Laundry pretreater composition

Abstract

To provide a pretreatment agent composition for washing excellent in formulation stability and low temperature stability.SOLUTION: A laundry pretreatment agent composition comprising the following component (a), the following component (b), the following component (c), the following component (d), and water, wherein the content of the component (a) is 8% by mass or more and 27% by mass or less, the content of the component (b) is 0.5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, the content of the component (c) is 0.2% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and the total content of the component (c) and the component (d) is 14.5% by mass or more and 42% by mass or less: (a) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates and alkali metal hydrogencarbonates, (b) a surfactant, (c) a dihydric alcohol optionally containing an ether group, and (d) a tri - to hexahydric alcohol SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry pretreatment composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Detergents for textile products, such as detergents for textile products and pre-treatment agents for laundry, generally contain surfactants, but additional ingredients such as alkaline agents are also used to improve detergency.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a laundry pretreatment article in which a laundry pretreatment composition containing (a) 0.05 to 10 mass% of a surfactant, (b) an alkaline agent, (c) a chelating agent, and water is filled in a foam-discharging container. Patent Document 2 discloses a liquid detergent containing (A) an inorganic alkaline agent and (B) an enzyme, in which at least a portion of component (B) exists in a solid state, the water content is more than 7 mass% and less than 30 mass% relative to the total mass of the liquid detergent, and the pH at 25°C is 8.5 or higher. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-034800 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-103722 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] It has been found that aqueous compositions (e.g., laundry pretreatment agents) containing an alkaline agent and a surfactant may suffer from poor composition stability during blending (hereinafter referred to as blending stability) and poor composition stability at low temperatures (hereinafter referred to as low-temperature stability). Furthermore, there are cases where composition stability is desired even in harsh low-temperature environments.

[0006] The present invention provides a laundry pretreatment composition that is excellent in blend stability and low-temperature stability. More preferably, the present invention provides a laundry pretreatment composition that is excellent in blend stability and low-temperature stability, and also excellent in low-temperature stability under more severe low-temperature environments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a laundry pretreatment composition comprising the following components (a), (b), (c), and (d), and water, wherein the content of component (a) is from 8 to 27% by mass, the content of component (b) is from 0.5 to 15% by mass, the content of component (c) is from 0.2 to 40% by mass, and the total content of components (c) and (d) is from 14.5 to 42% by mass: Component (a): one or more compounds selected from alkali metal carbonates and alkali metal hydrogen carbonates (b) Component: surfactant Component (c): a dihydric alcohol which may contain an ether group (d) Ingredient: Trivalent or more and hexavalent alcohol [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention provides a laundry pretreatment composition that has excellent blend stability and low-temperature stability. The present invention also provides a laundry pretreatment composition that has excellent blend stability and low-temperature stability, as well as excellent low-temperature stability even in more severe low-temperature environments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] <Laundry pretreatment composition> The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains the components (a), (b), (c), and (d), as well as water. The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is applied to textile products before washing. By treating textile products with the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention before washing, and then washing the textile products using a detergent, better detergency can be achieved.

[0010] In the present invention, "detergency" refers to the detergency during washing after treating textile products with the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention before washing. Furthermore, in the present invention, "stability" can be determined, for example, from the appearance of the composition at each temperature described in the Examples, and refers to the uniform solubility of each component in the composition without precipitation of insoluble matter or phase separation. Furthermore, in the present invention, "low-temperature stability" can be determined from the appearance of the composition in a low-temperature environment, and refers to the uniform solubility of each component in the composition without precipitation of insoluble matter or phase separation. In addition, in the present invention, "no precipitation of insoluble matter" and "uniform solubility" are not limited to a composition whose appearance is completely transparent like pure water, but also include a state in which the composition is slightly cloudy but without phase separation.

[0011] <Component (a)> Component (a) is one or more compounds selected from (a1) alkali metal carbonates (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) alkali metal hydrogencarbonates (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)). From the viewpoint of obtaining good cleaning properties, component (a) preferably contains components (a1) and (a2).

[0012] When the component (a) contains the components (a1) and (a2), the mass ratio of the content of the component (a2) to the content of the component (a1), [(a2) / (a1)], is preferably 0.07 or more, and more preferably 0.1 or more, from the viewpoint of further improving cleansing properties. From the same viewpoint, it is preferably 1 or less, more preferably 0.5 or less, and even more preferably 0.4 or less.

[0013] From the viewpoints of availability and economy, the component (a1) may be one or more compounds selected from sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate. From the viewpoints of availability and economy, the component (a2) may be one or more compounds selected from sodium hydrogen carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate.

[0014] From the viewpoint of further improving the blend stability as the component (a) and further improving the low temperature stability, it is preferable to use a compound in which the component (a1) is a potassium salt.

