Hair grooming implement cleaning solution with stabilizer

Abstract

A new composition and method for cleaning hair grooming implements is provided. The composition comprises about 1.1% Sodium Hypochlorite, about 2.5% Sodium Hydroxide, about 0.5% Lithium Perchlorate and about 95.9% water. A concentrated version of the solution may be formed and later diluted for use. The addition of surfactant to the solution increases stability and efficiency.

Claims

1. A hair grooming implement cleaning and disinfecting composition which dissolves hair, comprising: a. at least one of Sodium Hypochlorite and Potassium Hypochlorite, b. at least one of Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide, c. at least one of Lithium Perchlorate and Lithium Chlorite, and d. a surfactant, in an aqueous solution wherein concentrations of composition elements a., b. and c. are sufficient in the aqueous solution so that the composition has the ability to dissolve approximately 0.05 grams of hair in approximately 30 minutes.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the Sodium Hypochlorite is between 0.2 and 10 percent by weight of the solution.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the Sodium Hydroxide is between 1.5 and 10 percent by weight of the solution.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the Lithium Perchlorate is between 0.1 and 2 percent by weight of the solution.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant between 0.1 and 1 percent by weight of the solution.

6. A hair grooming implement cleaning and disinfecting composition, comprising a component mixture of: about 1.1% by weight Sodium Hypochlorite; about 2.5% by weight Sodium Hydroxide; about 0.5% by weight Lithium Perchlorate; and about 0.05% by weight stabilizer; in an aqueous solution.

7. A hair grooming implement cleaning and disinfecting composition, comprising a component mixture of: about 1.35% by weight Potassium Hypochlorite; about 2.5% by weight Potassium Hydroxide; about 0.5% by weight Lithium Chlorite; and about 0.05% by weight stabilizer; in an aqueous solution.

8. A hair grooming implement cleaning and disinfecting method, comprising the steps of: a. providing a solution comprising a component mixture of: at least one of Sodium Hypochlorite and Potassium Hypochlorite, at least one of Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide, at least one of Lithium Perchlorate and Lithium Chlorite, and a stabilizer in an aqueous solution; b. placing at least a portion of hair grooming implement in contact the solution; and c. allowing the hair grooming implement to remain in contact with the solution for a sufficient time to dissolve hair or sediment on the implement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sufficient time is approximately 30 minutes.

10. A concentrated hair grooming implement cleaning and disinfecting composition, comprising a component mixture of: about 11% by weight Sodium Hypochlorite; about 25% by weight Sodium Hydroxide; about 5% by weight Lithium Perchlorate; about 0.5% by weight stabilizer; in an aqueous solution.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the stabilizer comprises a surfactant.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the surfactant comprises sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated are examples. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates samples of different amounts of hair placed in a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates samples of different amounts of hair placed in a formulation of the solution of the invention after 30 minutes.

(4) FIG. 3A illustrates the amount of dissolution of hair observed immediately after insertion into a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(5) FIG. 3B illustrates the amount of dissolution of hair observed 15 minutes after insertion into a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(6) FIG. 3C illustrates the amount of dissolution of hair observed 30 minutes after insertion into a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(7) FIG. 4A illustrates a comb with hair entangled in it.

(8) FIG. 4B illustrates a comb with hair entangled in it dipped in approximately 50 ml of a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(9) FIG. 4C illustrates a comb after hair and other residues are completely dissolved by a formulation of the solution of the invention.

(10) FIG. 4D illustrates a rinsed clean comb removed from a formulation of the solution of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) The present invention relates to a successful cleaning and disinfecting solution for hair grooming implements such as combs, brushes and other salon tools.

(12) I. Formulation for Implement Cleaning Solution

(13) One formulation of the solution for cleaning hair grooming implements includes sodium hypochlorite, sodium hydroxide and lithium perchlorate. Water is a solvent for the solution. Efficacy tests were conducted for a solution having the composition provided in Table 1. In the test, 10 ml of the solution effectively digested 0.1 g of human hair and other residues on hair grooming implements within a window of about 30 minutes with minimal safety concerns.

(14) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Formulation for Hair Dissolution CONCENTRATION BY INGREDIENT WEIGHT Sodium Hypochlorite 1.1% Sodium Hydroxide 2.5% Lithium Perchlorate 0.5% Water 95.9%

(15) Deionized water was used for testing.

