Method for repelling pests, pest repellent used therein, and laundry detergent and laundry finishing agent using the same

Abstract

To provide: an insect pest repelling method and an insect pest repellent to use for the method which exert an excellent repelling effect on insect pests only while a garment etc. is wet; and a laundry detergent and a laundry finishing agent that use the same.SOLUTION: A fibrous structure is moisturized by adding, to the fibrous structure, an insect pest repellent containing a volatile insect pest repellent ingredient capable of repelling a target insect pest with water. Thereafter the insect pest is repelled while the insect pest repellent ingredient is volatilized together with the water from the moisturized fibrous structure.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for repelling pests such as stink bugs, a pest repellent used therein, and a laundry detergent and a laundry finishing agent each using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, laundry hung outside has been infested with stink bugs, bees, flies, and other insects, which emerge from between the laundry when it is brought in or after it is brought inside, causing a commotion. These insects can have a negative impact on people by emitting a foul odor, biting people, or spreading pathogens, so they are considered "pests" and are targeted for extermination or avoidance.

[0003] It is well known that these pests are more likely to appear on wet laundry. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but some possible reasons include: (1) insects that are active in the sunlight during the day are attracted to wet laundry in search of moisture, (2) on hot days, they are attracted to wet laundry in search of coolness due to the heat of vaporization, and (3) the odors of the chemicals used in laundry detergents and fabric softeners are appealing to insects.

[0004] As countermeasures for eliminating the above-mentioned pests, there is a method of hanging a pest repellent that emits an odor that these pests dislike near the laundry, for example on a clothesline, or a method of spraying a pest control agent directly on the pests when they are seen, but these methods are time-consuming and cannot be said to be sufficiently effective.

[0005] Incidentally, it has long been customary to store an insect repellent that gradually evaporates insect repellent ingredients together with clothes stored in a clothes chest, closet, costume case, etc. to protect the clothes from insects that damage the fibers.

[0006] Due to concerns that the repellent components that volatilize from such insect repellents may have some effect on the human body, it has been proposed to wash clothing with detergent containing the repellent components, thereby adhering the components to the clothing itself and suppressing their evaporation while still providing an insect repellent effect (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-195544 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] On the other hand, when it comes to repellents for pests such as stink bugs, the problem is more likely to occur when the laundry is wet, so it is not anticipated that people will take the trouble to use detergents that contain repellents to attach the repellents to the clothes themselves, and the reality is that no such detergents are available on the market.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a method for repelling pests, in which a repellent for pests such as stink bugs is applied to clothing, etc. together with water, for example by utilizing the act of washing, and as the clothing, etc. dries, the repellent components of the repellent are volatilized together with the water, thereby exerting an excellent repellent effect against pests only while the clothing, etc. is wet, as well as a pest repellent used therein, and further a laundry detergent and laundry finishing agent which use the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first gist of the present invention is a method for repelling pests, which comprises applying a pest repellent containing a volatile pest repellent component capable of repelling target pests to a fiber structure together with water to moisten the fiber structure, and then repelling pests by volatilizing the pest repellent component together with water from the moistened fiber structure.

[0011] Moreover, among these, the present invention particularly provides a second aspect of a method for repelling pests, in which the wetting of the fiber structure is performed by washing the fiber structure, and the pest repellent is provided to the fiber structure as part of a washing liquid or a rinsing liquid.

[0012] Furthermore, among these, the present invention particularly provides a third aspect of a method for repelling pests, in which the volatile pest repellent component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of essential oil components and their derivatives.

[0013] And, among these, the present invention particularly provides a fourth aspect of a method for repelling pests, in which the essential oil component is any one of monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols, sesquiterpene alcohols, diterpene alcohols, terpene aldehydes, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenylpropanoids, oxides, lactones, or a plant essential oil containing any of them. Particularly, the present invention provides a fifth aspect of a method for repelling pests, in which the essential oil component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of geraniol, eugenol, derivatives of any of them, and plant essential oils containing any of them.