[0015] <(b) Component> Component (b) is a surfactant. Examples of the component (b) include (b1) nonionic surfactants (hereinafter referred to as component (b1)), (b2) cationic surfactants (hereinafter referred to as component (b2)), (b3) amphoteric surfactants (hereinafter referred to as component (b3)), and (b4) anionic surfactants (hereinafter referred to as component (b4)). From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability, detergency, and low-temperature stability, one or more selected from the component (b1), component (b2), and component (b3) are preferred.

[0016] Specific examples of the component (b1) include polyalkylene glycol-based nonionic surfactants, polyhydric alcohol-based nonionic surfactants, and fatty acid alkanolamides.

[0017] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability, detergency, and low-temperature stability, the component (b1) is preferably one or more selected from polyalkylene glycol-based nonionic surfactants, polyhydric alcohol-based nonionic surfactants, and fatty acid alkanolamides.

[0018] Examples of polyalkylene glycol-type nonionic surfactants include polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moieties have from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene sorbit fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moieties have from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene glycerin fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moieties have from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moieties have from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers having an alkyl group with from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene alkylphenyl ethers having an alkyl group with from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and polyoxyalkylene (hydrogenated) castor oil.

[0019] Examples of the oxyalkylene group contained in the polyalkylene glycol nonionic surfactant include an oxyethylene group and an oxypropylene group, with an oxyethylene group being preferred. For example, the average number of moles of oxyethylene groups added is preferably 2 or more, more preferably 4 or more, and is preferably 12 or less, more preferably 10 or less.

[0020] Examples of polyhydric alcohol-type nonionic surfactants include sucrose fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moiety has from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyglycerol alkyl ethers whose fatty acid moiety has from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyglycerol fatty acid esters whose fatty acid moiety has from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, alkyl glycosides whose alkyl group has from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and alkyl polyglycosides whose alkyl group has from 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0021] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability, cleaning properties, and low-temperature stability, component (b1) is preferably, for example, a polyhydric alcohol-type nonionic surfactant, more preferably one or more selected from alkyl glycosides having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms and alkyl polyglycosides having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and even more preferably alkyl polyglycosides having an alkyl group with 10 to 16 carbon atoms. The sugar moiety of the alkyl glycoside and alkyl polyglycoside is preferably glucose. The average sugar condensation degree of the alkyl polyglycoside may be, for example, 1.2 to 1.6.

[0022] Specific examples of the (b2) component include tertiary amines or acid salts thereof having long-chain alkyls (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms), and quaternary ammonium salts having long-chain alkyls (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms).

[0023] Tertiary amines having a long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) include tertiary amines having a mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) and tertiary amines having a di-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms).

[0024] Tertiary amines having a mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) include N,N-dimethyl-N-mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) amine, N-methyl-N-ethyl-N-mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) amine, and N-methyl-N-hydroxyethyl-N-mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) amine.

[0025] Examples of the long-chain alkyl group (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) contained in such a tertiary amine include an octyl group, a decyl group, a lauryl group, a myristyl group, a palmityl group, and a stearyl group. From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, the long-chain alkyl group (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) is preferably one or more selected from a lauryl group, a myristyl group, and a palmityl group.

[0026] Examples of tertiary amines having a dilong-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms) include N,N-dilong-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms)-N-methylamine, N,N-dilong-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms)-N-ethylamine, and N,N-dilong-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms)-N-hydroxyethylamine.

[0027] Examples of the long-chain alkyl group (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms) contained in such a tertiary amine include an octyl group, a decyl group, and a lauryl group. From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, the long-chain alkyl group (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms) is preferably one or more selected from an octyl group and a decyl group.

[0028] Examples of acid salts of tertiary amines having a long-chain alkyl (having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms), more specifically, acid salts of tertiary amines having a mono-long-chain alkyl (having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms) or di-long-chain alkyl (having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms), include one or more selected from hydrochloride, sulfate, methyl sulfate, and ethyl sulfate. Specific examples and preferred embodiments of such acid salts of tertiary amines may be the same as those of the above-mentioned tertiary amines having a long-chain alkyl (having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms).

[0029] Quaternary ammonium salts having a long-chain alkyl group (8 to 18 carbon atoms), more specifically, quaternary ammonium salts having a mono-long-chain alkyl group (8 to 18 carbon atoms) or a di-long-chain alkyl group (8 to 12 carbon atoms), include the above-mentioned tertiary amines having a long-chain alkyl group (8 to 18 carbon atoms), more specifically, quaternized products of a tertiary amine having a mono-long-chain alkyl group (8 to 18 carbon atoms) or a tertiary amine having a di-long-chain alkyl group (8 to 12 carbon atoms) with methyl chloride, dimethyl sulfate, or diethyl sulfate. The two long-chain alkyl groups bonded to the nitrogen atom may be the same or different, as long as they are within the above-mentioned carbon number range. Specific examples and preferred embodiments of the tertiary amines used as raw materials for the quaternary ammonium salts may be the same as the above-mentioned tertiary amines having a long-chain alkyl group (8 to 18 carbon atoms).

