymers in an amount of between about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the composition, from about 2 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the composition, from about 4 wt. % to about 7.5 wt. % of the composition, and more preferably about 5 wt. % of the composition, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0234] Acrylic Acid Polymer

[0235] In addition, or in alternative to the polymers described herein, the compositions may include an acrylic acid polymer. As referred to herein, the acrylic acid polymer refers to a copolymer or terpolymer as disclosed herein. In addition, as used herein the term acrylic refers to acrylic or methacrylic. In an embodiment, the compositions include from about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. % acrylic acid polymer, from about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % acrylic acid polymer, from about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % acrylic acid polymer, preferably from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % acrylic acid polymer. In addition, without being limited according to the disclosure, all ranges recited are inclusive of the numbers defining the range, including for example each integer within the defined range.

[0236] The acrylic acid polymer has at least 50 wt. % polymerized residues of acrylic monomers, preferably at least 60 wt. %, preferably at least 70 wt. %, preferably at least 80 wt. %, preferably at least 90 wt. %, or preferably at least 95 wt. %. Acrylic monomers include acrylic acids, methacrylic acids and their C₁-C₂₅ alkyl or hydroxyalkyl esters, including for example monomers of structure H₂C═C(R)CRCO₂(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_m—R″; crotonic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, (meth)acrylamides, (meth)acrylonitrile and alkyl or hydroxyalkyl esters of crotonic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid or maleic acid.

[0237] The acrylic acid polymer is provided in an aqueous composition with the polymer as discrete particles dispersed therein. The acrylic polymer comprising other polymerized monomer residues, may include for example, non-ionic (meth)acrylate esters, cationic monomers, H₂C═C(R)C₆H₄C(CH₃)₂NHCO₂(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″, H₂C═C(R)C(O)X(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″—, monounsaturated dicarboxylates, vinyl esters, vinyl amides (e.g., N-vinylpyrrolidone), sulfonated acrylic monomers, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl halides, phosphorus-containing monomers, heterocyclic monomers, styrene and substituted styrenes. In a preferred embodiment, the polymer contains no more than 5 wt. % sulfur- or phosphorus-containing monomers, preferably no more than 3 wt. %, preferably no more than 2 wt. %, preferably no more than 1 wt. %.

[0238] The acrylic acid polymer may comprise, consist of or consist essentially of polymerized residues of:

[0239] (i) C₁-C₁₈ alkyl (meth)acrylates;

[0240] (ii) C₃-C₆ carboxylic acid monomers, wherein the monomer is a mono-ethylenically unsaturated compound having one or two carboxylic acid groups. For example, the monomer may include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, itaconic acid, maleic anhydride, crotonic acid, etc.; and

[0241] (iii) monomers having the following structures H₂C═C(R)C(O)X(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″ or H₂₂C═C(R)C₆H₄C(CH₃)₂NHCO₂(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″; wherein X is O or NH, R is H or CH₃, R′ is C₁-C₂ alkyl; R″ is C₅-C₂₅ alkyl, C₅-C₁₆ alkyl phenyl or C₁₃-C₃₆ aralkylphenyl; n is an average number from 6-100 and m is an average number from 0-50, provided that n≥m and m+n is 6-100.

[0242] As referred to herein, alkyl groups are saturated hydrocarbyl groups which may be straight or branched. Aralkyl groups are alkyl groups substituted by aryl groups. Examples of aralkyl groups include, for example, benzyl, 2-phenylethyl and 1-phenylethyl. Aralkyl phenyl groups are phenyl groups having one or more aralkyl substituents.

[0243] In an embodiment, the polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 25,000, at least 50,000, at least 100,000, at least 150,000, preferably at least 180,000, preferably at least 200,000, preferably at least 300,000. In some cases, including cross-linked polymers, the MW can be as high as 10,000,000. In preferred embodiments, the MW is less than 5,000,000, less than 2,000,000, and more preferably less than 1,000,000.