(16) Substitution of ingredients may be made as indicated in Table 2 below:

(17) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Substitute Ingredients INGREDIENT AND CONCENTRATION BY WEIGHT SUBSTITUTION Sodium Hypochlorite Potassium Hypochlorite 1.1% 1.35% Sodium Hydroxide Potassium Hydroxide 2.5% 3.5% Lithium Perchlorate Lithium Chlorite 0.5% 0.27%

(18) Other substitutions for ingredients having similar chemical properties as the tested ingredients are also contemplated.

(19) Heterogeneous hair samples were used for testing.

(20) Tests confirmed that 10 ml of the formulated implement cleaning solution readily dissolves about 0.05 g of hair in less than 30 minutes of time.

(21) Series of tests were performed on 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 grams of hair. Illustrations of the testing of the samples of hair tested are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

(22) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, about 0.02 grams of hair are shown to be clearly dissolved at 10 mL of the composition described in Table 1. Furthermore, tests confirmed that 10 ml of the formulated solution readily digest about 0.05 g of hair in less than 30 minutes of time FIG. 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, a series of tests was performed with varying amounts of the composition of the invention clearly show that 10 ml of the combination described in Table 1 has a capacity to digest about 0.1 g of human hair within a 30 minute time frame.

(23) Also, a range of concentrations were tested for the individual ingredients. The concentrations provided in the given formulation provide the results shown herein.

(24) Also, while slight deviations of the concentrations provided herein will not make significant deviations in the efficacy of the formulation, changes in the ingredient concentrations were determined to affect the time taken to complete the hair digestion. A 10 mL solution with concentrations in Table 1 effectively digests 0.1 g of human hair and other residues on salon tools within a window of 30 minutes. Table 3 below describes the concentrations of ingredients tested:

(25) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Range of Concentrations of Ingredients Tested RANGE OF CONCENTRATIONS INGREDIENT TESTED Sodium Hypochlorite 0.2% to 10% Sodium Hydroxide 1.5% to 10% Lithium Perchlorate 0.1% to 2%  Deionized water N/A

(26) II. Concentrated Formulation for Cleaning and Disinfecting Solution

(27) A concentrate of the hair grooming implement cleaning solution is formulated for efficient use and ease of handling. The composition of the concentrate (10×) is shown in Table 4 below. The concentrate needs to be diluted before use.

(28) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Formulation for 10x Concentrate CONCENTRATION INGREDIENT BY WEIGHT Sodium Hypochlorite 11% Sodium Hydroxide 25% Lithium Perchlorate 5% Deionized water 59%

(29) One method for diluting the concentrated solution is as follows:

(30) Add about 4.5 liters of water into a large container capable of holding at least 5 liters.

(31) Add about 500 ml of the 10× concentrate of the implement cleaning solution to the container.

(32) Agitate the diluted concentrate well before using it.

(33) Allow the concentrate to mix well with the water.

(34) Dip the implements to be cleaned in the solution. The implements may be submerged for full contact with the solution.

(35) Remove the implements after leaving them for 30-45 minutes based on the level of cleaning required.

(36) Rinse the implements thoroughly to remove the intact cleaning solution.

(37) Once the maximum implement limit is reached, the solution may be disposed.

(38) Assuming that there is about 0.1 g of hair left on a hair grooming implement after a single use, and 10 ml are used for each cleaning, the 5 liter solution will be able to clean and disinfect approximately 500 implements.

(39) Other diluted volumes of the cleaning solution are represented in Table 5 below:

(40) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Dilution formulas To make the final solution at an approximate total volume Components 1 quart 2 quart 3 quart 10X concentrate 3.2 ounce 6.4 ounce 9.6 ounce Deionized water 29 ounce 58 ounce 87 ounce (3 cups and (1 quart, 3 cups (2 quart, 2 cups and 5 ounce) and 2 ounce) 7 ounce)

(41) A method of cleaning implements using a solution of this invention is described herein and illustrated by the use of a comb in FIGS. 4A through 4D. FIG. 4A shows a comb with hair entangled in it. The hair-entangled comb is then placed in the solution. As shown in FIG. 4B, approximately 50 ml may be used for a medium sized comb. The comb is left in the solution for approximately 30 minutes, after which time hair and the other residues were completely digested, as shown in FIG. 4C. The comb may then be removed from the solution and rinsed. The clean comb, shown in FIG. 4D is free from hair and other sediments and ready for another use.