[0030] As the tertiary amine or acid salt thereof having a mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms), or the quaternary ammonium salt having a mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms), from the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, for example, one or more selected from the hydrochloride, sulfate, methyl sulfate, or ethyl sulfate of N,N-dimethyl-N-laurylamine, N,N-dimethyl-N-myristylamine, N,N-dimethyl-N-palmitylamine, N-ethyl-N-methyl-N-laurylamine, N-ethyl-N-methyl-N-myristylamine, and N-ethyl-N-methyl-N-palmitylamine, and quaternized products of these amines with methyl chloride or dimethyl sulfate are preferred. From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, for example, one or more selected from the chloride salt of N,N,N-trimethyl-N-myristylammonium and N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-myristylammonium ethyl sulfate are more preferred.

[0031] As the tertiary amine having a dilong-chain alkyl (having 8 to 12 carbon atoms) or its acid salt or quaternary ammonium salt, from the viewpoint of further improving blending stability and low-temperature stability, for example, hydrochloride, sulfate, methyl sulfate, or ethyl sulfate of N,N-dioctyl-N-methylamine, N,N-didecyl-N-methylamine, N,N-dioctyl-N-ethylamine, N,N-didecyl-N-ethylamine, and quaternized products of these amines with methyl chloride or dimethyl sulfate are preferred. From the viewpoint of further improving blending stability and low-temperature stability, for example, one or more selected from the group consisting of N,N-dioctyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride, N,N-didecyl-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride, and N,N-dioctyl-N-methyl-N-ethylammonium methyl sulfate are more preferred.

[0032] For example, component (b2) is preferably a quaternary ammonium salt, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, detergency, and low-temperature stability, chloride, methyl sulfate, or ethyl sulfate of mono-long-chain alkyl ammonium (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) is preferred, chloride or ethyl sulfate of mono-long-chain alkyl dimethylethyl ammonium (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) is more preferred, chloride or ethyl sulfate of N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-tetradecyl ammonium is even more preferred, and ethyl sulfate of N-ethyl-N-dimethyl-N-tetradecyl ammonium is even more preferred. The quaternary ammonium salt used as component (b2) may contain a tertiary amine or a salt thereof, which is used as a raw material for quaternary ammonium salts.

[0033] Furthermore, when a quaternary ammonium salt and a tertiary amine or an acid salt thereof are contained as component (b2), from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, detergency, and low-temperature stability, the mass ratio of the tertiary amine to the quaternary ammonium salt [tertiary amine or an acid salt thereof / quaternary ammonium salt], expressed as mass of tertiary amine / mass of quaternary ammonium (excluding counter ions), is preferably 0.1 or less, more preferably 0.07 or less, even more preferably 0.05 or less, still more preferably 0.03 or less, and still more preferably 0.01 or less.

[0034] Specific examples of the component (b3) include betaine surfactants and amine oxide surfactants.

[0035] Examples of betaine surfactants include imidazoline betaines having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, long-chain alkyl (8 to 18 carbon atoms) dimethylaminoacetic acid betaines, fatty acid amidopropyl betaines having a fatty acid moiety with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and sulfobetaines (alkyl sulfobetaines, alkylhydroxysulfobetaines, alkylamidohydroxysulfobetaines).

[0036] Examples of the amine oxide surfactant include alkyldimethylamine oxides having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0037] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, the component (b3) is preferably, for example, an amine oxide surfactant, more preferably a long-chain alkyl (having 10 to 14 carbon atoms) alkyldimethylamine oxide, and even more preferably lauryldimethylamine oxide.

[0038] Specific examples of the component (b4) include sulfate ester salts, sulfonate salts, amino acid salts, carboxylate salts, and phosphate ester salts.

[0039] Examples of sulfate salts include sulfate salts having a hydrocarbon group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Examples of the hydrocarbon group include alkyl groups and alkenyl groups. That is, examples of sulfate salts include alkyl sulfate salts having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, alkenyl sulfate salts having an alkenyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate salts having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene alkenyl ether sulfate salts having an alkenyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and polyoxyalkylene alkyl phenyl ether sulfate salts having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0040] The average number of moles of oxyalkylene groups added in the sulfate salt having an oxyalkylene group, for example, the average number of moles of oxyethylene groups added, is preferably, for example, 1 or more and 5 or less, from the viewpoint of further improving the cleaning property.