[0244] Cross-linked polymers, such as a monomer having two or more non-conjugated ethylenically unsaturated groups, included with the copolymer components during polymerization. Examples of such monomers include, di- or tri-allyl ethers and di- or tri-(meth)acrylic esters of diols or polyols (e.g., trimethylolpropane diallyl ether (TMPDE), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), di- or tri-allyl esters of di- or ti-acids, allyl (meth)acrylate, divinyl sulfone, triallyl phosphate, divinyl aromatics (e.g., divinylbenzene). In a preferred embodiment, the amount of polymerized crosslinker residue in the polymer is less than 0.3 wt. %, less than 0.2 wt. %, less than 0.1 wt. %, less than 0.05 wt. %, or less than 0.01 wt. %.

[0245] In a preferred embodiment, polymerized residues may include from 40 to 65 wt. % C1-C18 alkyl (meth)acrylates; from 25 to 55 wt. % C3-C6 carboxylic acid monomers; and from 0 to 20 wt. % of monomers having the following structures H₂C═C(R)C(O)X(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″ or H₂₂C═C(R)C₆H₄C(CH₃)₂NHCO₂(CH₂CH₂O)_n(CH(R′)CH₂O)_mR″; wherein X is O or NH, R is H or CH₃, R′ is C₁-C₂ alkyl; R″ is C₅-C₂₅ alkyl, C₅-C₁₆ alkyl phenyl or C₁₃-C₃₆ aralkylphenyl; n is an average number from 6-100 and m is an average number from 0-50, provided that n≥m and m+n is 6-100.

[0246] A commercially available acrylic acid polymer is a methacrylic acid/ethyl acrylate polymer (Acusol 845, Dow Chemical) which beneficially suspends both oils and metals according to the formulated compositions according to the disclosure for industrial laundering. Additional disclosure of suitable embodiments of the acrylic acid polymer is set forth in U.S. Publication Nos. 2012/0165242 and 2012/0015861, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0247] Colorant

[0248] The finishing composition can optionally comprise a colorant. Preferred colorants include natural and synthetic colorants or dyes. Most preferably the colorant comprises FD&C Blue 1 (Sigma Chemical), FD&C Yellow 5 (Sigma Chemical), Direct Blue 86 (Miles), Fastusol Blue (Mobay Chemical Corp.), Acid Orange 7 (American Cyanamid), Basic Violet 10 (Sandoz), Aromatic Amino Polypol Violet, Acid Yellow 23 (GAF), Acid Yellow 17 (Sigma Chemical), Sap Green (Keyston Analine and Chemical), Metanil Yellow (Keystone Analine and Chemical), Acid Blue 9 (Hilton Davis), Sandolan Blue/Acid Blue 182 (Sandoz), Hisol Fast Red (Capitol Color and Chemical), Fluorescein (Capitol Color and Chemical), Acid Green 25 (Ciba-Geigy), or a combination thereof.

[0249] In an embodiment, the colorant or dye may comprise dyes which are generally recognized as safe. Suitable dyes include, but are not limited to, FDC Blue #1, FDC Blue #2, FDC Green #3, FDC Red #3, FDC Red #4, FDC Red #40, Violet #1, FDC Yellow #5, and FDC Yellow #6.

[0250] When present, the colorant may be present in an amount of between about 0.001 wt. % and about 5 wt. %, more preferably between about 0.01 wt. % and about 2 wt. %, most preferably between about 0.1 wt. % and about 1 wt. %, inclusive of all integers within this range.

[0251] Fragrance

[0252] The finishing composition can optionally comprise a fragrance. Preferred fragrances include natural and synthetic fragrances and perfumes. Most preferably the fragrance comprises terpenoids such as citronellol, aldehydes such as amyl cinnamaldehyde, a jasmine such as CIS-jasmine or jasmal, vanillin, Fruity Boost G from Takasago, Spring Floral Fresh from Takasago, and the like, or a mixture thereof.

