Thickened Cleaning Composition

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a thickened cleaning composition containing an abrasive. More specifically, it is of a liquid detergent composition which when brought into contact with oily soil is superior to other liquid detergent compositions in detergency and in other physical properties.

2. Background of the invention

Liquid aqueous synthetic organic detergent compositions have long been employed for human hair shampoos and as dishwashing detergents for hand washing of dishes (as distinguished from automatic dishwashing machine washing of dishes). Liquid detergent compositions have also been employed as hard surface cleaners, as in pine oil liquids, for cleaning floors and walls. More recently they have proven successful as laundry detergents too, apparently because they are convenient to use, are instantly soluble in wash water, and may be employed in "pre-spotting" applications to facilitate removal of soils and stains from laundry upon subsequent washing. Liquid detergent compositions have comprised anionic, cationic and nonionic surface active agents, builders and adjuvants, including, as adjuvants, lipophilic materials which can act as solvents for lipophilic soils and stains. The various liquid aqueous synthetic organic detergent compositions mentioned serve to emulsify lipophilic materials, including oily soils, in aqueous media, such as wash water, by forming micellar dispersions and emulsions.

Although emulsification is a mechanism of soil removal, it has been only comparatively recently that it was discovered how to make microemulsions which are much more effective than ordinary emulsions in removing lipophilic materials from substrates. Such microemulsions are described in British Patent Specification No. 2,190,681 and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,026; 5,076,954 and 5,082,584 and 5,108,643, most of which relate to acidic microemulsions useful for cleaning hard surfaced items, such as bathtubs and sinks which microemulsions are especially effective in removing soap scum and lime scale from. However, as in Ser. No. 4,919,839 the microemulsions may be essentially neutral and such are also taught to be effective for microemulsifying lipophilic soils from substrates. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 7/313,664 there is described a light duty microemulsion liquid detergent composition which is useful for washing dishes and removing greasy deposits from them in both neat and diluted forms. Such compositions include complexes of anionic and cationic detergents as surface active components of the microemulsions.

The various microemulsions referred to include a lipophile, which may be a hydrocarbon, a surfactant, which may be an anionic and/or a nonionic detergent(s), a co-surfactant, which may be a poly-lower alkylene glycol lower alkyl ether, e.g., tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, and water.

Although the manufacture and use of detergent compositions in microemulsion form significantly improved cleaning power and greasy soil removal, compared to the usual emulsions, the present invention improves them still further and also increases the capacity of the detergent compositions to adhere to surfaces to which they have been applied. Thus, they drop or run substantially less than cleaning compositions of "similar" cleaning power which are in microemulsion or normal liquid detergent form. Also, because they form microemulsions with lipophilic soil or stain material spontaneously, with essentially no requirement for addition of any energy, either thermal or mechanical, they are more effective cleaners at room temperature and at higher and lower temperatures that are normally employed in cleaning operations than are ordinary liquid detergents, and are also more effective than detergent compositions in microemulsion form.

The present thickened cleaning compositions may be either clear or somewhat cloudy or milky (opalescent) in appearance but both forms thereof are stable on storage and components thereof do not settle out or become ineffective, even on storage at somewhat elevated temperatures for periods as long as six months and up to a year. The presence of the cosurfactant in the cleaning compositions helps to make such compositions resist freezing at low temperatures.

In accordance with the present invention a liquid cleaning composition containing an abrasive, suitable at room temperature or colder, for pre-treating and cleaning materials soiled with lipophilic soil, comprises synthetic organic surface active agents, a cosurfactant, a solvent for the soil, polymeric thickener and water. The invention also relates to processes for treating items and materials soiled with lipophilic soil with compositions of this invention to loosen or remove such soil, by applying to the locus of such soil on such material a soil loosening or removing amount of an invented composition. In another aspect of the invention lipophilic soil is absorbed from the soiled surface into the microemulsion.

In recent years all-purpose liquid detergents have become widely accepted for cleaning hard surfaces, e.g., painted woodwork and panels, tiled walls, wash bowls, bathtubs, linoleum or tile floors, washable wall paper, etc.. Such all-purpose liquids comprise clear and opaque aqueous mixtures of water-soluble synthetic organic detergents and water-soluble detergent builder salts. In order to achieve comparable cleaning efficiency with granular or powdered all-purpose cleaning compositions, use of water-soluble inorganic phosphate builder salts was favored in the prior art all-purpose liquids. For example, such early phosphate-containing compositions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,560,839; 3,234,138; 3,350,319; and British Patent No. 1,223,739.

