CA2019642C - Cleaning composition - Google Patents

Abstract

An aqueous cleaning composition suitable for hard surfaces contains ammonia or an alkanolamine having a boiling point below 200°C
at atmospheric pressure, plus a cationic polymer having a molecular weight over 5,000, in an aqueous system containing an organic solvent which has a boiling point below 200°C at atmospheric pressure;
preferably with at most a limited amount of surfactant and other materials which do not boil below 200°C at atmospheric pressure.

Description

201~t~42 ~ C~321 CLEAN}NO COMPOSITION

~ his invention ~lates to an aqueous cleanln~
compo~ition lntended ~o be sultable for UBe undlluted in cleaning var$ous su~face~ notably flxed sur~ace~
exempl~fled by gla s, palntwork, ~eramic tlle3, vinyl floor$ng, ~h~omium plate, ma~ble and plastia laminates.
It is int~nded th~t rinsiny snould b~ ~nnecessary.
Existin~ ~eneral pu~pose cleaning prod~cts which are intended for household use ~ene~ally c~e~n effeotively ~ut then need rlns~ns or ~ubgequent buff$ng to o~tain a goo~ result, particula~ly on hl~ gloss s~faces like glass or chrome. Exist~n~ products spec~fically for w~ndow ~1 eaning often recommend u~ing the proauct in lS lim~ tea quan~ity, then rubbin~ ~y with ~ ~ry cloth in order to avoid streaks or smear~ In pr~t~ce usage is o$ten at above th~ r~r~ n~o~ level, and r~blng completely ~y can be diff1oult. As t~e cleanin~ ~ob y~y~esses~ the users' ~loth will, of cours~, h~o~ wet with soiled product solutlon absor~e~ by the ~loth. These factors often lead to visible aeposits belng left on the window or mlrro~.
At least ~n preferre4 forms, this invention ~eeks to prov~de a produ~t which wlll glve a sood flnish to the surface belng cleaned despite u~a~e at higher levels than neceRsary and/o~ incompl~te removal. I~ is intended that no vlsible res~due shoul~ remain on the su~face wh~ ha8 been cleaned~
~ ' 20196~2 Accordlng to the present ~nventlon, the~e ls prov~ded an aqueous cle~ning ~o~poslt~ on comprlsing:
0.1-10~ by we~sht of~ammonia or an al~anolamine having a boil~ng point below 200nC at stmospherio pres~u~e and 0.001 to 0.5%, better 0.001 to 0.05% of cationic polymer having a molecular weight ove~ 5000:
in a solvent system comp~isin~ wate~ and optionally up to 10~ by welyht of an o~ganic ~olvent whioh ~a~ a boillng point b~low 200-C at atmospheric pressu~e or has an evaporation rate greater than 0.01 times that of n-butyl acetate at ~0C, an~ pre~erably in~ludes an ~l~yl group of 1 to 5 carbon atomæ, such as a propyl, butyl or pentyl ~oup, to~ether with ~t lea~t one hydroxyl group;
the compositlon being substantially free of lnorganio electrolyte and c~ntain$ng at ~ost 0.~% by weight of surfactant. All ~he above percenta~es are base~
on the whole oomposition.
In thls invention, it is strongly p~eferred that the total amount of surfaotant and any other materials which do not boll below 200~C at atmospheric p~essure does not ~YO~ 0.~% better 0.2~ ~y weight bas~d on the whole compo~itlon.
P~efera~ly, the said organ~ ~olvent ls p~esent in an amount w~$ch is at lea~t 0~05~ bette~ from 0.5 to 10% by we~ght.
Compositions of this invention have a ve~y large proportion of oonstituents which a~e suffioiently vol~t~le for ~es$dues of them to evapor2te from the surface. The 201 ~642 p~operty of bo~ling below 200~C at no~mal atmosphe~lo pre~su~e of 760mm~g i~ an ~ndicator of adequat~
volat~lity.
The alternative asse~sment o~ volatil$ty by comparison of evaporation rate with that of n-butyl ~cet8te, is a m~thod of ~ua~lng volat~llty whloh ~s frequently used ln the solvent lndusty.
When the c~position ls applled, say with a clot~, the bulk of the composition and solubilised soll wlll be ~emo~ed by t~e cloth w~th ~hich it i8 spplied and/or a second cloth used subseguently. Most ~f the res~due left on the su~face w~ll evaporate~ Polar o~anic ~ompoun~
with boilinçl polnts o~r 200 C generally do not have suffl~ient volatility fo~ thl~: consequ~ntly the level of them is pr~ferably very low, as stated above.
P~ef~red and essentl~l oonstltuen~s will now be discussed.
Preferably any organlc solvent is sufflciently water soluble to give a sin~le phas~ solvent syste~.
However, it ~s posslble to u~e a golvent of low wat8~
solubillty and include ~uffic~ent solvent that there is a surplus of organlc solvent forming a ~eparate phas~ This oould be ~ispersea aR an emulsion, o~ dist~ibuted through the product by æhaking the container be~ore use.
~5 T}~e p2~Q~e~e~ olas~ of o~gan~c ~olvents a~e t~ose ~hich havq both hydroxyl funotionali~y and an alkyl group which i~ Cl to C5, preferably C3 to C5 alkyl. In thls latter aa~e, of course, the solvent wll 1 pro~lde ~

