Detergent formulations having enhanced germ removal efficacy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12325840-B2
Application number	US-202117519806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2021
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

Laundry detergent formulations for everyday use having cleaning and enhanced germ removal efficacy, as well as consumer acceptable viscosity levels and long-term stability profiles, are disclosed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A composition comprising:
approximately 55% w/w to approximately 75% w/w water;
approximately 0.15% active w/w to approximately 1.5% active w/w sodium lauryl ether sulfate;
approximately 14% w/w to approximately 22% w/w C10-16 alcohol alkoxylate nonionic surfactant;
approximately 1.5% active w/w to approximately 3% active w/w cocoamidopropyl betaine;
approximately 1.5% active w/w to approximately 2.5% active w/w alkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; and
protease enzymes,
wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a mixture of C12-16 7 EO alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant and C10-16 3 EO alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant which are present in the composition in a respective weight ratio ranging from approximately 2.3:1 to approximately 2.9:1.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a viscosity ranging from approximately 200 cps to approximately 500 cps as measured by a Brookfield viscometer using spindle S31 at 20° C. and 20 rpm.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the alkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride does not contain benzyl functional groups.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the nonionic surfactant further comprises C 13-15 8 EO alcohol ethoxylate.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the C13-15 8 EO alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant is present in an amount of up to approximately 11% w/w.

6. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a mixture of the protease and an amylase.

7. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a mixture of the protease, an amylase, and a mannanase.

8. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pH adjuster.

9. The composition of claim 1 , the compositing having a pH ranging from approximately 8.0 to approximately 8.5 at room temperature.

10. A method of cleaning and sanitizing fabric, the method comprising adding between approximately 35 mL and approximately 90 mL of the composition according to claim 1 to a soap dispenser or tub of a washing machine on any washing cycle based on usage instructions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method provides a greater than approximately 2.5 log 10 reduction in Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 per ASTM 2274.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method provides between approximately a 1 log 10 and approximately a 5 log 10 reduction against poliovirus type 1 (Sabin).

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method provides between approximately 85 and approximately 89 residual stain index based on ASTM D4265-14.

14. A method of making the composition according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
mixing for about 15 minutes approximately 1.5% active w/w to approximately 3% active w/w cocoamidopropyl betaine and water to provide a pre-mix;
if necessary, adjusting the pH of the pre-mix to a range of approximately 8 to approximately 8.4 using a pH adjuster to form a pH-adjusted solution;
adding approximately 1.5% active w/w to approximately 2.5% active w/w alkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride to the pre-mix or pH-adjusted solution to produce a cationic solution;
adding approximately 0.15% active w/w to approximately 1.5% active w/w sodium lauryl ether sulfate to the cationic solution to produce an anionic-cationic solution;
adding approximately 14% w/w to approximately 22% w/w C 10-16 alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant to the anionic-cationic solution to produce a surfactant solution and stirring the surfactant solution for approximately 5 to approximately 20 minutes; and
adding protease enzymes to the surfactant solution to produce the composition,
wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a mixture of C 12-16 7 EO alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant and C 10-16 3 EO alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactant which are present in the composition in a respective weight ratio ranging from approximately 2.3:1 to approximately 2.9:1.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the composition has a viscosity ranging from approximately 200 cps to approximately 500 cps as measured by a Brookfield viscometer using spindle S31 at 20° C. and 20 rpm.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adding approximately 0.25% active w/w to approximately 1.5% active w/w tetrasodium salt of L-glutamic acid N,N′-diacetic acid to the premix.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adding approximately 2% w/w to approximately 4% w/w glycerin to the surfactant solution to produce a glycerin surfactant solution prior to addition of the protease enzyme.

Assignees

• Reckitt Benckiser Llc

Inventors

• Brewer Sam
• Khan Rashda
• Musci Remigio
• Ryan Tracy Ann
• Simionato Alberto
• Smith Kyle
• Vanzetto Elisa

Classifications

• C11D3/48

  Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions · CPC title

• C11D3/38618

  Protease or amylase in liquid compositions only · CPC title

• C11D3/30

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

• C11D3/2086

  Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof · CPC title

• C11D1/90

  Betaines · CPC title