Emulsion comprising fatty acid ester/surfactant mixture for cleaning spilled paint, varnish, dye and/or surface coating

Abstract

Disclosed is a liquid mixture (preferably an oil-in-water emulsion) for cleaning spilled paint, varnish, dye and/or surface coating, and a cleaning method comprising a step of applying said mixture to a fresh stain left by paint, varnish, surface coating and/or dye.

Claims

1. A liquid mixture for cleaning any type of paint, varnish, dye and/or wood stain spills, comprising: (a) water in an amount of at least 70% by weight relative to a total weight of said mixture, (b) an organic solvent or a mixture of organic solvents selected from the group consisting of ethyl laurate, butyl laurate, ethyl myristate, butyl palmitate, ethyl oleate, and mixtures thereof, said organic solvent or said mixture of organic solvents having the following Hansen solubility parameters: δD is comprised between 12 and 22, δP is comprised between 0 and 12, and δH is comprised between 0 and 16, (c) a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants chosen from sorbitan polyoxyethylenes, fatty acid esters of sorbitan, polyethoxylated castor oils and mixtures thereof, the HLB of said surfactant or of said mixture of surfactants being comprised between 8 and 16, (d) a preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid and salts thereof, salicylic acid and salts thereof, dehydroacetic acid and salts thereof, essential oils, and mixtures thereof, wherein the mixture is not dangerous to human beings and to the environment, wherein the mixture does not cause degradation of the surfaces on which the liquid mixture is applied, and wherein the mixture is not a microemulsion.

2. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture is an emulsion.

3. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixture does not comprise a sulfosuccinic acid ester salt.

4. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture is an oil-in-water emulsion in which the dispersing phase is water and the dispersed phase is the organic solvent.

5. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the organic solvent or the mixture of organic solvents is present in an amount of from 0.5% to 30% by weight relative to the total weight of said mixture.

6. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surfactant is chosen from polysorbate 80, polysorbate 85, sorbitan laurate, Cremophor® RH 40 and mixtures thereof.

7. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surfactant is present in an amount of from 0.1% to 25% by weight relative to the total weight of said mixture.

8. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein the preservative is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 2% by weight relative to the total weight of said mixture.

9. The mixture as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mixture is free of volatile organic compounds (VOC).

10. A process for cleaning a fresh stain made by paint, varnish, wood stain or dye on a flooring or a support, comprising the following steps: (1) applying the mixture as defined in claim 1 to a fresh stain made by paint, varnish, wood stain and/or dye, (2) wiping the stain, and (3) repeating steps (1) and (2) until a clean flooring or support is obtained.

11. The cleaning process as claimed in claim 10, which comprises a prior step of removing freshly spilled paint, varnish, wood stain or dye by absorption and/or wiping.

12. The liquid mixture of claim 1, wherein the HLB of said surfactant or of said mixture of surfactants being comprised between 10 and 15.

13. The liquid mixture of claim 1, wherein the HLB of said surfactant or of said mixture of surfactants being comprised between 11 and 13, δD is comprised between 13 and 19, δP is comprised between 2 and 10, and δH is comprised between 2 and 9.

14. The liquid mixture of claim 12, further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of dyes, fragrances, stabilizers, antioxidants, and mixtures thereof.

15. The mixture as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mixture is an oil-in-water emulsion in which the dispersing phase is water and the dispersed phase is the organic solvent.

16. The mixture as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mixture is an oil-in-water emulsion in which the dispersing phase is water and the dispersed phase is the organic solvent.

17. The liquid mixture of claim 1, further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of dyes, fragrances, stabilizers, antioxidants, and mixtures thereof.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a comparative table grouping together the photographs taken for evaluating the efficiency of the cleaning of the paints for emulsion No. 1: row 1: photos taken at the end of step 1 row 2: photos taken at the end of step 3 and row 3: photos taken at the end of step 5.

(2) FIG. 2 is a comparative table grouping together the photographs taken for evaluating the compatibility between water, white spirit, solvapeint, paint cleaning substitute, safer spirit and emulsions 1, emulsions 2 and emulsions 3 of the invention on various floorings and painted surfaces.

(3) FIG. 3 is a comparative table grouping together the photographs taken for evaluating the efficiency of the cleaning of the paints for emulsion No. 2: row 1: photos taken at the end of step 1 row 2: photos taken at the end of step 3 and row 3: photos taken at the end of step 5.

(4) FIG. 4 is a comparative table grouping together the photographs taken for evaluating the efficiency of the cleaning of the paints for emulsion No. 3: row 1: photos taken at the end of step 1 row 2: photos taken at the end of step 3 and row 3: photos taken at the end of step 5.

EXAMPLE 1

Emulsion No. 1

(5) An emulsion is prepared by mixing 5 g of sorbitan laurate, 7.5 g of Polysorbate 80, 37.5 g of ethyl oleate, 0.5 g of sorbic acid, 0.5 g of potassium sorbate and 949 g of water.

(6) Emulsion No. 1 has the following properties:

(7) Stability Test:

(8) The emulsion is physically stable in the light of the TSI indicators measured after storage for 10 days at 25° C.

(9) The following were in fact obtained: TSI central portion: 0.96 TSI lower portion: 6.1 TSI upper portion: 6.3
Cleaning Efficiency Test

(10) Regardless of the type of paint, varnish, dye or wood stain spilled, emulsion No. 1 made it possible to clean the stain and to return to the initial flooring (see FIG. 1).

(11) Test for Evaluating Compatibility with Various Floorings and Painted Surfaces

(12) Regardless of the coating on which emulsion No. 1 was tested, no degradation was observed (see FIG. 2).

(13) On the other hand, all the other tested cleaning products of the prior art (white spirit, solvapeint, Onyx paint cleaning substitute, Safer Spirit cleaner), except water, brought about degradation of certain coatings.

(14) Evaluation of the Antimicrobial and Antifungal Activity:

(15) Emulsion No. 1 is a medium which does not allow the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. The challenge test carried out with emulsion No. 1 according to standard NF EN ISO 21149 and standard NF EN ISO 11930 gives satisfactory results after incubation for 28 days, regardless of the strain tested.

EXAMPLE 2

Composition 2

(16) An emulsion is prepared by mixing 17.2 g of Polysorbate 80, 7.8 g of sorbitan laurate, 75 g of ethyl oleate, 0.5 g of sorbic acid, 0.5 g of potassium sorbate and 899 g of water.

(17) Emulsion No. 2 has the following properties:

(18) Stability Test:

(19) The emulsion is physically stable in the light of the TSI indicators measured after storage for 10 days at 25° C.

(20) The following were in fact obtained: TSI central portion: 1.1 TSI lower portion: 6.1 TSI upper portion: 3.6
Cleaning Efficiency Test:

(21) Regardless of the type of paint, varnish, dye or wood stain spilled, emulsion No. 2 made it possible to clean the stain and to return to the initial flooring (see FIG. 3).

(22) Test For Evaluating Compatibility with Various Floorings and Painted Surfaces

(23) Regardless of the coating on which emulsion No. 2 was tested, no degradation was observed (see FIG. 2).

EXAMPLE 3

Emulsion No. 3

(24) An emulsion is prepared by mixing 50 g of Polysorbate 85, 50 g of Cremophor® RH 40, 56 g of ethyl myristate, 0.5 g of sorbic acid, 0.5 g of potassium sorbate and 899 g of water.

(25) Emulsion No. 3 has the following properties:

(26) Stability Test:

(27) The emulsion is physically stable in the light of the TSI indicators measured after storage for 10 days at 25° C.

(28) The following were in fact obtained:

(29) TSI central portion: 2

(30) TSI lower portion: 1.8

(31) TSI upper portion: 4.5

(32) Cleaning Efficiency Test:

(33) Regardless of the type of paint, varnish, dye or wood stain spilled, emulsion No. 3 made it possible to clean the stain and to return to the initial flooring (see FIG. 4).

(34) Test for Evaluating Compatibility with Various Floorings and Painted Surfaces:

(35) Regardless of the coating on which emulsion No. 3 was tested, no degradation was observed (see FIG. 2).

CONCLUSIONS

(36) It should be noted that, regardless of the nature of the products used and the concentrations thereof, the emulsion according to the present invention showed a better cleaning efficiency in comparison with other products that are currently commercially available.

(37) Furthermore, the emulsion of the present invention is stable.

(38) In addition, the emulsion of the present invention is compatible with all the floorings and painted surfaces tested.