[0253] Solidification Agent

[0254] If it is desirable to prepare compositions as a solid, one or more solidification agents may be included into the composition. In some embodiments, the solidification agent can form or maintain the composition as a solid rinse aid composition. In other embodiments, the solidification agent can solidify the composition without unacceptably detracting from the eventual release of the active ingredients. The solidification agent can include, for example, an organic or inorganic solid compound having a neutral inert character or making a functional, stabilizing or detersive contribution to the present composition. Suitable solidification agents include solid polyethylene glycol (PEG), solid polypropylene glycol, solid EO/PO block copolymer, amide, urea (also known as carbamide), nonionic surfactant (which can be employed with a coupler), anionic surfactant, starch that has been made water-soluble (e.g., through an acid or alkaline treatment process), cellulose that has been made water-soluble, inorganic agent, poly(maleic anhydride/methyl vinyl ether), polymethacrylic acid, other generally functional or inert materials with high melting points, mixtures thereof, and the like.

[0255] Suitable glycol solidification agents include a solid polyethylene glycol or a solid polypropylene glycol, which can, for example, have molecular weight of about 1,400 to about 30,000. In certain embodiments, the solidification agent includes or is solid PEG, for example PEG 1500 up to PEG 20,000. In certain embodiments, the PEG includes PEG 1450, PEG 3350, PEG 4500, PEG 8000, PEG 20,000, and the like. Suitable solid polyethylene glycols are commercially available from Union Carbide under the tradename CARBOWAX.

[0256] Suitable amide solidification agents include stearic monoethanolamide, lauric diethanolamide, stearic diethanolamide, stearic monoethanol amide, coco diethylene amide, an alkylamide, urea, or a combination thereof.

[0257] Suitable inorganic solidification agents include phosphate salt (e.g., alkali metal phosphate), sulfate salt (e.g., magnesium sulfate, sodium sulfate or sodium bisulfate), acetate salt (e.g., anhydrous sodium acetate), Borates (e.g., sodium borate), Silicates (e.g., the precipitated or fumed forms (e.g., Sipernat 50® available from Degussa), carbonate salt (e.g., calcium carbonate or carbonate hydrate), other known hydratable compounds, mixtures thereof, and the like. In an embodiment, the inorganic solidification agent can include organic phosphonate compound and carbonate salt, such as an E-Form composition.

[0258] When present, the one or more solidification agents may be present in an amount of between about 1 wt.-% to about 99 wt. %, between about 5 wt. % to about 90 wt. %, or between about 15% to about 70 wt. %, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0259] Bleaching Agent

[0260] The methods and laundry sours can optionally include a whitening or bleaching agent. Such can be included in a laundry sour or part of a separate whitening/bleaching step. Suitable whitening agents include halogen-based bleaching agents and oxygen-based bleaching agents. The whitening agent can be added to the laundry sours; however, in some embodiments of the disclosure, the whitening agent can be used in the pre-soak or pre-treatment step so that the later laundering step may be free of bleaching agents. This can be beneficial in formulating solid laundry sours as there can be difficulties in formulating solid compositions with bleaching agents.

[0261] If no enzyme material is present in the compositions, a halogen-based bleach may be effectively used as ingredient in a main wash detergent. Other suitable halogen bleaches are alkali metal salts of di- and tri-chloro and di- and tri-bromo cyanuric acids. Preferred halogen-based bleaches comprise chlorine.

[0262] Some examples of classes of compounds that can act as sources of chlorine include a hypochlorite, a chlorinated phosphate, a chlorinated isocyanurate, a chlorinated melamine, a chlorinated amide, and the like, or mixtures of combinations thereof.

[0263] Some specific examples of sources of chlorine can include sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, chlorinated trisodium phosphate, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, potassium dichloroisocyanurate, pentaisocyanurate, trichloromelamine, sulfodichloro-amide, 1,3-dichloro 5,5-dimethyl hydantoin, N-chlorosuccinimide, N,N′-dichloroazodicarbonimide, N,N′-chloroacetyl urea, N,N′-dichlorobiuret, trichlorocyanuric acid and hydrates thereof, or combinations or mixtures thereof.

