WO2025220273A1 - Cleaning agent composition - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a cleaning agent composition having excellent foaming power while containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant. [Solution] A cleaning agent composition according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising a nonionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, and a denatonium salt.

Description

Cleaning composition

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning composition comprising a nonionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, and a denatonium salt.

Conventionally, various detergent compositions have been used to remove dirt adhering to hard surfaces such as toilet bowls and to create a hygienic environment. For example, detergent compositions for flush toilets are used that are designed to release detergent into flush water when placed in the hand basin, on the surface of the toilet bowl, in the water storage tank, or the like of a flush toilet.

In conventional cleaning compositions, tetraalkylammonium salts such as didecyldimethylammonium chloride and benzyldimethylalkylammonium salts such as benzyldimethyldodecylammonium chloride and benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride have been widely used as disinfectants to prevent microbial stains such as blackening. Various compositions have been investigated in an attempt to improve the performance of cleaning compositions containing disinfectants. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that the detergency of a cleaning composition for hard surfaces can be improved by using didecyldimethylammonium chloride in combination with a specific polyoxyethylene alkyl ether.

Furthermore, in designing the composition of a detergent composition, it is important not only to have a high cleaning effect for removing dirt, but also to give the user a "sense of use" that allows the user to intuitively perceive that the detergent is actually being used and that the detergent is being cleaned, thereby increasing user satisfaction. To give the user a sense of use, colorants and fragrances can be added to the detergent composition so that the color and scent of the cleaning solution can be perceived upon use, but such color and scent alone cannot give the user a sense of cleaning effectiveness. On the other hand, a detergent composition that has excellent foaming properties upon use and can generate a large amount of foam can give the user both a sense of use and a sense of cleaning effectiveness by visually perceiving the foam.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-95718

However, when a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant as a disinfectant are combined in a detergent composition, the foaming power of the detergent composition is reduced, making it difficult to generate foam. Therefore, detergent compositions containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant have been unable to enhance user satisfaction by providing users with a "real feeling of use."

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cleaning composition that contains a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant and yet has excellent foaming power.

The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and have unexpectedly found that the foaming power of a detergent composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant can be improved by further blending a denatonium salt. The present disclosure was completed based on this finding and further research.

That is, the present disclosure provides the inventions of the following aspects.



Item 1. A detergent composition comprising a nonionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, and a denatonium salt.



Item 2. The cleaning composition according to Item 1, wherein the denatonium salt is denatonium benzoate.



Item 3. The cleansing composition according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant includes at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dialkyl (C8 to C22)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate.



Item 4. The cleaning composition according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the content of the denatonium salt is 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the nonionic surfactant.



Item 5. The cleaning composition according to any one of Items 1 to 4, wherein the content of the denatonium salt is 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant.



Item 6. The cleaning composition according to any one of Items 1 to 5, which is used to clean a toilet bowl of a flush toilet.



Item 7. A method for improving the foaming power of a detergent composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for improving foaming power further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the detergent composition.



Item 8. A method for reducing the surface tension of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for reducing surface tension further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.



Item 9. A method for suppressing discoloration of a detergent composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for inhibiting discoloration further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.

The detergent composition of the present disclosure contains a denatonium salt in addition to a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, thereby providing excellent foaming power and generating a large amount of foam, thereby providing a user with a "real feeling of use" and enhancing user satisfaction. Furthermore, the detergent composition of the present disclosure contains a denatonium salt, which reduces surface tension and improves cleaning effectiveness, and also inhibits discoloration over time, thereby providing excellent color stability and allowing the composition to maintain a good appearance for a long period of time.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a foaming power measurement test device (Ross Miles method measurement device) used to measure the foaming power of a detergent composition.

1. Cleaning composition



The cleaning composition of the present disclosure is characterized by containing a nonionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, and a denatonium salt. The cleaning composition of the present disclosure is described in detail below.

[Nonionic surfactant]



The cleaning composition of the present disclosure contains a nonionic surfactant. By incorporating a nonionic surfactant into the cleaning composition, it is possible to impart a cleaning effect to the cleaning composition.