201~6~2 combinatlon of -y~loph~ lio and hy~G~hob~ ~un~tlons, ~o that pr~erre~ solvQnts bring about a lo~ering of gu~face ten~ion as well a~ helping to so~ubllise oily soils.
The C3 to C5 alkyl group may ~e linked di~ectly to hydroxyl as ~n the case of aliphati~ alcohols or it may be o~nnected th~o~gh ~ llnk~ ng group cont~ining ~oth carbon ato~S and an atom othe~ ~han ~arbon or hyd~ogen -usually oxygen.

8ultable as ~rganic solvent~ are those of10 st~uctural formu~a:
R-X-OH
where R 18 Cl to C$ alk~l a~d X i8 a covalent bond or -O-CH-CH2_ -OC~H2C:H-CH2 -OH
o -C-O-CH2C~12-~

O
_o_ `_C~2_ or even -OC2~40HC2H4- or -OC3H6 3 6 4 ~

but ln all cases aub~ect to the requlrement for ~ bolllng polnt below ~00C.
Suit~ble so~ven~s ha~ins a formula as deflned above include methanol, ethanol and the vario~s lsomers of propanol, butanol an~ pentanol, 2-~LGpoxye~hanol, ~-~utoxyethanol, 2-p~ntoxye~hanol, 1-~.opGh~propan-2-ol and l-~utoxypropan-2-ol.
Examples of less wAter soluble ~olvent~ whlch m~y be ~ncluded, giv~ng mo~e th~n one phase, are paraffins, olef~ns, teL~n2s ~nd al~yl benzenes, subJect ~n each ins~ance to the r~quirement that the boil~ng point is below 200C.
~he ammonla or alkanolam~e gerves to ~end~ the compo~itlon alkaline, whi~h is benefic~al for cleanln~
psrformance. Al~ano~ ne~ are preferred ove~ ammonia;
the~r hyd~oxy functlon s~rves to e~An~e water so~ub~lity and the am~no group contri~utes ~o the solubilisat~on of polar fatty 8011~.
An ~lkanolam~e meeting the requlrement fo~
boiling point below 200'C will generally be a monoalkanolam~ne, whose structural formula is:

R -Nl3 whe~e Rl is hyd~oxy alkyl an~ R2 and R3 are (independently of each other) ei~her hydrogen or alkyl.