[0041] Examples of sulfonates include sulfonic acids having a hydrocarbon group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Examples of the hydrocarbon group include alkyl groups and alkenyl groups. Examples of sulfonates include acyl isethionates having an acyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, acyl methyl taurates having an acyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, alkyl sulfonates having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, alkyl benzene sulfonates having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, sulfosuccinic acid alkyl ester salts having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and polyoxyalkylene (preferably polyoxyethylene, preferably having an average addition mole number of 1 or more and preferably 5 or less) sulfosuccinic acid alkyl ester salts having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0042] Examples of amino acid salts include acylglutamates, alanine derivatives, glycine derivatives, and arginine derivatives.

[0043] Examples of carboxylates include higher fatty acid salts having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and alkyl ether acetates of polyoxyalkylenes (preferably polyoxyethylene, preferably having an average number of moles added of 1 or more and preferably 5 or less) having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Examples of phosphate salts include alkyl phosphates having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and alkyl ether phosphates of polyoxyalkylenes (preferably polyoxyethylene, preferably having an average number of moles added of 1 or more and preferably 5 or less) having an alkyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0044] As the component (b4), from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, examples of the salt of the anionic surfactant include inorganic salts such as sodium salt, potassium salt, and magnesium salt, and organic salts such as ammonium salt, monoethanolamine salt, diethanolamine salt, triethanolamine salt, and morpholine salt.

[0045] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, the component (b4) is preferably an alkylbenzene sulfonate having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate having an alkyl group with 8 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0046] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability, detergency, and low-temperature stability, component (b) is preferably at least one selected from alkyl polyglycosides having an alkyl group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, chlorides or ethyl sulfates of mono-long-chain alkyl (having 8 to 18 carbon atoms) dimethylethylammonium, and alkyl dimethylamine oxides having an alkyl group of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and more preferably at least one selected from ethyl sulfates of N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-tetradecylammonium, alkyl (having 10 to 16 carbon atoms) polyglycosides, and lauryl dimethylamine oxide.

[0047] <(c) component> Component (c) is a dihydric alcohol which may contain an ether group.

[0048] From the viewpoint of improving blending stability and low-temperature stability, component (c) is preferably, for example, a dihydric alcohol having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and which may contain an ether group. Also, from the viewpoint of further improving blending stability and low-temperature stability, component (c) is preferably, for example, a dihydric alcohol having a branched hydrocarbon group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and which may contain an ether group.

[0049] More specifically, component (c) is preferably one or more compounds selected from ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol), diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and tripropylene glycol. From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, one or more compounds selected from propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol), dipropylene glycol, and tripropylene glycol are preferred, with propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) being more preferred.

[0050] Component (c) may be composed of a plurality of compounds selected from dihydric alcohols which may contain an ether group, for example.

[0051] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, component (c) may consist of, for example, propylene glycol and other dihydric alcohols which may contain an ether group. In this case, for example, the content of propylene glycol in component (c) is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, even more preferably 90% by mass or more, and is preferably 100% by mass or less, and may be 100% by mass.

[0052] <(d) component> Component (d) is a trihydric to hexahydric alcohol. From the viewpoint of improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, component (d) is preferably, for example, a trihydric to hexahydric alcohol having 3 to 8 carbon atoms.

[0053] Specific examples of the compound of component (d) include one or more compounds selected from glycerin, sorbitol, and pentaerythritol. From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, component (d) is preferably glycerin.

[0054] The component (d) may be composed of a plurality of compounds selected from, for example, trihydric to hexahydric alcohols.

[0055] From the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, component (d) may consist of, for example, glycerin and other trivalent to hexavalent alcohols. In this case, the content of glycerin in component (d) is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, even more preferably 90% by mass or more, and is preferably 100% by mass or less, and may be 100% by mass.

[0056] In the present invention, the blending stability and low-temperature stability of the composition are improved by combining components (c) and (d) in predetermined amounts with a composition containing components (a) and (b). Components (c) and (d) are also known as solvents, but other compounds known as solvents, even if they have similar structures, do not achieve the effects of the present invention in the composition of the present invention.

[0057] The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention further contains water, which may be deionized water, ion-exchanged water, or tap water.

[0058] <Composition, etc.> The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may contain a blend of components (a), (b), (c), (d), optional components, and water. The content of each component in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be interpreted as the blend amount.

[0059] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the content of component (a) is, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, 8% by mass or more, preferably 11% by mass or more, more preferably 12% by mass or more, even more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 17% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, it is 27% by mass or less, preferably 26% by mass or less, and more preferably 25% by mass or less.

[0060] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (a1) and component (a2) as component (a), the content of component (a1) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, preferably 7% by mass or more, more preferably 8% by mass or more, even more preferably 9% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 13% by mass or more, even more preferably 15% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, preferably 25% by mass or less, preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 19% by mass or less. The content of component (a2) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, preferably 6% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less.

[0061] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the content of component (b) is, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, 0.5% by mass or more, preferably 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and, from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, is 15% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less.