In view of the environmentalist's efforts to reduce phosphate levels in ground water, improved all-purpose liquids containing reduced concentrations of inorganic phosphate builder salts or non-phosphate builder salts have appeared. A particularly useful self-opacified liquid of the latter type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,840.

However, these prior art all-purpose liquid detergents containing detergent builder salts or other equivalent tend to leave films, spots or streaks on cleaned unrinsed surfaces, particularly shiny surfaces. Thus, such liquids require thorough rinsing of the cleaned surfaces which is a time-consuming chore for the user.

In order to overcome the foregoing disadvantage of the prior art all-purpose liquid, U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,409 teaches that a mixture of paraffin sulfonate and a reduced concentration of inorganic phosphate builder salt should be employed. However, such compositions are not completely acceptable from an environmental point of view based upon the phosphate content. On the other hand, another alternative to achieving phosphate-free all-purpose liquids has been to use a major proportion of a mixture of anionic and nonionic detergents with minor amounts of glycol ether solvent and organic amine as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,130. Again, this approach has not been completely satisfactory and the high levels of organic detergents necessary to achieve cleaning cause foaming which, in turn, leads to the need for thorough rinsing which has been found to be undesirable to today's consumers.

Another approach to formulating hard surfaced or all-purpose liquid detergent composition where product homogeneity and clarity are important considerations involves the formation of oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions which contain one or more surface-active detergent compounds, a water-immiscible solvent (typically a hydrocarbon solvent), water and a "cosurfactant" compound which provides product stability. By definition, an o/w microemulsion is a spontaneously forming colloidal dispersion of "oil" phase particles having a particle size in the range of 25 to 800.ANG. in a continuous aqueous phase.

In view of the extremely fine particle size of the dispersed oil phase particles, microemulsions are transparent to light and are clear and usually highly stable against phase separation.

Patent disclosures relating to use of grease-removal solvents in o/w microemulsions include, for example, European Patent Applications EP 0137615 and EP 0137616--Herbots et al.; European Patent Application EP 0160762--Johnston et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,991--Herbots et al. Each of these patent disclosures also teaches using at least 5% by weight of grease-removal solvent.

It also is known from British Patent Application GB 2144763A to Herbots et al., published Mar. 13, 1985, that magnesium salts enhance grease-removal performance of organic grease-removal solvents, such as the terpenes, in o/w microemulsion liquid detergent compositions. The compositions of this invention described by Herbots et al. require at least 5% of the mixture of grease-removal solvent and magnesium salt and preferably at least 5% of solvent (which may be a mixture of water-immiscible non-polar solvent with a sparingly soluble slightly polar solvent) and at least 0.1% magnesium salt.

The following representative prior art patents also relate to liquid detergent cleaning compositions in the form of o/w microemulsions: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,472,291--Rosario; 4,540,448--Gauteer et al.; 3,723,330--Sheflin; et al.

Liquid detergent compositions which include terpenes, such as d-limonene, or other grease-removal solvent, although not disclosed to be in the form of o/w microemulsions, are the subject matter of the following representative patent documents: European Patent Application 0080749; British Patent Specification 1,603,047; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,414,128 and 4,540,505. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,128 broadly discloses an aqueous liquid detergent composition characterized by weight:

(a) from 1% to 20% of a synthetic anionic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant or mixture thereof;

(b) from 0.5% to 10% of a mono- or sesquiterpene or mixture thereof, at a weight ratio of (a):(b) being in the range of 5:1 to 1:3; and

(c) from 0.5% to 20% of a polar solvent having a solubility in water at 15.degree. C. in the range of from 0.2% to 10%. Other ingredients present in the formulations disclosed in this patent include from 0.05% to 10% by weight of an alkali metal, ammonium or alkanolammonium soap of a C.sub.13 -C.sub.24 fatty acid; a calcium sequestrant from 0.5% to 13% by weight; non-aqueous solvent, e.g., alcohols and glycol ethers, up to 10% by weight; and hydrotropes, e.g., urea, ethanolamines, salts of lower alkylaryl sulfonates, up to 10% by weight. All of the formulations shown in the Examples of this patent include relatively large amounts of detergent builder salts which are detrimental to surface shine.