2~ 1 96~2 The n~-~he~ o~ carbon a~oms in th~ groups Rl, R2, R $g restriated by th~ requ~rement that the ~olling point i~ not o~er 200C. ~ene~ally not more than four ~arbon stoms will be pre~ent in total ln the groups Rl, R2 and S ~ .
Monosthanol~mine ~8 the pre~erred oompound.
Further possib~lit~es incl~de 2-am~no 2-methyl prop~no~, 2-amlnoprGpanol, n-propanolamine,-2-amino l-butanol, ~-methyl ethanolamine and ~,N-dimethyl ethanolamine.
The amount of alkanolamlne may be up to 10% by weight of the composi~ion~ P~efera~ly, ~t~ r, the guantity is not ~reater than 5~, ~inCe quantitieS ln c~s of 5% p~oduce ll~tle a~di~ional ~enefit in r~turn for ths ex~ra ~ost. The amoun~ of al~anolamlne ~s prefera~ly a~ least 0.5%~
The ~at~on~, polymer enhsnoe~ the ab~llty o~ ~he compo~ition to rem~e particulats ~0~18. Without being ted ~y our hypothesls a~ to its mo~e o~ act~on, lt is believed th~t ~he polymer 1s sble to oauge a~y~y~tion of part~cu~ate soil pa~tiol~s wlthout the d~ea~vantage of cauqin~ e~ive agg~egation and interfe~enae w~th de~e~ cy, 40r example by bind~ng the ~oil ~articles to the surface. Presu~a~ly then the ~esulting largs~
particles are more easily pic~e~ up by a ~loth be~n~ used ~S to wipe th~ su~face be~ng ~leaned.
A varlety of cationi~ polymer~ can be used. It i~ preferred thst the mole~ular wei~ht of the polymer ~s at least 10,000 bet~er at least 50,000 ~ even better at 2~6~2 least 100,0~0. I~ may be 8 high mol~cula~ ~ei~ht o at leagt 1 milli~n o~ even ~t l~ast 5 mill~on up to 20 milllon or more at the t~me of adding the polyme~ to the camposition, althou~h there may ~e some breakdown in the 5 len~th of polymer ~ n~ in the a~mpos~tion.
Cationi~ polymers yenerally conslst ~f a polymer~c ch~in w~ ch does not have cAtionlc charac~er, bearlng catlonic sub~titute ~roup~.
Certain cationic polymers can lnteract with anionic or amp~oteri~ surfactants, r~d~c~g the effect$vene~s of both. We hav~ found that if an~o sur~actant i~ present, wlthin the l~mit o~ 0.5% ~y weigh~
surfaatan~, then it ~s desirable to use a cation~c polymer wlth a hydrophil~c polymer ~hain ~ . poly~c~,~rlde or polyacrylsm~e) and not more ~han 50% (molar) cat~onic sùbst~ tu~ion on th~ s chain. Preferably les~ ~han 3~% or even less than ~0~ of the ~epeat units in the poly~er chain have cationic gubstitut~on, an~ pogsibly a~ few as 10~ are 80 substituted.
If anionic ~urfactant ~8 abgent, a wide range of ca~ionic polymers can ~e used, inclu~ing cationi~ polymers ~sed on hyd~ophobic polymer ~hains such ag polye~hylene or polymethylene.
Cationia polymers whi~h may ~e used ~n comp~s~tlon~ of this invention include;
a) Polyacrylamides and polymethacry~amid~ made by copolymer~ation of acrylamide or m~thacryl~mide with e.g.
~lmethylamino-ethylmsthacrylate ~follo~ed ~y quaternlsation wi~ d~methyl sulphate) os NN-dimethyl 3,5 methylen~ pip~r~ din~um chlor~d~. Alternat~vely, poly~meth)acrylami~es treated w~th nlk~l~ne hyr~h~or~te or with an amine an~ formaldehyds provi~e ca~isn~ y su~stltuted polyacryl ~t~8.
~3 Stsrche~ treated w~th e.~. (4-chloro~utene-2)-tr~methyl ammon$um ohloride, or ~ diethylamino ethyl chlorlde hydrochlor~de, or dimethylam~no ethyl methacrylat~, or 2,3-epo~yp~op~l tr~methyl ammon~um ~hloride. In partioular, ~r sums and ~.y~ro~yethyl oellul~se~ cationised thus are ugeful.
a) ~omopoly~er o~ N,N-dimethyl-3,5 methylene piperid~nium chloride or ethylsne imine. Polyethylene imines and poly~mine~ d~monstrate u~eful cationio cha~ 6~ Up to pH's of ~-~l which are prefe red for this invention.
It is a~vanta~eou~ for compoe~t~ons of this invent~on to ~ n~ e some dete~e..~ aotl~e. However, beaau~e of the ~nte~d~d use wlthout r~s~, the ~uantity ~0 o~ d~ ~e ~ nt aative ie restriate~ to at most ~5% by wel~ht of the co.~oaitlon, e.~. 0.~1 to 0.~, p~e~erably not over 0.2~, while inorg~nic electrolyte ls sub~tantlally absent~
