Detergent composition and cleaning body

Abstract

To provide a detergent composition and a cleaning body capable of effectively removing all cleaning objects such as oil stains and water stains.SOLUTION: A detergent composition contains at least a particulate abrasive and a powdery cleaning agent, and in addition thereto, includes a known surfactant, etc. added thereto appropriately. The particulate abrasive is composed of one or more of mineral-derived substances, shells of scallops, etc., egg shells of chickens, etc., and seed shells of plants such as peach seeds, while the powdery cleaning agent is composed of one or more of citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, etc. The detergent composition is composed of the abrasive consisting of a component that dissolves in water and exhibits alkaline properties and the cleaning agent consisting of a component that dissolves in water and exhibits acidity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a detergent composition and a cleaning body that can be suitably used for cleaning, for example, toilet bowls and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Cited Document 1 discloses a powder cleanser that uses fine particles such as silica as an abrasive. This powder cleanser is soaked in a sponge or the like together with water, and the sponge is rubbed against the object to be cleaned, thereby removing dirt and other cleaning materials adhering to the object to be cleaned.

[0003] As described above, the widely used powder cleanser exhibits a weak alkaline property when used, which makes it particularly effective in removing oily stains and other dirt from the object to be cleaned. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-297297 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, it is known that cleaning targets such as limescale are effectively removed using acidic detergents, and the above-mentioned powder cleansers cannot adequately remove the stains.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning composition and a cleaning body that solve the above-mentioned problems and are capable of effectively removing all cleaning targets, such as oil stains and water stains, adhering to objects to be cleaned. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cleaning composition according to the present invention, which is intended to solve the above problems, is a cleaning composition which dissolves in water to form an aqueous solution, and which is characterized by containing at least a particulate abrasive and a powdered cleaning agent.

[0008] Furthermore, the cleaning element of the present invention is a cleaning element formed by spirally winding a water-disintegrable sheet material folded in two into a roll body, one end side of the roll body being a cleaning section and the other end side of the roll body being an attachment section, a detergent composition being encapsulated inside the folded-back section of the sheet material along the longitudinal direction of the sheet material, the folded-back section forming a tip section of the cleaning section, and the attachment section continuous with the cleaning section being detachable from a cleaning tool having a handle. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The cleaning composition and cleaning agent according to the present invention contain both a component that exhibits alkaline properties and a component that exhibits acidity when dissolved in water, and thus can effectively remove all cleaning targets, such as oil stains and water stains, adhering to the objects to be cleaned. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning element as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams showing a manufacturing procedure of the cleaning element. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams showing a manufacturing procedure of the cleaning element. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams showing a manufacturing procedure of the cleaning element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. A cleaning composition for removing objects to be cleaned, such as dirt adhering to a cleaning object, contains at least an abrasive in particulate form and a cleaning agent in powder form, with well-known surfactants and the like appropriately added to these.

[0012] The particulate abrasive is composed of one or more of mineral-derived substances, shells such as scallop shells, eggshells such as chicken eggshells, and plant seed shells such as peach seeds, while the powdered detergent is composed of one or more of citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, sulfamic acid, etc.

[0013] Examples of mineral-derived abrasives that dissolve in water and exhibit alkaline properties include sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium carbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium silicate, and sodium bicarbonate.

[0014] The cleaning agent composition is composed of an abrasive consisting of a component that dissolves in water and exhibits alkaline properties, and a cleaning agent consisting of a component that dissolves in water and exhibits acidity. By containing these two components, it is possible to effectively remove all types of cleaning objects, including oil stains and water stains.

[0015] 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning tool before the cleaning element containing the above-mentioned detergent composition is attached to the handle. The cleaning tool 1 is composed of a cleaning element 2, which is the part used for cleaning, and a handle 3 to which the cleaning element 2 is attached. The cleaning element 2 is detachable from the handle 3, and a user can hold the handle 3 and use the cleaning element 2 to wipe off dirt from the surface to be cleaned.