The present invention relates to improved, thickened cleaning compositions containing an abrasive. The compositions have improved scouring ability and interfacial tension which improves the cleaning of hard surface such as plastic, vitreous and metal surfaces such as pots and pans having a shiny finish, oil stained floors, automotive engines and other engines. More particularly, the improved cleaning compositions exhibit good scouring power and grease soil removal properties due to the improved interfacial tensions and leave the cleaned surfaces shiny without the need of or requiring only minimal additional rinsing or wiping. The latter characteristic is evidenced by little or no visible residues on the unrinsed cleaned surfaces and, accordingly, overcomes one of the disadvantages of prior art products.

Surprisingly, these desirable results are accomplished even in the absence of polyphosphate or other inorganic or organic detergent builder salts and also in the complete absence or substantially complete absence of grease-removal solvent.

In one aspect, the invention generally provides a stable, thickened cleaning composition especially effective in the removal of oily and greasy oil. The composition includes on a weight basis:

1% to 15% of a water-mixable cosurfactant having either limited ability or substantially no ability to dissolve oily or greasy soil;

0.1 to 6% of a hydrotrope;

4% to 30% of a magnesium salt of a C.sub.8 -C.sub.16 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate surfactant;

1% to 10% of an alkyl polyglucoside surfactant;

1% to 14% of an ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactant;

0.2% to 8% of a perfume, essential oil, or water insoluble hydrocarbon having 6 to 18 carbon atoms;

0.1 to 4% of a polymeric acid thickener;

0.1% to 10% of an abrasive; and

the balance being water.

The present invention relates to a stable thickened cleaning detergent composition comprising approximately by weight: 4% to 30% of a magnesium salt of a C.sub.8 -C.sub.16 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate surfactant, 1% to 15% of a cosurfactant, 1% to 10% of an alkyl polyglucoside, 1 to 14% of an ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate, 0.2% to 8% of a water insoluble hydrocarbon, essential oil or a perfume, 0.1% to 10% of an abrasive, 0.1 to 4% of a polyacrylic acid thickener and the balance being water.

According to the present invention, the role of the water insoluble hydrocarbon can be provided by a non-water-soluble perfume. Typically, in aqueous based compositions the presence of a solubilisers, such as alkali metal lower alkyl aryl sulfonate hydrotrope, triethanolamine, urea, etc., is required for perfume dissolution, especially at perfume levels of 1% and higher, since perfumes are generally a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aromatic compounds which are generally not water-soluble.

As used herein and in the appended claims the term "perfume" is used in its ordinary sense to refer to and include any non-water soluble fragrant substance or mixture of substances including natural (i.e., obtained by extraction of flower, herb, blossom or plant), artificial (i.e., mixture of natural oils or oil constituents) and synthetically produced odoriferous substances. Typically, perfumes are complex mixtures of blends of various organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes, ethers, aromatic compounds and varying amounts of essential oils (e.g., terpenes) such as from 0% to 80%, usually from 10% to 70% by weight, the essential oils themselves being volatile odoriferous compounds and also serving to dissolve the other components of the perfume.

Quite surprisingly although the perfume is not, per se, a solvent for greasy or oily soil,--even though some perfumes may, in fact, contain as much as 80% of terpenes which are known as good grease solvents--the inventive compositions in dilute form have the capacity to solubilise up to 10 times or more of the weight of the perfume of oily and greasy soil, which is removed or loosened from the hard surface by virtue of the action of the anionic and nonionic surfactants, said soil being taken up into the oil phase of the o/w microemulsion.

In the present invention the precise composition of the perfume is of no particular consequence to cleaning performance so long as it meets the criteria of water immiscibility and having a pleasing odor. Naturally, of course, especially for cleaning compositions intended for use in the home, the perfume, as well as all other ingredients, should be cosmetically acceptable, i.e., non-toxic, hypoallergenic, etc.