[0014] Moreover, among these, the present invention particularly provides a sixth aspect of a method for repelling pests, in which the pest repellent component in the pest repellent is applied at a ratio of 0.005 to 0.1% by weight based on the dry fiber weight of the fiber structure.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention provides a seventh aspect of a pest repellent used in the method for repelling pests according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the pest repellent containing a volatile pest repellent component (a) capable of repelling target pests, a surfactant (b), and a stabilizer (c).

[0016] In addition, an eighth gist of the present invention is that the above-mentioned pest repellent is a liquid agent that is provided to a textile structure as part of a washing liquid or a rinsing liquid when the textile structure is washed, and that contains the following components (a) to (d): (a) Pest repellent component 0.1 to 5% by weight (b) Surfactant: 0.1 to 20% by weight (c) Stabilizer 1~20% by weight (d) water

[0017] Furthermore, a ninth aspect of the present invention is a pest repellent that is provided to a fiber structure in a state in which the pest repellent is diluted to a concentration of 0.01 to 0.2% by weight relative to the amount of water in the cleaning liquid or rinsing liquid.

[0018] A tenth aspect of the present invention is a pest repellent in which the volatile pest repellent component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of essential oil components and derivatives thereof.

[0019] In addition, an eleventh aspect of the present invention is a pest repellent in which the essential oil component is any one of monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols, sesquiterpene alcohols, diterpene alcohols, terpene aldehydes, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenylpropanoids, oxides, and lactones, or a plant essential oil containing any of them, and a twelfth aspect of the present invention is a pest repellent in which the essential oil component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of geraniol, eugenol, any of their derivatives, and plant essential oils containing any of them.

[0020] The present invention has a thirteenth aspect relating to a laundry detergent containing a pest repellent according to any one of the seventh to twelfth aspects, and a fourteenth aspect relating to a laundry finishing agent containing the same. Effect of the Invention

[0021] In other words, the pest repelling method of the present invention involves applying a specified pest repellent together with water to a fiber structure to wet it, and then repelling pests by volatilizing the pest repellent components of the pest repellent together with the water from the fiber structure.

[0022] This repelling method can simply and effectively repel pests that are attracted to wet laundry, etc. Moreover, since the pest repellent component of the pest repellent used volatilizes as the moisture dries, the odor of the pest repellent component does not remain on the dried textile structure for a long time, which is an advantage of allowing the use of the method without any discomfort.

[0023] In the present invention, "no pest repellent component remains in the textile structure" refers to a state in which a person with an average sense of smell cannot detect the odor of the pest repellent component of the pest repellent even when smelling the textile structure after drying. For example, seven monitors are asked to rate the presence or absence of odor on the following six-point scale, and a state in which "no odor remains" is defined as one in which the majority of them rate it as "0." 0: Odorless 1: Barely detectable odor 2: The smell is weak, but you can still tell what it is. 3: An odor that can be detected and immediately identified 4: Strong odor 5: Strong odor

[0024] In the present invention, the fiber structure is in a "dry state" means that the weight of the fiber structure after drying is within 1±0.01, where the weight of the fiber structure before drying is 1.

[0025] Among the pest repelling methods of the present invention, those in which the wetting of the textile structure is carried out by washing the textile structure and the pest repellent is provided to the textile structure as part of the washing liquid or rinsing liquid are particularly preferred, as they can simply and effectively repel pests while the laundry is hanging out to dry through the everyday act of washing clothes.

[0026] Among these, those in which the volatile pest repellent component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of essential oil components and derivatives thereof, and in particular those in which the essential oil component is any one of monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols, sesquiterpene alcohols, diterpene alcohols, terpene aldehydes, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenylpropanoids, oxides, and lactones, or a plant essential oil containing any one of them, and further particularly those in which the essential oil component is at least one component selected from the group consisting of geraniol, eugenol, any of their derivatives, and plant essential oils containing any of them, are particularly preferred, as they have excellent pest repellent effects and moderate volatility.

[0027] Furthermore, among these, those in which the pest repellent component in the above-mentioned pest repellent is applied at a ratio of 0.005 to 0.1 weight % relative to the dry fiber weight of the fiber structure are particularly suitable, as the repellent effect against pests is neither too small nor too excessive, but is moderate.