(42) The physical appearance of the formulated 10× concentrated solution is lightly turbid due to the high concentration of solute matter. Upon dilution, the solution appears as a transparent non-turbid solution. Both the concentrate and the final diluted product have very light chlorine smells due to the dissolved active chlorine. However, the odor is so slight that it is close to odorless. Upon consumption of the active chlorine in the solution, the solution acquires a brown coloration and it is an indication that the maximum cleaning capacity has reached, as illustrated in the fifth vial in FIG. 2. Implements may be thoroughly washed with water to remove the intact cleaning solution prior to use on a person.

(43) The formulated solution has been proven to cleanse implements from trapped hair and other sedimented particles after exposing the implements to the formulated solution for approximately 30 minutes. In addition to cleaning the implements by dissolving hair and sediments, the active chlorine in the solution helps disinfect the implement. Also, the active chlorine may inactivate all types of microbes including bacteria, protozoa and viruses.

(44) The formulated solution will have similar stability to regular household liquid bleach and may be stored accordingly, such as at room temperature in closed container, away from direct sunshine and heat.

(45) The addition of a stabilizer such as a surfactant mixture increases the stability and efficiency of the solution. The surfactant may be an anionic surfactant or other surfactant known in the art.

(46) Furthermore, the presence of surfactants in the formulation adds the detergency or soil removal to the original formulation. Sodium hypochlorite itself retains excellent stability in the presence of anionic surfactants. A surfactant mixture composed of sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine, at between approximately 0.1% to 1% by weight concentration when mixed with a 10× concentrated solution, when then used in the diluted formulation, maintained or even enhanced the stability and efficiency of the formulation compared with a freshly made formulation. The addition of surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine alone does not have any significant effect on the stability.

(47) As shown in Tables 6 and 7 below, the inclusion of approximately 0.05% by weight to the mixture for the non-concentrated formulation is enough to provide increased stability and efficiency. Substitute ingredients discussed above would also be substitutable for the embodiment of this invention including a stabilizer. Inclusion of a stabilizer such as a surfactant for the concentrated formulation also increases stability and efficiency:

(48) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Formulation for Increased Stability and Efficiency (Non-Concentrated Formulation) CONCENTRATION INGREDIENT BY WEIGHT Sodium Hypochlorite 1.1% Sodium Hydroxide 2.5% Lithium Perchlorate 0.5% Surfactant Mixture 0.05%  Deionized water 95.85% 

(49) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Formulation for Increased Stability and Efficiency (Concentrated Formulation) CONCENTRATION INGREDIENT BY WEIGHT Sodium Hypochlorite 11% Sodium Hydroxide 25% Lithium Perchlorate  5% Surfactant Mixture 0.5%  Deionized water 58.5%  

(50) As stated above, one effective stabilizer inclusion to the formulation is the addition of 0.5% by weight surfactant mixture of sodium lauryl sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine, or their equivalents. For example, Calblend® DF manufactured by Pilot Chemical Company may be used.

(51) In addition, storage under dark conditions to avoid exposure to UV light, as well as storage at temperatures in the range of 59-77° F. significantly increases the stability and helps to retain the hair digestibility efficacy of the formulation.

(52) Other means for increasing the stability and the ability to store a caustic compound known in the art are also contemplated.

(53) TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Ingredient Quantity Estimation Based On Variable Production Quantities for the Final 10X Concentrate Quantity of Ingredients Vol. of Sodium Lithium Sodium Surfactant Distilled Water* Concentrate Hypochlorite Perchlorate Hydroxide Mixture Cup Quart Gallon 10X (g) (g) (g) (g) Oz (8 oz) (32 oz) (128 oz) ½ Cup 13.0 5.9 29.6 0.6 3.7 0.46 0.11 0.03 (4 oz) ¾ Cup 19.5 8.9 44.4 0.9 5.5 0.69 0.17 0.04 (6 oz) 1 Cup 26.1 11.8 59.2 1.2 7.4 0.92 0.23 0.06 (8 oz) 1½ Cups 39.0 17.7 88.7 1.8 11.1 1.39 0.35 0.09 (12 oz) 2 Cups 52.1 23.7 118.3 2.4 14.8 1.85 0.46 0.12 (16 oz) 1 Bottle 82.5 37.5 187.5 3.8 23.5 2.94 0.73 0.18 (25.3 oz)

(54) As shown in Table 8 above, there is some variation in the quantity of the ingredients of the concentrated formulation which will still result in an efficacious formulation. Thus, there is also variation in the quantity of the ingredients of the diluted formulation which will still result in an efficacious formulation.

(55) It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.