The hydrocarbon such as a perfume is present in the light duty liquid microemulsion composition in an amount of from 0.2% to 6% by weight, preferably from 0.3% to 5% by weight. If the hydrocarbon (perfume) is added in amounts more than 6% by weight, the cost is increased without any additional cleaning benefit and, in fact, with some diminishing of cleaning performance insofar as the total amount of greasy or oily soil which can be taken up in the oil phase of the microemulsion will decrease proportionately.

Furthermore, although superior grease removal performance will be achieved for perfume compositions not containing any terpene solvents, it is apparently difficult for perfumers to formulate sufficiently inexpensive perfume compositions for products of this type (i.e., very cost sensitive consumer-type products) which includes less than 20%, usually less than 30%, of such terpene solvents.

Thus, merely as a practical matter, based on economic consideration, the light duty liquid microemulsion cleaning compositions of the present invention may often include as much as 0.2% to 7% by weight, based on the total composition, of terpene solvents introduced thereunto via the perfume component. However, even when the amount of terpene solvent in the cleaning formulation is less than 1.5% by weight, such as up to 0.6% by weight or 0.4% by weight or less, satisfactory grease removal and oil removal capacity is provided by the inventive compositions.

In place of the perfume in either the microemulsion composition or the all purpose hard surface cleaning composition at the same previously defined concentrations that the perfume was used in either the microemulsion or the all purpose hard surface cleaning composition one can employ an essential oil or a water insoluble organic compound such as a water insoluble hydrocarbon having 6 to 18 carbon such as a paraffin or isoparaffin such as Isopar H, isodecane, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, decanol and terpineol.

Suitable essential oils are selected from the group consisting of: Anethole 20/21 natural, Aniseed oil china star, Aniseed oil globe brand, Balsam (Peru), Basil oil (India), Black pepper oil, Black pepper oleoresin 40/20, Bois de Rose (Brazil) FOB, Borneol Flakes (China), Camphor oil, Camphor powder synthetic technical, Cananga oil (Java), Cardamom oil, Cassia oil (China), Cedarwood oil (China) BP, Cinnamon bark oil, Cinnamon leaf oil, Citronella oil, Clove bud oil, Clove leaf, Coriander (Russia), Coumarin 69.degree. C. (China), Cyclamen Aldehyde, Diphenyl oxide, Ethyl vanilin, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus oil, Eucalyptus citriodora, Fennel oil, Geranium oil, Ginger oil, Ginger oleoresin (India), White grapefruit oil, Guaiacwood oil, Gurjun balsam, Heliotropin, Isobornyl acetate, Isolongifolene, Juniper berry oil, L-methyl acetate, Lavender oil, Lemon oil, Lemongrass oil, Lime oil distilled, Litsea Cubeba oil, Longifolene, Menthol crystals, Methyl cedryl ketone, Methyl chavicol, Methyl salicylate, Musk ambrette, Musk ketone, Musk xylol, Nutmeg oil, Orange oil, Patchouli oil, Peppermint oil, Phenyl ethyl alcohol, Pimento berry oil, Pimento leaf oil, Rosalin, Sandalwood oil, Sandenol, Sage oil, Clary sage, Sassafras oil, Spearmint oil, Spike lavender, Tagetes, Tea tree oil, Vanilin, Vetyver oil (Java), Wintergreen

The alkyl polyglucoside surfactant is present in amounts of about 1% to 10%, preferably 1.5% to 8% by weight of the microemulsion composition and provides superior performance in the removal of oily soil and mildness to human skin. The alkyl polysaccharides surfactants, which are used in conjunction with the aforementioned surfactant have a hydrophobic group containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably from about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms, most preferably from about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms, and polysaccharide hydrophilic group containing from about 1.5 to about 10, preferably from about 1.5 to about 4, most preferably from about 1.6 to about 2.7 saccharide units (e.g., galactoside, glucoside, fructoside, glucosyl, fructosyl; and/or galactosyl units). Mixtures of saccharide moieties may be used in the alkyl polysaccharide surfactants. The number x indicates the number of saccharide units in a particular alkyl polysaccharide surfactant. For a particular alkyl polysaccharide. molecule x can only assume integral values. In any physical sample of alkyl polysaccharide surfactants there will be in general molecules having different x values. The physical sample can be characterized by the average value of x and this average value can assume non-integral values. In this specification the values of x are to be understood to be average values. The hydrophobic group (R) can be attached at the 2-3-, or 4- positions rather than at the 1 -position, (thus giving e.g. a glucosyl or galactosyl as opposed to a glucoside or galactoside). However, attachment through the 1- position, i.e., glucosides, galactoside, fructosides, etc., is preferred. In the preferred product the additional saccharide units are predominately attached to the previous saccharide unit's 2-position. Attachment through the 3-, 4-, and 6- positions can also occur. Optionally and less desirably there can be a polyalkoxide chain joining the hydrophobic moiety (R) and the polysaccharide chain. The preferred alkoxide moiety is ethoxide.