[0264] Suitable oxygen-based bleaches include peroxygen bleaches, such as sodium perborate (tetra- or monohydrate), sodium percarbonate or hydrogen peroxide. These are preferably used in conjunction with a bleach activator which allows the liberation of active oxygen species at a lower temperature. Numerous examples of activators of this type, often also referred to as bleach precursors, are known in the art and amply described in the literature such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,332,882 and 4,128,494 herein incorporated by reference. Preferred bleach activators are tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED), sodium nonanoyl oxybenzene sulphonate (SNOBS), glucose pentaacetate (GPA), tetraacetylmethylene diamine (TAMD), triacetyl cyanurate, sodium sulphonyl ethyl carbonic acid ester, sodium acetyl oxybenzene and the mono long-chain acyl tetraacetyl glucoses as disclosed in WO-91/10719, but other activators, such as choline sulphophenyl carbonate (CSPC), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,751,015 and 4,818,426 can also be used.

[0265] Peroxybenzoic acid precursors are known in the art as described in GB-A-836,988, herein incorporated by reference. Examples of suitable precursors are phenylbenzoate, phenyl p-nitrobenzoate, o-nitrophenyl benzoate, o-carboxyphenyl benzoate, p-bromophenyl benzoate, sodium or potassium benzoyloxy benzene sulfonate and benzoic anhydride.

[0266] Preferred peroxygen bleach precursors are sodium p-benzoyloxy-benzene sulfonate, N,N,N,N-tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TEAD), sodium nonanoyl oxybenzene sulfonate (SNOBS) and choline sulphophenyl carbonate (CSPC).

[0267] Optical Brightener

[0268] In some embodiments, an optical brightener component may be utilized in the compositions. The optical brightener can include any brightener that is capable of lessening graying and yellowing of textiles. Typically, these substances attach to the fibers and bring about a brightening action by converting invisible ultraviolet radiation into visible longer-wavelength light, the ultraviolet light absorbed from sunlight being irradiated as a pale bluish fluorescence and, together with the yellow shade of the grayed or yellowed laundry, producing pure white.

[0269] Fluorescent compounds belonging to the optical brightener family are typically aromatic or aromatic heterocyclic materials often containing condensed ring systems. An important feature of these compounds is the presence of an uninterrupted chain of conjugated double bonds associated with an aromatic ring. The number of such conjugated double bonds is dependent on substituents as well as the planarity of the fluorescent part of the molecule. Most brightener compounds are derivatives of stilbene or 4,4′-diamino stilbene, biphenyl, five membered heterocycles (triazoles, oxazoles, imidazoles, etc.) or six membered heterocycles (cumarins, naphthalamides, triazines, etc.).

[0270] Commercial optical brighteners which may be useful in the present disclosure can be classified into subgroups, which include, but are not necessarily limited to, derivatives of stilbene, pyrazoline, coumarin, carboxylic acid, methinecyanines, dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide, azoles, 5- and 6-membered-ring heterocycles and other miscellaneous agents. Examples of these types of brighteners are disclosed in “The Production and Application of Fluorescent Brightening Agents,” M. Zahradnik, Published by John Wiley & Sons, New York (1982), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0271] Stilbene derivatives which may be useful in the present disclosure include, but are not necessarily limited to, derivatives of bis(triazinyl)amino stilbene; bisacylamino derivatives of stilbene; triazole derivatives of stilbene; oxadiazole derivatives of stilbene; oxazole derivatives of stilbene; and styryl derivatives of stilbene. In an embodiment, optical brighteners include stilbene derivatives.

[0272] In some embodiments, the optical brightener includes Tinopal CBS-X, which is commercially available through BASF Corp.

[0273] Additional optical brighteners include, but are not limited to, the classes of substance of 4,4′-diamino-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acids (flavonic acids), 4,4′-distyrylbiphenyls, methylumbelliferones, coumarins, dihydroquinolinones, 1,3-diarylpyrazolines, naphthalimides, benzoxazol, benzisoxazol and benzimidazol systems, and pyrene derivatives substituted by heterocycles, and the like. Suitable optical brightener levels include lower levels of from about 0.01, from about 0.05, from about 0.1 or even from about 0.2 wt. % to upper levels of 0.5 or even 0.75 wt. %.