[0016] When using the cleaning tool 1, the user holds the handle 3 and moves the cleaning body 2 along the cleaning surface to wipe or rub off water stains, sebum stains, and other objects to be cleaned. After using the cleaning body 2 as the cleaning tool 1, it can be removed from the handle 3 and disposed of as is.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning element 2 as viewed from above, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cleaning element 2 as viewed from below. The cleaning element 2 is made of a water-disintegratable material, and has a cleaning part 2a at one end and an attachment part 2b at the other end connected to the cleaning part 2a.

[0018] The cleaning body 2 is formed by spirally winding a water-disintegrable sheet material S folded in half into a roll body R, and a detergent composition 2d is enclosed in a tip portion 2c, which is the folded-back portion at the tip of the cleaning part 2a.

[0019] In this manner, the cleaning body 2 is formed by winding layers of water-disintegrable sheet material S into a spiral shape, and the water-disintegrability of the material means that when the material comes into contact with water, the tangled fibers quickly separate and disperse in the water.

[0020] For example, in the case where the sheet material S is composed of a fiber component and an adhesive component, it is sufficient that the fibers originally bonded to each other by the adhesive component are loosened as a result of the adhesive component dissolving in water. In other words, the fiber component does not need to be water-soluble, but it is not prohibited for the fiber component to be water-soluble.

[0021] Since the cleaning element 2 is made of the water-decomposable sheet material S, it can be discarded immediately after use and can be used as a disposable item. The sheet material S may be water-permeable, that is, may have water permeability in addition to being water-decomposable.

[0022] When the cleaning element 2 is used, the detergent composition 2d can be brought into contact with water and turned into an aqueous solution sooner, without waiting for the sheet material S to be hydrolyzed in water.

[0023] The sheet material S is preferably made of paper or nonwoven fabric, more preferably made of nonwoven fabric, and may be embossed.

[0024] The fiber component of the sheet material S is preferably made of, for example, natural fibers, regenerated fibers, synthetic fibers, or a mixture of these fibers, more preferably made of a mixture of natural fibers and regenerated fibers, and most preferably made of a mixture of pulp and rayon.

[0025] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning part 2a of the cleaning element 2, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view. The tip parts 2c are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other. The tip parts 2c have a cavity 2e therein, and the cavity 2e contains a detergent composition 2d.

[0026] In addition, the cleaning agent composition 2d may be composed of a single layer as shown in FIG. 4, or may be composed of a first layer 2d1 on the lower side and a second layer 2d2 on the upper side as shown in FIG. 5.

[0027] When using a cleaning composition 2d consisting of a single layer, it is also possible to arrange a mixture of particulate abrasive 2da and powdered cleaning agent 2db, and to appropriately mix in a well-known surfactant.

[0028] The cleaning agent composition 2d may be arranged such that the particulate abrasive 2da and the powdered cleaning agent 2db are separated from each other. Specifically, the abrasive 2da and the cleaning agent 2db are not mixed, but only the abrasive 2da is placed in a predetermined area, and only the cleaning agent 2db is placed in an area adjacent to the area where the abrasive 2da is placed, and this is repeated. As a result, the particulate abrasive 2da and the powdered cleaning agent 2db are alternately placed along a folding line described later.

[0029] 5, a first layer 2d1 made of a lower layer of particulate abrasive 2da is disposed at the bottom, which is the tip of a folded portion 2f described later, and a second layer 2d2 made of an upper layer of powdered detergent 2db is disposed at the boundary surface between the lower layer of abrasive 2da and the second layer 2d2. A surfactant may be appropriately mixed into the detergent composition 2d in which the particulate abrasive 2da and the powdered detergent 2db are separated.

[0030] 1 is composed of an attachment portion 3a at the tip side and a grip portion 3b continuing from the attachment portion 3a. The handle portion 3 is molded from a hard synthetic resin.

[0031] The mounting portion 3a is a portion to which the mounting portion 2b of the cleaning body 2 is detachably attached, and is provided with a mounting hole 3c having a cylindrical gap. This mounting hole 3c is preferably provided with a holding mechanism for holding the cleaning body 2, such as a clamping mechanism or a fitting mechanism, and more preferably a clamping mechanism incorporating a spring material.

[0032] The grip part 3b is located at the rear end of the handle 3, is formed from a rod-shaped member, and is equipped with an operating part 3d. This operating part 3d is connected to the holding mechanism in the mounting hole 3c described above, and the cleaning body 2 can be attached and detached by operating it with a finger. The grip part 3b may be any part that is easy for a user to grip, and it is preferable that the length and thickness of the grip part 3b are appropriately adjusted according to the user group.

[0033] 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing the steps of manufacturing the cleaning element 2. First, a water-disintegratable, rectangular strip-shaped sheet material S with a constant width is prepared. Then, as shown in Fig. 6, the sheet material S shown by the dotted line is folded in half along a fold line S1 in the center in the short direction. This folding in half is performed by bringing a pair of long sides S2, S3 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material S close to each other.

[0034] Then, the powdered detergent composition 2d, which is the part surrounded by an ellipse in Fig. 6, is enclosed inside the folded-back portion 2f that becomes the tip portion 2c so as to be uniformly distributed along the longitudinal direction. Note that the powdered detergent composition 2d is not placed near the ends 2g on both sides of the folded-back portion 2f so that the detergent composition 2d does not spill out when the sheet material S shown in Fig. 8 is rolled up.

[0035] 7, the sheet material S is folded back to form a folded-back portion 2f along the folding line S1. This folded-back portion 2f is formed along the longitudinal direction of the sheet material S.

[0036] The enlarged view of the circled portion in FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the cross section AA, and the folded sheet material S has a pair of inner surfaces 2h that face each other across the folded portion 2f.

[0037] The folded portion 2f formed between the pair of long sides S2, S3 has a V-shaped valley shape, and a gap 2e exists between the pair of inner surfaces 2h. The detergent composition 2d is disposed in the gap 2e.

[0038] The process of encapsulating the cleaning agent composition 2d in the sheet material S may be carried out by first arranging the cleaning agent composition 2d uniformly in advance in the center of the short side direction of the original sheet material S and along the fold line S1 of the sheet material S before folding it back, and then folding back the sheet material S together with the arranged cleaning agent composition 2d to sandwich it.

[0039] Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the sheet material S that has been folded back and has the cleaning agent composition 2d disposed at a predetermined position is wound up so that the folded back portion 2f forms a spiral shape, thereby forming a roll body R.

[0040] In this way, by winding the folded portion 2f in a spiral shape, a structure can be obtained in which the detergent composition 2d enclosed in the cleaning element 2 can easily come into contact with water during use and become an aqueous solution.

[0041] Finally, the part of the spirally wound roll body R opposite to the side where the folded-back part 2f is located, i.e., the rear end, is compressed using a compressor or the like. By compressing the rear end into a cylindrical shape, the cleaning part 2a is formed at one end side and the attachment part 2b is formed at the other end side, i.e., the rear end, to form the bell-shaped cleaning body 2 as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0042] In order to maintain the squeezed state of the attachment portion 2b, the periphery may be fixed with a water-soluble adhesive. Furthermore, other than adhesive, for example, water-soluble string may be used for wrapping or tying, or these means may be combined with adhesive.

[0043] By narrowing the attachment portion 2b in this way, the density of the layers of the attachment portion 2b becomes denser than that of the cleaning portion 2a, improving the attachment strength. This is because the diameter of the attachment portion 2b is smaller than the diameter of the cleaning portion 2a, even though the number of layers exposed on the surface of the attachment portion 2b is the same as the number of layers exposed on the tip portion 2c of the cleaning portion 2a.

[0044] Furthermore, by forming the attachment portion 2b, the detergent composition 2d sealed in the cavity 2e will not fall off from the cleaning element 2.

[0045] The cleaning body 2 thus produced can be stored until use. When the detergent composition 2d is stored in a humid or moist place, the powder particles of the detergent composition 2d may bind together due to the surrounding moisture or humidity, and may solidify from the powder state into larger lumps.

[0046] The detergent composition 2d to be enclosed in the cleaning element 2 is dissolved in water to form an aqueous solution, and the chemical reaction that occurs during this process is utilized to facilitate cleaning of the object to be cleaned. However, a detergent composition that has solidified from a powdery form into a lump form is difficult to dissolve in water or takes a long time to dissolve, and there is a risk that the detergent composition will not be able to exhibit its inherent performance.

[0047] Therefore, by encapsulating the detergent composition 2d in the cleaning body 2 as described above, the sheet material S constituting the cleaning body 2 absorbs the surrounding humidity and moisture instead, preventing the detergent composition 2d from solidifying from a powder to a lump, and allowing the detergent composition to continue to maintain its inherent performance. In addition, when the detergent composition 2d contains different types of detergents, when the detergent composition 2d is stored in a humid or wet place, the different types of detergents may not only be more likely to solidify with each other due to the surrounding humidity or moisture, but may also cause a chemical reaction. In this case, too, by adopting an arrangement that makes it difficult for the different types of detergents to mix, as described above, the above-mentioned solidification and undesired chemical reactions can be prevented.

[0048] 1, when using the cleaning body 2, the attachment part 2b of the cleaning body 2 is inserted into the attachment hole 3c of the attachment part 3a of the handle 3, and the clamping mechanism in the attachment hole 3c is operated by the operating part 3d to fix the cleaning body 2. By attaching the cleaning body 2 to the handle 3 in this manner, the cleaning tool 1 becomes suitable for use.

[0049] A user grasps the handle 3 and brings the tip surface of the cleaning part 2a of the cleaning body 2 into contact with the object to be cleaned while facing it. When the object to be cleaned, such as dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned, is present in a so-called wet area such as a kitchen or a toilet, the object to be cleaned and its surroundings are in an environment where there is moisture or at least where moisture can be easily added.

[0050] When the cleaning element 2 comes into contact with and slides against an object to be cleaned, it absorbs moisture from the object to be cleaned or from its surroundings, and is gradually dissolved in water due to the water-disintegratability of the sheet material S.

[0051] At the same time, the cleaning element 2 comes into contact with moisture through the folded portion 2f exposed at the tip portion 2c, and absorbs the moisture. Next, the moisture absorbed through the folded portion 2f permeates the folded portion 2f and reaches the detergent composition 2d enclosed in the cleaning element 2.

[0052] Then, as the tip 2c of the cleaning element 2 gradually hydrolyzes, the enclosed detergent composition 2d flows out from the tip 2c, and the aqueous solution of the detergent composition 2d and the particulate abrasive 2da are supplied to the object to be cleaned.

[0053] At this time, the aqueous solution of the cleaning composition 2d exhibits, for example, alkaline or acidic properties depending on the properties of each, and causes a chemical reaction with the object to be cleaned. As a result, the object to be cleaned, which is poorly soluble in water, is transformed into a substance that is easily soluble in water, making it easier to clean.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 5, when the cleaning agent composition 2d has a first layer 2d1 made of an abrasive 2da and a second layer 2d2 made of a cleaning agent 2db, a stepwise action effect can be obtained. In order to obtain this stepwise action effect, an example will be described in which, for example, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is arranged in the first layer 2d1 and, for example, citric acid is arranged in the second layer 2d2.

[0055] First, the sodium bicarbonate that flows out from the first layer 2d1 located on the side where the folded portion 2f is located through the tip portion 2c becomes partially an alkaline aqueous solution, while the remaining portion functions as a granular abrasive.

[0056] The aqueous solution with some of the sodium bicarbonate dissolved therein causes a saponification reaction with, for example, sebum dirt made of fatty acids on the object to be cleaned, decomposing the fatty acids, and the soap newly generated by the decomposition of the fatty acids makes the sebum dirt easier to disperse in water, making it easier to clean. In addition, the particulate sodium bicarbonate, which has abrasive properties, scrapes off the raised part of the object to be cleaned.

[0057] Next, after the sodium bicarbonate flows out of the first layer 2d1, an aqueous solution of citric acid is supplied to the object to be cleaned from the second layer 2d2 arranged on the opposite side to the side where the folded-back portion 2f is located.