Typical hydrophobic groups include alkyl groups, either saturated or unsaturated, branched or unbranched containing from about 8 to about 20, preferably from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms. Preferably, the alkyl group is a straight chain saturated alkyl group. The alkyl group can contain up to 3 hydroxy groups and/or the polyalkoxide chain can contain up to about 30, preferably less than about 10, alkoxide moleties.

Suitable alkyl polysaccharides are decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, and octadecyl, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexaglucosides, galactosides, lactosides, fructosides, fructosyls, lactosyls, glucosyls and/or galactosyls and mixtures thereof.

The alkyl monosaccharides are relatively less soluble in water than the higher alkyl polysaccharides. When used in admixture with alkyl polysaccharides, the alkyl monosaccharides are solubilised to some extent. The use of alkyl monosaccharides in admixture with alkyl polysaccharides is a preferred mode of carrying out the invention. Suitable mixtures include coconut alkyl, di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentaglucosides and tallow alkyl tetra-, penta-, and hexaglucosides.

The preferred alkyl polysaccharides are alkyl polyglucosides having the formula

wherein Z is derived from glucose, R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkylphenyl, hydroxyalkylphenyl, and mixtures thereof in which said alkyl groups contain from about 10 to about 18, preferably from about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms; n is 2 or 3 preferably 2, r is from 0 to 10, preferable 0; and x is from 1.5 to 8, preferably from 1.5 to 4, most preferably from 1.6 to 2.7. To prepare these compounds a long chain alcohol (R.sub.2 OH) can be reacted with glucose, in the presence of an acid catalyst to form the desired glucoside. Alternatively the alkyl polyglucosides can be prepared by a two step procedure in which a short chain alcohol (R.sub.1 OH) can be reacted with glucose, in the presence of an acid catalyst to form the desired glucoside. Alternatively the alkyl polyglucosides can be prepared by a two step procedure in which a short chain alcohol (C.sub.1-6) is reacted with glucose or a polyglucoside (x=2 to 4) to yield a short chain alkyl glucoside (x=1 to 4) which can in turn be reacted with a longer chain alcohol (R.sub.2 OH) to displace the short chain alcohol and obtain the desired alkyl polyglucoside. If this two step procedure is used, the short chain alkylglucoside content of the final alkyl polyglucoside material should be less than 50%, preferably less than 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, most preferably 0% of the alkyl polyglucoside.

The amount of unreacted alcohol (the free fatty alcohol content) in the desired alkyl polysaccharide surfactant is preferably less than about 2%, more preferably less than about 0.5% by weight of the total of the alkyl polysaccharide. For some uses it is desirable to have the alkyl monosaccharide content less than about 10%.

The used herein, "alkyl polysaccharide surfactant" is intended to represent both the preferred glucose and galactose derived surfactants and the less preferred alkyl polysaccharide surfactants. Throughout this specification, "alkyl polyglucoside" is used to include alkyl polyglycosides because the stereochemistry of the saccharide moiety is changed during the preparation reaction.

An especially preferred APG glycoside surfactant is APG 625 glycoside manufactured by the Henkel Corporation of Ambler, Pa. APG 625 is a nonionic alkyl polyglycoside characterized by the formula:

wherein n=10 (2%); n=122 (65%); n=14 (21-28%); n=16 (4-8%) and n=18 (0.5) and x (degree of polymerization)=1.6. APG 625 has: a pH of 6 to 10 (10% of APG 625 in distilled water); a specific gravity at 25.degree. C. of 1.1 g/ml; a density at 25.degree. C. of 9.1 lbs/gallon; a calculated HLB of 12.1 and a Brookfield viscosity at 35.degree. C., 21 spindle, 5-10 RPM of 3,000 to 7,000 cps.