[0062] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b1) as component (b), the content of component (b1) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and is preferably 14% by mass or less, more preferably 13% by mass or less.

[0063] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b2) as component (b), the content of component (b2) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and is preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less. The content of component (b2) is the amount based on the compound substituted with ethyl sulfate.

[0064] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains the component (b3) as the component (b), the content of the component (b3) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and is preferably 14% by mass or less, more preferably 13% by mass or less.

[0065] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b4) as component (b), the content of component (b4) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less. The content of component (b4) is the amount based on the compound substituted with a sodium salt.

[0066] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the content of component (c) is, from the viewpoint of enhancing blend stability and low-temperature stability, 0.2% by mass or more, preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.5% by mass or more; and, from the viewpoint of enhancing blend stability and low-temperature stability, it is 40% by mass or less, preferably 35% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 12% by mass or less, even more preferably 11% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less.

[0067] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the content of component (d) is, from the viewpoint of enhancing blend stability and low-temperature stability, preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, even more preferably 7% by mass or more, still more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 13% by mass or more, and still more preferably 15% by mass or more, and, from the viewpoint of enhancing blend stability and low-temperature stability, preferably 38% by mass or less, preferably 35% by mass or less, more preferably 33% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, and still more preferably 28% by mass or less.

[0068] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the total content of component (c) and component (d) is 14.5% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, it is preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 16% by mass or more, even more preferably 17% by mass or more, still more preferably 18% by mass or more, and even more preferably 19% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of improving blend stability, it is 42% by mass or less, preferably 41% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, still more preferably 38% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or less.

[0069] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the content of component (c) to the content of component (d) [component (c) / component (d)] is, from the viewpoint of further enhancing blend stability and low-temperature stability, preferably 0.03 or more, more preferably 0.05 or more, even more preferably 0.07 or more, and even more preferably 0.1 or more, and from the same viewpoint, it is preferably 30 or less, more preferably 27 or less, more preferably 20 or less, even more preferably 10 or less, even more preferably 5 or less, even more preferably 3 or less, and even more preferably 1 or less.

[0070] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the content of component (b) to the total content of component (c) and component (d), [(b) / [(c)+(d)]], is preferably 0.03 or more, and more preferably 0.04 or more, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, and is preferably 0.8 or less, more preferably 0.75 or less, even more preferably 0.5 or less, still more preferably 0.3 or less, still more preferably 0.1 or less, still more preferably 0.08 or less, and still more preferably 0.05 or less, from the viewpoint of improving blend stability and low-temperature stability.

[0071] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b1) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (b1) to the total content of component (c) and component (d) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, [(b1) / [(c)+(d)]], is preferably 0.03 or more, preferably 0.035 or more, and preferably 0.8 or less, more preferably 0.75 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b2) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (b2) to the total content of component (c) and component (d) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, [(b2) / [(c)+(d)]], is preferably 0.03 or more, preferably 0.035 or more, and preferably 0.09 or less, more preferably 0.08 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b3) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (b3) to the total content of component (c) and component (d) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention [(b3) / [(c)+(d)]] is preferably 0.03 or more, preferably 0.035 or more, and preferably 0.8 or less, more preferably 0.75 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b4) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (b4) to the total content of component (c) and component (d) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention [(b4) / [(c)+(d)]] is preferably 0.03 or more, preferably 0.035 or more, and preferably 0.09 or less, more preferably 0.08 or less.

[0072] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b) [(a) / (b)] is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 5 or more, even more preferably 10 or more, and even more preferably 13 or more, from the viewpoint of improving detergency, and from the viewpoint of further improving blend stability and low-temperature stability, it is preferably 50 or less, more preferably 40 or less, even more preferably 30 or less, even more preferably 20 or less, even more preferably 17.5 or less, and even more preferably 17 or less.

[0073] When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b1) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b1) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention [(a) / (b1)] is preferably 1 or more, preferably 1.5 or more, and preferably 17.5 or less, more preferably 17 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b2) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b2) in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention [(a) / (b2)] is preferably 5 or more, preferably 10 or more, and preferably 17.5 or less, more preferably 17 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b3) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b3) [(a) / (b3)] in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 1 or more, preferably 1.5 or more, and preferably 17.5 or less, more preferably 17 or less. When the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention contains component (b4) as component (b), the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b4) [(a) / (b4)] in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is preferably 5 or more, preferably 10 or more, and preferably 17.5 or less, more preferably 17 or less.

[0074] In the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of water [(a) / water] is preferably 0.2 or more, more preferably 0.3 or more, even more preferably 0.4 or more, and even more preferably 0.5 or more, from the viewpoint of further improving detergency, and is preferably 1 or less, more preferably 0.9 or less, even more preferably 0.8 or less, even more preferably 0.65 or less, even more preferably 0.60 or less, and even more preferably 0.55 or less, from the viewpoint of further improving low-temperature stability.

