Method of Simultaneously Maximizing the Mildness and Cleaning Performance of a Liquid Dishwashing Composition

1 . A method of simultaneously maximizing the mildness and cleaning performance of a liquid dishwashing composition, said method comprising the steps of:

A. forming the composition that has a pH of greater than about 7 and up to about 11, that comprises sodium laureth sulfate, an amine oxide, and optionally cocamidopropyl betaine, and that is substantially free of sodium lauryl sulfate; and

B. subjecting a sample of the composition to a Zein test, a corneosurfametry (CSM) test, and an in vitro cytokine release test for IL-1α response, respectively,

wherein the sample exhibits a Zein score of from about 0.1 to about 2.5, a CSM test value of from about 10 to about 35, and a cytokine release test value of from about 100 to about 600.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the Zein score is of from about 0.1 to about 1.5, the CSM test value is of from about 15 to about 20, and the cytokine release test value is of from about 100 to about 400.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of adjusting components of the composition such that the sample exhibits the Zein score of from about 0.1 to about 2.5, the CSM test value of from about 10 to about 35, and the cytokine release test value of from about 100 to about 600.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

C. deriving a detergent mildness index (DMI) for the sample from a sum of standardized Zein score, standardized CSM value, and standardized cytokine release value (IL-1α), of the composition;

D. subjecting a second sample of the composition to a plate count test to determine a plate count score representing cleaning performance; and

E. generating a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than or equal to about 5.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the plate count score is determined using ASTM D4009-92, the step of generating the ratio is further defined as calculating the ratio of DMI:plate count score and, if above about 5, reforming the composition such that the ratio is reduced to less than or equal to about 5 and is less than the ratio of DMI:plate count score of a comparative composition of lauramine oxide (2.4%), decyl glucoside (0.4%), and sodium lauryl sulfate (12.3%).

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 10 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition;

the amine oxide is a N,N-dimethyl C10-C16 alkyl amine oxide that is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the cocamidopropyl betaine is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein

the composition has a pH of from about 8 to about 10,

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of about 5 to about 6 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition;

the amine oxide is lauramine oxide and is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 4 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the cocamidopropyl betaine is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 1.5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than about 4.4,

wherein the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.2%,

wherein the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 18, and

wherein the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 210.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein

the composition has a pH of from about 8 to about 10,

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of about 8 to about 9 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition;

the amine oxide is lauramine oxide and is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the cocamidopropyl betaine is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than about 4.4,

wherein the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.7%,

wherein the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 20, and

wherein the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 240.

9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of from about 5 to about 10 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition;

the amine oxide is chosen from a N,N-dimethyl C10-C16 alkyl amine oxide that is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the composition is free of cocamidopropyl betaine.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein

the composition has a pH of from about 8 to about 10,

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of from about 8 to about 9 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the amine oxide is lauramine and is present in an amount of from about 1 to about 2 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than about 5,

wherein the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.4%,

wherein the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 20, and

wherein the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 360.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein

the composition has a pH of from about 8 to about 10,

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of from about 9 to about 10 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the amine oxide is lauramine and is present in an amount of from about 4 to about 5 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than about 3.6,

wherein the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.6%,

wherein the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 18, and

wherein the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 250.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the composition has a pH of from about 8 to about 10,

the sodium laureth sulfate is present in an amount of from about 6 to about 7 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition; and

the amine oxide is lauramine and is present in an amount of from about 3 to about 4 weight percent actives based on a total weight of the composition,

wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of less than about 4.8,

wherein the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.2%,

wherein the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 21, and

wherein the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 260.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein

the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.7%,

the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 20, and

the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 240.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.4%,

the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 20, and

the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 360.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the Zein score is from about 0.1 to less than about 0.6%,

the CSM test value is from about 10 to less than about 21, and

the cytokine release test value is from about 100 to less than about 260.

16 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the composition has a ratio of DMI:plate count score of from about 3.6 to about 5.

17 . A method of simultaneously maximizing the mildness and cleaning performance of a liquid dishwashing composition, said method comprising the steps of:

A. forming the composition that has a pH of from about 3 to about 6, that comprises sodium laureth sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine, and that is substantially free of sodium lauryl sulfate; and

B. subjecting a sample of the composition to a Zein test, a corneosurfametry (CSM) test, and an in vitro cytokine release test for IL-1α response, respectively,

wherein the sample exhibits a Zein score of from about 0.1 to about 2.5, a CSM test value of from about 10 to about 35, and a cytokine release test value of from about 100 to about 600.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the composition is free of an amine oxide.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the Zein score is of from about 0.1 to about 1.5, the CSM test value is of from about 15 to about 20, and the cytokine release test value is of from about 100 to about 400.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of adjusting components of the composition such that the sample exhibits the Zein score of from about 0.1 to about 2.5, the CSM test value of from about 10 to about 35, and the cytokine release test value of from about 100 to about 600.