The type of nonionic surfactant is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbit fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters, propylene glycol mono-fatty acid esters, alkyl polyhydric alcohol ethers, polyoxyalkylene block polymers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylamines, fatty acid alkanolamides, acylmethylglucamides, polyoxyethylene acetylene glycols, polyoxyethylene lanolin, polyoxyethylene lanolin alcohols, polyoxyethylene castor oil, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, polyoxyethylene phytosterols, polyoxyethylene cholestanol, polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl formaldehyde condensates, alkyl polyglucosides, etc. Nonionic surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Among the nonionic surfactants exemplified above, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers are preferred from the viewpoint of superior cleaning action.

The polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether is a compound in which a polyoxyalkylene chain and an alkyl group are ether-bonded.

The polyoxyalkylene chain in the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether may be, for example, any of a polyoxyethylene chain, a polyoxypropylene chain, or a polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene chain. The polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene chain may be one in which ethylene oxide and propylene oxide are randomly added, or one in which they are block-added.

The polyoxyalkylene chain in the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether is preferably a polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene chain from the viewpoint of superior cleaning action. The ratio of the number of moles of polyethylene oxide to polypropylene oxide added in the polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene chain is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1:0.3-15, preferably 1:0.5-8, and more preferably 1:1-5, in terms of the number of moles of polypropylene oxide added: the number of moles of polyethylene oxide added.

The number of moles of alkylene oxide added to the polyoxyalkylene chain is, for example, 2 to 80, preferably 2 to 70, more preferably 2 to 60, and even more preferably 2 to 50.

The alkyl group in the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether may be either linear or branched, and the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is, for example, 6 to 24, preferably 8 to 18, more preferably 8 to 16, and even more preferably 10 to 14.

A suitable example of the polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether is a compound represented by the following general formula (1).



R ¹ -O-[(EO)n/(PO)m]-H (1)

In the general formula (1), R ¹ represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 18, more preferably 8 to 16, and even more preferably 10 to 14 carbon atoms.

In general formula (1), EO represents an oxyethylene group, n represents the average number of moles of EO added, PO represents an oxypropylene group, and m represents the average number of moles of PO added. n is an integer of 0 to 50, preferably 1 to 40, more preferably 1 to 35, and even more preferably 1 to 30; m is an integer of 0 to 50, preferably 1 to 40, more preferably 1 to 35, and even more preferably 1 to 30; and n+m is an integer of 2 to 80, preferably 2 to 70, more preferably 2 to 60, and even more preferably 2 to 50.

In addition, in the general formula (1), [(EO)n/(PO)m] represents random addition or block addition of EO and PO.

The polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether may be used alone having one type of structure, or may be used in combination of two or more types of structures.

In the detergent composition of the present disclosure, the content of the nonionic surfactant may be appropriately set depending on the cleaning effect to be imparted, the dilution ratio at the time of use, etc., and is, for example, 10 to 60 wt %, preferably 15 to 55 wt %, and more preferably 20 to 50 wt %.

[Quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant]



The cleaning composition of the present disclosure contains a quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant as a disinfectant. The type of quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant is not particularly limited, but examples include quaternary ammonium chloride, quaternary ammonium sulfate, quaternary ammonium bromide, and quaternary ammonium hydrogen sulfate. From the viewpoint of disinfecting effect, the type of quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant is preferably quaternary ammonium chloride or quaternary ammonium sulfate, and more preferably quaternary ammonium chloride. Examples of quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactants include benzalkonium chloride (a mixture of alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides having 8 to 18 carbon atoms), cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, dequalinium chloride, dialkyl(C8 to 22)dimethylammonium chloride, alkyl(C8 to 22)trimethylammonium chloride, methylbenzethonium chloride, lauroylcholaminoformylmethylpyridinium chloride, dialkyl(C8 to 22)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate, and alkyl(C8 to 22)trimethylammonium methyl sulfate. Quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactants may be used alone or in combination of two or more. A decrease in foaming power of a cleanser composition is particularly likely to occur when the cleanser composition contains benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, or dialkyl(C8 to 22)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate. Therefore, from the viewpoint of more effectively obtaining the effects of the present disclosure, the quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant to be incorporated preferably comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dialkyl (C8 to C22) dimethylammonium methyl sulfate, and more preferably comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride and dialkyl (C8 to C22) dimethylammonium methyl sulfate. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of even more effectively obtaining the effects of the present disclosure, the quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant to be incorporated preferably comprises only at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dialkyl (C8 to C22) dimethylammonium methyl sulfate, and more preferably comprises only at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride and dialkyl (C8 to C22) dimethylammonium methyl sulfate.