[0274] Additional Functional Ingredients

[0275] The components of the laundry sour can further be combined with various functional components suitable for use in laundering applications. In some embodiments, the laundry sour including the acrylic acid polymers, water, stabilizing agents (chelants) and water conditioning polymers make up a large amount, or even substantially all of the total weight of the laundry sour. For example, in some embodiments few or no additional functional ingredients are disposed therein.

[0276] In other embodiments, additional functional ingredients may be included in the compositions. The functional ingredients provide desired properties and functionalities to the compositions. For the purpose of this application, the term “functional ingredient” includes a material that when dispersed or dissolved in a use or concentrate solution, such as an aqueous solution, provides a beneficial property in a particular use. Some particular examples of functional materials are discussed in more detail below, although the particular materials discussed are given by way of example only, and that a broad variety of other functional ingredients may be used

[0277] Additional functional ingredients may include further defoaming agents, bleaching agents or optical brighteners, solubility modifiers, buffering agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, stabilizing agents, sequestrants or chelating agents to coordinate metal ions and control water hardness, fragrances or dyes, rheology modifiers or thickeners, hydrotropes or couplers, buffers, solvents and the like.

[0278] In an embodiment, the compositions include from about 0 wt. % to about 25 wt. % additional functional ingredients, from about 0 wt. % to about 20 wt. % additional functional ingredients, from about 0 wt. % to about 10 wt. % additional functional ingredients, or from about 0 wt. % to about 5 wt. % additional functional ingredients, inclusive of all integers within these ranges.

[0279] Methods of Preparing the Compositions

[0280] The compositions disclosed herein, including the finishing compositions as well as laundry sours used in other stages of the methods can be in the form of solids or liquids as described above. Accordingly, the finishing compositions and other compositions can be prepared as described below.

[0281] In a pressed solid process, a flowable solid, such as granular solids or other particle solids are combined under pressure. In a pressed solid process, flowable solids of the compositions are placed into a form (e.g., a mold or container). The method can include gently pressing the flowable solid in the form to produce the solid composition. Pressure may be applied by a block machine or a turntable press, or the like. Pressure may be applied at about 1 to about 2000 psi, about 1 to about 300 psi, about 5 psi to about 200 psi, or about 10 psi to about 100 psi. In certain embodiments, the methods can employ pressures as low as greater than or equal to about 1 psi, greater than or equal to about 2, greater than or equal to about 5 psi, or greater than or equal to about 10 psi. As used herein, the term “psi” or “pounds per square inch” refers to the actual pressure applied to the flowable solid being pressed and does not refer to the gauge or hydraulic pressure measured at a point in the apparatus doing the pressing. The method can include a curing step to produce the solid composition. As referred to herein, an uncured composition including the flowable solid is compressed to provide sufficient surface contact between particles making up the flowable solid that the uncured composition will solidify into a stable solid composition. A sufficient quantity of particles (e.g., granules) in contact with one another provides binding of particles to one another effective for making a stable solid composition. Inclusion of a curing step may include allowing the pressed solid to solidify for a period of time, such as a few hours, or about 1 day (or longer). In additional embodiments, the methods could include vibrating the flowable solid in the form or mold, such as the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,889,048, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0282] The use of pressed solids provide numerous benefits over conventional solid block or tablet compositions requiring high pressure in a tablet press, or casting requiring the melting of a composition consuming significant amounts of energy, or by extrusion requiring expensive equipment and advanced technical know-how. Pressed solids overcome such various limitations of other solid formulations for which there is a need for making solid compositions. Moreover, pressed solid compositions retain its shape under conditions in which the composition may be stored or handled.

[0283] The degree of hardness of the solid cast composition or a pressed solid composition may range from that of a fused solid product which is relatively dense and hard, for example, like concrete, to a consistency characterized as being a hardened paste. In addition, the term “solid” refers to the state of the laundry sour under the expected conditions of storage and use of the solid laundry sour. In general, it is expected that the laundry sour will remain in solid form when exposed to temperatures of up to approximately 100° F. and particularly up to approximately 120° F.