Detsr~snt actives which are used may be c~osen from the convention~1 class~, that ~s to ~ay anion~c, nonloni~, cat~onic and amphoteric detergents and ~ixtures thereof. Anion~c detergent ~cti~ss are prsferred for ~e sa~e af their good deter~ency, b~t as stated above, so~e 2~19642 cat~onic polymer~ c~nnot be u~ed with ~n$onic de~r~ents, ~or which reason nonionio detergent active may b~
preferred, In general, anlonlc, catlonl~ and ampho~eric deter~ent acti~es cont~in an alkyl group of 8 to 22 aarbon atoms, or an alkyl aromatio g~oup with ~ to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl portlon, and a char~ed hea~ group.
Speciflo possibilltles for ~n~onlc detergent act~v~s are so~lum C10 12 alkyl be~ns sulphonates and ~o~ium ~1~ 15 syn~hetic alcohol 3EO ~ulph3tes. C10 16 secon~ry alkane sulphonates are f~ther pos81bilities.
Nonionlo dete~ent aotives m~y be compounds produced by the ~ondensation of alkylene oxide groups, which are hydrophll$c in nature, wi~h an organio hydrophobic cG,.~ound whlch may b~ aliphAt~o o~ alkyl a~omatio in nature. The length of the hydrophilla o~
polyoxyalkylene radioal whio~ i8 oonden~ea with any parti~ul~r hydrophobic group oan be a~usted to y~eld a wate~-solu~le ~omr~n~ h~ving the des~red aog~ee of balance between hydrophllic an~ ~yd~ophohic elements.
Partloular examples inclu~e the conden~ation product of aliphatlc alcohols having f~om 8 to 22 oarbon a~oms in either ~tr~lght or branche~ chaln configuration with ethylene oxi~e, such 3s a coqonut oll ethylene oxide contensate hsvln~ from 2 to 15 moles of ethylene oxlde per 2S mol~ of cooonut alcohol, and cond~n~ates of ~ynthet~o prim~ry or seoondary aloohols hav~ n~ 8 to 15 oar~on atomg with 3 to 12 moles of ethylene oxlde per mols o~ the synthet~o alcohol: also condensates of alkylphenol8 whose ~ 0 ~ 2 alkyl group contain~ from 6 to 12 carbon ato~s wlth S to 25 moles o~ ethylene oxlde per ~ole of alkylph~nol.
~u~h~r example~ o~ nonion~c s~rfactants are con~n.~te~
of the reaction product of ethylenedlam~ne and y~o~ylene ox~de with ethylene ox~de, the con~ tes ~ont~ n~ from 40 to 80~ of polyoxy~thylene ~a~ica~ by w~i~ht ~nd having a mole~u~ar wei~ht of from S,000 to 11,000; also ~lock copolymer~ ~f ~thylene ox~d~ and propylene oxide.
Nonionic ~eter~ent a~tives may be compoun~s containi~ a C8 ~o C22 alkyl group and a polar hea~ ~roup (which may o~ may not ~e pro~i~e~ by alkylene oxi~e residues). ~r~s are tert~ary amine ~t~5 o~ ~o~mu~
RRlRlNO
where the g~oup R 1~ an alkyl group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms a~d the groups Rl are èach methyl, ethyl or hydroxyethy~ groups, for instance dimethy~o~e~vylamine oxide; ~lycosi~e~ or poly~ly~,o~ G~ .ifie~ wlth at least ~ne C8-C22 alkyl ~-oup or ~s~e~f$ed with at least one C8-C22 fatty acyl group: fatty a~d alkylol~mid~s; and alkylene oxlde ~n~An~te~ o4 f~t~y ac~d alkylol~mides.
Mlxturss of two or more nonionlc de~e,~c..t ac~i~es ~an ~e employe~, as ~an mixtu~es of ~o~ tc and anionlc detergent acti~es.
The ~ n~o~ atile constitu~n~s of a compo~ition of 25 this lnvention wlll be the de~er~3nt act~ vel and cat~ onic polymer i~ thes~3 are u~ed, toyether with part of an~
perfu~e if used. An approximate wor~ing rule ~8 that-half of a conventional perfume will clas~ as invola~lle. It is 2~1~642 very desl~ble t~at not ~ore than 0.5~ by weight o~ the ~ slti~n, p~efer~y not more tha~ 0.2~ ~ 8 provi~ed by suCh involatlles.
The o~ ttlons of th~g inven~lon can ~e S prepa~ed by simply mi~in~ their con~tituents into dl~tilled or d~ ed water, e.g. in a m~ vesse~ wi~h a ~tirrer.