In the detergent composition of the present disclosure, the content of the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant may be appropriately set depending on the disinfecting effect to be imparted, the dilution ratio at the time of use, etc., and is, for example, 1 to 60 wt %, preferably 5 to 55 wt %, more preferably 10 to 50 wt %, even more preferably 15 to 45 wt %, and still more preferably 20 to 45 wt %.

In the cleaning composition of the present disclosure, the content ratio of the quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant to the nonionic surfactant is determined depending on the contents of the above-described components. The content of the quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant per 100 parts by weight of the nonionic surfactant is usually 10 to 1,000 parts by weight, preferably 20 to 500 parts by weight, more preferably 30 to 300 parts by weight, and even more preferably 50 to 200 parts by weight.

[Denatonium salts]



The detergent composition of the present disclosure contains a denatonium salt. By blending the denatonium salt together with a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, it is possible to impart excellent foaming power to the detergent composition, reduce surface tension to improve cleaning effectiveness, and suppress discoloration of the detergent composition over time. Since denatonium salts are quaternary ammonium salts, they are thought to reduce the foaming power of detergent compositions. However, blending the denatonium salt together with a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant in the detergent composition of the present disclosure unexpectedly improves the foaming power of the detergent composition. Furthermore, by blending the denatonium salt together with a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant in the detergent composition of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce surface tension to improve cleaning effectiveness and suppress discoloration of the detergent composition over time, which are also unexpected effects.

The type of denatonium salt is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include denatonium benzoate, denatonium chloride, denatonium citrate, denatonium saccharide, denatonium carbonate, denatonium acetate, etc. The denatonium salt may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Among the above-listed denatonium salts, denatonium benzoate is preferred from the viewpoints of further improving the foaming power of the detergent composition, further improving the cleaning effect, and more effectively suppressing discoloration of the detergent composition over time.

In the detergent composition of the present disclosure, the content of the denatonium salt may be appropriately set depending on the contents of the nonionic surfactant and the quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant. For example, the content is 0.0001 to 10% by weight. From the viewpoints of further improving the foaming power of the detergent composition, further improving the cleaning effect, and more effectively suppressing discoloration of the detergent composition over time, the content is preferably 0.0003 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.0005 to 3% by weight, even more preferably 0.001 to 1% by weight, still more preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 0.2% by weight.

In the detergent composition of the present disclosure, the content ratio of the denatonium salt to the nonionic surfactant is determined depending on the contents of the above-described components. However, the content of the denatonium salt per 100 parts by weight of the nonionic surfactant is usually 0.0001 to 10 parts by weight, and from the viewpoints of further improving the foaming power of the detergent composition, further improving the cleaning effect, and more effectively suppressing discoloration of the detergent composition over time, the content is preferably 0.001 to 5 parts by weight, more preferably 0.005 to 3 parts by weight, even more preferably 0.01 to 1 part by weight, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 0.5 parts by weight.

In the detergent composition of the present disclosure, the content ratio of the denatonium salt to the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant is determined depending on the contents of the above-described components. However, the content of the denatonium salt is usually 0.0001 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant. From the viewpoints of further improving the foaming power of the detergent composition, further improving the cleaning effect, and more effectively suppressing discoloration of the detergent composition over time, the content is preferably 0.001 to 5 parts by weight, more preferably 0.005 to 3 parts by weight, even more preferably 0.01 to 1 part by weight, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 0.5 parts by weight.

[Fragrance]



The cleaning composition of the present disclosure may contain a fragrance, if necessary. The fragrance may be appropriately selected from fragrance components that exhibit a desired fragrance depending on the intended use of the cleaning composition. Examples of fragrances include natural fragrances as well as synthetic fragrances such as hydrocarbon-based fragrances, ether-based fragrances, ester-based fragrances, alcohol-based fragrances, aldehyde-based fragrances, and ketone-based fragrances. The fragrance may be used alone as a single fragrance, or two or more fragrances may be used in combination as a blended fragrance.