[0028] The pest repellent of the present invention is used in the above-mentioned pest repellent method of the present invention, and contains a volatile pest repellent component (a) capable of repelling pests, a surfactant (b) and a stabilizer (c), and has the excellent properties of being easily adhered to textile structures and of the pest repellent component (a) volatilizing over time and not remaining on the textile structure indefinitely.

[0029] The above-mentioned pest repellent has an excellent pest repellent effect while the textile structure is wet. Moreover, since the pest repellent volatilizes with water, it has the advantage that it does not leave an unpleasant odor on clothing or the like.

[0030] Among the above-mentioned pest repellents, in particular, when the pest repellent is a liquid agent provided to a textile structure as part of a washing liquid or a rinsing liquid when the textile structure is washed, and contains the above-mentioned components (a) to (d) in a specific ratio, it is preferable because it exerts a more excellent repellent effect and does not leave a lingering odor.

[0031] Among these, it is particularly preferable that the above-mentioned pest repellent is provided to the fiber structure in a diluted state to a concentration of 0.01 to 0.2% by weight relative to the amount of water in the cleaning liquid or rinsing liquid, since this can impart an excellent pest repellent effect without impairing the cleaning effect or rinsing effect on the fiber structure.

[0032] Furthermore, among these, when the pest repellent component (a) is a specific one as described above, it has a particularly excellent repellent effect and does not have any adverse effects on the human body, so it can be used safely and is preferable.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the laundry detergent and laundry finishing agent of the present invention, when washing clothes, etc., there is no need to add the above-mentioned pest repellent separately from the laundry detergent or laundry finishing agent, and a pest repellent effect can be easily imparted to the laundry. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a pest repelling method of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1(a) and 1(b) are schematic explanatory views of the evaluation test of pest repellency conducted in the examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Next, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0036] First, the pests to be repelled by the present invention refer to all insects that live or fly around laundry or its surroundings, and are not particularly limited. For example, stink bugs, bees, mosquitoes, midges, flies, small flies, cockroaches, ladybugs, moths, caterpillars, ants, spiders, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, mites, mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, beetles, crane flies, etc. Among them, stink bugs are the most important insects to be repelled because they often stay still on laundry, and if they accidentally hit your hand or are accidentally picked up, they emit a strong odor that is difficult to remove from the laundry or your fingertips.

[0037] The method for repelling pests of the present invention is characterized in that it repels such pests in the following manner: That is, a pest repellent containing a volatile pest repellent component capable of repelling a target pest is applied together with water to a fiber structure to moisten the fiber structure, and then the pest repellent component is volatilized together with water from the moistened fiber structure to repel the pests.

[0038] The pest repellent containing a volatile pest repellent component used in the above repellent method may be any pest repellent that can impart the pest repellent component together with water, and is usually preferably prepared as a liquid in which the pest repellent component is dissolved or dispersed in water, an organic solvent compatible with water, or a mixture thereof, but in some cases, it may be prepared as an easily soluble solid such as a powder or tablet. It may also be prepared as a so-called Gel Ball (registered trademark) type agent in which the liquid is individually packaged in small amounts in a water-soluble film.

[0039] The volatile pest repellent component used in the pest repellent is appropriately selected depending on the target pest, and for example, various pest repellent components known to have a repellent effect against pests can be used. However, since it is applied directly to the fiber structure and the application work usually involves humans, it is important that the substance is a safe substance that does not damage the fiber and does not have an adverse effect on the human body.

[0040] As such pest repellent components, naturally derived essential oil components or derivatives thereof, or similar synthetic components are preferably used, and in consideration of safety to the human body, naturally derived essential oil components are particularly preferably used.

[0041] As the above-mentioned naturally derived essential oil components, monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene alcohols, sesquiterpene alcohols, diterpene alcohols, terpene aldehydes, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenylpropanoids, oxides, lactones, or plant essential oils containing any of them are suitable because they have excellent pest repellent effects and moderate volatility. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0042] The essential oil components are described in more detail. First, the monoterpene hydrocarbons include limonene, δ-3-carene, γ-terpinene, α-pinene, etc., and the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons include chamazulene, etc. The monoterpene alcohols include geraniol, citronellol, terpinen-4-ol, nerol, menthol, thymol, lavandulol, linalool, etc. The sesquiterpene alcohols include santalol, nerolidol, bisabolol, etc., and the diterpene alcohols include sclareol, etc. The terpene aldehydes include citral, citronellal, etc., the aromatic alcohols include phenethyl alcohol, etc., and the aromatic aldehydes include cuminaldehyde, etc. Furthermore, examples of the ketones include camphor, thujone, menthone, etc., examples of the esters include linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, benzyl acetate, phenethyl acetate, etc., examples of the phenylpropanoids include coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid), eugenol, anethole, coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol, ferulic acid, sesamin, podophyllotoxin, lignan, lignin, etc., examples of the oxides include 1,8-cineole, and examples of the lactones include furocoumarins, etc.

[0043] Next, examples of plant essential oils containing these essential oil components include the following. First, essential oils from plants of the Cupressaceae family include, for example, cypress oil, cedar oil, red cedar oil, juniper oil, asarum oil, cypress oil, thuja oil, hiba oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Pinaceae family include, for example, abies oil, turpentine oil, Douglas fir oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Cryptomeria japonica family include, for example, cedar oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Lauraceae family include, for example, camphor oil, camphor tree oil, sassafras oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Rutaceae family include, for example, lemon oil, orange oil, bergammot oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Myristicae family include, for example, nutmeg oil, etc. Essential oils from plants of the Geraniaceae family include, for example, geranium oil, etc. Examples of essential oils from plants of the Umbelliferae family include coriander oil, etc. Examples of essential oils from plants of the Myrtaceae family include clove oil, eucalyptus oil, etc. Examples of essential oils from plants of the Lamiaceae family include peppermint oil, oregano oil, spearmint oil, thyme oil, lavender oil, etc.

[0044] Among the above essential oil components, geraniol, eugenol, or any of their derivatives, or plant essential oils containing any of them, are particularly preferred as they have a high repellent effect against stink bugs and the like.

[0045] In order to apply the pest repellent containing the pest repellent component to a fiber structure together with water, as already mentioned, it is usually preferable to prepare the pest repellent component as a liquid by dissolving or dispersing it in water. When preparing a liquid formulation, an organic solvent can be used together with water. Furthermore, a tablet or granular pest repellent containing the pest repellent component can be prepared using a water-soluble excipient that is generally used for forming solid drugs. In this case, it is preferable to dissolve the pest repellent in water or a mixture of water and an organic solvent to prepare it to a predetermined concentration each time it is used.

[0046] In order to prepare the pest repellent as a liquid, examples of organic solvents that can be used together with water include those having excellent compatibility with water, such as methanol, ethanol, dipropylene glycol, etc. When using these, they may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0047] Furthermore, when the above-mentioned pest repellent is prepared as a solid preparation in the form of a tablet or powder, examples of excipients that can be used for this purpose include lactose, starch, dextrin, cellulose, etc., and among these, starch and cellulose are preferred in terms of ease of solubility in water and cost.

[0048] The fiber structure to which the pest repellent is applied may be made of any fiber. The entire structure does not need to be made of fiber, as long as at least a part of the structure is made of fiber.

[0049] Such fiber structures can be in various forms using fibers, threads, knits, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, etc. Specific examples include various types of clothing, accessories such as socks, gloves, scarves, hats, outdoor goods such as sleeping bags, tents, tarps, bedding, rugs, curtains, interior fabrics, furoshiki wrapping cloths, cloth bags, sanitary goods such as bandages, gauze, masks, etc. Toys such as stuffed toys can also be included.

[0050] In the present invention, examples of the method for applying the pest repellent together with water to the fiber structure to moisten the fiber structure include the following methods (1) to (3). When applying the pest repellent together with water, the two do not necessarily need to be applied at the same time, and it is sufficient that both are finally applied to the fiber structure to moisten the fiber structure. That is, as shown below, one can be applied to the fiber structure first, and the other can be applied thereto afterwards. (1) The textile structure is made wet by immersing it in a liquid containing a pest repellent diluted with water, or by spraying the liquid containing the pest repellent onto the textile structure using a spray or the like. (2) The fiber structure is wetted by immersing it in water or by sprinkling water on it, and then the pest repellent or a liquid containing the pest repellent is applied to the fiber structure by sprinkling it on the fiber structure with a spray or the like. (3) When washing a textile structure, the above-mentioned pest repellent is applied to the textile structure as a part of the washing liquid or rinsing liquid.