The sulfonate anionic surfactant which is used in the instant compositions at a concentration of about 4 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, more preferably about 6 wt. % to about 26 wt. % is a magnesium salt of a C.sub.8 -C.sub.16 linear alkyl benzene sulfonate surfactant.

The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactants which may be used in the composition of this invention are water soluble salts such as sodium, potassium, ammonium, triethanolamine and ethanolammonium salts of an C.sub.8-18 ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactants have the structure:

wherein n is about 0 (if n=0 then it is SLS) to about 5 and R is an alkyl group having about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, more preferably 12 to 15 and natural cuts, for example, C.sub.12-14 ; C.sub.12-15 and M is an ammonium cation or a metal cation, most preferably sodium. The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactant is present in the composition at a concentration of about 1% to about 14% by weight, more preferably about 1.5% to 12% by weight.

The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate may be made by sulfating the condensation product of ethylene oxide and C.sub.8-10 alkanol, and neutralizing the resultant product. The ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfates differ from one another in the number of carbon atoms in the alcohols and in the number of moles of ethylene oxide reacted with one mole of such alcohol. Preferred ethoxylated alkyl ether polyethenoxy sulfates contain 12 to 15 carbon atoms in the alcohols and in the alkyl groups thereof, e.g., sodium myristyl (3 EO) sulfate.

Ethoxylated C.sub.8-18 alkylphenyl ether sulfates containing from 2 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide in the molecule are also suitable for use in the invention compositions. These detergents can be prepared by reacting an alkyl phenol with 2 to 6 moles of ethylene oxide and sulfating and neutralizing the resultant ethoxylated alkylphenol. The concentration of the ethoxylated alkyl ether sulfate surfactant is about 1 to about 8 wt. %.

The major class of compounds found to provide highly suitable cosurfactants for the microemulsion over temperature ranges extending from 5.degree. C. to 43.degree. C. for instance are glycerol, ethylene glycol, water-soluble polyethylene glycols having a molecular weight of 300 to 1000, polypropylene glycol of the formula HO(CH.sub.3 CHCH.sub.2 O).sub.n H wherein n is a number from 2 to 18, mixtures of polyethylene glycol and polypropyl glycol (Synalox) and mono C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl ethers and esters of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol having the structural formulas R(X).sub.n OH and R.sub.1 (X).sub.n OH wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, R.sub.1 is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 acyl group, X is (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2) or (OCH.sub.2 (CH.sub.3)CH) and n is a number from 1 to 4, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, an alkyl lactate, wherein the alkyl group has 1 to 6 carbon atoms, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, 1-methoxy-3-propanol, and 1-methoxy 2-, 3- or 4-butanol.

Representative members of the polypropylene glycol include dipropylene glycol and polypropylene glycol having a molecular weight of 200 to 1000, e.g., polypropylene glycol 400. Other satisfactory glycol ethers are ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (butyl cellosolve), diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (butyl carbitol), triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tri propylene glycol monobutyl ether, tetraethylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monohexyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether, propylene glycol tertiary butyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monopentyl ether, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol monopropyl ether, diethylene glycol monopentyl ether, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, triethylene glycol monopropyl ether, triethylene glycol monopentyl ether, triethylene glycol monohexyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monoethyl ether, mono, di tripropylene glycol monopropyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monopentyl ether, mono, di, tripropylene glycol monohexyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol mono methyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monoethyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monopropyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monobutyl ether, mono, di, tributylene glycol monopentyl ether and mono, di, tributylene glycol monohexyl ether, ethylene glycol monoacetate and dipropylene glycol propionate. Tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether is the preferred cosurfactant because of its hydrophobic character.

The amount of cosurfactant required to stabilize the microemulsion compositions will, of course, depend on such factors as the surface tension characteristics of the cosurfactant, the type and amounts of the primary surfactants and perfumes, and the type and amounts of any other additional ingredients which may be present in the composition and which have an influence on the thermodynamic factors enumerated above. Generally, amounts of cosurfactant used in the cleaning composition is in the range of from 1% to 15%, preferably from 2% to 12%, by weight provide stable dilute cleaning composition for the above-described levels of primary surfactants and perfume and any other additional ingredients as described below.