In the cleanser composition of the present disclosure, the content of the fragrance is, for example, 0.01 to 15 wt %, preferably 0.1 to 10 wt %, and more preferably 0.5 to 8 wt %.

[Chelating agent]



The cleaning composition of the present disclosure may contain a chelating agent, if necessary. When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure contains a chelating agent, discoloration that occurs over time can be further suppressed.

The chelating agent is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include aminocarboxylic acid chelating agents, phosphonic acid chelating agents, and polycarboxylic acid chelating agents.

Examples of aminocarboxylic acid chelating agents include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), dihydroxyethylglycine (DEG), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)iminodiacetic acid (HEIDA), hydroxyethylethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (HEDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), methylglycine diacetic acid (MGDA), glutamic acid diacetic acid (GLDA), aspartic acid diacetic acid (ASDA), ethylenediaminesuccinic acid (EDDS), hydroxyiminodisuccinic acid (HIDS), iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), and salts thereof (alkali metal salts such as sodium salts).

Examples of phosphonic acid chelating agents include 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), nitrilotris(methylenephosphonic acid) (NTMP), phosphonobutanetricarboxylic acid (PBTC), ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonic acid (EDTMP), and salts thereof (alkali metal salts such as sodium salts).

Examples of polycarboxylic acid chelating agents include acetic acid, adipic acid, monochloroacetic acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, oxydisuccinic acid, carboxymethylsuccinic acid, carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid, glycolic acid, diglycolic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, carboxymethyltartaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, and salts thereof (alkali metal salts such as sodium salts).

Among the chelating agents exemplified above, from the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing discoloration that occurs over time, phosphonic acid chelating agents are preferred, and HEDP and salts thereof are more preferred.

The chelating agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the cleaning composition of the present disclosure, the content of the chelating agent is, for example, 0.0001 to 5 wt %, preferably 0.001 to 1 wt %, and more preferably 0.005 to 0.1 wt %.

[water]



When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is in a liquid or gel form, it may contain water.

When water is contained in the cleaning composition of the present disclosure, the content thereof is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.1 to 40 wt %, and preferably 0.5 to 30 wt %.

[Other ingredients]



The detergent composition of the present disclosure may further contain additives, such as monohydric lower alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, surfactants (other than the above-described surfactants), colorants (colored pigments, dyes), enzymes, disinfectants, deodorizers, emulsifying and solubilizing agents for oily components, extenders, solubility adjusters, bleaching agents, water repellents, hydrophilic agents, fillers, pH adjusters, thickeners, gelling agents, moldability improvers, buffers, opacifying agents, antifoaming agents, lubricants, and coating agents, as needed, within the scope of not impairing the effects of the present disclosure.

[form]



The form of the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended use, and examples thereof include liquid, solid (powder, tablet, etc.), semi-solid (paste, gel, etc.), aerosol, etc. Among these forms, liquid and semi-solid forms are preferred, and liquid form is more preferred.

[Item to be cleaned]



The target to be cleaned with the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is not particularly limited, as long as it is one for which sterilization and stain removal are required, and examples thereof include hard surfaces that can come into contact with water, such as toilets (toilet bowls and toilet floors), bathrooms, kitchens, galleys, drainage pipes, water storage facilities (swimming pools, artificial ponds, etc.), etc. Among these, flush toilet bowls are prone to microbial stains such as blackening and are therefore targets for cleaning that require sterilization, and therefore the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is suitable as a cleaner for flush toilet bowls.

When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is used to clean a flush toilet bowl, the cleaning composition of the present disclosure may be applied directly to the toilet bowl and used for cleaning, but it is preferable to dilute it with flush water and use it to clean the toilet bowl with the flush water when flushing the flush toilet. When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is diluted with flush water for use in cleaning a flush toilet bowl, the dilution ratio is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, about 10,000 to 1,000,000 times, and preferably about 20,000 to 500,000 times.

When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is diluted with flush water and used for cleaning a flush toilet bowl, the cleaning composition of the present disclosure may be any of an on-tank cleaning agent for flush toilets, an in-tank cleaning agent for flush toilets, a rim cleaning agent for flush toilets, a cleaning agent used by adhering to the surface of a toilet bowl, etc.

An on-tank cleaner for a flush toilet is a cleaner that is placed above the hand-washing section of a flush toilet and cleans the toilet bowl by contacting a container containing the cleaner composition with flush water supplied to the hand-washing section, causing the cleaner composition to flow out of the container and releasing the flush water into the toilet bowl with the cleaner composition dissolved in it. When the cleaner composition of the present disclosure is used as an on-tank cleaner for a flush toilet, the cleaner composition of the present disclosure is preferably in a liquid or solid form.

An in-tank cleaner for a flush toilet is a cleaner that is placed in the water storage tank of a flush toilet and used by dissolving the cleaner composition in the water storage tank upon contact with flush water used for cleaning, and the flush water with the cleaner composition dissolved in it is released into the toilet bowl during flushing, thereby cleaning the toilet bowl. When the cleaner composition of the present disclosure is used as an in-tank cleaner for a flush toilet, the cleaner composition of the present disclosure is preferably in a solid form.

A cleaning agent for flush toilet rims is a cleaning agent that is attached to the rim of a flush toilet and cleans the toilet bowl by causing the cleaning composition to flow out of the container when flush water released into the toilet bowl comes into contact with a container containing the cleaning composition, and then releasing the flush water into the toilet bowl with the cleaning composition dissolved in it. When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is used as a cleaning agent for flush toilet rims, the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is preferably in a liquid or solid form.

A cleaning agent used by adhering to the surface of a toilet bowl is a cleaning agent that is set in a state of being adhered to the surface of a toilet bowl, comes into contact with flush water released into the toilet bowl during flushing, and cleans the toilet bowl by dissolving the cleaning agent composition in the flush water. When the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is used as a cleaning agent by adhering to the surface of a toilet bowl, the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is preferably in a gel form in order to provide adhesion to the toilet bowl surface.

Furthermore, since the cleaning composition of the present disclosure can be inhibited from discoloring over time, it has the advantage of being able to maintain stability without impairing the appearance even when stored in a container having a transparent storage portion (a storage portion for storing the cleaning composition) through which the interior can be seen. Therefore, a suitable example of a container for storing the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is a container having a transparent storage portion. Here, "transparent" includes both colorless transparent and colored transparent.

Furthermore, a container having a blue-transparent storage portion is considered unsuitable for storing a cleaning composition that is prone to yellowing over time, because the color change is easily noticeable when the cleaning composition stored in the storage portion turns yellow. However, the cleaning composition of the present disclosure can suppress discoloration over time, and therefore can maintain a stable appearance even when stored in a container having a blue-transparent storage portion. Therefore, a suitable example of a container for storing the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is a container having a blue-transparent storage portion.

The material for the container that holds the cleaning composition of the present disclosure is not particularly limited, but typically, a hard resin or metal can be used. From the viewpoint of suppressing discoloration over time, the container is preferably made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, or polypropylene, more preferably polyethylene terephthalate.

2. Method for improving the foaming power of a detergent composition



The present disclosure provides a method for improving the foaming power of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, the method comprising further adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.

3. Method for reducing the surface tension of a cleaning composition



The present disclosure provides a method for reducing the surface tension of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, the method comprising further adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.

4. Method for inhibiting discoloration of a cleaning composition



The present disclosure provides a method for inhibiting discoloration of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, the method comprising further adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.

The types and contents of the nonionic surfactant, quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, and denatonium salt used in the method, the types and contents of other components that can be blended in the detergent composition, the form of the detergent composition, the objects to be cleaned, etc. are as described in the section "1. Detergent composition" above.

The present disclosure will be described below with reference to examples, but the present disclosure is not limited to these examples.

Test Example 1



Each of the cleaning compositions shown in Tables 1 and 2 was prepared. Immediately after preparation, each cleaning composition was colorless and transparent. Details of each component shown in Tables 1 and 2 are as follows.



The polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether A is a compound represented by the following general formula (1):



R ¹ -O-[(EO)n/(PO)m]-H (1)



[In general formula (1), ^R1 is a linear alkyl group having 12 or 13 carbon atoms, EO is an oxyethylene group, PO is an oxypropylene group, n is in the range of 1 to 30, m is in the range of 1 to 15, and [(EO)n/(PO)m] represents random addition of EO and PO.]



Polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether B is a compound represented by the above general formula (1), in which R ¹ is a branched alkyl group having 10 carbon atoms, n is in the range of 5 to 30, and m is in the range of more than 0 but not more than 30, and is a random adduct of EO and PO.



The chelating agent contains 60% by weight of 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP).

The prepared cleaning compositions were used to carry out the following evaluations and measurements.



<Measurement of surface tension of cleaning composition>



The prepared cleaning composition was diluted with distilled water to a concentration of 14 ppm to obtain a diluted solution. The surface tension of the diluted solution was measured using an automatic surface tensiometer (DY-300, manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.) by the Welhelmy method (plate method/vertical plate method) under the following measurement conditions.



(Measurement conditions)



・Temperature: 25℃



Rising speed: 0.2 mm/s



・Descent speed: 0.2mm/s



Platinum plate width: 23.85 mm



Platinum plate thickness: 0.15 mm

<Evaluation of Foaming Power of Cleaning Compositions>



The prepared detergent composition was diluted with distilled water to a concentration of 14 ppm to obtain a diluted solution. The foaming power of the obtained diluted solution was evaluated by the Ross Miles method using a foaming power measurement tester (Ross Miles method measurement device) as shown in Figure 1, specifically, by the following method.



50 ml of diluted solution was placed in the cylinder of the foaming power measurement test device in advance, and 200 ml of the same diluted solution was dripped from a dropping funnel (height from the liquid surface of the diluted solution in the cylinder to the dripping funnel opening: 900 mm) at a constant rate over 30 seconds. The foam height immediately after the dripping was completed was read visually. For each test, the foam height was measured at three evenly spaced points, and the average value (mm) was evaluated as the foaming power. Measurements were performed at 25°C.

<Evaluation of Discoloration of Cleaning Composition>



Immediately after preparation, 60 ml of the detergent composition was placed in a 75 ml polyethylene terephthalate container and stored at 60° C. under light-shielded conditions for 2 weeks.



Then, a colorimeter (PPLB-400A, manufactured by PaLabo Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the degree of color distribution coincidence (xy3D) between the detergent composition immediately after preparation and the detergent composition after two weeks of storage, and the degree of discoloration of the detergent composition was evaluated from the value of the degree of color distribution coincidence (xy3D).



The color distribution consistency (xy3D) is a distribution comparison value calculated from the overlap of two-dimensional color distributions obtained by excluding brightness information from color information expressed in the xyz color space. More specifically, the color information for each pixel in the measurement range is plotted on an xy chromaticity diagram, and the color distributions are compared to determine the degree of consistency. This is a value comparing color and texture. The higher the color distribution consistency (%), the less likely a cleaning composition is to discolor over time.

The detergent compositions of Examples 1 to 6, which contained a denatonium salt together with a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant, had superior foaming power, lower surface tension, and were less likely to discolor over time, compared to the detergent compositions of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which did not contain a denatonium salt.

Prescription example



The detergent compositions shown in Table 3 were prepared. Each of the prepared detergent compositions had excellent foaming power, low surface tension, and was resistant to discoloration over time, similar to the detergent compositions of Examples 1 to 6.

Claims (9)

A cleaning composition comprising a nonionic surfactant, a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, and a denatonium salt.





2. The cleaning composition of claim 1, wherein the denatonium salt is denatonium benzoate.





2. The cleansing composition according to claim 1, wherein the quaternary ammonium salt cationic surfactant comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dialkyl (C8 to C22)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate.





2. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the denatonium salt is 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the nonionic surfactant.





2. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the denatonium salt is 0.001 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the quaternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactant.





The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is used for cleaning a toilet bowl of a flush toilet.





A method for improving the foaming power of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for improving foaming power further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the detergent composition.





A method for reducing the surface tension of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for reducing surface tension further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.





A method for suppressing discoloration of a cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant and a quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant, comprising:



The method for inhibiting discoloration further comprises adding a denatonium salt to the cleaning composition.