EXAMP~ES
The ~n~ention is illustrated by the following Example~ of ~ -L~ition~ (~n~luding some ~o~ra~lve Examplss outsiae the invent~on). All percent~geg are by we~ht. The nonionic detergent was ~9 to Cl1 synthetic al~ohol ethox~l~ted w~th average 5 e~hylsne oxlde lS res~dues. ~he aatlon~c pcl~mers uS~d were:

Poly~er Source ~pprox Approx Degree Of Mol. wt. Substit~tion ~% molar) A~rylamide Floc Aid 300 National Sta~ohlOm 2 Floc Aid 301 Nat~onal StarchlOm 7 Floo A~d 371 National S~arch~m 2.5 Cationised Guar Jaguar C-13 Meyhall 2~+ 13 3S Polyd~methyl~iallylammon~um ~er~ua~ 100 Mer~k ~m 100 '~1 96~2 ,~

Examp'~ ~ 1 ~ by we~ht Propylene gl~col monobutyl e~h~r 3.0 ~on~onic det~rgent 0.1 ~ationlc poly~e~ (Floa-Ald 301) 0.01 Monoethanolamine 1.0 10 Di~tilled watar bal~nce to 100 Ex~mple 2 ~ by w~l~ht 15 n-Butanol 3.0 ~on~oni~ detergent 0.1 ~ationi~ polyme~ (Flo~-Aid 301) 0.01 20 Mo~o~th~nolamln~ 1.O
Dis~ A water b~lance to 100%

25 Example 3 ~ ~Y ~el~ht I~oy~u~anol 5-~
Nonionic dete~ent ~.15 Cationic pol~mer (Flo~-A~d 300) 0.01 30 Perf~me 0-03 Monoethanolamlne 1.O
~istille~ water ~alan~e to lO0 2~96~2 F,Y~p~e 4 % by we$~ht Ethyl ~ellosolve 2.0 (ethylene glycol moneoeth~l ether) S Nonionic dete~ent 0.1 Cation~C polyme~ (Floc-Aid 301) 0.01 ~onoethanolam~ne 1.0 Di~tilled water balance to 100 Example A ~aom~ra~ive - dialkanolamlne~
lS ~ by wel~ht Propylene ~lycol m~nohl~tyl ether 3.0 Nonlonl~ detergent 0.1 Cationic p~lymer (Floc-Aid 301) 0.02 Diethanola~ne 1.5 Dl~t~lled water ~alance to 100%

Example ~ (~omparative - non-valatil~ solvent~
~ ~y wei~t Butyl digol ~4Hg-~-C2~-O-C~4-OH Bpt ~ 200~C) 5.0 30 ~onionic detergent 0.1 C~tionic polymer (Floc-Aid 301) 0.01 2-methyl 2-amino propanol 1.0 2~19~2 Example C (compa~atl~e - ino~ganic alkalln~ electrolyte) ~ ~y wel~ht Propylene gly~ol monobutyl et~er 3.0 Nonionlc detergent 0.1 S Sodlum oarbonate 1.5 ~atlonlc polymer (Floo-Ald 301) 0.0 Example S
~ ~y wei~ht Propylen~ glycol monob~tyl et~r 2.5 ~on~onlc detergent 0.2 Monoethanolamine 6.0 Cationlc pol~mer (Flo~-Aid 301~ 0.01 Example ~
% by we~ht P~opylena glycol monobutyl ~ther 2.5 20 Nonlonio de~e~ent 0.2 2-methyl 2-amino propanol 6.0 Cationlc polymer (Floc-Aid 301) 0.01 201~642 Example D (comparative - high non~onic) % ~y wei~ht F~hyl csllosolve 2.0 (sthylene glyool monoethylether3 5 Nonioni~ detergen~ 0.8 Monoethanolamln~ 1.O
Cationio polymer (Floc-Aid 301) 0.01 Example E ~oomparative - alkali absent) % by w~l~ht Propylene g~ycol ~onobutyl ether 3.0 Nonioni~ detergent 0.1 Cationic polymsr (Floc - Ai~ 301) 0.01 15 Distillsd water bal~nce ~o 100 Ex~mpls 7 (ammonia a-Q fugitive alkall) ~ by welgh~ -20 P~opylene glyool monobutyl ether 3.0 Nonionic deteraen~ 0.1 Ammonia O.S
Catlonio pol~mer (Flo¢-Ald 301) 0.01 Pistilled watsr balanoe to 100%

