Methods of using a soil release polymer in a prewash composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10377979-B2
Application number	US-201815861412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2018
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides methods of cleaning including the use of a soil release polymer. In some embodiments, the soil release polymer can be included in a neutral to low alkalinity prewash or main wash that is substantially free of hydroxide-based alkalinity. In some embodiments, the soil release polymer can be included in a neutral to low alkalinity prewash that is substantially free of hydroxide-based alkalinity, followed by an alkaline main wash with any alkalinity source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of cleaning an article, the method comprising:
(a) providing an article to be cleaned;
(b) contacting the article in a prewash step with a prewash composition comprising:
i) a soil release polymer;
ii) at least about 55 wt % alkali metal silicate as a source of alkalinity; and
iii) water, wherein said prewash step is performed at a pH of about 7.5 to about 10.5, and wherein said prewash composition comprises less than 0.5 wt. % hydroxide-based alkalinity;

(c) contacting the article with an alkaline detergent in a main wash step wherein the alkaline detergent comprises a hydroxide-based alkalinity source;
(d) rinsing the article; and
(e) contacting the article with an acid sour composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising an additional alkalinity source, and wherein the additional alkalinity source is an alkanolamine, carbonate, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prewash composition further comprises one or more surfactants.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the prewash composition further comprises an enzyme.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the enzyme is a protease, amylase, or combination of protease and amylase.

6. A method of cleaning an article, the method comprising:
(a) providing an article to be cleaned;
(b) contacting the article in a prewash step with a prewash composition comprising:
i) a soil release polymer;
ii) at least about 55 wt % alkali metal silicate as a source of alkalinity; and
iii) water, wherein said prewash step is performed at a pH of about 7.5 to about 10.5, and wherein said prewash composition comprises less than 0.5 wt. % hydroxide-based alkalinity;

(c) contacting the article with an alkaline detergent in a main wash step wherein said alkaline detergent has less than 0.5 wt. % hydroxide-based alkalinity;
(d) rinsing the article; and
(e) contacting the article with an acid sour composition.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising an additional alkalinity source, wherein the additional alkalinity source is an alkanolamine, carbonate, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prewash composition further comprises an enzyme, an enzyme stabilizer, a defoaming agent, a surfactant, or combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Lundberg Steven
• Fast Jonathan P
• Duerrschmidt Thomas
• Merz Thomas
• Lang jason

Classifications

• C11D3/30

  Amines; Substituted amines {; Quaternized amines} · CPC title

• C11D3/10

  Carbonates {; Bicarbonates} · CPC title

• C11D3/3715

  Polyesters or polycarbonates · CPC title

• C11D3/08

  Silicates · CPC title

• C11D11/0064

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic