Foam inhibitor composition, concentrated transparent liquid detergent for household washing, and production method for same

Abstract

PROBLEM An object of the present invention is to provide a foam inhibitor composition that can minimize the amount of fatty acid or a salt thereof used in a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering and that has excellent handleability and foam inhibiting performance. RESOLUTION MEANS The abovementioned problem can be solved by: a two-component foam inhibitor composition containing a specific fatty acid and a specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, where the mass ratio thereof is within the range of 1:4 to 1:100, or a three-component foam inhibitor composition containing x) a specific fatty acid, y) a specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, and z) a monool solvent, where the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is within the range of 1:3 to 1:100; and a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering containing the same.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to: a specific two-component or three-component foam inhibitor composition for a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering; a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering containing the same; and the like. The foam inhibitor composition can reduce the amount of fatty acid or salt thereof used, does not impair the transparency when blended into a liquid detergent with a transparent appearance, and can effectively exhibit a foam suppressing effect when diluted with water and turbulence is generated by physical forces. Therefore, the composition can be particularly suitably blended in a transparent liquid cleaning agent formulation and a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Among transparent liquid detergents, the demand for so-called "concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents" with high concentrations of active components is increasing due to the growing awareness of society in resource conservation and economizing, as said cleaning agents offer an excellent balance between cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In particular, there is an increasing demand for cleaning agents with excellent foam inhibiting properties, from the perspective of said cleaning agents being able to reduce the amount of rinsing water used.

[0003] Herein, fatty acids or salts thereof are commonly used as foam inhibitors that are added to conventional transparent liquid cleaning agents. However, fatty acids have the problem in which the prices thereof are prone to increase because the production volume of raw oils and fats is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, exchange rates, and the like, making the prices difficult to control.

[0004] In particular, concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents require more advanced blending techniques than ordinary transparent liquid cleaning agents in order to balance the laundering performance, quality stability, cost, foam inhibiting properties, and the like during use. Whenever the price of oils and fats used as the raw material for foam inhibitors increases, cleaning agent manufacturers are forced to search for low-cost alternatives for the fatty acids and surfactants derived therefrom, evaluate the stable procurement thereof, and conduct compounding tests before completing the final product design. This requires a great deal of effort and cost in commercializing the product and ensuring a continuous supply thereof. For this reason, there is a strong demand for a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent that can exhibit a stable foam inhibiting performance even when blended into the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent and that can be easily formulated, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0005] Herein, Patent Document 1 reports that fatty acids and alkali metal soaps thereof act as foam inhibitors in heavy granular compositions for laundering containing sulfonate-type and sulfate-type anionic surfactants. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 reports that hydrocarbons suppress foam in a granular cleaning agent composition based on a nonionic surfactant. However, these granular or powdered cleaning agents have excellent cleaning power, but are poorly soluble in water and tend to remain on clothing, resulting in an increased amount of water usage.

[0006] Patent Document 3 discloses a low-foaming transparent liquid cleaning agent containing two fatty alcohol ethoxylate nonionic surfactants, an alkali metal soap, water, and another component necessary for cleaning some hard surfaces, but does not mention a hydrocarbon.

[0007] On the other hand, in the field of liquid cleaning agents, hydrocarbons are recognized as solvents that dissolve organic grime. For example, Patent Document 4 discloses a transparent liquid laundry pretreatment cleaning composition containing a nonionic surfactant, an organic solvent having a hydrocarbon, water, and several other components, but there is no description of a fatty acid or fatty acid salt.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 5 discloses a liquid cleaning agent for laundering or hard surface cleaning agent composition in the form of a water-in-oil microemulsion containing a synthetic anionic surfactant, a synthetic nonionic surfactant, a magnesium ion source, a grease removing solvent, a fatty acid or a salt thereof, and water. Patent Document 6 discloses a liquid cleaning agent composition for heavy-duty laundering containing a conventional cleaning surfactant, a grease removing solvent, and a fatty acid or salt thereof. In these documents, hydrocarbons are used as grease removing solvents. However, the concentration of cleaning surfactants is low, and therefore, the dosage must be increased to achieve sufficient cleaning power, which does not meet the recent social needs for "concentrated liquid cleaning agents". Furthermore, there is no description or suggestion of a foam inhibitor composition using a grease removing solvent in combination with a fatty acid or a salt thereof.

[0009] Patent Document 7 discloses a transparent aqueous liquid cleaning composition for a hard surface, which is characterized in that the composition is configured so as to contain a) 20 to 40 wt.% of a surfactant with respect to the composition, and b) a prescribed amount of magnesium ions, and contain 15 to 30 wt.% of a primary alcohol sulfate with respect to the composition, and 5 to 15 wt.% of a nonionic surfactant with respect to the composition. Herein, Patent Document 7 indicates that a combination of a calcium-functional soap or fatty acid and a hydrophobic oil containing a hydrocarbon may be included as a foam inhibiting system, and indicates that a preferred ratio of an insoluble calcium salt-forming surfactant to the hydrophobic oil is in the range of 0.5 to 1:1 to 0.5, and preferably approximately 1:1. However, there is no description or suggestion of the type of hydrophobic oil, specific combinations (examples and the like), or a mass ratio of the two exceeding 1:2, and the foam inhibiting properties are not evaluated. Furthermore, when such a composition in which the mass ratio of the two is about 1:1 is actually mixed, the mixture becomes a hard gel or takes on a non-uniform form in which a solid component separates from an oil agent even in a warm environment, thereby inhibiting handling as a raw material. Furthermore, the composition lacks blending stability in formulations such as transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agents and the like, and therefore, there is a problem that the composition cannot be used as a foam inhibitor composition in a manufacturing process or commercially traded as a product or raw material.

[0010] Patent Document 8 discloses a water-in-oil microemulsion for liquid laundering cleaning agent, which contains 5 to 40 wt.% of a water-insoluble organic solvent, 10 to 40 wt.% of an anionic surfactant, and 5 to 30 wt.% of a branched fatty acid. However, in Patent Document 8, the hydrocarbon is used as a degreasing solvent, the branched fatty acid is used as an emulsifier for fat, and a foam inhibitor containing a small amount of the branched fatty acid and a large amount of the hydrocarbon is neither described nor suggested. Furthermore, in Patent Document 8, a large amount of expensive branched fatty acid, which is economically disadvantageous, must be blended and emulsified, and there is a problem that the foam inhibiting properties are also likely to be insufficient.

[0011] Similarly, Patent Document 9 discloses a bicontinuous microemulsion cleaning agent composition containing: a) 40 to 90 wt.% of a surfactant system that contains: a-i) 10 to 50 wt.% of a fatty alcohol with 5 to 8 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene (the number of repetitions of oxyalkylene groups is 0 to 5) condensation product thereof and a-ii) an additional surfactant; b) 5 to 30 wt.% of an aqueous solution that contains an electrolyte b-i) water and b-ii); and c) 5 to 30 wt.% of a specific oil agent or solvent mixture. In this Patent Document 9, component a-i) has a small hydrophobic moiety of fatty alcohol and a small number of repetitions of oxyethylene groups. Therefore, component a-i) is considered to function as a compatibilizer which helps the entire composition to become transparent unlike a typical cleaning agent component. However, a foam inhibitor composition containing a fatty acid and a hydrocarbon oil in a certain quantitative range is not described or suggested at all. Furthermore, although this composition has excellent cleaning power, foam is difficult to eliminate. As a result, there is a problem in which the amount of rinsing water used increases, and therefore, this composition cannot be used as a composition exhibiting foam inhibiting performance.

[0012] Patent Documents 10 and 11 disclose concentrated liquid cleaning agent (laundering cleaning agent) compositions for textile products (specifically, the concentration of a cleaning surfactant exceeds 40 wt.%) having different configurations, and a fatty acid or a salt thereof is blended as a foam inhibitor, but these documents neither describe nor suggest a hydrocarbon. In other words, these documents neither indicate nor suggest that the combined use of a specific hydrocarbon is effective for enhancing the foam inhibiting power of a fatty acid, and that the amount of the fatty acid added can be reduced thereby to minimize the adverse effect of the price fluctuation.

[0013] As described above, Patent Documents 1 to 11 neither describe nor suggest a 2-component foam inhibitor composition containing a specific fatty acid and a specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, and having a mass ratio thereof within a prescribed range, nor indicate or suggest that the foam inhibitor composition is particularly excellent in the design of a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent (particularly, a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering) and as a foam inhibitor component.

[0014] Similarly, Patent Documents 1 to 11 neither describe nor suggest a 3-component foam inhibitor composition containing a specific monool solvent in addition to the specific fatty acid and the specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, and having a mass ratio thereof within a prescribed range, and neither describe nor suggest foam inhibiting properties, handling workability, and suitability for designing, using, and commercializing of a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering.RELATED ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0015] Patent Document 1: US Patent No. 2954347 Patent Document 2: US Patent No. 4265779 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application S55-102411) Patent Document 3: US Patent No. 3931033 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application S50-092308) Patent Document 4: UK Patent No. 2042580 Patent Document 5: UK Patent No. 2144763 Patent Document 6: Canadian Patent No. 1236372 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application S60-106898) Patent Document 7: European Patent No. 656936 (Japanese PCT Application H08-500376) Patent Document 8: WO1997 / 017418 (Japanese PCT Application H10-512619) Patent Document 9: European Patent No. 2513277 Patent Document 10: Japanese Patent No. 6031324 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2014-084432) Patent Document 11: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2020-109145 NON-PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0016] Non-Patent Document 1: MIYAZAWA, Kiyoshi, et al. "Anionic Surfactants as Detergents for Scalp and Hair", Journal of Japan Oil Chemists' Society, (1989), (38), (4), 297 to 305. Non-Patent Document 2: Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd. "Alkyl Ether Sulfate Ester Salt" New Cosmetic Ingredient Handbook II, 2006, 191 to 193. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0017] Furthermore, the inventors discovered technical and commercial challenges, particularly for foam inhibitors for concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents. In other words, as described above, fatty acids or salts thereof are generally used as foam inhibitors, but the production volume and quality of raw oils and fats are easily affected by climate change and the exchange rate, and are always exposed to the risk of examining alternatives and destabilizing the quality due to price increase. On the other hand, concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents require more advanced blending techniques than ordinary transparent liquid cleaning agents in order to balance the laundering performance thereof with quality stability, cost, foam inhibiting properties during use, and the like, and thus impairing the ability to sufficiently alleviate the instability of price and quality (particularly foam inhibiting performance) as described above with fatty acids or salts thereof available on the market. In view of the foregoing, the present inventors discovered that a foam inhibitor composition capable of buffering price or quality fluctuations of a fatty acid or a salt thereof and having excellent foam inhibiting performance, particularly a foam inhibitor for a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering as well as a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering containing the foam inhibitor are strongly required from the market in accordance with the increase in the awareness of society in resource conservation and economizing. Furthermore, in relation to the solution of the problems above, the present inventors discovered that, even when price fluctuation or supply limitation of fatty acids occurs, management for maintaining the "availability" of the transparent liquid cleaning agent to the market is easily performed by a cleaning agent manufacturer, and therefore, a foam inhibitor composition that can reduce the amount of fatty acid used and is excellent in foam inhibiting performance is strongly required in the market.

[0018] Note that in consideration of the situation that cleaning agent manufacturers are forced to update the design of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents relatively frequently due to the influence of the aforementioned external factors and the like, the present inventors discovered, as technical and commercial problems, that there is a strong demand for a foam inhibitor that can stably exhibit a foam inhibiting effect in various liquid cleaning agent formulations, suppresses the amount of use thereof by even partially substituting the current fatty acid or a salt thereof, and enables easy compositional design in the search for low-cost alternatives, the evaluation of stable procurement properties, and compounding testing. Therefore, sales of the product and stable supply of the product can be continued from the perspective of performance and price.

[0019] As described above, the present invention has been made to solve the abovementioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel two-component or three-component foam inhibitor that can minimize the amount of a fatty acid or a salt thereof used in a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering and that has favorable handleability.

[0020] Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide: a specific concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition containing the two-component or three-component foam inhibitor; and method for manufacturing the same. Note that one of the problems to be solved by the present invention and an object of the present invention is to make the foam inhibitor of the present invention usable in another transparent liquid cleaning agent for home use in order to alleviate the adverse effects of price fluctuations and supply limitations of fatty acids.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0021] As a result of extensive studies to solve the abovementioned problems, the present inventors discovered a foam inhibitor composition that can minimize the amount of fatty acid used and can achieve excellent foam inhibiting performance applicable to the design of a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent by using, in combination, a petrochemical derivative, in other words, a specific hydrocarbon, which is inexpensive and excellent in supply stability, so as to enhance the foam inhibiting effect of the fatty acid, thereby arriving at the present invention.

[0022] In other words, the abovementioned problems are solved by: a two-component foam inhibitor composition containing a specific fatty acid and a specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, where the mass ratio thereof is within the range of 1:4 to 1:100; or a three-component foam inhibitor composition containing x) a specific fatty acid, y) a specific hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, and z) a monool solvent, where the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is with the range of 1:3 to 1:100. The foam inhibitor composition is relatively easy to formulate and use with suppressed levels of fatty acids and can exhibit particularly excellent performance as a foam inhibitor for a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering.

[0023] More specifically, the aforementioned problem can be solved by a foam inhibitor composition, and particularly a two-component foam inhibitor composition for a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, the foam inhibitor composition comprising x) a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and y) a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, selected from the following y1) to y5): y1) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms; y2) isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms; y3) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms; y4) monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms; and y5) monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, wherein the mass ratio of x):y) is in the range of 1:4 to 1:100.

[0024] Furthermore, the aforementioned problems can be solved by a foam inhibitor composition, and particularly a three-component foam inhibitor composition for a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, the foam inhibitor composition comprising the aforementioned x) and y) as well as z) a monool solvent selected from the following z1) and z2): z1) saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms; and z2) glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkenyl group with 2 to 8 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3), wherein the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is in the range of 1:3 to 1:100.

[0025] Similarly, the abovementioned problems can be solved by a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, the cleaning agent containing the specific foam inhibitor according to the present invention and having a prescribed composition (formulation).

[0026] Furthermore, the abovementioned problems can be solved by a method for manufacturing the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition, which is characterized in that specific components included in the composition (formulation) are heated to 30 to 80°C and dissolved by mixing, and then cooled to 30°C or lower, and then the other remaining components that are sensitive to heat are added thereto, and mixed and homogenized.

[0027] Furthermore, the problems can be solved by the use of the specific foam inhibitor according to the present invention in a transparent liquid cleaning agent for home use.EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention has a significantly enhanced foam inhibiting effect compared to cases where a specific fatty acid is blended alone, and when the composition is blended in a formulation of a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent (particularly, a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering for which demand is increasing), a practically sufficient foam inhibiting effect can be achieved even when the amount of the fatty acid is reduced. This foam inhibitor composition can be supplied continuously and stably by alleviating the adverse effects of price fluctuations and supply limitations derived from the raw materials of fatty acids, which have been technical and commercial issues with foam inhibitor compositions containing fatty acids or salts thereof. In addition, in the commercialization of a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent, the composition or formulation can be easily designed and optimized in the search for low-cost alternatives for the fatty acids, which serve as a foam inhibiting component, the evaluation of stable procurement, and compounding tests, thereby enabling designing and supplying a product with excellent commercial availability and continuous industrial availability.

[0029] Note that the specific two-component foam inhibitor composition containing a fatty acid and a hydrocarbon according to the present invention is excellent in the foam inhibiting effect, and the specific three-component foam inhibitor composition containing a monool solvent is further improved in handleability.

[0030] The foam inhibitor composition (two-component foam inhibitor composition or three-component foam inhibitor composition) according to the present invention can be stably blended with transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agents for home laundering having various compositions (formulations), acts as an excellent defoaming agent or foam controlling agent, and has excellent sustainability of defoaming effect and foam controlling effect, thereby providing a transparent liquid cleaning agent (particularly a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering) having a transparent appearance and excellent stability. Furthermore, the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention can also provide a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering, which is commercially suppliable and very easy to optimize and redesign in formulations where fluctuations in a fatty acid serving as a raw material occur.DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Foam Inhibitor Composition]

[0031] Each component of the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention will be described below. The foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention may be a two-component foam inhibitor composition essentially containing component x), which is a specific fatty acid, and component y), which is a specific hydrocarbon oil, as described above, and may be a three-component foam inhibitor composition further containing component z), which is a specific monool solvent. Furthermore, the foam inhibitor composition is preferably used in a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, and may contain an optional component commonly used in a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, in addition to components x), y), and z), within a range that does not impair a technical effect of the foam inhibitor composition.[Component x)]

[0032] Component x) is one of the main components of the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention, and is a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and the hydrophobic moiety in a molecule thereof is preferably an alkyl group, but may partially contain a C=C bond. Furthermore, mixtures of fatty acids having different numbers of carbon atoms are also possible. Examples of such fatty acids include lauric acids, myristic acids, palmitic acids, stearic acids, behenic acids, palmitoleic acids, oleic acids, linoleic acids, linolenic acids, ricinoleic acids, erucic acid, coconut oil fatty acid, beef tallow fatty acid, hardened beef tallow fatty acid, castor hydrogenated fatty acid, mixtures thereof, and the like. In view of the foam inhibiting effect, high melting point fatty acids such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and the like are preferred.

[0033] The reason for this is thought to be that when a transparent liquid cleaning agent containing a fatty acid (or a salt thereof with a monovalent cation) is used for laundering, the cleaning agent is diluted with a large amount of water containing magnesium, calcium, or other divalent metal ion. As a result, insoluble crystals of fatty acid-divalent metal salt are formed, and the crystals cut a continuous membrane of generated foam to start breaking the foam. Therefore, a fatty acid that is likely to be crystallized is thought to be more advantageous for inhibiting foam. On the other hand, from the perspective of the handleability of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention and the low-temperature stability of the transparent liquid cleaning agent in which the foam inhibitor is blended, a foam inhibitor having a lower melting point is advantageous. However, attention must be paid to fatty acids having an unsaturated bond, because these fatty acids are easily deteriorated by the effect of heat, light, air, and the like, which cause odor or discoloration. Fatty acids having an average of 11 carbon atoms or less often have a strong odor and are considered to tend to have reduced foam inhibiting power. In view of these circumstances, palmitic acid or stearic acid is particularly preferred.[Component x')]

[0034] Note that for the reasons above, component x) may be used as component x') including a salt form thereof when blended in a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering. Specifically, the range of component x') includes, in addition to component x), salts of the fatty acid with sodium, potassium, ammonia, or alkanolamine.[Component y)]

[0035] Component y) used in the present invention is one of the main components of the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention, and is a specific hydrocarbon oil. Moreover, by using the composition in combination with a fatty acid in a specific quantitative range, the foam inhibiting effect of a small amount of the fatty acid can be enhanced, and a practically sufficient foam inhibiting effect can be achieved. On the other hand, it is an unexpected finding that the foam inhibiting effect cannot be achieved at all if the hydrocarbon oil serving as component y) is blended alone without using the fatty acid, and that the foam inhibiting effect is achieved by using component x) and component y) in combination in a certain quantitative range. Moreover, the effects and the blending objective of the hydrocarbon oil disclosed in the conventional technology are thought to be unique and highly significant effects.

[0036] From a commercial perspective, specific hydrocarbon oils useful as component y) are generally petrochemical derivatives, which are less sensitive to climate change and are raw materials with superior raw material price and supply stability, as compared to fatty acids or salts thereof that are more sensitive to price fluctuations and supply limitation due to raw materials thereof and the climate. In particular, the specific hydrocarbon oils useful as component y) have excellent production efficiency and supply stability and are inexpensive as compared with other oil agents generally used in the field of household products, for example, ester oils, higher alcohols, synthetic triglycerides, and other oil agents. Therefore, the specific hydrocarbon oils are particularly advantageous over other oil agents from the perspective of cost control.

[0037] In the present invention, the amount of the fatty acid serving as component x) used is reduced or minimized, and component y) is used in combination in a certain quantitative range, whereby the foam inhibiting properties can be enhanced to a practically sufficient range. This results in the advantages in which the industrial production efficiency, price, and supply stability of the resulting foam inhibitor composition and the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering containing the same are remarkably improved, and the number of steps and labor required for the optimization of commercial compositions, such as liquid cleaning agents and the like, can be reduced.

[0038] Component y) used in the present invention is a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C selected from the following y1) to y5): y1) a liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms; preferably y1-1) a liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 22 to 32 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably y1-2) a liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 23 to 30 carbon atoms; y2) an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms; preferably an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 13 to 18 carbon atoms and a distribution in the number carbon atoms; y3) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms; preferably y3-1) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably y3-2) n-alkane with an average of 11 carbon atoms; y4) monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms; and y5) a monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms; preferably y5-1) a monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms.

[0039] y1) is a liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms. y1) may be a mixture of two or more types of liquid paraffin (mineral oil), but those with an average carbon atom number outside the range above are difficult to obtain. From the perspective of the fluidity of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention, a foam inhibitor with a small average number of carbon atoms is advantageous, but from the perspective of the foam inhibiting effect, a foam inhibitor with an average of 22 to 32 carbon atoms is preferable, and a foam inhibitor with an average of 23 to 30 carbon atoms is particularly preferable. Note that the average molecular weight of a liquid paraffin (mineral oil) is roughly estimated to be 168 for 12 carbon atoms and 504 for 36 carbon atoms.

[0040] y2) is an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms, and may be referred to as hydrogenated polyisobutene. Isododecane and isohexadecane also belong to y2), but a mixture having a distribution in the number carbon atoms tends to be more advantageous from the perspective of a foam inhibiting effect. From the perspective of the fluidity of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention and the transparency of the transparent liquid cleaning agent blended therewith, a foam inhibitor with a large average number of carbon atoms tends to be disadvantageous, whereas a foam inhibitor with a small average number of carbon atoms has a low flash point and thus is disadvantageous in terms of safety. Therefore, an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 13 to 18 carbon atoms and a distribution in the number carbon atoms is more preferable.

[0041] y3) is n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms. Examples include n-decane, n-undecane, n-dodecane, n-tridecane, n-tetradecane, n-pentadecane, n-hexadecane, n-heptadecane, arbitrary mixtures thereof, corresponding aggregates having a molecular weight distribution of n-alkanes, and the like. From the perspective of the availability, price, and fluidity of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention, n-decane, n-undecane, n-dodecane, and n-tridecane are preferable, but n-decane has a flash point of about 46°C, which is slightly low, and thus is slightly disadvantageous in terms of safety. From the perspective of a foam inhibiting effect, n-undecane is particularly preferred.

[0042] y4) is a monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and the chemical structure thereof is not limited, but a linear or branched monoalkene is preferred from the perspective of availabilityand price. Particularly readily available examples include a group of raw materials having a high 1-alkene purity referred to as α-olefins. Examples of chemical substance names include 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene, arbitrary mixtures thereof, corresponding aggregates having a molecular weight distribution of α-olefin, and the like. From the perspective of the fluidity of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention, those with a large average number of carbon atoms are somewhat disadvantageous, while 1-decene has a somewhat low flash point of about 45°C, and is thus somewhat disadvantageous in terms of safety. Therefore, more readily available substances include 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene, and mixtures thereof.

[0043] y5) is a monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, and preferably is a monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms. From the perspective of availabilityand price, a "linear alkylbenzene", which is used as a raw material for LAS (linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid and a salt thereof) is preferred. On the other hand, substances having an alkyl substitution group on the benzene ring with 7 or less carbon atoms tend to have a strong solvent odor or a peculiar kerosene-like odor, making these substances difficult to use as a component of the foam inhibitor according to the present invention[Mass Ratio of x):y)]

[0044] The mass ratio of the abovementioned components x):y) in the foam inhibitor composition (two-component system) according to the present invention must be within the range of 1:4 to 1:100, and as indicated in the examples described later, a range of 1:4 to 1:99 can achieve a practically sufficient enhancement of the foam inhibiting effect. On the other hand, when the mass ratio of component y) to component x) is less than 4, the two often do not dissolve easily even in an environment of 50°C, resulting in a solid-liquid separated state. Therefore, this foam inhibitor composition is not realistic for commercialization or use as a raw material. Conversely, when the mass ratio of y) to x) exceeds 100, the concentration of the key component x) which initiates a foam inhibiting action by breaking is too low, and therefore, in order to achieve a sufficient effect, the amount of the two-component foam inhibitor added to the transparent liquid cleaning agent must be increased, resulting in a problem of reduced freedom in cleaning agent formulation.[Component z)]

[0045] As described above, the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention may be a three-component foam inhibitor composition containing component z), which is a specific monool solvent, in addition to components x) and y). Specifically, component z) used in the present invention is monool solvent selected from: z1) saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms; and z2) glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkenyl group with 2 to 8 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3). Note that component z) is preferably appropriately selected in accordance with the type and properties of component y).

[0046] A two-component foam inhibitor composition containing the aforementioned components x) and y) but not containing component z) has sufficient foam inhibiting properties for practical use within the aforementioned range of the mass ratio of x):y), and is excellent in terms of the price, supply stability and formulation design therefore. However, while the composition is in the form of a transparent solution at 50°C, the composition often exhibits a gel-like or solid-liquid separated state at 20°C, inhibiting the preparation of a transparent solution and leaving room for improvement in product appearance and the handling workability. However, by designing a three-component foam inhibitor composition to which a certain amount of component z) is added, a transparent solution state can be maintained even at 20°C, which has the advantages of being extremely excellent in the product appearance and handling workability as a raw material.

[0047] Note that in the case of a composition that uses, in combination, only a fatty acid as component x) and a monool solvent as component z) and lacks component y), the composition undergoes solid-liquid separation at 20°C, and thus the composition could not be used as a foam inhibitor composition. For this reason, the combined use of the three components x), y) and z) in a certain quantitative range and the technical effects thereof are not easily predictable even for a person of ordinary skill in the art from the effect of simply combining these components, but rather achieve a heterogeneous and remarkably excellent effect. Moreover, the combined use of these components in a certain quantitative range and the technical effects thereof could not be easily conceived of by a person skilled in the art, but are considered to be particularly significant, exceeding the combination of conventional raw materials and conventional techniques.

[0048] The abovementioned component z1) is a saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include ethanol, denatured alcohol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, isobutyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, and arbitrary mixtures thereof. Many saturated monohydric alcohols with 2 to 4 carbon atoms can be called basic chemical raw materials, but from the perspective of price, ethanol and tert-butyl alcohol are somewhat expensive and disadvantageous. From the perspective of low odor, ethanol, low odor denatured alcohol, and 2-propanol are easily usable. However, butanol, which has a larger number of carbon atoms, is advantageous in terms of the ability thereof to dissolve fatty acids and hydrocarbon oils. For example, ethanol cannot dissolve liquid paraffin (mineral oil), and therefore, when liquid paraffin is used as component y) constituting the foam inhibitor of the present invention, 1-butanol or the like is preferably selected as component z1).

[0049] Component z2) is a glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkenyl group with 2 to 8 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3). On the other hand, glycol ethers monosubstituted with a phenyl group such as phenoxyethanol are highly crystalline and thus have disadvantages in terms of the fluidity and handleability of the foam inhibitor, and are therefore unsuitable as component z2) according to the present invention. z2) is preferably selected from those having excellent availability, and examples of such compounds include propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, triethylene glycol methyl ether, triethylene glycol ethyl ether, triethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, diethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, and the like. As a general trend, those having an oxyethylene group or oxypropylene group with the number of repetitions being 1 tend to have a low flash point, which is somewhat disadvantageous in terms of safety. Conversely, a number of repetitions of 3 is superior in safety but increases the production cost. Therefore, a number of repetitions of 2 is the most balanced and easy to use. On the other hand, from the perspective of dissolving power for fatty acids and hydrocarbon oils, n-butyl ether and n-hexyl ethers, which have alkyl substitution groups with a large number of carbon atoms, are preferred. Therefore, from a comprehensive perspective, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether and diethylene glycol n-hexyl ether are particularly preferred.[Mass Ratio of x), y), and z)]

[0050] The mass ratio of the abovementioned components x), y) and z) in the foam inhibitor composition (three-component system) according to the present invention must satisfy the aforementioned mass ratio of components x):y). Moreover, x):[y) + z)] must be within the range of 1:3 to 1:100. Note that [y) + z)] refers to the sum of the masses of component y) and component z). When the mass ratio of these three components is within the range above, the foam inhibitor composition achieves practically sufficient enhancement of a foam inhibiting effect, and a preparation, which is excellent in product appearance (transparent liquid), handling workability as a raw material, and commercial distribution, can be designed. On the other hand, when the mass ratio of [y) + z)] to x) is less than 3, dissolving is not easily performed even in an environment of 50°C and solid-liquid separation occurs, which is not practical for commercialization or use. When the mass ratio of [y) + z)] to x) exceeds 100, the concentration of the key component x) which initiates a foam inhibiting action by breaking is too low, and therefore, in order to achieve a sufficient effect, the amount of the three-component foam inhibitor added to the transparent liquid cleaning agent must be increased, resulting in a problem of reduced freedom in cleaning agent formulation.

[0051] Preferably, the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is in the range of 1:7 to 1:39 and the mass ratio of y):z) is in the range of 1:19 to 19:1. As the concentration of x) in the three-component foam inhibitor increases, the foam inhibiting power is more efficiently exhibited when added to a cleaning agent formulation. However, the transparency of the foam inhibitor is easily impaired in low-temperature environments, thus requiring heating of the foam inhibitor before use. y) plays a role in enhancing the foam inhibiting effect of component x), and z) plays a role in lowering the solidifying point of the two-component foam inhibitor containing components x) and y) and improving handleability. Therefore, from a practical standpoint, a well-balanced blending range is desirable such that these effects are easily recognized and that concerns regarding the temperature stability of the foam inhibitor do not become too important. The abovementioned ranges have been determined considering such various perspectives.[Use of Foam Inhibitor Composition and Application Thereof to Transparent Concentrated Liquid Cleaning Agent for Home Laundering]

[0052] The foam inhibitor composition (two-component or three-component system) according to the present invention can be preferably used as a foam inhibitor used in a transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, and can be particularly preferably blended into a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, which is so-called "concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent" having a high concentration of active components among transparent liquid cleaning agents (specifically, transparent liquid cleaning agents in which the total amount of components a) and b) described later exceeds 40 mass% of the total amount of the active components, and particularly those in which the amount of the active components containing components a) and b) is 50 mass% or more). Specifically, by adding another component to the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention that has been prepared in advance, or by blending another component together with component x) or component x'), component y), and optionally component z) as raw materials, a foam inhibitor for a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering that is capable of presenting a visually transparent liquid state at 50°C can be obtained, and similarly, a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering containing these components can be prepared.[Transparent Concentrated Liquid Cleaning Agent Composition for Home Laundering]

[0053] The transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention contains: a) a sulfonate-type and / or sulfate-type organic anionic surfactant, b) a cleaning organic nonionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group (the average value of the number of repetitions of oxyethylene is within the range of 6 to 16) (where the total amount of a) and b) is more than 40 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent), c) at least one freeze suppressant selected from the following c1) to c3) within the range of 2 to 15 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent: c1) saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms; c2) glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3); and c3) a di- or triol compound selected from propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, or glycerin, d) water within the range of 20 to 50 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent, x') a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and / or a salt thereof with sodium, potassium, ammonia, or an alkanolamine, within the range of 0.1 to 5 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent, and y) a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C selected from the following y1) to y5) within the range of 0.1 to 10 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent: y1) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms; y2) isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms; y3) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms; y4) monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms; and y5) monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, wherein the mass ratio of x'):y) is in the range of 1:4 to 1:100. Moreover, the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering may and may further optionally contain e) a stabilizer selected from antimicrobial agents (preservatives), hydrotropic agents, antioxidants, and water softeners (chelating agents) in an amount of 0.01 to 15 mass% {provided that the total amount of x'), y), and a) to e) is 100 mass%}.

[0054] Similarly, the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention may further contain: f) 0.1 to 3 mass% of at least one anti-soil redeposition agent (anti-redeposition agent or dispersant); g) 0.1 to 3 mass% of a pH adjuster for adjusting the pH of the liquid cleaning agent to the range of 5 to 11; h) 0.1 to 2 mass% of a preparation of at least one enzyme selected from protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase, esterase, pectinase, and mannanase; and i) 10 to 6000 ppm of at least one aesthetic quality improver selected from i1) 1 to 150 ppm of a colorant, and i2) 5 to 6000 ppm of a fragrance {provided that the total amount of x'), y), a) to h) is 100 mass%}. Moreover, another optional additive (such as a fragrance or the like) may also be blended within a range that does not impair the technical effects of the present invention. Each of the components of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention will be described in order below.[Component a)]

[0055] Component a) is an sulfonate-type and / or sulfate-type organic anionic surfactant, and is a component having excellent cleaning power. a) is preferably selected from components having excellent availability, and examples thereof include linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), olefin sulfonate (OS), alkane sulfonate (SAS), alkyl sulfate (AS), and alcohol ethoxy sulfate (AES). A combination of a plurality of types may be used.

[0056] LAS has excellent cleaning power as well as excellent permeability, and also has the advantage of being inexpensive due to being a general-purpose product. However, foam generated during use is less likely to disappear, and therefore, when formulating a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, care is preferably taken such that the blending amount does not excessively increase. Otherwise, the required amount of the fatty acid (or salt thereof) as the foam inhibiting component increases, resulting in product design that is disadvantageous due to increased fatty acid prices. When LAS is blended into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount thereof is preferably 7 mass% or less, and more preferably 4 mass% or less. Specific chemical names of LAS include sodium decylbenzenesulfonate, sodium undecylbenzenesulfonate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, sodium alkyl (with 10 to 13 carbon atoms) benzenesulfonate, sodium alkyl (with 12 to 14 carbon atoms) benzenesulfonate, sodium alkyl (with 10 to 16 carbon atoms) benzenesulfonate, potassium salts, ammonia salts, alkanolamine salts of alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, and the like.

[0057] OS is obtained by sulfonation of olefins, has excellent cleaning power, and is an anionic surfactant that is particularly preferable for formulating a low-foaming transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering. OS can effectively inhibit foaming with a relatively small amount of the fatty acid (or salt thereof), and thus the amount of OS blended in the liquid cleaning agent can be increased. Therefore, OS is one of the most preferred components serving as component a) constituting the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention. When OS is blended as a main anionic surfactant in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount thereof is preferably within the range of 10 to 30 mass%, and particularly preferably in the range 15 to 25 mass%. On the other hand, when OS is treated as an auxiliary surfactant component, the blending amount thereof may be less than 10%. Specific chemical names of OS include sodium tetradecene sulfonate, sodium salts of hydroxyalkanesulfonic acid and alkene sulfonic acid, sodium salts of α-olefin (with 14 carbon atoms) sulfonate, sodium salts of α-olefin (with 14 to 18 carbon atoms) sulfonate, sodium salts of internal olefin (with 14 to 16 carbon atoms) sulfonate, sodium internal olefin (with 16 to 24 carbon atoms) sulfonate, "sulfonic acid, C 14-18 -alkane hydroxy, C 12-20 -alkapolyene, C 14-18 -alkene, C 12-20 -alkene hydroxy, sodium salt", sodium salts of hydroxyalkane (with 14 to 15 carbon atoms) sulfonic acid and alkene (with 14 to 15 carbon atoms) sulfonic acid, potassium salts, ammonia salts, alkanolamine salts of hydroxyalkanesulfonic acid and alkene sulfonic acid, and the like. The internal olefin sulfonates are thought to be more preferable than α-olefin sulfonates for foam inhibiting properties.

[0058] SAS, which is also known as paraffin sulfonate, has excellent cleaning power and is an anionic surfactant that is particularly preferable for use in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention. Similar to OS, SAS can effectively inhibit foaming with a relatively small amount of the fatty acid (or salt thereof), and thus the amount of SAS blended in the liquid cleaning agent can be increased. Therefore, SAS is one of the most preferred components serving as component a) constituting the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention. When SAS is blended as a main anionic surfactant in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount thereof is preferably within the range of 10 to 30 mass%, and particularly preferably in the range 15 to 25 mass%. On the other hand, when SAS is treated as an auxiliary surfactant component, the blending amount thereof may be less than 10%. Specific chemical names of SAS include sodium octanesulfonate, sodium tetradecanesulfonate, "sodium = alkane sulfonate (with 10 to 18 carbon atoms) or sodium = hydrogen = alkane disulfonate (with 10 to 18 carbon atoms) or disodium = alkane disulfonate (with 10 to 18 carbon atoms)", sodium secondary alkane (with 13 to 17 carbon atoms) sulfonate, sodium alkane (with 14 to 18 carbon atoms) sulfonate, potassium salts, ammonia salts, and alkanolamine salts of alkanesulfonic acid, and the like.

[0059] AS is obtained by sulfating a long-chain alcohol, is easy to use due to the excellent solubility and cleaning performance thereof, and is widely used as an anionic surfactant for cleaning agents. However, an ester group is provided in a molecule, and therefore, hydrolysis may occur depending on the pH, temperature, and other conditions after being added to a liquid cleaning agent, resulting in a gradual deterioration in performance and quality. Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 1 reports that sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a typical AS, has a protein denaturing effect, and therefore, care and measures are considered to be necessary when formulating a liquid cleaning agent containing an enzyme. Therefore, in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, AS is preferably considered as an auxiliary surfactant. The blending amount thereof is preferably within the range of 0 to 10 mass%, and is particularly preferably within the range of 0 to 5 mass%. Specific chemical names of AS include sodium octyl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium monoalkyl (with 10 to 18 carbon atoms) sulfate, octyl sulfate MEA (monoethanolamine) salt, lauryl sulfate TEA (triethanolamine) salt, sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfate, sodium alkyl (with 8 to 18 carbon atoms) sulfate, alkyl (with 12 to 14 carbon atoms) sulfate TEA salt, higher alcohol sulfate sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonia salt, alkanolamine salt, and the like.

[0060] AES is obtained by sulfating polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, and generally has inferior cleaning power to AS. However, advantages are provided in which low-temperature solubility is high, compatibility with other components is excellent, and among anionic surfactants, cleaning power is less dependent on hardness. In addition, Non-Patent Document 1 reports that sodium laureth sulfate, which is a representative AES, has little protein denaturing effect. Non-Patent Document 2 reports that as the number of oxyethylene groups added to AES increases, the foaming power increases while the cleaning power decreases. Therefore, the AES suitable for the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention has an oxyethylene addition number within the range of 1 to 2.4. Thus, AES has an excellent balance of the various functions required in a liquid cleaning agent, and although care must be taken with regard to hydrolysis, the AES is definitely worth adding. When AES is blended into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount thereof is preferably 7 mass% or less, and more preferably 4 mass% or less. Specific chemical names of AES include polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene tridecyl ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene alkyl (with 12, 14 carbon atoms) ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene alkyl (with 12, 13 carbon atoms) ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene alkyl (with 10 to 18 carbon atoms) ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene alkyl (with 8 to 18 carbon atoms) ether sulfate TEA (triethanolamine) salt, polyoxyethylene coco alkyl ether sulfate TEA salt, polyoxyethylene (2) lauryl ether sodium sulfate, polyoxyethylene (1) lauryl ether sodium sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl (with 10 to 16 carbon atoms) ether sulfate sodium salt, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonia salt, alkanolamine salt, and the like.[Component b)]

[0061] Component b) is a cleaning organic nonionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group (the average value of the number of repetitions of oxyethylene is within the range of 6 to 16). A plurality of types of surfactants corresponding to b) may be used in combination. Component b) is preferably selected from those having excellent availability. Representative examples thereof include alkyl polyethoxylate (AE) and fatty acid polyethoxylate methyl ether (FEM). However, polyoxyethylene / polyoxypropylene alkyl ether (AEP) can also be preferably used as an AE that also has foam inhibiting properties. Note that in general, the HLB range of approximately 12 to 14 is considered to be an indicator of favorable cleaning performance.

[0062] AE has the advantage of being hardly affected by water hardness or electrolytes and can be used in combination with all other surfactants. There are many varieties of AEs with different functional characteristics, such as permeability, emulsification / dispersibility, cleaning performance, and the like, which are determined by the combination of differences in the structure and the distribution of the number carbon atoms of alkyl lipophilic groups and differences in the chain length of the polyoxyethylene hydrophilic group. Therefore, there is an advantage in which the balance of these various functions can be finely adjusted to suit the design purpose of the liquid cleaning agent. Note that in general, alkyl groups capable of imparting favorable cleaning performance are those with 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and more preferably those with 11 to 15 carbon atoms. Of these, AEs having a linear primary alkyl group are highly crystalline and have a pronounced tendency to gel and thicken at high concentrations in an aqueous medium. Therefore, when blending these AEs into a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent, care must be taken not to use in excess, and measures must be taken to increase the amounts of a hydrotropic agent and freeze preventing agent. When an AE having a linear primary alkyl group is blended into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount is preferably within the range of 0 to 10 mass%, and particularly preferably within the range of 0 to 5 mass%. AEs having a branched alkyl group and AEs derived from a secondary (sec) alcohol tend to be less prone to gelling or thickening at high concentrations in an aqueous medium, and are therefore advantageous in this respect. However, in consideration of biodegradability, an AE derived from a linear secondary (sec) alcohol is considered to be more preferable, and is one of the most preferred components of component b) constituting the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention. In the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, when an AE derived from a linear secondary (sec) alcohol is blended as the main nonionic surfactant, the blending amount thereof is preferably within the range of 10 to 35 mass%, and is particularly preferably within the range of 15 to 30 mass%. However, when this is treated as an auxiliary surfactant component, the blending amount thereof may be less than 10%. On the other hand, AEP has reduced cohesiveness even if AEP has a linear primary alkyl group, and therefore can be blended at a higher concentration than ordinary AE. The blending amount of AEP in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention is preferably within the range of 0 to 30 mass%, and particularly preferably in the range 10 to 20 mass%.

[0063] FEM can also control functional characteristics such as permeability, emulsification / dispersibility, cleaning performance, and the like by combining differences in the distribution of the number of carbon atoms in the fatty alkyl group with differences in the chain length of the polyoxyethylene hydrophilic group. In general, alkyl groups capable of imparting favorable cleaning performance are considered to be those with 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and more preferably those with 11 to 15 carbon atoms. Unlike AE and AEP, FEM does not have a hydroxyl group in a molecule, and therefore, a hydrogen bond interaction is suppressed. As a result, the composition has the characteristic in which gelation or thickening at a high concentration in an aqueous medium is extremely unlikely to occur. Therefore, FEM is one of the most preferred components as component b) constituting the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention. When FEM is blended as a main nonionic surfactant in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the blending amount thereof is preferably within the range of 10 to 50 mass%, and particularly preferably in the range 20 to 40 mass%. However, when FEM is treated as an auxiliary surfactant component, the blending amount thereof may be less than 10%. Like AE and AEP, FEM has the advantage that the cleaning power thereof is less affected by water hardness. However, an ester group is provided in a molecule, and therefore, hydrolysis may occur depending on the pH, temperature, and other conditions after being added to a liquid cleaning agent, resulting in a gradual deterioration in performance and quality. When FEM is blended, the pH of the liquid cleaning agent is preferably controlled within the range of 6.0 to 8.0, and more preferably within the range of 6.5 to 7.5.

[0064] In the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the total amount of component a) and component b) must exceed 40 mass% of the total transparent liquid cleaning agent. This will reduce logistics costs and the amount of cleaning agent used per laundry load, enabling a product that meets the awareness of society in resource conservation and economizing to be provided.[Component c)]

[0065] Component c) is at least one freeze suppressant selected from the following c1) to c3), and is blended into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention in an amount within the range of 2 to 15 mass%. A combination of a plurality of types thereof may be used; the amount of c) is preferably within the range of 3 to 10 mass%, and more preferably within the range of 4 to 8 mass%. If the blending amount of c) is less than 2%, the fluidity of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent decreases, causing a problem in which the cleaning agent is more likely to freeze in the winter depending on the geographical environment. On the other hand, blending of more than 15% is possible, but the amount of water in component d) is relatively reduced, which reduces the balance between cost and effectiveness.

[0066] Component c1) is a saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include ethanol, denatured alcohol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, isobutyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, and arbitrary mixtures thereof. From the perspective of low odor, ethanol and low-odor denatured alcohol are preferred. From the perspective of foam inhibiting properties, 1-butanol may be slightly more advantageous.

[0067] c2) is glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3). c2) is preferably selected from those having excellent availability, and examples of such compounds include propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, triethylene glycol methyl ether, triethylene glycol ethyl ether, triethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, diethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, and the like. In general, a number of repetitions of two provides a favorable balance between safety and cost, and ease of use is facilitated. On the other hand, from the perspective of compatibility with another component, n-butyl ether and n-hexyl ethers, which have an alkyl substitution group with a large number of carbon atoms, are preferred. Therefore, from a comprehensive perspective, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-hexyl ether, and dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether are particularly preferred.

[0068] c3) is a di- or triol compound selected from propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, or glycerin. Of these, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol and trimethylene glycol are more preferred, and propylene glycol or dipropylene glycol is most preferred.[Component d)]

[0069] Component d) is water, which is blended within the range of 20 to 50 mass% of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention. d) is not particularly limited so long as the water is clean, but ion exchanged water, sterilized water, distilled water, purified water, pure water, and the like are preferred, and tap water or well water may also be usable in some cases. If the amount of d) is less than 20 mass%, not only does the cost of the liquid cleaning agent increase, but stably blending the enzyme tends to be difficult. If the blending amount of d) exceeds 50 mass%, there is less room to blend effective amounts of various essential components, and designing a practical transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering with a cleaning surfactant concentration exceeding 40% will be difficult.[Components x'), y), and z)]

[0070] Component x) or component x'), component y), and optionally component z) constitute the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention, where component x') is component x) or a salt thereof, and component z) may be blended as the foam inhibitor composition or may be blended independently from another component. Note that in the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention, the addition of component z) is optional, and if the component is added in the form of a foam inhibitor composition, the component is particularly preferably added within the aforementioned mass ratio range.

[0071] Component x') is as described above, and is a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms and / or a salt thereof with sodium, potassium, ammonia, or alkanolamine.

[0072] x') is blended, as a fatty acid, within the range of 0.1 to 5 mass% of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention. The optimal blending amount range of component x') may vary depending on the combination and concentrations of components a) and b), which are cleaning surfactants, but a preferred blending amount is generally 0.15 to 3 mass%, and more preferably 0.2 to 2 mass%. The hydrophobic moiety of the fatty acid constituting x') is preferably an alkyl group, but may partially contain a C=C bond. Furthermore, mixtures of fatty acids having different numbers of carbon atoms are also possible. Examples of such fatty acids include lauric acids, myristic acids, palmitic acids, stearic acids, behenic acids, palmitoleic acids, oleic acids, linoleic acids, linolenic acids, ricinoleic acids, erucic acid, coconut oil fatty acid, beef tallow fatty acid, hardened beef tallow fatty acid, castor hydrogenated fatty acid, mixtures thereof, and the like. From the perspective of foam inhibiting performance, palmitic acid, stearic acid, or a mixture mainly containing these is particularly preferred. Component x') may be a salt of the exemplified fatty acids with sodium, potassium, ammonia, or alkanolamine. Examples of alkanolamines include monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), monoisopropanolamine (MIPA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), triisopropanolamine (TIPA), and the like, with MEA being particularly preferred.

[0073] Component y) is the aforementioned hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, and is blended within the range of 0.5 to 10 mass% of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention. The optimum blending amount range of component y) may vary depending on the combination and concentrations of components a) and b), which are cleaning surfactants, but is often within the range of approximately 0.5 to 6 mass%, and depending on the formulation, a particularly preferred range may be approximately 1 to 2 mass%, or approximately 2 to 5 mass%. The present inventors discovered that the proper amount of component y) enhances the foam inhibiting effect of component x').

[0074] Herein, more preferred component information for y1), y2), y3), y4), and y5), which are component y), has been described above and will be omitted. Of these five types, components that are particularly preferred for blending into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention are y1), y3), and y5). Particularly preferred components as y1) include liquid paraffins or mineral oils with an average of 23 to 30 carbon atoms, particularly preferred components as y3) include n-alkanes with an average of 11 carbon atoms, and particularly preferred components as y5) include monosubstituted benzenes substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms.[Component e)]

[0075] Component e) is a stabilizer selected from antimicrobial agents (preservatives), hydrotropic agents, antioxidants, and water softeners (chelating agents), and the blending amount thereof is 0.01 to 15 mass% of the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering of the present invention {provided that the total amount of x'), y), and a) to e) is 100 mass%}.

[0076] The antimicrobial agent (preservative) according to component e) is not particularly limited so long as the antimicrobial agent can be blended in a laundering cleaning agent for home use. Examples thereof include phenoxyethanol, phenoxypropanol, saturated alkanediols with 4 to 8 carbon atoms, monoalkyl or alkenyl ethers of glycerin, borates, benzoic acid, parabens, sodium benzoate, sodium dehydroacetate, formic acid, glutaraldehyde, benzyl alcohols, isopropylmethylphenol, diclosan, triclosan, chlorophene, parachlorometaxylenol, chlorthymol, carvacrol, dichlorophene, hexachlorophene, chlorocresol, methylisothiazolinone / methylchloroisothiazolinone combination, isothiazolinone / benzisothiazolinone combination, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one, 1,2 benzothiazolone, 2-(4-methylanomethylthio)benzimidazole, and the like. Of these, many of phenoxyethanol, phenoxypropanol, saturated alkanediols with 4 to 8 carbon atoms, and monoalkyl or alkenyl ethers of glycerin are liquid at room temperature and are relatively inexpensive among preservatives and antimicrobial agents, and thus the blending amount can be increased to about 10 mass%. Other preservatives are highly effective and many are expensive, and thus are preferably added usually in the range of 0.01 to 2 mass%.

[0077] Examples of hydrotropic agents according to component e) include toluenesulfonic acids, xylenesulfonic acids, cumenesulfonic acids, and sodium or potassium salts thereof. Cumene sulfonic acid or a salt thereof and p-toluenesulfonic acid or a salt thereof are more preferable. The hydrotropic agent is preferably blended at an amount in the range of 1 to 10 mass%, and more preferably 2 to 6 mass%.

[0078] The antioxidant according to component e) is preferably blended at an amount usually in the range of 0.01 to 1 mass%, and is selected from those that have little effect on the design color of the liquid cleaning agent. A plurality of types of antioxidants may be used in combination. Examples include sodium sulfite, sodium hydrogen sulfite, phenol-based antioxidants, and the like. Examples of phenol-based antioxidants include dibutylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, 2,2'-methylenebis(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol), distyrenated cresol, dl-α-tocopherol, d-δ-tocopherol, natural vitamin E, and the like, with dibutylhydroxytoluene being particularly preferred.

[0079] The water softener (chelating agent) according to component e) is not particularly limited so long as blending in a laundering cleaning agent for home use is possible. However, the water softener is preferably blended at an amount within the range of 0.1 to 1 mass%, and a plurality of types may be used in combination. Specific examples thereof include malonic acid, succinic acid, malic acid, diglycolic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, and other polycarboxylic acids and salts thereof. It is possible to use ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (salt), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (salt), methylglycine diacetic acid (salt), ethylglycine diacetic acid (salt), nitrilotriacetic acid (salt), iminodisuccinic acid (salt), tetrasodium aspartic acid-N,N-diacetate, trisodium serine diacetate; tetrasodium glutamic acid diacetate, and the like. Furthermore, the following can also be used: 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, aminotri(methylenephosphonic acid), ethylenediaminetetra(methylenephosphonic acid), diethylenetriaminepenta(methylenephosphonic acid), and 2-phosphono-1,2,4-butanetricarboxylic acid, sodium, potassium, ammonium and alkanolamine salts thereof, and the like. Trisodium methylglycine diacetate and 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonate are preferred.[Component f)]

[0080] The anti-soil redeposition agent (anti-redeposition agent or dispersant) according to component f) is preferably blended usually in the range of 0.1 to 3 mass%, and has the functions of adsorbing to fibers and grime components to increase the electrical repulsive force therebetween, stably dispersing grime components in the washing liquid to prevent redeposition to fibers, and the like. In general, polymers such as polyalkylene glycols, polyacrylic acids, celluloses, polyvinylpyrrolidones, ethoxylated polyethyleneimines, and the like are often used, and a combination of a plurality of types thereof may be used. Specific examples include polyacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, acrylic acid / maleic acid copolymer, carboxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, propylene oxide adducts to polyhydric alcohols, ethoxylated polyethyleneimine, propoxylated polyethyleneimine, and the like.

[0081] Component g) is a pH adjuster for adjusting the pH of the liquid cleaning agent to within the range of 5 to 11, and is usually preferably blended within the range of 0.1 to 3 mass%. Examples include sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, and other acidic compounds, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, methylethanolamine, and other alkanolamines, and sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and other alkaline compounds. Two or more types of pH adjusters may be used in combination. From the perspective of stability over time of the liquid cleaning agent, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and alkanolamines are preferable, and sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide are more preferable.

[0082] Component h) is a preparation of at least one enzyme selected from proteases, lipases, amylases, cellulases, esterases, pectinases, and mannanases, and is preferably blended at an amount usually in the range of 0.1 to 2 mass%. Note that when component h) is blended into the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition, the techniques introduced or cited in Japanese Patent No. 5,436,199 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2011-137074), Japanese Patent No. 6,188,239 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2016-017133), and Japanese Patent No. 6,732,424 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2017-071664) may be utilized to suppress reductions in enzyme activity.

[0083] Component i) is at least one aesthetic quality improver selected from i1) 1 to 150 ppm of a colorant, and i2) 5 to 6,000 ppm of a fragrance, and is preferably blended usually within the range of 10 to 6,000 ppm {provided that the total amount of x'), y), and a) to h) is 100 mass%}. Note that representative examples of fragrance formulations are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2002-146399, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2021-134324, and the like. Note that component i) may be omitted.[Method for Manufacturing TRANSPARENT CONCENTRATED LIQUID CLEANING AGENT COMPOSITION FOR HOME LAUNDERING]

[0084] The transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention can be obtained by mixing / homogenizing each component using the mechanical force of a mixer or the like while heating as necessary. Moreover, there are no particular limitations on the manufacturing procedure and a manufacturing device. However, among the aforementioned raw materials, the enzyme (component h) and the aesthetic quality improver (component i) are easily affected by heat, and thus, after heating and mixing the other raw materials, are preferably cooled to 30°C or lower, and then added and mixed.

[0085] More specifically, the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to the present invention, which contains the aforementioned components x'), y), and a) to e) and further contains the aforementioned components f) to i), can be manufactured by heating components x'), y), and a) to g) to 30 to 80°C, dissolving by mixing, cooling to 30°C or lower, and then adding components h) and i) and mixing to homogenization.

[0086] Such a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition may optionally further contain a component other than the aforementioned x'), y), and a) to i) that can be blended in a transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, within a range that does not impair an effect of the present invention. Examples of such optional components include organic surfactants other than a) and b), the cleaning materials or cleansing components described in Japanese Patent No. 5,305,677 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2009-185144) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2020-172481, and the like, fabric softener components that are known to be blended in liquid cleaning agents, oil agents other than y), chemicals for enzyme stabilization, fluorescent whitening agents, and appropriate amounts of inorganic salts.[Use as Defoaming Agent or Foam Controlling Agent]

[0087] As described above, the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention can design or provide a two-component foam inhibitor or three-component foam inhibitor, which can minimize the amount of fatty acid or salt thereof in a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering and has favorable handleability, and can be particularly preferably used in transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agents for home laundering.

[0088] On the other hand, the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention may also be used in ordinary transparent liquid cleaning agent for home use (for laundering or for hand washing dishes and the like in the kitchen) having a low concentration of cleaning surfactants. Moreover, in addition to the technical advantage of providing excellent sustained defoaming performance without impairing the stability, transparency, and appearance of the transparent liquid cleaning agent, the foam inhibitor composition has the commercial advantage of being able to alleviate the adverse effects of price fluctuations and supply limitations of fatty acids, thereby enabling a cleaning agent manufacturer to perform controls for maintaining the availability of a transparent liquid cleaning agent to the market even in the event of price fluctuations or supply limitations of fatty acids.

[0089] In addition, the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention may be used in an aqueous foaming liquid other than a liquid cleaning agent, and can be used in an automatic dishwashing machine, personal care product, and other industrial applications, such as fabric treating agents, clothing softeners, paint additives, and in pulp and paper manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the composition may be added to a liquid cleaning agent or solid cleaning agent having a non-transparent appearance, or may be added to known silicon defoaming agent compound or emulsion thereof, and the applications thereof are not particularly limited.EXAMPLES

[0090] Hereinafter, the present invention will be further described in detail on the basis of Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Examples 1 to 9 are examples of two-component foam inhibitor compositions according to the present invention. Examples 10 to 42 are examples of three-component foam inhibitor compositions according to the present invention. Examples 43 to 72 are examples of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents for home laundering according to the present invention. Furthermore, in the experimental examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" refers to "mass%" and expressions such as "x):y)" refer to the mass ratio of each component. "Appearance XC" refers to the appearance of each composition as determined by visual observation at X°C. Furthermore, when the number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon oil serving as component y) is indicated as "C12" or the like, this refers to the average number of carbon atoms in isoparaffin or n-alkane. [Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2]

[0091] Table 1 shows the composition and appearance of two-component foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 1 to 9 according to the present invention. Furthermore, for comparison, Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are indicated as the foam inhibiting system described in Patent Document 7 or a composition similar thereto, respectively. Table 1: Two-component compositions of x) 98% stearic acid and y) hydrocarbon oil[Table 1]Name of y)x):y)% of x)Appearance, 50CAppearance, 20CTest Example No.C12 Isoparaffin1 : 233.3SeparatedHard gelComparative Example 1 (Patent Document 7)n-Undecane1:233.3SeparatedHard gelComparative Example 2 (similar to Patent Document 7)n-Undecane1:420Transparent solutionGel-likeExample 1n-Undecane1 : 5.715Transparent solutionGel-likeExample 2n-Undecane1 : 910Transparent solutionGel-likeExample 3n-Undecane1 : 12.37.5Transparent solutionGel-likeExample 4n-Undecane1 : 195Transparent solutionPastyExample 5n-Undecane1 : 244Transparent solutionLiquid and white precipitateExample 6n-Undecane1 : 333Transparent solutionLiquid and white precipitateExample 7n-Undecane1 : 492Transparent solutionLiquid and white precipitateExample 8n-Undecane1 : 991Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 9

[0092] The two types of mixtures (Comparative Examples 1 and 2) prepared with reference to the foam inhibiting system of Patent Document 7 were hard gels at room temperature, and the stearic acid did not completely dissolve even when heated at 50°C for three hours. Such compositions have proven difficult to handle and impractical in use and commerce. On the other hand, Examples 1 to 9, in which the stearic acid concentration was 20% or less, formed transparent solutions at 50°C. Many of these changed state at 20°C, but quickly returned to a transparent solution when heated to 50°C. The operation of heating to 50°C is a process that can be very easily adopted industrially, and therefore, the two-component foam inhibitor compositions according to the present invention (Examples 1 to 9) clearly exhibited more favorable handleability than Comparative Examples 1 and 2 when blended into a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent base.[Examples 10 to 18 and Reference Examples 1 to 2]

[0093] Table 2 shows the configuration and appearance of three-component foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 10 to 18 according to the present invention. Furthermore, two-component compositions containing x) and z) (Reference Examples 1 and 2) are indicated for comparison. Table 2: Three-component compositions of x) 98% stearic acid, y) n-undecane, and z) ethanol[Table 2]x):y):z)x):[ y) + z) ]% of x)Appearance, 50CAppearance, 20CTest Example No.1 : 2.5 : 2.51 : 516.7Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 101 : 3.3 : 3.41 : 6.715Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 111 : 4.5 : 4.51 : 910Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 121 : 8 : 11 : 910Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 131 : 1 : 81 : 910Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 141 : 0 : 91 : 910Transparent solutionSeparation (20C)REFERENCE EXAMPLE 11 : 6.1 : 6.21 : 12.37.5Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 151 : 9 : 101 : 195Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 161 : 0 : 191 : 195Transparent solutionDeposition (20C)REFERENCE EXAMPLE 21 : 12 : 121 : 244Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 171 : 16 : 171 : 333Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 18

[0094] The three-component composition obtained by adding z) ethanol to the two-component composition of x) and y) was able to maintain a transparent solution state not only at 50°C but also at 20°C. In other words, Examples 10 to 18 have a great advantage in terms of handleability during use. The two-component composition containing x) and z) (Reference Examples 1 and 2) maintained a transparent liquid state at 50°C, but underwent a state change of separation / precipitation at 20°C in the Example, raising serious concerns about product problems such as separation during commercial distribution and the like. On the other hand, the three-component foam inhibitor compositions of the present invention (Examples) and the two-component compositions lacking component y) (Reference Examples) exhibit different properties, particularly at 20°C, and the three-component foam inhibitor compositions according to the present invention were found to have unique advantages and a clear superiority in terms of handling at ambient temperature.[Example 16 and 19 to 26 and Comparative Example 3]

[0095] Table 3 shows the configuration and appearance of the three-component foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 16 and 19 to 26 according to the present invention using various components y) (light hydrocarbon oils). Furthermore, Comparative Example 3, which is outside the scope of the present invention, is indicated for comparison. Table 3: Three-component compositions of x) 98% stearic acid, y) light hydrocarbon oil, and z) ethanol[Table 3]Name of y)x):y):z)Appearance, 50CAppearance, 20CTest Example No.n-Undecane1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solution(Example 16)Mixed C11 / C12 / C13 n-alkane (72 / 3 / 25)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 19C3 alkyl benzene1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionComparative Example 3 - Strong OdorLinear alkyl (average C11) benzene1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 201-dodecene1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 211-hexadecene1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 22Isododecane1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 23Isohexadecane1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 24Isoparaffin (average C12)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 25Isoparaffin (average C16)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 26

[0096] Ethanol serving as component z), when combined with various light hydrocarbon oils under the condition of a 5% stearic acid concentration, was found to provide three-component foam inhibitors that were transparent uniform solutions even at 20°C (Example 16 and Examples 19 to 26). However, in Comparative Example 3 using C3-alkyl benzene as the hydrocarbon oil, the example was a raw material outside the scope of component y) of the present invention, and the composition could not be blended into a cleaning agent for home use due to a strong unpleasant odor similar to that of diesel. In other words, covering this type of malodor by modifying the fragrance formulation is difficult or unreasonable, and it has been confirmed that component y) must be selected from a specific structure. On the other hand, in Example 20 using, as component y), a linear alkyl (average C11) benzene with a large carbon number in the substituted alkyl group of the alkylbenzene, no unpleasant odor was observed other than the refreshing scent of ethanol, as in the other Examples. Thus, the odor is not a problem in practical use.[Examples 27 to 35]

[0097] Table 4 shows the configuration and appearance of the three-component foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 27 to 35 according to the present invention, using liquid paraffin and isoparaffin having different average carbon numbers as component y) and 1-butanol as component z). Table 4: Three-component compositions of x) 98% stearic acid, y) heavy hydrocarbon oil, and z) 1-butanol[Table 4]Name of y)x):y):z)Appearance, 50CAppearance, 20CTest Example No.Liquid paraffin (average C12)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 27Liquid paraffin (average C19)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 28Liquid paraffin (average C21)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 29Liquid paraffin (average C23)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 30Liquid paraffin (average C26)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 31Liquid paraffin (average C30)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 32Isoparaffin (average C15)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 33Isoparaffin (average C16)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 34Isoparaffin (average C18)1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTranslucent solutionExample 35

[0098] 1-butanol, when combined with various heavy hydrocarbon oils such as liquid paraffin or the like under the condition of a 5% stearic acid concentration, was found to provide three-component foam inhibitor compositions that were stable, transparent to translucent, and uniform solutions even at 20°C (Examples 27 to 35). In general, ethanol may have difficulty dissolving liquid paraffin. However, when liquid paraffin or a hydrocarbon oil having a large number of carbon atoms is used in the three-component foam inhibitor composition of the present invention, a foam inhibitor composition that is excellent in handling workability and in appearance as a commercial product (transparent liquid) can be obtained by using butanol having a large number of carbon atoms or the like as component z).[Examples 36 to 42 and Reference Example 3]

[0099] Table 5 shows the configuration and appearance of the three-component foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 36 to 42 according to the present invention, which use a variety of components y) (various hydrocarbon oils) in combination with component z) glycol ether. Furthermore, Reference Example 3 (a two-component system lacking component y), which is outside the scope of the present invention, is indicated for comparison. Table 5: Three-component compositions of x) 98% stearic acid, y) hydrocarbon oil, and z) glycol ether[Table 5]Name of y)Name of Z) Note)x):y):z)Appearance, 50CAppearance, 23CTest Example No.AbsentBu-DEG1 : 0 : 19Transparent solutionPrecipitationREFERENCE EXAMPLE 3n-UndecaneBu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 361-hexadeceneBu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 37Isoparaffin (average C16)Bu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 38Linear alkyl (average C11) benzeneBu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 39Isoparaffin (average C18)Bu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionEssentially transparent solutionExample 40Liquid paraffin (average C23)Bu-DEG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 41n-UndecaneBu-DPG1 : 9 : 10Transparent solutionTransparent solutionExample 42Notes) Bu-DEG: diethylene glycol n-butyl ether Bu-DPG: Dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether

[0100] Glycol ethers such as diethylene glycol n-butyl ether and dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, when combined with various hydrocarbon oils, were found to provide three-component foam inhibitor compositions that were stable, transparent to nearly transparent, and uniform solutions even at 23°C at a 5% stearic acid concentration (Examples 36 to 42). On the other hand, the two-component composition consisting of only stearic acid x) and glycol ether z) (Reference Example 3) undergoes a state change of precipitating at 23°C. Thus, there is a strong concern that product problems such as separation and the like may occur during commercial distribution. Therefore, as in Table 2, the three-component foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention was found to have unique advantages and a clear advantage in terms of handling at ambient temperature.[Formulations of Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agents Used in Evaluation of Examples 43 to 51 and Comparative Examples 4 to 7]

[0101] Table 6 below shows an example of a simple concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition for home use, excluding the foam inhibitor. For this formulation, the calculated mass% ratios of each component (pure content) are a) = 4.7%, b) = 51%, c) = 10%, and d) = 34.3%. Table 6: Base Formulation I[Table 6]ClassificationComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a) + d)Sodium 70% POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate3.0Sodium 65% linear alkyl (C12) benzene sulfonate4.0Nonionic surfactant b) + d)90% Lauric acid POE (11) methyl ether40.0POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether15.0Freeze suppressant c1)Ethanol (99.5)10.0Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water28.0Total100.0 [Formulations of Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agents Used in Evaluation of Examples 52 to 62 and Comparative Examples 8 and 9]

[0102] Table 7 below shows an example of a simple concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition for home use, excluding the foam inhibitor. For this formulation, the calculated mass% ratios of each component (pure content) are a) = 4.7%, b) = 51%, c) = 6%, and d) = 38.3%. Table 7: Base Formulation I'[Table 7]ClassificationComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a) + d)Sodium 70% POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate3.0Sodium 65% linear alkyl (C12) benzene sulfonate4.0Nonionic surfactant b) + d)90% Lauric acid POE (11) methyl ether40.0POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether15.0Freeze suppressant c1)1-butanol6.0Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water32.0Total100.0 [Formulations of Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agents Used in Evaluation of Examples 63 to 69 and Comparative Examples 10 and 11]

[0103] Table 8 below shows an example of a simple concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition for home use, excluding the foam inhibitor. For this formulation, the calculated mass% ratios of each component (pure content) are a) = 23.5%, b) = 31%, c) = 3%, d) = 34.5%, and e) = 8%. Table 8: Base Formulation II[Table 8]ClassificationComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a) + d)Sodium 70% POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate5.0Sodium α-olefin sulfonate * 1)< 20.0Nonionic surfactant b)Polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl (C12 to C14) ether * 2)< 17.5POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether13.5Freeze suppressant c2)Diethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether3.0Preservative e)Phenoxyethanol8.0Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water33.0Total100.0Note*1) Sodium salts of (unsaturated alkyl alkene sulfonic acids (C = 14 to 18 and C = 12 to 20) and unsaturated alkyl hydroxysulfonic acids (C = 14 to 18 and C = 12 to 20) Note* 12< ) HLB = 12.7 [Formulations of Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agents Used in Evaluation of Examples 70 to 72 and Comparative Examples 12 and 13]

[0104] Table 9 below shows an example of a simple concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition for home use, excluding the foam inhibitor. The calculated mass% ratios of each component (pure content) for this formulation, assuming the entire formulation to be 100, is a) = 20.4%, b) = 32.7%, c) = 14.3%, and d) = 32.6%. Table 9: Base Formulation III[Table 9]ClassificationComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a) + d)Sodium 40% alkane (C10 to C18) sulfonate50.0Nonionic surfactant b)POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether32.0Freeze suppressant c2)Dipropylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether4.0Freeze suppressant c3)Propylene glycol10.0Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water2.0Total98.0 [Procedure for Foam Inhibition Test]Preparation of Concentrated Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agent Composition:

[0105] A concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition, typically containing 10.00 g of the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent base, 0.30 g of a foam inhibitor (a two- or three-component composition also containing 5 mass%, i.e., 0.015 g of 98% stearic acid, 0.135 g of hydrocarbon oil, and often 0.15 g of monool solvent, or an equivalent thereof), was prepared by placing the composition in a 20 mL glass vial, after which the glass vial was capped, shaken, and warmed in a 50°C thermostatic chamber if necessary. In this typical example, the amount of stearic acid (x') is approximately 0.15 mass%, and the amount of hydrocarbon oil (y) is approximately 1.35 mass%, relative to the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition. All of the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent compositions prepared herein had the appearance of a transparent uniform liquid at both 50°C and 20°C, and remained stable with no change in appearance even after being left at room temperature for one month. Note that a commercially available concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent X was also prepared and used for comparison tests at appropriate times.Preparation of 3000-times diluted solution:

[0106] Just before measuring, the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition was thoroughly agitated to ensure mixing. To a 500 mL polypropylene cup, 0.100 g of the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition (or commercially available cleaning agent X) and 300.0 g of tap water were added, and the mixture was homogenized by stirring 180 times with a spatula.Foam Inhibition Test:

[0107] 1) An inner wall of a clean 200 mL stoppered measuring cylinder is wetted with tap water, then the water is drained thoroughly such that approximately 0.5 g of water remains. 2) 50.0 g of the diluted solution is weighed into the 200 mL stoppered measuring cylinder. 3) The measuring cylinder is stoppered and held down with one hand, then a bottom part of the cylinder is held with the other hand, and the cylinder is shaken up and down for several seconds (20 times). Normally, the second hand of the clock should indicate 47 to 48 seconds when shaking begins and 54 to 55 seconds when shaking ends. 4) The measuring cylinder is placed on a table and the foam volume is measured 180 seconds after the second hand of the clock hits 0. (The value can be calculated in mL units by subtracting the foam height from the liquid surface level.) 5) Procedures 1) to 5) are repeated twice and the average foam volume is determined. [Foam Inhibition Test Results]

[0108] The following Tables 10 to 14 summarize the foam inhibition test results for each foam inhibitor for each base formulation. Note that the values in parentheses indicate Examples corresponding to the foam inhibitor compositions used in the Examples included in each table, and "SA + n-undecane" in the tables refers to concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent compositions containing both stearic acid serving as component x') and n-undecane serving as component y), and corresponds to Examples of the present invention. Tables 10 and 11: Foam inhibition test results using base formulation I (Examples 43 and 44; foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 5 and 6) Tables 12: Foam inhibition test results using base formulation I' (Examples 45 to 51; foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 19 to 25) Table 13: Foam inhibition test results using base formulation II (Examples 52 to 62; foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 27 to 35) Table 14: Foam inhibition test results using base formulation III (Examples 63 to 69; foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 36 to 41)

[0109] Normally, the results for each concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition were calculated using a relative foam volume value on the basis of the foam volume of a control sample not using a foam inhibitor calculated as 100. However, when the control sample was not included, the results of each concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent composition were standardized on the basis of the foam volume of a sample containing 98% stearic acid (SA) alone as a foam inhibitor, or a sample containing a reference example containing 98% stearic acid (SA) and a monool solvent as a foam inhibitor. Thereby a plurality of sets of data from different test dates can be compared in the same order. Furthermore, the rate of increase in the foam inhibiting effect due to each foam inhibitor is calculated on the basis of the results of a sample containing 98% stearic acid (SA) alone or a sample containing a reference example containing 98% stearic acid (SA) and a monool solvent. The results thereof are also shown. Table 10: Foam Inhibition Test Results for Base Formulation I (1-1)[Table 10]Type of Foam Inhibitor / Corresponding Foam Inhibitor Compositionx')%y)%Relative Foam VolumeRate of increase in foam inhibiting effect %Test Example No. (Cleaning agent)Fatty acid or salt thereofUnknownNA65.0NACommercially available cleaning agent XNone00100NAComparative Example 4n-undecane alone01.50110- 87.7Comparative Example 5SA only0.15058.60 (benchmark)Comparative Example 6Composition of REFERENCE EXAMPLE 20.15059.0-0.7Comparative Example 7Composition of Example 50.151.3551.7+ 11.8Example 43Composition of Example 160.152.7044.6+ 23.9Example 44

[0110] In Examples 43 and 44, which contain both n-undecane and stearic acid, a clearly superior foam inhibiting effect was confirmed compared to Comparative Example 6, which contained stearic acid alone, Comparative Example 7 containing both stearic acid and ethanol, and the commercially available cleaning agent X. Doubling the amount of n-undecane blended from 1.35 mass% (Example 43) to 2.70 mass% (Example 44) was found to double the foam inhibiting effect of this base formulation I. The amount of fatty acid in the concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent compositions for home laundering of Examples 43 and 44 was only 0.15 mass%, which is considered to have achieved a significant reduction in the amount of fatty acid used compared to the level of commercially available products {which usually contain 2 to 5 mass% of fatty acid (or a salt thereof)}. Furthermore, the foam inhibiting effect of stearic acid serving as the fatty acid was increased by combined use with n-undecane, and therefore, the amount of fatty acid used in the cleaning agent could be reduced by substituting a portion of the fatty acid with n-undecane. On the other hand, Comparative Example 5, which contained only n-undecane, had no foam inhibiting power at all, and had the opposite effect. Therefore, the effect of the two-component foam inhibitor of the present invention is an unexpected discovery, and by substituting a portion of the fatty acid with a specific hydrocarbon, the amount of the fatty acid conventionally blended into liquid cleaning agent formulations can be reduced, which is expected to have the effect of alleviating the adverse effects of price fluctuations and supply limitations of the fatty acid. Table 11: Foam Inhibition Test Results for Base Formulation I (1-2)[Table 11]Type of Foam Inhibitor / Corresponding Foam Inhibitor Compositionx')%y)%Relative Foam VolumeRate of increase in foam inhibiting effect %Test Example No. (Cleaning agent)REFERENCE EXAMPLE 20.15059.00 (benchmark)Comparative Example 7Example 190.151.3555.4+ 6.1Example 45Example 200.151.3554.1+ 8.3Example 46Example 210.151.3555.2+ 6.4Example 47Example 220.151.3555.5+ 5.9Example 48Example 230.151.3555.8+ 5.4Example 49Example 240.151.3554.4+ 7.8Example 50Example 250.151.3553.5+ 9.3Example 51

[0111] From the results in Table 11, when various light hydrocarbon oils other than n-undecane alone were used in combination with stearic acid as the hydrocarbon oil, an increase in foam inhibiting performance was certainly observed in base formulation I, although the increase was not as remarkable as in the case of n-undecane. Table 12: Foam Inhibition Test Results for Base Formulation I' (1-3)[Table 12]Type of Foam Inhibitor / Corresponding Foam Inhibitor Compositionx')%y)%Relative Foam VolumeRate of increase in foam inhibiting effect %Test Example No. (Cleaning agent)Fatty acid or salt thereofUnknownNA44.2NACommercially available cleaning agent XNone00100NAComparative Example 8SA only0.15045.00 (benchmark)Comparative Example 9SA + n-undecane0.151.3538.8+ 13.8Example 52SA + n-undecane0.155.033.5+ 25.6Example 53Example 270.151.3542.9+ 4.7Example 54Example 280.151.3543.6+ 3.1Example 55Example 290.151.3543.4+ 3.6Example 56Example 300.151.3537.9+ 15.8Example 57Example 310.151.3539.5+ 12.2Example 58Example 320.151.3538.7+ 14.0Example 59Example 330.151.3542.4+ 5.8Example 60Example 340.151.3538.6+ 14.2Example 61Example 350.151.3542.3+ 6.0Example 62

[0112] The results in Table 12 indicate that even in base formulation I', Examples 52 and 53 containing both n-undecane and stearic acid exhibited a clearly superior foam inhibiting effect compared to Comparative Example 9 containing stearic acid alone, and commercially available cleaning agent X. In Example 53, in which the blending amount of n-undecane was tripled from 1.35 mass% (Example 52) to 5.0 mass%, it was confirmed that the foam inhibiting effect increased by just under two times. In a system in which stearic acid and liquid paraffin are used in combination, the three-component foam inhibitors of Examples 30 to 32 containing liquid paraffin with an average of 23 to 30 carbon atoms exhibited excellent effects. In a system in which stearic acid and isoparaffinic hydrocarbon are used in combination, Example 34, which contains isoparaffin with an average of 16 carbon atoms and a distribution in the number carbon atoms, exhibited an excellent effect. In a system of combined used with another hydrocarbon oil, an increase in the foam inhibiting performance was confirmed in base formulation I', although the increase was not as remarkable as in the case above. Table 13: Foam Inhibition Test Results for Base Formulation II[Table 13]Type of Foam Inhibitor / Corresponding Foam Inhibitor Compositionx')%y)%Relative Foam VolumeRate of increase in foam inhibiting effect %Test Example No. (Cleaning agent)None00100NAComparative Example 10SA only0.15046.40 (benchmark)Comparative Example 11SA + n-undecane0.302.7031.4+ 32.3Example 63Example 360.151.3534.7+ 25.2Example 64Example 370.151.3540.3+ 13.1Example 65Example 380.151.3538.8+ 16.4Example 66Example 390.151.3538.1+ 17.9Example 67Example 400.151.3539.5+ 14.9Example 68Example 410.151.3537.4+ 19.4Example 69

[0113] From the results in Table 13, it was confirmed that, even in base formulation II, Examples 64 to 69, in which various hydrocarbon oils and stearic acid were used in combination as the three-component foam inhibitor of the present invention, had clearly superior foam inhibiting effects compared to Comparative Example 11 containing stearic acid alone. Among these hydrocarbon oils, n-undecane exhibited the highest effect, followed by liquid paraffin with an average of 23 carbon atoms. In Example 63, the blending amounts of stearic acid and n-undecane were increased to double those in Example 64. Doubling the amount of stearic acid used, which contributes to the foam inhibiting action by foam breaking, was found to double the rate of increase in the foam inhibiting effect, but the actual rate of increase in the foam inhibiting effect was only just under 1.3 times. The reason for this is presumably that the amount of n-undecane blended in base formulation II was set at 2.7%, which resulted in a slightly excessive amount being used and thus saturating the foam inhibiting effect. On the basis of these findings, the optimal range of the amount of n-undecane blended in base formulation II is thought to be approximately 1 to 2 mass%, which is expected to be a preferable range. Table 14: Foam Inhibition Test Results for Base Formulation III[Table 14]Type of Foam Inhibitor / Corresponding Foam Inhibitor Compositionx')%y)%Relative Foam VolumeRate of increase in foam inhibiting effect %Test Example No. (Cleaning agent)None00100NAComparative Example 12SA only0.15045.70 (benchmark)Comparative Example 13Example 420.151.3535.0+ 23.4Example 70SA + n-undecane0.152.7036.7+ 19.7Example 71SA + n-undecane0.458.1031.5+ 31.1Example 72

[0114] The results in Table 14 indicate that even in base formulation III, Examples 70 and 71 containing both n-undecane and stearic acid exhibited a clearly superior foam inhibiting effect compared to Comparative Example 13 containing stearic acid alone. However, in this base formulation, the blending amount of n-undecane was doubled from 1.35 mass% (Example 70) to 2.70 mass% (Example 71), which seems to have hindered foam inhibition. Example 72, in which the blending amounts of stearic acid and n-undecane were increased three times from those in Example 70, also exhibited the best foam inhibiting properties, but the effect was only 1.3 times that of Example 70. As in the similar study in Table 13, it is presumed that when the amount of n-undecane blended in base formulation III is too large, the foam inhibiting effect becomes saturated. On the basis of these findings, the optimal range of the amount of n-undecane blended in base formulation II was found to be approximately 1 to 2 mass%, similar to base formulation II, which is expected to be a preferable range.[Formulation Example of Concentrated Transparent Liquid Cleaning Agent for Home Laundering]

[0115] Tables 15 to 19 below show specific formulation examples of novel concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents for home laundering on the basis of conventionally known patent documents, utilizing the three-component foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention. Note that in these formulation examples, the use of the foam inhibitor compositions of Examples 16, 36, and 42 is proposed as the three-component foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention. However, there is no intention to limit the actual formulation design to these compositions, and the present inventors explicitly propose and suggest that formulations be designed by substituting or replacing a part or all of these foam inhibitor compositions with other two-component or three-component foam inhibitor compositions according to the present invention or with an arbitrary configuration thereof. Similarly, it is expressly proposed and suggested that a foam inhibitor component of a known concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering be substituted in part or in whole with the foam inhibitor composition according to the present invention.

[0116] The formulations disclosed in Tables 15, 16, and 20 are all proposed formulation examples that reduce the used amount of fatty acid or salt thereof compared to formulations based on conventional technology (Patent Documents 10 and 11), and alleviate the adverse effects of price fluctuations and supply limitations of fatty acids.

[0117] The formulations disclosed in Tables 17 to 19 all reduce the used amount of fatty acid or salt thereof compared to formulations based on conventional technology (Patent Documents 3, 6, and 7), and enable the use of high blending concentrations of cleaning surfactants. As a result, logistics costs and the amount of cleaning agent used per laundry load are reduced. Thus, the formulations are proposed formulation examples that enable providing products that respond to the growing awareness of society in resource conservation and economizing. Table 15: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 10 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention[Table 15]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate2.1Sodium linear alkyl (C12) benzene sulfonate2.6Nonionic surfactant b)Lauric acid POE (11) methyl ether36.0POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether15.0Freeze suppressant c1)Ethanol (99.5)6.0Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z1)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 16>3.0Hydrotropic agent e)Sodium p-toluenesulfonate1.4Preservative e)Sodium benzoate0.5Preservative e)Diclosan0.2Antioxidant e)BHT0.05Chelating agent e)Hydroxyethanediphosphonic acid0.3Chelating agent e)Trisodium methylglycine diacetate0.2Anti-redeposition agent f)PEG#10001.0Anti-redeposition agent f)Polyoxypropylene glycerol (Mw 4000)1.0pH adjuster g)Monoethanolamine1.0pH adjuster g)Sulfuric acid0.7pH adjuster g)Lactic acid1.0Enzyme h)Protease preparation0.6Aesthetic quality imparter i1)Colorant (Green No. 3)(20 ppm)Aesthetic quality imparter i2)Fragrance formulation(5000ppm)Optional Components2-ethylhexyl caprylate2.0Water d)Ion exchanged water25.35 Table 16: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 11 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention [Table 16]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate3.5Potassium internal olefin (C16) sulfonate20.0Nonionic surfactant b)Polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl (C12 to C14) ether * 2)< 17.5POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether13.5Freeze suppressant c2)Diethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether3.0Antimicrobial agent e)Phenoxyethanol8.0Preservative e)Diclosan0.2Foam inhibitor component x')Palmitic acid1.5Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z2)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 36>3.0Hydrotropic agent e)Sodium p-cumenesulfonate3.0Anti-redeposition agent f)Polyacrylic acid1.0Anti-redeposition agent f)Carboxymethyl cellulose0.8pH adjuster g)Monoethanolamine3.0Enzyme h)Alkaline cellulase preparation0.5Enzyme h)Alkaline protease preparation0.5Aesthetic quality imparter i1)Colorant (Green No. 3)(20 ppm)Aesthetic quality imparter i2)Fragrance formulation(4000ppm)Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water21.0Total100.0 Note * 2< HLB = 12.7 Table 17: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 3 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention [Table 17]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium secondary alkane (with 13 to 17 carbon atoms) sulfonate20.0Nonionic surfactant b)POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether32.0Freeze suppressant c2)Dipropylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether3.0Freeze suppressant c3)Propylene glycol10.0Foam inhibitor component x')Beef tallow fatty acid2.0Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z2)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 42>3.0Preservative e)Isothiazolinone / benzoisothiazolinone combination drug0.2Chelating agent e)Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt0.5Anti-redeposition agent f)Acrylic acid / maleic acid copolymer1.0pH adjuster g)Triethanolamine4.0Enzyme h)Protease (subtilitase) preparation0.5Aesthetic quality imparter i1)Colorant (Blue No. 1)(12ppm)Aesthetic quality imparter i2)Fragrance formulation(4000ppm)Optional ComponentsFluorescent whitening agent0.2Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water23.6Total100.0 Table 18: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 6 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention [Table 18]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium alkane (C10 to C18) sulfonate20.0Nonionic surfactant b)POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether32.0Freeze suppressant c2)Dipropylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether3.0Freeze suppressant c3)Propylene glycol10.0Foam inhibitor component x')Coconut fatty acid2.8Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z2)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 42>3.0Preservative e)Borate1.6Antimicrobial agent e)Methylisothiazolinone / Methylchloroisothiazolinone combination drug0.2Antioxidant e)BHT0.05Chelating agent e)Potassium citrate0.5Chelating agent e)Diethylenetriamine pentaacetate0.1Hydrotropic agent e)Sodium p-cumenesulfonate1.0Anti-redeposition agent f)Ethoxylated polyethylene imine1.73pH adjuster g)Potassium hydroxide1.0pH adjuster g)Monoethanolamine1.0Enzyme h)Protease preparation0.73Enzyme h)Amylase preparation0.10Aesthetic quality imparter i1)Colorant(20 ppm)Aesthetic quality imparter i2)Fragrance formulation(2700ppm)Optional ComponentsFluorescent whitening agent0.23Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water20.96Total100.0 Table 19: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 7 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention [Table 19]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium secondary alkane (with 13 to 17 carbon atoms) sulfonate20.0Nonionic surfactant b)POE (9) alkyl (sec-C11 to C15) ether32.0Freeze suppressant c2)Dipropylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether3.0Freeze suppressant c3)Propylene glycol10.0Freeze suppressant c3)Glycerin1.0Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z2)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 42>3.0Antioxidant e)sodium sulfate0.05Chelating agent e)Citric acid2.0Chelating agent e)Diethylenetriamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid)0.3Anti-redeposition agent f)Polyvinylpyrrolidone1.0pH adjuster g)Triethanolamine2.0pH adjuster g)Sodium hydroxide0.5Enzyme h)Protease (subtilitase) preparation0.5Enzyme h)Amylase preparation0.2Enzyme h)Mannase preparation0.1Optional ComponentsEnzyme stabilizer0.2Balancing agent d)Ion exchanged water24.15Total100.0 Table 20: Improvement plan (formulation) of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering of Patent Document 10 using the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention [Table 20]Classification in the Present InventionComponent NameBlending amount %Anionic surfactant a)Sodium α-olefin sulfonate20.0Sodium POE (2) alkyl (C12) ether sulfate3.5Nonionic surfactant b)Lauric acid POE (11) methyl ether27.0POE (3) alkyl (sec-C10 to C14) ether4.0Freeze suppressant c1)Ethanol (99.5)6.0Foam inhibitor composition x) + y) + z1)Foam inhibitor composition of <Example 16>3.0Hydrotropic agent e)Sodium p-toluenesulfonate1.4Preservative e)Sodium benzoate0.5Preservative e)Diclosan0.2Antioxidant e)BHT0.05Chelating agent e)Hydroxyethanediphosphonic acid0.3Chelating agent e)Trisodium methylglycine diacetate0.2Anti-redeposition agent f)PEG#10001.0Anti-redeposition agent f)Polyoxypropylene glycerol (Mw 4000)1.0pH adjuster g)Monoethanolamine1.0pH adjuster g)Sulfuric acid0.7pH adjuster g)Lactic acid1.0Enzyme h)Protease preparation0.6Aesthetic quality imparter i1)Colorant (Green No. 3)(20 ppm)Aesthetic quality imparter i2)Fragrance formulation(5000ppm)Optional Components2-ethylhexyl caprylate2.0Water d)Ion exchanged water25.35 [Summary]

[0118] The present inventors discovered that by using a specific fatty acid (including a salt thereof) in combination with a specific hydrocarbon oil, the foam inhibiting effect derived from the fatty acid or salt thereof can be enhanced, and the amount of the fatty acid or salt thereof used in a liquid cleaning agent formulation, particularly in the formulation of concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, for which demand is increasing, can be minimized, and the inventors have confirmed the technical effects of thereof. In other words, the present inventors of the present application provide a new two-component or three-component foam inhibitor composition that can be preferably used particularly for concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering, and that has an excellent foam inhibiting effect, handleability, appearance and blending stability. These foam inhibitor compositions are themselves stable in various liquid cleaning agent formulations and can exhibit a foam inhibiting effect sufficient for practical use, and can substitute part or all of the current foam inhibitor compositions based on fatty acids or salts thereof. Such replacement enables providing a concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agent for home laundering and the like that has sufficient performance for practical use. Therefore, by utilizing the foam inhibitor composition of the present invention and essential components thereof, even if there are price fluctuations or supply limitations of fatty acids (or salts thereof), which are important raw materials for foam inhibitors or concentrated transparent liquid cleaning agents for home laundering, due to weather, exchange rate fluctuations, and the like, it is expected that cleaning agent manufacturers can easily perform management for maintaining the availability of the transparent liquid cleaning agent to the market, that commercial product design and optimization of formulations will become easier than before, and that a continuous supply of products to the market will be possible.

Claims

1. A foam inhibitor composition, comprising: x) a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and y) a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C, selected from the following y1) to y5): y1) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms; y2) isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms; y3) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms; y4) monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms; and y5) monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, wherein the mass ratio of x):y) is in the range of 1:4 to 1:100.

2. The foam inhibitor composition according to claim 1, further comprising z) a monool solvent selected from the following z1) and z2): z1) saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms; and z2) glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkenyl group with 2 to 8 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3), wherein the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is in the range of 1:3 to 1:100.

3. The foam inhibitor composition according to claim 1 or 2, which is transparent and liquid at 50°C.

4. The foam inhibitor composition according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned component y) is a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C and is selected from the following y1-1), y2-1), y3-1), and y5-1): y1-1) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 22 to 32 carbon atoms; y2-1) isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 13 to 18 carbon atoms and a distribution in the number carbon atoms; y3-1) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms; and y5-1) monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 10 to 13 carbon atoms5. The foam inhibitor composition according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned component y) is a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C and is selected from the following y1-2) and y3-2): y1-2) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 23 to 30 carbon atoms; and y3-2) n-alkane with an average of 11 carbon atoms.

6. The foam inhibitor composition according to claim 2, wherein the mass ratio of x):[y) + z)] is within the range of 1:7 to 1:39, and the mass ratio of y):z) is within the range of 1:19 to 19:1.

7. The foam inhibitor composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is used in a transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent for home laundering or a transparent liquid cleaning agent for home use.

8. A transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering, comprising: a) a sulfonate-type and / or sulfate-type organic anionic surfactant, b) a cleaning organic nonionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene group (the average value of the number of repetitions of oxyethylene is within the range of 6 to 16) (where the total amount of a) and b) is more than 40 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent), c) at least one freeze suppressant selected from the following c1) to c3) within the range of 2 to 15 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent: c1) saturated monohydric alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms; c2) glycol ether monosubstituted with an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms (provided that the glycol ether contains an oxyethylene group and / or an oxypropylene group, and the number of repetitions thereof is within the range of 1 to 3); and c3) a di- or triol compound selected from propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, or glycerin, d) water within the range of 20 to 50 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent, x') a linear fatty acid with an average of 12 to 22 carbon atoms, and / or a salt thereof with sodium, potassium, ammonia, or an alkanolamine, within the range of 0.1 to 5 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent, and y) a hydrocarbon oil that is liquid at 25°C selected from the following y1) to y5) within the range of 0.1 to 10 mass% of the entire transparent liquid cleaning agent: y1) liquid paraffin or mineral oil with an average of 12 to 36 carbon atoms; y2) isoparaffinic hydrocarbon with an average of 11 to 20 carbon atoms; y3) n-alkane with an average of 10 to 17 carbon atoms; y4) monoalkene with an average of 10 to 20 carbon atoms; and y5) monosubstituted benzene substituted with an alkyl group with an average of 8 to 16 carbon atoms, wherein the mass ratio of x'):y) is in the range of 1:4 to 1:100.

9. The transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to claim 8, further comprising e) a stabilizer selected from antimicrobial agents (preservatives), hydrotropic agents, antioxidants, and water softeners (chelating agents) in an amount of 0.01 to 15 mass% {provided that the total amount of x'), y), and a) to e) is 100 mass%}.

10. A method for manufacturing the transparent concentrated liquid cleaning agent composition for home laundering according to claim 8, the method comprising: a step for heating and mixing the aforementioned respective components x'), y), a), b), c), and d) and other optional components (excluding enzymes and aesthetic quality improvers) at a temperature in the range of 30 to 80°C to dissolve the components; and a step for cooling the mixture to 30°C or lower, then optionally adding one type or more selected from enzymes and aesthetic quality improvers, and mixing and homogenizing the mixture.

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