~A~3 1 9642 ~m~!e 8 (~olvent absent) % by weiqht Monoethanolam~ne 1.0 N4n~0n~c deter~ent 0.1 Cat~on~c polymer (Floc-~id 301) 0.01 Dlstilled water bala~ce to 100 ~ rle 9 % ~y wei~t Methoxypropoxypropanol 3~0 Non~onic ~eterg~nt 0.1 Monoethanolamine 1.0 ~ationic polyme$ (Floc-Ai~ 301) 0.01 15 D~stilled water b~lance to 100%

Example 10 % by weiaht M~thoxypropanol ~propylene ~lycol ~ther) 3.0 Moneoth~nol~ine 1,0 Nonioni~ detergent 0.1 Cat~onlc polymer (Floc-Ai~ 301~ 0.01 ~i~ti~led water balan~e to 100 Th~ compos~tions of the Examples were teRted for ætreaking brought a~out by com~onents of the aomposit~o~
and for ~ffec~veness in oleaning.

17 20~ q64~
Streaking is assessed sub;ectively on high gloss black-coloured ceramic tiles which have been wiped over with a sponge cloth loaded with a standard amount of formulation. The liquid film is allowed to evaporate before assessment is made. High gloss black tiles are a very discriminating surface for judgement of streaking and product residues.
Effectiveness was assessed using ceramic floor tiles soiled with either a predominantly fatty or a predominantly particulate soil. Soiled tiles were prepared by a combination of spraying of soil components from a solvent solution/suspension, followed by rubbing of soil into the surface to obtain an even coverage which cannot be easily wiped off with a dry cloth.
To assess cleaning performance, 3 drops of composition were applied to the soiled surface, allow~d ~o soak for lO seconds, then wiped off with a dry paper tissue.
The predominantly fatty soil consisted of 5 parts kaolin, 0.2 parts carbon black, 19 parts of glycerol trioleate and 1 part oleic acid. This represents a model for kitchen and bathroom soil. The predominantly particulate soil consisted of 8 parts Illite clay, 0.1 parts carbon black and 2 parts glycerol trioleate; this is a model for the soils found on floors and windows.
The results are expressed as a ranking of performance, l representing the standard achieved by Example 1, 1+ representlng an even better result, 1-~01 9642 res~n~lng ~ htly inf~rior re~ult, an~ ~he ~alues ~, 3 and 4 repre,sentlng progr~si-Jely i~ferlor al~n~n5~.
Con~ ant:ly th~ ~c:ale is:
t 1 Wor~t Resuit6:
Ex~mple No S~roakin~ F~ ;y Soi~ P~rt~ atR
~oil Non~ 1 1 2 None 1~ 1 3 Non~ 1 3 4 tIone 1 2 A Ve~y ~ igh~ 1- 2 13 Stx~ky 3 3 ~0 C SliçJht 2 2 Sl~ht 1~
None 1~ 1 D Very st~reaky E Non~ 3 4 2 5 7 None 1 1-Versr sli~ht 1 2 g Very slight Non~ 1 1-201964~

