Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CLEANING COMPOSITIONS
This invention relates to cleaning compositions, such as
detergents and soaps, sui-table for use in the cleaning of
and removal of stains from fabrics, natural and synthetic
fibres, plastics, metals and many other materials.
5 Various cleaning compositions are known for use in the
cleaning of such materials. Many are however relatively
expensive, harmful ~to the material being cleaned, and/or
of only limited effectiveness.
It has previously been proposed to use soaps or detergents
10 containing various conventional ingredients such as surfac-
tants together with eucalyptus oil. There are in fact
very many different eucalyptus oils made up of mixtures of
different constituents in different proportions. In pra-
ctice many of these, including in particular industrial
15 grade eucalyptus oil, contain ma~or constituents such as
phellandrene which are harmful to the skin to a greater
or lesser extent and thereby considerably limit the use-
fulness and possible applications of known such cleaning
compositions.
20 It is an object of the present invention to avoid one or
more of the above disadvantages.
The present invention provides a cleaning composition
comprising a surfactant component and a terpene component
consisting essentially of cineole substantially free of
25 phellandrene.
Amongst the many various terpenes obtainable from various
sources including natural sources such as cajuput oil, pine
oil and eucalyptus oil and by synthetic routes, it has been
found that cineole is a particularly effective stain remov-
30 ing or dispersing aid which at the same time is particularlywell tolerated by the skins of most people. This latter
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feature is particularly important in practice because in
many situations hand washing is the most convenient cleaning
method for removing stains. This feature also allows the
possibility of using the cleaning composition for removing
5 stains from the hands. By using compositions wherein the
terpene component consists essentially of cineole i.e.
using cineole substantially free of harmful terpenes, in
particular phellandrene, the hazards of using these are
avoided. Preferably substantially pure cineole e.g.
10 cineole BPC is used though in general cineole containing
up to the order of 50% of other non-harmful terpenes may
be used~ Thus for example cajuput oil BPC and cineole
containing up to 10% w/w of terpenes such as C~-pinene and
p-cymene and up to 20 or 30% w/w of terpenes such as C~--ter-
15 pineol may be used. Other aromatic compounds may also betolerated in relatively small amounts depending on their
degree of innocuousness. Thus small amounts e.g. less
than 5% v/v of phenolic compounds may be present though
preferably the cineole is substantially free of phenolic
20 compounds.Although even lower proportions of cineole could
be used this would normally be less desired since it would
generally require the use of a larger amount of the terpene
component in order to maintain the cleaning power of the
composition.
25 A further significant advantage of the present inventiOn
is that cineole has been found to be particularly effective
when used in cool or cold water thereby minimizing the risk
of 'setting' of the stain which may occur when hot or even
warm wash solutions are used.
30 Yet another significant advantage that may be obtained
with the present invention is that surfaces which have
been cleaned with a cleaning composition of the present
invention exhibit a significant repellent effect on pests
such as cockroaches, which has not been previously found
35 with other terpene containing cleaners, thereby making
the cleaning compositions particularly useful in shipboard
and catering situations.
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The cleaning compositions may be used by itself if desired
either undiluted or diluted in a washing or cleaning medium
such as water. More convenient]y though the cleaning
composition of the invention is used as an additive compos-
5 ition which is incorporated in a more or 1ess conventionalcleaning agent such as a soap or detergent composition.
The cineole may be used in various proportions to the other
constituen-ts in the cleaning composition depending inter
alia on the nature,of the other constituents, the consti-
10 tuents of any cleaning agent into which the composition isintended to be incorporated, and the ma~erials to be cleaned
e.g. metal or fibre, and in certain cases the nature of the
stain material. In general though the cineole preferably ,~
comprises from 0.1 to 70% v/v of the cleaning composition,
15 preferably from 3 to 70% in the case of an additive compos-
ition with the higher concentrations being preferred in the
Case of additives for detergents and the lower ones in the
case of additives for soaps. In the case of additive comp-
ositions these may be incorporated in any convenient pro-
20 portion relative to the detergent, or soap, for example atfr~m 0.1 to 35% by volume, preferably at about 3% by~volume.