[0075] The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may contain, in addition to the components (a), (b), (c), (d) and water, optional components such as a pH adjuster, a chelating agent, an anti-redeposition agent, a polymeric dispersant, a bleaching agent, a bleach activator, an enzyme, a fluorescent dye, an antioxidant, a coloring matter, an antibacterial preservative, an ultraviolet protection agent, an antifoaming agent such as silicone, a hydrotropic agent, and a fragrance.

[0076] From the viewpoint of further enhancing detergency, the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention has a pH at 25°C of preferably 10.0 or higher, more preferably 10.2 or higher, and preferably 11 or lower, more preferably 10.9 or lower. The pH (25°C) is measured according to the pH measurement method described below.

[0077] [pH measurement method] A pH measurement combination electrode (HORIBA 9615S Measurement Method Model JF15) is connected to a pH meter (HORIBA pH / Ion Meter D-74) and the power is turned on. A saturated potassium chloride aqueous solution (3.33 mol / L) is used as the pH electrode internal solution. Next, 100 mL of pH 4.01 standard solution (phthalate standard solution), pH 6.86 (neutral phosphate standard solution), and pH 9.18 standard solution (borate standard solution) are each filled into 100 mL beakers and immersed in a thermostatic bath at 25°C for 30 minutes. The pH measurement electrode is immersed in the thermostatically adjusted standard solutions for 3 minutes, and calibration is performed in the following order: pH 6.86 → pH 4.01 → pH 9.18. The sample to be measured is adjusted to 25°C, and the pH meter electrode is immersed in the sample and the pH is measured after 2 minutes.

[0078] The fibers constituting the textile products to be pretreated with the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Examples of hydrophobic fibers include protein fibers (milk protein casein fibers, Promix, etc.), polyamide fibers (nylon, etc.), polyester fibers (polyester, etc.), polyacrylonitrile fibers (acrylic, etc.), polyvinyl alcohol fibers (vinylon, etc.), polyvinyl chloride fibers (polyvinyl chloride, etc.), polyvinylidene chloride fibers (vinylidene, etc.), polyolefin fibers (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), polyurethane fibers (polyurethane, etc.), and polyvinyl chloride / polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fibers (polycral, etc.). Examples of hydrophilic fibers include seed hair fibers (cotton, kapok, etc.), bast fibers (hemp, flax, ramie, hemp, jute, etc.), leaf vein fibers (Manila hemp, sisal, etc.), palm fibers, rush, straw, animal hair fibers (wool, mohair, cashmere, camel hair, alpaca, vicuna, angora, etc.), silk fibers (domestic silk, wild silk), feathers, and cellulosic fibers (rayon, polynosic, cupra, acetate, etc.).

[0079] The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention can be used in the stage before washing a textile product to improve detergency. The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention can be used as a composition to be directly contacted with the textile product before washing the textile product, for example, by spraying, applying, or immersing. Furthermore, in the stage before washing the textile product, the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be directly contacted with the part of the textile product to be washed as is without dilution, or a diluted solution obtained by diluting the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention with water may be contacted with the textile product. After contacting the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention with the textile product, the textile product may be optionally dehydrated and optionally rinsed, or may be washed in a washing machine using a textile laundry detergent.

[0080] The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention can be produced by mixing components (a), (b), (c), (d), water, and the optional components described above, in a conventional manner. The order in which the components are mixed is not particularly important. For example, the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be produced by mixing component (a) with water at room temperature, then adding and mixing components (c) and (d), and then further adding and mixing component (b). The components to be mixed may be heated to melt and mix as needed. For example, when components (a1) and (a2) are used as component (a), components (a1), (a2), and water may be mixed under heating (e.g., 60°C).

[0081] <Method of manufacturing laundry pretreatment composition> The present invention provides a method for producing a laundry pretreatment composition by blending the above-mentioned component (a), component (b), component (c), component (d), and water, wherein, based on the total amount of the blended raw materials, the blending amount of component (a) is from 8% by mass to 27% by mass, the blending amount of component (b) is from 0.5% by mass to 15% by mass, the blending amount of component (c) is from 0.2% by mass to 40% by mass, and the blending amount of components (c) and (d) is in the range of from 14.5% by mass to 42% by mass in total.

[0082] In order to further enhance blending stability and low-temperature stability, the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be produced, for example, by blending an aqueous solution containing component (a) with components (c) and (d), followed by blending and mixing component (b). Specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing a laundry pretreatment composition by blending components (a), (b), (c), (d), and water, wherein, based on the total amount of the blended raw materials, the blending amount of component (a) is 8% to 27% by mass, the blending amount of component (b) is 0.5% to 15% by mass, the blending amount of component (c) is 0.2% to 40% by mass, and the blending amount of components (c) and (d) is 14.5% to 42% by mass in total; and components (c) and (d) are blended into the aqueous solution containing component (a), followed by blending component (b). The aqueous solution containing component (a) may be prepared by heating, if necessary.