[0284] The solid compositions can be used as concentrated solid compositions or may be diluted to form use compositions. In general, a concentrate refers to a composition that is intended to be diluted with water to provide a use solution that contacts an object to provide the desired cleaning, rinsing, or the like. The laundry sour that contacts the articles to be washed can be referred to as a concentrate or a use composition (or use solution) dependent upon the formulation employed in methods according to the disclosure. It should be understood that the concentration of the ingredients in the laundry sour will vary depending on whether the laundry sour is provided as a concentrate or as a use solution.

[0285] A concentrated liquid composition can be prepared by combining and mixing the ingredients of the composition. If incompatible ingredients are to be formulated, the liquid compositions can be prepared as a multi-part system.

[0286] A use solution may be prepared from the concentrate by diluting the concentrate with water at a dilution ratio that provides a use solution having desired detersive properties. The water that is used to dilute the concentrate to form the use composition can be referred to as water of dilution or a diluent and can vary from one location to another. The typical dilution factor is between approximately 1 and approximately 10,000 but will depend on factors including water hardness, the amount of soil to be removed and the like. In an embodiment, the concentrate is diluted at a ratio of between about 1:10 and about 1:10,000 concentrate to water. Particularly, the concentrate is diluted at a ratio of between about 1:100 and about 1:5,000 concentrate to water. More particularly, the concentrate is diluted at a ratio of between about 1:250 and about 1:2,000 concentrate to water.

[0287] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the laundry sour preferably provides efficacious cleaning at low use dilutions, i.e., require less volume to clean effectively. In an embodiment, a concentrated liquid laundry sour may be diluted in water prior to use at dilutions ranging from about 1/16 oz./gal. to about 2 oz./gal. or more. A concentrate that requires less volume to achieve the same or better cleaning efficacy and provides hardness scale control or other benefits at low use dilutions is desirable.

[0288] The softening sour compositions beneficially reduce or eliminate carryover alkalinity while providing effective fabric softening. In some embodiments, the softening sour compositions are utilized together with a conventional alkaline detergent composition either after the initial pretreatment step, or prior to a sour treatment in a final rinse. In some embodiments, the treatment composition may be used as a part of, or packaged with a conventional detergent composition that includes surfactants, an alkalinity source, a polymer, builders or sequestrants and the like

[0289] The sour softening composition can be dispensed as a concentrate or as a use solution. In addition, the sour composition concentrate can be provided in a solid form or in a liquid form. In general, it is expected that the concentrate will be diluted with water to provide the use solution that is then supplied to the surface of a substrate. In some embodiments, the aqueous use solution may contain about 2,000 parts per million (ppm) or less active materials, or about 1,000 ppm or less active material, or in the range of about 10 ppm to about 500 ppm of active materials, or in the range of about 10 to about 300 ppm, or in the range of about 10 to 200 ppm.

[0290] The use solution can be applied to the substrate during a presoak application, for example, in a warewashing machine, a car wash application, institutional healthcare surface cleaning or the like. In some embodiments, formation of a use solution can occur from a presoak agent installed in a cleaning machine, for example onto a dish rack. The presoak agent can be diluted and dispensed from a dispenser mounted on or in the machine or from a separate dispenser that is mounted separately but cooperatively with the dish machine.

[0291] In other example embodiments, solid products may be conveniently dispensed by inserting a solid material in a container or with no enclosure into a spray-type dispenser such as the volume SOL-ET controlled ECOTEMP Injection Cylinder system or the Aquanomic system manufactured by Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, Minn. Such a dispenser cooperates with a washing machine. When demanded by the machine, the dispenser directs water onto the solid block of agent which effectively dissolves a portion of the block creating a concentrated aqueous pre-soak solution which is then fed directly into the water forming the aqueous pre-soak. The aqueous pre-soak is then contacted with the surfaces to affect a sour composition. This dispenser and other similar dispensers are capable of controlling the effective concentration of the active portion in the aqueous composition by measuring the volume of material dispensed, the actual concentration of the material in the water (an electrolyte measured with an electrode) or by measuring the time of the spray on the solid block.

[0292] Any means of contacting can be used to place the textile surface in contact with the laundry sour softening compositions, including for example, soaking, spraying, dripping, wiping, or the like. Included within the scope of contacting described herein, the textile can also be soaked, including a pretreatment, with the non-quaternary cationic amine composition or the full laundry sour. As a result of the contacting step the textile is washed, and the soils removed.