[0058] This aqueous solution of citric acid causes an acid-base reaction with the object to be cleaned, for example, limescale consisting of calcium carbonate crystals, and changes the calcium carbonate into calcium citrate, which is more easily soluble in water, making it easier to clean.

[0059] As described above, when the cleaning body 2 has a first layer 2d1 consisting of an abrasive 2da and a second layer 2d2 consisting of a cleaning agent 2db as the cleaning agent composition 2d, the above-mentioned stepwise action effect makes it possible to easily clean a variety of objects to be cleaned without having to switch to a cleaning agent with properties appropriate to the object to be cleaned.

[0060] When the supply of the aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate is switched to the supply of the aqueous solution of citric acid, a neutralization reaction occurs between the aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate that was supplied first and remains around the object to be cleaned and the aqueous solution of citric acid that has just been supplied. At this time, carbon dioxide is generated and foaming occurs. This foaming allows the user to recognize that the type of aqueous solution being supplied is being switched, and allows the user to continue to concentrate on cleaning without being interrupted.

[0061] In addition, due to the structure in which the tip portion 2c is stacked in a spiral shape, the surface area that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned is large, and since there is space between them, it is possible to efficiently wipe or scrape off cleaning objects such as dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned, as well as to entangle them.

[0062] Also, when the sheet material S is brought into contact with and slid against the object to be cleaned, it is hydrolyzed to such an extent that the detergent composition 2d can flow out, but it may be configured so that it can continue to maintain its original structure until the cleaning is completed. In such a case, by separately attaching an abrasive 2da to the outer surface of the tip portion 2c, it becomes possible to scrape off the object to be cleaned with the particulate abrasive.

[0063] After using the cleaning body 2, it is removed from the handle 3 and, for example, flushed down the toilet into the sewer. Since the cleaning body 2 is made of the water-decomposable sheet material S, it can be disposed of without clogging pipes, etc.

[0064] In this way, the cleaning composition body and cleaning body 2 of the present invention contain both a component that exhibits alkaline properties and a component that exhibits acidity when dissolved in water, and therefore can effectively remove all cleaning targets, such as oil stains and water stains, adhering to the object to be cleaned. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 Cleaning equipment 2 Cleaning body 2a Cleaning section 2b Mounting part 2c Tip 2d Cleaning composition 2da Abrasives 2db cleaning agent 2f Folding part 3 Handle R Roll Body S Sheet material

Claims

1. A cleaning composition that dissolves in water to form an aqueous solution, A cleaning composition comprising at least a particulate abrasive and a powdered cleaning agent.

2. 2. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the abrasive comprises a component that is partially dissolved in water and exhibits alkaline properties, and the cleaning agent comprises a component that is partially dissolved in water and exhibits acidity.

3. 3. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the abrasive comprises one or more of a mineral-derived substance, a seashell, an eggshell, and a plant seed shell.

4. 3. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning agent is one or more of citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, and sulfamic acid.

5. A cleaning body comprising a water-decomposable sheet material folded in half and wound into a spiral shape to form a roll body, One end side of the roll body is a cleaning portion, and the other end side of the roll body is an attachment portion, A cleaning composition is enclosed inside the folded portion of the sheet material along the longitudinal direction of the sheet material, The cleaning agent composition contains at least a particulate abrasive and a powdered cleaning agent, the folded portion forms a tip end of the cleaning portion, The cleaning element, wherein the attachment portion continuous with the cleaning portion is detachably attachable to a cleaning tool having a handle portion.

6. 6. The cleaning element according to claim 5, wherein the abrasive comprises a component which is partially dissolved in water and exhibits alkaline properties, and the detergent comprises a component which is partially dissolved in water and exhibits acidity.

7. 7. The cleaning element according to claim 6, wherein the abrasive is disposed at a bottom portion, which is a tip of the folded portion, and the cleaning agent is disposed in an upper layer via a boundary surface between the abrasive in a lower layer and the cleaning agent.

8. 7. The cleaning element according to claim 6, wherein the abrasive and the detergent are arranged separately along the longitudinal direction of the sheet material on the inside of the folded-back portion of the sheet material.

9. The cleaning element according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the abrasive is attached to an outer surface of the tip portion.

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