The essential ingredients discussed above can be solubilised in an aqueous medium comprising water and a mixture of an alkyl monoethanol amides such as C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 alkyl monoethanol amide (LMMEA) at a concentration of 1 to 4 wt. %, and/or an alkyl diethanol amides such as coco diethanol amide (CDEA) or lauryl diethanol amide (LDEA) at a concentration of 1 to 4 wt. %.

Less preferred solubilizing agents are C.sub.2 -C.sub.3 mono and di-hydroxy alkanols, e.g., ethanol, isopropanol and propylene glycol. Suitable water soluble hydrotropic salts include sodium, potassium, ammonium and mono-, di- and triethanolammonium salts. While the aqueous medium is primarily water, preferably said solubilizing agents are included in order to control the viscosity of the liquid composition and to control low temperature cloud clear properties. Usually, it is desirable to maintain clarity to a temperature in the range of 5.degree. C. to 10.degree. C. Therefore, the proportion of solubiliser generally will be from about 1% to 15%, preferably 2% to 12%, most preferably 3%-8%, by weight of the detergent composition with the proportion of ethanol, when present, being 5% of weight or less in order to provide a composition having a flash point above about 46.degree. C. Preferably the solubilising ingredient will be a mixture of ethanol and a water soluble salt of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 substituted benzene sulfonate hydrotrope such as sodium xylene sulfonate or sodium cumene sulfonate or a mixture of said sulfonates or ethanol and urea. Inorganic alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts such as sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride and sodium citrate can be added at concentrations of 0.5 to 4.0 wt. %. Urea can be used at a concentration of 0.5 to 4.0 wt. % or urea at the same concentration together with 0.5 to 4 wt. % of ethanol.

The instant compositions contain 0.1 to 4.0 wt. %, more preferably 0.5 to 2.5 wt. % of a low molecular weight, non-crosslinked polyacrylic acid homopolymeric thickener or a copolymer of polyacrylic acid thickener having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 100,000, more preferably about 2,000 to about 30,000.

The low molecular weight polymers of the instant polymeric viscosification system are water soluble, non-crosslinked anionic polymers having a carboxylate or sulfonate functionally such as polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, metal salts of polyacrylate, copolymers of polyacrylic acid; copolymers of polyacrylates and low molecular weight sulfonated polymers such as a water soluble sulfonated ethylene/propylene copolymer. Typical polymers of the instant polymeric viscosification system are Acusol 820, Sokalan.RTM.PA30CL, Norasol LMW 45ND also known as Acusol 445N, Acusol 640D, Norapol A-1, Norasol QR1014, K-7058 NAS as well as K-702 sold by Good-Rite.RTM. wherein Good-Rite.RTM.K-702 has a molecular weight of 240,000.

The aqueous solution which is to be viscosified by the instant polymeric viscosification system must have a pH of about 7 to about 9. At pH's above 9 the stability of the viscosification system is adversely affected such that maximization of viscosification does not occur. The polymer viscosification agent the instant invention comprises a mixture of an acid sol of an amphoteric aluminum oxide and a water soluble low molecular weight, non-crosslinked anionic polymer in a weight ratio of the anionic polymer to the amphoteric material of about 15:1 to 1:1, more preferably about 10:1 to 1:1, and most preferably about 7:1 to 1:1.

The instant thickened microemulsion compositions contain about 0.1 to 10 wt. %, more preferably 0.25 to 5 wt. % of an abrasive selected from the group consisting of amorphous hydrated silica calcite and polyethylene powder particles and mixtures thereof.

The polyethylene powder used in the instant invention has a particle size of about 200 to about 500 microns and a density of about 0.91 to about 0.99 g/liter, more preferably about 0.94 to about 0.96.

Another preferred abrasive is calcite used at a concentration of about 0 to 20 wt. %, more preferably 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % and is manufactured by J. M. Huber Corporation of Illinois. Calcite is a limestone consisting primarily of calcium carbonate and 1% to 5% of magnesium carbonate which has a mean particle size of 5 microns and oil absorption (rubout) of about 10 and a hardness of about 3.0 Mobs.