[0293] In certain embodiments a concentrate can be sprayed onto a textile surface or provided in water as part of a pre-treatment. The contacting time may vary about 10 seconds to six hours, for example 1 minute to four hours, 10 minutes to two hours, 15 minutes to an hour, inclusive of all integers within this range. In another embodiment the pre-treatment may last as long as several hours (e.g., overnight soak).

[0294] In textile cleaning applications, the laundry sour softening compositions can optionally be combined with a detergent composition or other finishing product in a use solution.

[0295] More particularly, in a typical cleaning method, the washing process comprises a pre-wash or pre-soak where the textiles are wetted, and a pre-soak composition is added. The wash phase follows the pre-soak phase; a detergent is added to the wash tank to facilitate soil removal. In some cases, a bleach phase follows the wash phase in order to remove oxidizable stains and whiten the textiles. Next, the rinsing phase removes all suspended soils. Finally, the extraction phase removes as much water from the wash tank and textiles as possible. In some cases, a wash cycle may have two rinse and extraction phases, i.e., a rinse cycle, an intermediate-extract cycle, a final rinse cycle, and a final extraction cycle. After the wash cycle is complete, the resulting wastewater is typically removed and discarded.

[0296] The sour softening compositions can be added at any one or more phase(s) of the wash cycle. In preferred embodiments, the laundry sour softening composition is added in a souring or finishing phase to neutralize any residual alkalinity from the detergent composition or complete and post-treatment of the textiles needed. In many cases the sour softener is added at the same time as other finishing chemical like a starch.

[0297] In an embodiment, the compositions will contact the textile to be cleaned for a sufficient amount of time to remove the soils, including from a few seconds to a few hours, including all ranges therebetween. In an embodiment, the composition contacts the textiles for at least about 15 seconds, at least about 30 seconds, at least about 45 seconds, or at least about 60 seconds. In an embodiment, the composition contacts the textiles for at least about 1 minute, at least about 2 minutes, at least about 3 minutes, at least about 4 minutes, or at least about 5 minutes.

[0298] In some embodiments, one or more of the aforementioned method steps reduce or mitigate the risk of laundry fire. Further discussion of steps involved in mitigation laundry fire are discussed in U.S. App. No. 2019/0330563, U.S. App. No. 2018/0208875, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,421,926, 9,034,813, and 10,273,433.

[0299] Embodiments of the finishing compositions and methods disclosed herein are further defined in the following non-limiting Examples. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating certain embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this disclosure, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the embodiments of the disclosure to adapt it to various usages and conditions. Thus, various modifications of the embodiments of the disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

• [0300] Deionized (DI) water
• [0301] Accosoft® 501, methyl bis(hydrogenated tallow amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate—a softening agent
• [0302] Accosoft® 808, methyl (1) tallow amidoethyl(2) tallow imidazolinium methyl sulfate 90% Formic Acid—an acidulant
• [0303] Hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic Acid (HEDTA)—a chelating agent
• [0304] Aromatic Amino Polypol, Violet—a dye
• [0305] Takasago, Fruity Boost G Encapsulated—a fragrance
• [0306] Takasago, Spring Floral Fresh—a fragrance

[0307] Five softener compositions, each comprised of a different chelating or stabilizing agent, were evaluated for their ability to stabilizing highly concentrated laundry sour softeners. Base compositions about 20 wt. % acid and about 15 wt. % softener. The chelating agents HEDTA, MGDA, Glycolic Acid, and Sodium Gluconate. The compositions were stored in containers at 50° C. and observed for phase separation.

[0308] The results of this analysis are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the compositions containing HEDTA, MGDA, sodium gluconate, and glycolic acid demonstrated better stability than the control composition without a chelating agent as a stabilizer. HEDTA in particular provided excellent stability efficacy.