[0083] In the method for producing the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the matters described for the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention may be applied as appropriate. Each component used in the method for producing the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is the same as that described for the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention. In the method for producing the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention, the "content" in the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is read as "mixed amount," and the matters described for the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention are applied as appropriate. The production method is preferably the method for producing the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention described above.

[0084] <Washing Instructions> The laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention is used for pretreatment of textile products to improve their detergency in washing. The present invention provides a washing method in which textile products are treated with a treatment liquid prepared from the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention and then washed. The treatment liquid is preferably prepared by mixing the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention with water. Treatment is carried out by contacting the treatment liquid with the textile product. Contact can be carried out, for example, by immersing the textile product in the treatment liquid, applying the treatment liquid to the textile product, or spraying the treatment liquid onto the textile product.

[0085] The ratio of the amount of treatment liquid (L) to the mass of textile product (kg) is preferably 3 or more, more preferably 4 or more, even more preferably 5 or more, and is preferably 30 or less, more preferably 25 or less, in terms of amount of treatment liquid (L) / mass of textile product (kg).

[0086] The treatment liquid may be prepared, for example, by diluting the laundry pretreatment composition of the present invention with water, and the dilution ratio is preferably 150 times or more, more preferably 200 times or more, and is preferably 1300 times or less, more preferably 1200 times or less.

[0087] The temperature of the treatment liquid when treating textile products with the treatment liquid is preferably 20°C or higher, more preferably 25°C or higher, and is preferably 60°C or lower, more preferably 50°C or lower.

[0088] The contact time between the treatment liquid and the textile product when treating the textile product with the treatment liquid is preferably 0.5 minutes or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, even more preferably 3 minutes or more, and is preferably 40 minutes or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less.

[0089] The treatment with the treatment solution may be carried out in a suitable container, for example, in the washing tub of a washing machine. The treatment with the treatment solution may be carried out with stirring.

[0090] After treating the textile product with the treatment liquid, the textile product is washed. Washing may be carried out in a conventional manner. Treatment with the treatment liquid and subsequent washing may be carried out in the same container, for example, the washing tub of a washing machine. Before washing, the textile product may be dehydrated and rinsed. If the treatment liquid according to the present invention has a composition (type of component, amount of component, pH, etc.) that does not cause any disadvantages to washing, components for washing, such as a surfactant, may be added to the treatment liquid before washing. That is, a surfactant may be added to the treatment liquid according to the present invention to prepare a washing liquid for washing, and then washing may be carried out. [Example]

[0091] The compounds shown below were used as components (a) to (d).

[0092] <Component (a)> (a1) Component: Potassium carbonate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., trade name "Potassium Carbonate") (a2-1) Ingredient: Potassium bicarbonate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., trade name "Potassium bicarbonate") (a2-2) Ingredient: Sodium bicarbonate (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., trade name "Sodium bicarbonate") <(b) Component> Component (b1): Alkyl polyglycoside (an alkyl polyglycoside having an alkyl group having 10 to 16 carbon atoms and a group derived from glucose, and having an average sugar condensation degree of 1 to 1.5) (b2) Component: A mixture of N-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-tetradecylammonium ethyl sulfate and an amine compound (the mass ratio [amine compound / quaternary ammonium salt] is 3 / 97, calculated as the mass of the amine and the mass of the quaternary ammonium (excluding counter ions)). (b3) Ingredient: Lauryl dimethylamine oxide <(c) component> Propylene glycol (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "Propylene Glycol") Ethylene glycol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "Ethylene Glycol") Diethylene glycol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "Diethylene Glycol") 1,3-Propanediol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "1,3-Propanediol") <(d) component> Glycerin (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "Glycerin")

[0093] In addition, the component (c') shown below was used as a comparative component to the component (c). <(c') component> Butyl diglycol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., trade name "Butyl diglycol") Polyoxyethylene (3) phenyl ether (a compound in which 3 moles of oxyethylene groups are added to phenyl alcohol) Ethanol (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product name "Ethanol (95)")

