Cleaning textiles
Cleaning media based on liquid CO 2 and including from 0.01 to 5% by weight of the formulation of a cleaning additive which is at least one C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl ester of a multi-carboxylic acid can be used in dry cleaning of textiles. Desirable cleaning additives are of the formula (I): R 1 (CO 2 R 2 ) n where R 1 is the residue of a C 1 to C 10 hydrocarbyl group from which n hydrogen atoms have been removed, R 2 is a C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl, particularly alkyl or alkenyl, group; and n is from 2 to 5; particularly C 12 to C 18 adipate esters.
1. A method of dry cleaning, comprising contacting a textile material with a dry cleaning medium based on liquid CO 2 and including from 0.01 to 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the dry cleaning medium, of a cleaning additive that comprises a C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl ester of a multi-carboxylic acid.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl ester of the multi-carboxylic acid includes at least one compound of the formula (I):
R 1 (CO 2 R 2 ) n (I)
where
R 1 is the residue of a C 1 to C 10 hydrocarbyl group from which n hydrogen atoms have been removed;
R 2 is a C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl group; and
n is from 2 to 5.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein R 2 is a C 8 to C 20 alkyl group.
4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein R 2 is a C 12 to C 18 alkyl group.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl ester of the multi-carboxylic acid is an ester of adipic acid or a mixture containing such an ester.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the average molecular weight of the C 6 to C 24 hydrocarbyl ester of the multi-carboxylic acid is from 300 to 750.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dry cleaning medium includes from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of the cleaning additive, relative to the total weight of the dry cleaning medium.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the dry cleaning medium additionally includes at least one fragrance, optical brightener, fabric conditioner, enzyme and/or bleach.
9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cleaning process is carried out at a temperature of from −5 to 25° C.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the temperature is from 10 to 25° C.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the temperature is from 20 to 25° C.