[0309] The efficacy of HEDTA was evaluated further. Additional compositions comprising about 20 wt. % formic acid and about 15 wt. % of a diamidoamine ethoxylate quaternary ammonium compound softener and a dye were prepared. HEDTA was added to one of the compositions. The compositions were stored in containers at 50° C. and observed for phase separation. The results are shown in FIG. 2. As illustrated in this Figure, the sample with HEDTA demonstrates excellent uniformity and phase stability while the control without the chelating agent shows separation of the composition.

[0310] Viscosity over time for sour softener formulations with varying HEDTA concentrations were evaluated. Three example sour softener solutions were prepared with about 25 wt. % formic acid and about 15 wt. % diamidoamine ethoxylate quaternary ammonium compound softener and then either 0.10% HEDTA, 1% HEDTA, and 5% HEDTA. The compositions were heat-aged in an oven at 50° C. Viscosity for each composition was evaluated using Brookfield Viscometers operating at either 5 rotations per minute (RPM) or 50 RPM over a period of 10 weeks. The results of the viscosity an analysis are presented in FIG. 3.

[0311] The graphs in FIG. 3 show that the concentration of HEDTA can impact the viscosity over time. Specifically, although concentrations of 0.1 wt. % HEDTA provide acceptable viscosity results, concentrations of between 1 wt. % to 5 wt. % or greater HEDTA result in less viscosity change over time, and thus a more stable formulation.

[0312] Compositions were prepared according to Table 2 below. These compositions and control compositions (i.e., those not having a chelating agent) were observed over a period of six weeks.

TABLE 2
Example Sour-Softening Composition
Material	Purpose	Quantity (%)
DI water	Carrier	62.995
90% Formic Acid	Acidulant	20
Methyl bis(hydr. Tallow	Softening	15
amidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl	Agent
ammonium methyl sulfate
HEDTA	Stabilizer	1
Aromatic Amino Polypol-	Dye	0.005
Violet
Takasago-Fruity Boost G	Fragrance	0.3
Takasago-Spring Floral Fresh	Fragrance	0.7

[0313] The samples were kept at 50° C. for the duration of the test. The results of this analysis are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3
Stability observations of the samples at 50° C.
Week	Sample	Stability Observations
0	Without HEDTA	No visible separation
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
1	Without HEDTA	Yellow precipitate floating
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
2	Without HEDTA	More yellow on top
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
3	Without HEDTA	Color separation, yellower on top
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
4	Without HEDTA	Yellower
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
5	Without HEDTA	Yellower
	With HEDTA	No visible separation
6	Without HEDTA	Yellower, internal chunks forming
	With HEDTA	No visible separation

As shown in Table 3, the example compositions containing HEDTA showed no visible changes in terms of phase separation or lack of stability, while the control compositions without HEDTA showed reduced stability in the form of color change, precipitation formation, and visible separation of materials.

[0314] Particle size as a function of time was analyzed for samples with and without HEDTA composed according to Table 2. Particle size was measure with a Horiba particle size analyzer at a time of 1 minute after formulation and then again after 40 minutes. The results are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The particle size analysis as shown in FIG. 4 reveals that the formula with HEDTA has an initial smaller particle size as can be seen in the ratio of the area under the two peaks. The overlay of the measurements taken at 1 minute and 40 minutes, shown in FIG. 5, conveys that the formula with HEDTA retains the same particle size over this time period, while the formula without HEDTA converges to a larger particle size.

[0315] The pH of the two compositions is shown in Table 4. At a pH of less than 2 the carboxylate groups of HEDTA are all protonated and one of the nitrogens is partially protonated. These data indicate that the HEDTA molecules in the sour softener composition, at a pH less than 2 and therefore partially protonated, participate in the vesicular wall packing of the softening agent. The increased charge density from the protonated HEDTA molecules participating in the vesicular wall packing allows for the increased formation of smaller vesicles, confirmed by particle size analysis thus increasing overall stability and lowering viscosity as shown in Example 2.

TABLE 4
pH of the formulas
with and without HEDTA
	Formula	pH
	Without HEDTA	1.13
	With HEDTA	1.96

[0316] Beneficially,

[0317] The disclosures being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosures and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

[0318] The above specification provides a description of the manufacture and use of the disclosed compositions and methods. Since many embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, the disclosure resides in the claims.