In a further aspect the present invention provides a clean-
ing composition comprising a surfactant component and a
terpene component comprising cineole substantially free of
phellandrene, the cineole constituting from 0.1 to 70% v/v,
preferably from 0.3 to 70% v/v, most preferably from 0.3
to 50~ v/v, of the composition, preferably the terpene
component does not contain any phellandrene.
Th~ cineole used may be either synthetic cineole (e.g.
obtained by conversion of other terpenes having similar
structures, for example from CC - terpineole)or natural
cineole obtained from certain cineole - containing eucal-
yptus species such as E. (Eucalyptus) Polybracteata, E.
Smithii~ E~ Globulus, E. Viridis, E. dives "var" C, E.
Australiana, E, Elaeophora, E. Sideroxylon, E. Leucoxy-
lon~ E. Cineorifolia, and E. dumosa, which generally
contain 70% or more cineole, by recovery e.g. fract-
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ional distillation (conveniently using steam distillation)
or cineole-containing cajuput oil sources such as the
narrow-leaved forms of certain Melaleuca species e.g.
M. Caujuputi and M. Leucadendron (Myrtaceae) or solvent
extraction from the natural oils obtained therefrom. It
is also possible and sometimes preferable to use synthetic
forms of the natural oil "mixtures" e.g. commercially
available synthetic ca~uput oil BPC obtainable from, for
example 1 but using a synthetic cajuput oil obtained from
Zimmerman Hobbs Ltd. of Milton Keynes, England in place of
the substantially pure cineole component.
Desirably the cineole used is not less than 95%, most
desirably not less than 99% v/v pure, free of phellandrene,
and contains not more than 1% of other terpenes. ;~
Where natural or synthetic cajuput oil is used it is impo-
rtant that the narrow leaved type should be used since the
main constituent of the broad-leaved type is iso eugenol which
i5 not an effective cleaning agent.
The cineole may conveniently be employed as a solution,
for example, in an aliphatic alcohol, preferably a lower
alkyl alcohol, for example ethanol or methanol, convenient-
ly in the form of methylated spirits. Desirably the cin-
eole is used as a from 30 to 90% v/v solution, preferably
a 40% v/v solution, especially in the case of a methylated
spirits solution. In this case the methylated spiritis
solvent itself contributes to the stain removing properties
of composition.
The surfactant component may comprise one or more of any
suitable surfactant including anionic, cationic or nonio-
nic surfactants; suitable surfactants which may be mention-
ed include sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate such as the form
commercially available from Albright ~ Wilson of Whitehaven,
England, under the Trade Name "Nansa", or sodium lauryl
ether sulphate or sodium lauryl sulphate also available
from Albright & Wilson under the Trade Name "Empi~in'.
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Advantageously there is also used an emulsifying and
foam stahlising agent that is a stain softening agent such
as a lauric acid diethanolamide. This may conveniently
be in the form of 1:1 coconut oil diethanolamide, coconut
oil containing some 48~ lauric acid. Such materials
are readily available commercially e.g. from Albright ~,
Wilson of Whitehaven, England, under the Trade Name
EMPILAN. Other suitable materials that may be mentioned
included water soluble derivatives, for e~ample, diethano-
lamides, of fixed oils such as olive or castor oil orpreferably palm oil or of aliphatic carboxylic acids such
as oleic acid including for example lauric acid diethan-
olamide. ~-
Other components and ingredients known in the art of
cleaning compositions may also be used, including
for example one or more of an alkali metal salt, for
example aqueous sodium chloride; an emulsifying agent
such as a sorbitol ester emulsifying agent; a disinfect-
ant; colouring, bleaching, and/or brightening agents;
2~ a filler; and a perfume component, though it may be noted
that the cineole itself imparts a generally acceptable
scent to the cleaning composition.
Naturally the soap and detergent compositions may be
employed in any conventional form including soap tablets,
flakes and powder and liquid detergent and concentrate.