The amorphous silica (oral grade) used to enhance the scouring ability of the microemulsion was provided by Zeoffin 155. The mean particles size of Zeoffin silica is about 8 up to about 15 mm. Its apparent density is about 0.32 to about 0.37 g/ml. An amorphous hydrated silica from Crosfield of different particles sizes (9, 15 and 300 mm), and same apparent density can also be used. Another amorphous silica from Rhone-Poulenc is Tixosil 103 having a mean particle size of 8 to 12 and an apparent density of 0.25-0.4 g/ml.

In addition to their excellent scouring ability and capacity for cleaning greasy and oily soils, the low pH microemulsion formulations also exhibit excellent cleaning performance and removal of soap scum and lime scale in neat (undiluted) as well as in diluted usage.

To make the cleaning compositions of the invention is relatively simple because they tend to form spontaneously with little need for the addition of energy to promote transformation to the liquid crystal state. However, to promote uniformity of the composition mixing will normally be undertaken and it has been found desirable first to mix the surfactants and cosurfactant into the premix with additional water which is from a premix of the polycarboxylate thickener with water and then followed by admixing of the lipophilic component, usually a hydrocarbon (but esters or mixtures of hydrocarbons and esters may also be employed). It is not necessary to employ heat and most mixings are preferably carried out at about room temperature (20.degree.-25.degree. C.).

The invented compositions may be applied to such surfaces by pouring onto them, by application with a cloth or sponge, or by various other contacting means but it is preferred to apply them in the form of a spray by spraying them onto the substrate from a hand or finger pressure operated sprayer or squeeze bottle. Such application may be onto hard surfaces, such as dishes, walls or floors, from which lipophilic (usually greasy or oily) soil is to be removed, or may be onto fabrics, such as laundry, which has previously been stained with lipophilic soils, such as motor oil. The invented compositions may be used as detergents and as such may be employed in the same manner in which liquid detergents are normally utilized in dishwashing, floor and wall cleaning and laundering, but it is preferred that they be employed as pre-spotting agents too, in which applications they are found to be extremely useful in loosening the adhesions of lipophilic soils to substrates, thereby promoting much easier cleaning with application of more of the same invented detergent compositions or by applications of different commercial detergent compositions, in liquid, bar or particulate forms.

The various advantages of the invention have already been set forth in some detail and will not be repeated here. However, it will be reiterated that the invention relates to the important discovery that effective liquid detergent compositions can be made in the microemulsion state and that because they are in such state they are especially effective in removing lipophilic soils from substrates and also are effective in removing from substrates non-lipophilic materials. Such desirable properties of the microemulsion detergent compositions of this invention make them ideal for use as pre-spotting agents and detergents for removing hard-to-remove soils from substrates in various hard and soft surface cleaning operations.

The following examples illustrate but do not limit the invention. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts in these examples, in the specification and in the appended claims are by weight and all temperatures are in .degree.C.

The following formulas (wt. %) were made by simple mixing at 25.degree. C.

When tested as a typical Light Duty Liquid detergent, the above formulas perform acceptably when compared to a commercially available product. The performance standards used were Shell foam longevity as established by Shell Chemical company and shaken foam height and shaken foam height after the addition of whole milk expressed in ml. Grease cleaning was measured by the Baumgartner method at 108.degree. F. and is expressed as mg of lard removed.

Performance on tough soil was tested by coating a Formica tile with hard tallow and allowing it to dry. The tile was then placed in a Garner abrader. The apparatus was fitted with 2 sponges which were soaked with water and treated with 4 g of each product. The abrader was allowed to operated for 5 strokes and the amount cleaned was estimated visually.

The above formulas also cling to vertical surfaces more effectively than typical Light Duty Liquid Dishwashing products. On a 6".times.6" enamel on steel tile, approximately 1 g of product is dispensed as a bead approximately 3" long in the center of the tile 1/2" from the top of the tile. The tile is held vertical in a 4000 I plastic beaker. The time it takes for the first "finger" of the product to reach the bottom of the tile is timed. Also, the number of "fingers" formed is noted. The results are shown below

The viscosity of these formulations was also measured using a Cannon Fenske size 400 viscometer at 28.degree. C.: A ,428 centipoise; C, 1526; Dawn Ultra,222.

The invention has been described with respect to various embodiments and illustrations of it but is not to be considered as limited to these because it is evident that one of skill in the art with the present specification before him or her will be able to utilize substitutes and equivalents without departing from the invention.