~ ho4~ ros~lt~ shDw that the ~LGdU~ 0~ ~n~ inv~ntlon g~e goo4 oloanlng w~h very lo~ ~e~iAuo~ o~ p~o4uct on tha cl~rrod s~r~ace.
~h~ oompo~ltion of ~xomple 1, and var~ou~
6 3n~logouC ~ q~ltlon~ with dlfferent a~t~on~a poly~or or none at all, w~re used to d~onot~ote th~ valuc o~ the oation~c polymer in re~v~l of Do~tioul~te A 30cm x 300m ~la~a ml~ror ~o thoro~shly cl An~
~nd lt~ r~lPctance 1~ me~sured.
A ~oll oDn~i~tln~ of 8 ~ert~ of Ill$t~ type clay ~nd 0.1 part~ o~ carbon black in e~h~nol ~9 ~pr~d l~ghtly n~ o~nly onto the m~rroL. ~efl60~anc~ le m~aeuro~ a~aln. one half of the mirror (15om x 30cm~ i~
c~ean~d wlth ox~erlm~nt~l compo~tlon, the othor hal~ wlth a control ~ln~Dw ctean~n~ pro~ct. B~oh hal~ aned ~y ~ n~ ~ ~1 of compo~it~on on the ~o~od 8urfa~e and ~ip~n4 32 tl~Q~ over ths ~r~ wlth a dry non tJ~ vl~cose oloth tapp~o~.
75 ~.~.m.l 12 x l~cm. Ai'tsr ~llow~ 1 mlnute to dr~, th4 re~leo~anc~ o~ th~ cl ~n~ mir~or ~urf~ae 1~ maac~r~
~galn. Rno~lng the rel1ectance o~ the pe~featly clean mlrror, tna ~ lo~ 4u~ to lnlti~l ond re~dual ~oil ooverag~ aan ~e calc~lsted.

R~eult~ are a~ follows:
S lo~o ln refleotance 1 d ~o~l~a m~rror lO.S
F oo-A~ 301 1 Cl ear~d wlth control12 . ~
~ ~ J Clc-nod with E%ample 1 5.3 ~ ~o~le~ m~rror 1~.2 No cat~oniC Cl~aned wlth cDntrol 11-7 pclymer C1C-~Q~ w~th ~v-~le 1 - without c~tlonlc 11.9 9011ed mirror 20.2 ClOanqd with oontrol 16.4 q Cl~n^d w~ th ~., n~ tlan havin~
i~ r~ ~ Jsguar C-~3 a~ oatlonia po~ymer 3.5 So$1ed mirrcr a3.7 Clean~d wlth ~ontrol 24.4 Cl~an~d w~ th oompo~ltion h~vCng Fl~c-Ald 371 as catlon~c polymQr a . 9 90iled mirror 1~.7 clc~oe w~ ontrol 16.8 eone~ with ~ ltion havin~
~5 ~ M-rquat 100 aR eationiC polymer ~.7 All of th~ oatlonio polymer~ led to 4ubctantial i-..pro~q-~e~t oompared w~th uGe of the compo4it~on h~v$ng no cation-a ~olym~r. ~ clm~ rssult wa~ fo~n~ wltn a aoil also oante~n~n~ a p~to glyoe~ol trloleate, whiah i~ the pre~om~nantly particulate aoil ~eferred to above.

~ ~R'~ R/~

Claims (11)

1. An aqueous cleaning composition comprising 0.1-10% by weight of ammonia or alkanolamine having a boiling point below 200°C at atmospheric pressure and 0.001 to 0.5% of a cationic polymer having a molecular weight over 5,000, in a solvent system comprising water and optionally up to 10%
by weight of an organic solvent which has a boiling point below 200°C at atmospheric pressure or has an evaporation rate greater than 0.01 times that of n-butyl acetate at 20°C;
the composition being substantially free of inorganic electrolyte and containing at most 0.5% by weight of surfactant, all the above percentages being based on the whole composition.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of cationic polymer is from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight and the total amount of surfactant and any other materials which do not boil below 200°C at atmospheric pressure does not exceed 0.5% by weight.

3. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2 containing from 0.001% to 0.2% of surfactant.

4. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the cationic polymer has a molecular weight of at least 50,000, and has cationic groups on not more than 35% of its repeat units.

5. A composition according to claim 1 containing at least 0.05%
of the said organic solvent.

6. A composition according to claim 5 wherein the solvent has an alkyl group of up to five carbon atoms together with at least one hydroxyl group;

7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein the solvent is of formula:
R-OH

or wherein R is C3 to C5 alkyl.

8. A composition according to claim 6 wherein the solvent is a monohydric alcohol or a monoalkyl ether of a diol.

9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein the solvent is methoxy propanol or methoxy propoxy propanol.

10. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the alkanolamine is monoethanolamine.

11. Method of cleaning fixed, rigid, inanimate surfaces comprising applying thereto the composition of claim 1 or claim2.