[0094] <Method for preparing laundry pretreatment composition> Component (a) and water shown in Tables 1 and 2 were placed in a 200 mL glass beaker in the amounts necessary to achieve a final mass of 100 g. The mixture was heated in a water bath (60°C) and mixed for 10 minutes using a magnetic stirrer. The mixture was then removed from the water bath and allowed to cool at room temperature (23°C). Then, component (c) or component (c') and component (d) were added so that the total content of component (c) or component (c') and component (d) was the value shown in Tables 1 and 2, and the mixture was mixed for 10 minutes at room temperature (23°C). Component (b) was then added so that the content shown in Table 1 was the content shown in Table 1, and the mixture was mixed for 20 minutes at room temperature (23°C). This procedure yielded laundry pretreatment compositions of Examples 1 to 18 and Comparative Examples 1 to 9 in Table 2. The mass % of each component in Tables 1 and 2 is based on the mass % of the active ingredient. The resulting laundry pretreatment compositions were evaluated as follows. The pH (25°C) of the obtained laundry pretreatment composition was measured when the composition was adjusted to 25°C in the <Evaluation of Blend Stability (25°C)> below, and is shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0095] <Evaluation of compound stability (25°C)> The blend stability of the laundry pretreatment compositions was evaluated based on the appearance of the compositions. The liquid temperature of the laundry pretreatment compositions in Tables 1 and 2 was adjusted to 25°C in a water bath adjusted to 25°C, and then 40 g of each laundry pretreatment composition was filled into a transparent glass bottle (manufactured by Sanshosha, PS-No. 6 wide-mouth standard bottle) and the bottle was sealed with a lid. Immediately after filling, the appearance of the laundry pretreatment composition was visually observed and evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria. The liquid temperature of the laundry pretreatment compositions in Tables 1 and 2 was confirmed to be 25°C immediately before filling.

[0096] <<Evaluation criteria>> ○: Uniform and transparent with no insoluble matter or phase separation. × (insoluble): Insoluble matter precipitated. × (separated): No insoluble matter, but phase separation occurs and the solution is not uniform.

[0097] <Evaluation of low temperature stability> The low-temperature stability of the laundry pretreatment compositions was evaluated based on the appearance of the compositions under low-temperature conditions. 50 g of the laundry pretreatment compositions shown in Tables 1 and 2 were filled into a transparent glass bottle (PS-No. 6 wide-mouth standard bottle manufactured by Sanshosha Co., Ltd.) and sealed with a lid. Three sets were prepared. One set was stored in a 5°C thermostatic chamber for one day, another set was stored in a 0°C ice bath for 30 minutes, and the remaining set was stored in a -5°C thermostatic chamber for one day. The appearance of the laundry pretreatment compositions after storage at each temperature was visually observed and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. For Comparative Examples 1 to 9, precipitation of insoluble matter was confirmed at 25°C, so low-temperature stability was not evaluated (indicated by "-" in the table).

[0098] <<Evaluation criteria>> ○: Uniform and transparent with no insoluble matter or phase separation. × (insoluble): Insoluble matter precipitated.

[0099] [Table 1]

[0100] [Table 2]

[0101] The laundry pretreatment compositions of Examples 1 to 18 were confirmed to have excellent blend stability and low-temperature stability (5°C). The laundry pretreatment compositions of Examples 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9, and 11 to 17 were confirmed to have excellent blend stability and low-temperature stability (5°C), as well as low-temperature stability under even more severe low-temperature environments. The results of the examples confirmed the effect of using the components (d) and (e) selected in the present invention in combination.

[0102] As in Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 6, it was confirmed that, even when a uniform, transparent composition was obtained at the temperature when heated, insoluble matter precipitated at 25°C.

[0103] It was confirmed that the laundry pretreatment compositions of Examples 1 to 18 provided cleaning performance equivalent to or superior to that of Comparative Examples 1 to 9.

Claims

1. A laundry pretreatment composition comprising the following components (a), (b), (c), and (d), and water, wherein the content of component (a) is from 8% to 27% by mass, the content of component (b) is from 0.5% to 15% by mass, the content of component (c) is from 0.2% to 40% by mass, and the total content of components (c) and (d) is from 14.5% to 42% by mass: Component (a): one or more compounds selected from alkali metal carbonates and alkali metal hydrogencarbonates Component (b): surfactant Component (c): a dihydric alcohol which may contain an ether group (d) Component: Trihydric to hexahydric alcohol

2. 2. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the component (a) is (a1) an alkali metal carbonate (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) an alkali metal hydrogencarbonate (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)).

3. 3. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (b) to the total content of components (c) and (d), [(b) / [(c)+(d)]], is 0.03 or more and 0.8 or less.

4. 3. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of component (b), [(a) / (b)], is 1 or more and 50 or less.

5. 3. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (a) to the content of water, [(a) / water], is 0.20 or more and 1 or less.

6. 3. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the component (b) is one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of (b1) nonionic surfactants, (b2) cationic surfactants, and (b3) amphoteric surfactants.

7. 3. The laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1, wherein component (b) is one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of alkyl glycoside surfactants, quaternary ammonium salt surfactants, and amine oxide surfactants.

8. A washing method comprising treating textile products with a treatment liquid prepared from the laundry pretreatment composition according to claim 1 or 2, and then washing the textile products.

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