Multi-surfactant systems where two or more surfactant molecules are coupled to control the spatial distribution of polar groups of the combined surfactant molecules are disclosed. The system can be implemented by an aqueous medium including an associate charge constant surfactant and charge variable surfactant. The charge variable surfactant has at least one neutral end group at one pH value of the medium and at least one either an anionic polar group or a cationic polar group at a different pH value of the medium. The charge constant surfactant has at least one, and preferably two or more groups that does not change charge at the one or different pH values of the aqueous medium. The multi-surfactant system can be coupled or connected to the surface of a substrate where the arrangement of the two or more coupled surfactant molecules control the polarity of the substrate surface.

Multi-surfactant systems where two or more surfactant molecules are coupled to control the spatial distribution of polar groups of the combined surfactant molecules are disclosed. The system can be implemented by an aqueous medium including an associate charge constant surfactant and charge variable surfactant. The charge variable surfactant has at least one neutral end group at one pH value of the medium and at least one either an anionic polar group or a cationic polar group at a different pH value of the medium. The charge constant surfactant has at least one, and preferably two or more groups that does not change charge at the one or different pH values of the aqueous medium. The multi-surfactant system can be coupled or connected to the surface of a substrate where the arrangement of the two or more coupled surfactant molecules control the polarity of the substrate surface.

Provided herein is a phosphate-free detergent composition including at least one additive with a melting point in the range of from 40 to 60 C. and at least one amide group in the range of from 5 to 150 alkylene oxide groups per molecule.

According to the invention, the compositions and methods provide for the complete removal of labels, synthetic glues and/or adhesives from a plurality of surfaces through the use of an aqueous or non-aqueous basic organic solvent and/or an amidine, optionally in combination with surfactants, chelants, acidulants and/or additional bottle wash additives. Beneficially, the compositions and methods are suitable for use at lower temperatures and pH conditions, along with under caustic-free and/or reduced caustic conditions to effectively remove such labels, synthetic glues and/or adhesives from a surface within less than about 30 minutes.

Liquid detergent compositions can be stably structured using amides of an aliphatic polyamine with two, three or four molecules of fully saturated hydroxyl alkyl acids, even in the presence of hydrolysing detergent ingredients such as lipase enzyme.

Water-soluble refill dose articles for forming a cleanser have a water-soluble film defining a first compartment enclosing a first composition and a second compartment enclosing a second composition, which are individual separate articles or are part of an integral article. The first composition has a rheology modifier, a first surfactant, 10% or less by weight water, 20% or less by weight glycol, and the first surfactant does not activate the rheology modifier. The second compartment has an alkaline substance that when mixed with the first composition and water activates the rheology modifier to increase the viscosity of a resulting cleanser and 10% or less by weight water. When the article is diluted in water at a 1:1 to 1:20 ratio, it produces a cleanser having a viscosity within a range of 2000 cps to 50,000 cps.

The invention relates to an emulsion containing or consisting of (A) 40.00 to 97.98 wt. % of at least one hydrocarbon, (B) 2.00 to 59.98 wt. % of water or an aqueous solution of a salt which does not fall under the following definition according to (C) and (C) 0.02 to 8.00 wt. % of a salt of an amino amide of a fatty acid, containing at least one primary, secondary or tertiary amino group, and an acid component of general formula (I)

##STR00001## in which R.sup.1 is a linear or branched, saturated or mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated hydrocarbon radical with 1 to 40 C atoms, R.sup.2 is an alkylene radical or arylalkylene radical with 2 to 20 C atoms and X is a radical which contains at least one acid group, m=0 or 1, n=1 to 30, wherein the weight proportions of components (A), (B) and (C) relate to the sum of the masses of these components and this is 100 wt. %. The invention also relates to a method for the production of the emulsion, to an oil-based drilling mud and to a method for creating and stabilizing a drill hole.

According to the invention, the compositions and methods provide for the complete removal of labels, synthetic glues and/or adhesives from a plurality of surfaces through the use of an aqueous or non-aqueous basic organic solvent and/or an amidine, optionally in combination with surfactants, chelants, acidulants and/or additional bottle wash additives. Beneficially, the compositions and methods are suitable for use at lower temperatures and pH conditions, along with under caustic-free and/or reduced caustic conditions to effectively remove such labels, synthetic glues and/or adhesives from a surface within less than about 30 minutes.

Aqueous hard surface cleaner compositions useful for removing permanent ink are disclosed. The compositions comprise 75 to 99 wt. % of water; 0.1 to 5 wt. % of a monoterpene; 0.1 to 5 wt. % of a C.sub.10-C.sub.17 fatty acid derivative; and 0.1 to 5 wt. % of one or more surfactants. The fatty acid derivative is selected from N,N-dialkyl amides, N,N-dialkyl esteramines, and N,N-dialkyl amidoamines. Preferably, a base such as sodium carbonate or monoethanolamine is also included. The invention includes concentrates comprising the non-aqueous components recited above, as well as other applications for the cleaners and concentrates such as graffiti removers and permanent ink erasers. The combination of a monoterpene and certain fatty acid derivatives, especially fatty N,N-dialkyl amides, unexpectedly enables even dilute aqueous compositions to rapidly decolorize black permanent marker from hard, non-porous surfaces.

Liquid detergent compositions can be stably structured using amides of an aliphatic polyamine with two, three or four molecules of fully saturated hydroxyl alkyl acids, even in the presence of hydrolyzing detergent ingredients such as lipase enzyme.