Whilst the invention extends to an additive composition
suitable for incorporation in a conventional soap deter-
gent, or hand cleaning gel or cream, the composition of
the invention may be used in its concentrate form or
3Q merely diluted in water.
The composition of the invention may be made by bringing
the cineole and surfactant components into intimate a
mixture with each other, and with any other ingredients,
t~at may be required. Where a softening agent is used
this is desirably added after any alkali metal salt has
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been added to the cineo]e surfactant mixture. The
resulting composition is then suitable for use as an
additive for incorporation in a soap base comprising
generally alkali metal hydroxide, water, and a fatty
acid component such as beef tallow and coconut oil, or
in a detergent optionally with water, to form an intimate
blend therewith.
The following examples are provided to further illustrate
the invention without in any way limiting the scope
10 thereof.
Example 1
Preparation of Additive Composition
The composition was made from the following ingredients: --
1. 1,8 - Cineole chemical formula: C10 H18 0 systematic
name: 1, 3, 3 - trimethyl - 2 - oxabicyclo
(2,2~2) octane
Cineole content; 99% v/v
Other terpenes content 1.00% v/v
Obtained from Eucalyptus Polybracteata
2. Surfactant
Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate as 30% v/v
aqueous solution commercially available from
Albright ~ Wilson under the Trade Name "NANSA"
3. Emulsifying and Foam Stablising Agent
l:lcoconut oil diethanolamide as
commercially available from Albright & Wilson
under the trade name EMPILAN.
4. Methylated spirits
5. Water
6. Sodium Chloride
Cineole (112 mls) was mixed with methylated spirits
(167 mls) to produce a 40% v/v cineole solution and
left for 5 to 10 minutes. The surfactant (112 mls)
was then added with water (692 mls) follo~Are~ bv
chloride (3.5 g) and the resulting mixture stirred for
5 minutes. Finally the softening agent (167 mls) was
added with stirring to produce a clear gel constituting
the additive composition (1250 mls). All the above
operations were carried out under ambient conditions.
Example 2
Preparation of Additive Composition
An addi-tive composition was prepared from the followina
ingredients:
1. Cineole - 40~ v/v solution in methylated spiritis) ;~
2. Surfactant - Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate as
30% v/v aqueous solution commercially available
from Albright ~ Wilson under the Trade Name
"NANSA'
3. Softening Agent - Coconut oil diethanolamide as
commercially available from Albright & Wilson
under the trade name EMPILAN.
The surfactant (20 mls) was added to the cineole solution
(100 mls) and thoroughly mixed therewith. After standing
for 5 minutes the softening agent (30 mls) was added and
mixed in. The resulting additive composition was a clear
liquid (150 mls).
FXAMPLF 3 SOAP TABLET
A conventional soap composition was made up by dissolving
caustic soda (Na OH 30 g) in water 20 mls and progressiv-
ely brought into admixture with natural fatty acids in
the form a blend of beef tallow (80% w/w) and coconut
oil (20% w/w) (30 g) and stirred and boiled. After
s-eparation of the residual lye, additive composition
(2.0 mls) prepared according to Example 2 was mixed in
thoroughly the resulting mixture then being compressed in
a mould to form a soap tablet.
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Example 4
Preparation of Additive Composition
A cajuput oil based additive composition was prepared in
accordance with the procedure of Example 1 but using a
synthetic cajuput oil obtained from Zimmerman Hobbs Ltd.
of Milton KeyneS~ England
in place of the substantially pure cineole component.
The synthetic cajuput oil had a cineole content of 60.6%
by weight and was substantially free of isoeugenol and
phellandrene. Other terpene components of the oil used
were ~-terpineol 20.0%, w/w, p-cymene 6.2% w/w, ~-pinene
5.1% w/w, and ~-terpinene 1.25% w/w. ~`
Example 5
Soap Tablet
The procedure of Example 3 was followed but using the
additive composition of Example 4 in place of that of
Example 2.
