Composition and method for road-film removal
View Patent ↗A concentrate and a ready-to-use or diluted formulation for an aqueous vehicle cleaner can remove a wide range of different types of traffic film using either low pressure application, hand pressure application, water jet spray apparatus, clean-in-place systems or other manual or mechanical washing systems. The compositions may comprise, for example, one or more solutions that each or collectively contain or comprises: a) at least one anionic surfactant; b) at least one poly[oxyalkylene] ammonium cationic surfactant; and c) an alkaline agent. Optional additional ingredients may comprise at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent (preferably an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent), at least one non-ionic or amphoteric surfactant, at least one hydrotrope, inorganic and/or organic acids and at least one silicate. The alkaline agent may provide a pH (when the finished product is diluted to 0.5 to 5% by weight in water) will be between about 9 to 13. The concentrate may be provided as a one-part or two part solution. Certain formulations have been found to be shelf stable as one-part concentrate or ready-to-use solutions, even with significantly different properties amongst the components. The compositions of the invention are also used in cleaning processes for surfaces, especially vehicle surfaces in car wash systems. The compositions are used in such processes where there are single or multiple liquid application steps.
1. A method for removing undesirable material from the surface of a vehicle and improving drying time of the removal of aqueous solutions from said surface of a vehicle comprising applying at least two solutions to the surface of the vehicle, at least one of the solutions comprising a cleaning solution including:
a) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl benzyl sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, alkyl sulfates and secondary alkane sulfonates,
b) at least one poly(oxyalkylene) ammonium cationic surfactant, and
c) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an alkaline agent and an acidulating agent.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning solution has a pH of at least 8.5 but less than 11.5 and further comprising:
d) at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning solution includes at least one poly(oxyalkylene)ammonium cationic surfactant of the formula:
wherein R, R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from lower alkyl groups, R 3 comprises a polyoxyalkylene chain, and X comprises an anion.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein said cleaning solution includes at least one poly(oxyalkylene) ammonium cationic surfactant of the formula:
wherein R, R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from lower alkyl groups, R 3 comprises a polyoxyalkylene chain, and X comprises an anion.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein said polyoxyalkylene chain has a general formula selected from the group consisting of:
wherein n is from 1 to 60, m is from 0 to 30.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein said polyoxyalkylene chain has a general formula selected from the group consisting of:
wherein m is from 0 to 30, n is from 1 to 60, and m plus n is from 1 to 60, and n>m.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said polyoxyalkylene chain has a general formula selected from the group consisting of:
and the ratio n/m is greater than 4 and m+n is between 3 and 60.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein said polyoxyalkylene chain has a general formula selected from the group consisting of:
and the ratio n/m is greater than 4 and m+n is between 3 and 60.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning solution contains at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.
10. The method of claim 4 wherein said cleaning solution contains at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein said cleaning solutions contains at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein said cleaning solution contains at least one additional additive selected from the group consisting of an aminocarboxylic acid chelating agent, a nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, and a silicate.
13. The method of claim 2 wherein said cleaning solution further includes a concentrated cleaning solution comprising:
a) from about 2×10 −3 to 50% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one chelating agent for multivalent metal cations,
b) from about 1×10 −2 to 25% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one anionic surfactant,
c) from about 1×10 −2 to 20% by weight of the concentrate solution of said at least one cationic surfactant, and
d) from about 0.25% to 12% by weight of an alkaline agent.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the cleaning solution further includes a concentrated cleaning solution wherein said chelating agent comprises at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent, and said concentrated solution additionally comprises at least one of the following:
e) from about 1×10 −2 % to 25% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one anionic surfactant,
f) from about 1×10 −2 % to 25% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one nonionic surfactant or amphoteric surfactant, and
g) from about 2×10 −2 % to 5% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one silicate.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein one or more of said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent(s) include an amine polycarboxylic acid.
16. The method of claim 8 wherein the cleaning solution further includes a concentrated cleaning solution wherein said chelating agent comprises at least one polycarboxylic acid chelating agent, and said concentrated solution additionally comprises at least one of the following:
e) from about 1×10 −2 % to 25% by weight of said concentrated solution of at least one anionic surfactant,
f) from about 1×10 −2 % to 25% by weight of the concentrated solution of at least one nonionic or amphoteric surfactant, and
g) from about 5×10 −2 % to 5% by weight of the concentrated solution of at least one silicate.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent(s) comprise an amine polycarboxylic acid.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent(s) comprise a polycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of DTPA, EDTA and HEDTA.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of said polycarboxylic acid chelating agent(s) comprise a polycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of DTPA, EDTA and HEDTA.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said cleaning solutions is applied to said surface before another of said solutions.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said cleaning solutions is applied to said surface after another of said solutions.