[0051] As already mentioned, a major feature of the present invention is that the pest repellent component of the pest repellent is volatilized together with water during the process of drying the moistened fiber structure. Therefore, it is important to appropriately control the ratio of the pest repellent component to be applied to the fiber structure and the ratio to water.

[0052] Therefore, when wetting a textile structure, it is preferable to adopt the method (3) above, which utilizes the washing action of the textile structure (clothing, etc.), which is easy to control. That is, in automatic domestic washing machines, the amount of water used for washing and rinsing is usually controlled according to the weight of the laundry, and laundry detergent and laundry finishing agents such as fabric softeners and fragrances are also added in amounts according to the weight of the laundry, with the use of caps, so that the amount is roughly just right.

[0053] Therefore, in the same way as when the above-mentioned laundry detergent and laundry finishing agent are used in washing, it is preferable to add a pest repellent to an automatic washing machine in an appropriate amount that has a sufficient pest repellent effect on the textile structure and does not leave an odor on the textile structure after it evaporates with water and dries. The timing of addition may be any time from washing to rinsing, but it is necessary that the pest repellent component of the pest repellent is taken out in a state where it is sufficiently attached to the textile structure.

[0054] Such "appropriate amount of pest repellent component to be applied that has a sufficient pest repellent effect on a textile structure and that volatilizes with water so as not to remain in the textile structure after the textile structure has dried" depends on factors such as the type of textile structure, the type of pest repellent component, and the presence or absence of organic solvents used in the pest repellent, but is generally preferably set at a ratio of 0.005 to 0.1% by weight, and especially 0.01 to 0.08% by weight, relative to the dry fiber weight of the textile structure.

[0055] In the case of a pest repellent that is to be used by adding it to an automatic washing machine so that it becomes part of the washing liquid or rinsing liquid when doing laundry at home, it is preferable to prepare it as a liquid formulation containing the following components (a) to (d), for example. (a) Pest repellent component 0.1 to 5% by weight (b) Surfactant: 0.1 to 20% by weight (c) Stabilizer 1~20% by weight (d) water

[0056] When the pest repellent is used as part of the cleaning liquid or rinsing liquid as described above, it is preferable to provide the pest repellent to the fiber structure in a diluted state to a concentration of 0.01 to 0.2% by weight relative to the amount of the cleaning liquid or rinsing liquid.

[0057] The pest repellent component (a) is preferably one as described above. The content of the pest repellent component (a) is preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight, and more preferably 0.5 to 2% by weight, based on the total weight of the pest repellent, as described above.

[0058] That is, if there is too much of the pest repellent component (a), there is a risk that the pest repellent component (a) will remain on the textile structure for a long time even after the textile structure (clothing, etc.) has been washed, hung out to dry, and conversely, if there is too little of the pest repellent component (a), there is a risk that the effect of repelling pests will be insufficient when the textile structure is wet.

[0059] The surfactant (b) enhances the uniform dispersion of the pest repellent component (a) in the water system, and serves to attach the pest repellent component (a) uniformly to the fiber structure. As the surfactant (b), various surfactants can be used, but nonionic surfactants are preferred from the viewpoints of safety to the human body and the environment and ease of handling.

[0060] Examples of the nonionic surfactant include ether-based nonionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (AE), polyoxyethylene alkylphenol phenyl ether (APE), polyoxyalkylene polycyclic phenyl ether, polyoxyalkylene hydrogenated castor oil ether, ester-based nonionic surfactants such as sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, ether-ester-based nonionic surfactants, fatty acid alkanolamide-based nonionic surfactants, etc. Among these, ether-based nonionic surfactants are preferred, and polyoxyalkylene polycyclic phenyl ether and polyoxyalkylene hydrogenated castor oil ether are more preferred in terms of the dispersion stabilizing effect on the pest repellent component (a). These surfactants (b) may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0061] In addition, an anionic surfactant can be used as the surfactant (b). Examples of the anionic surfactant include fatty acid sodium (soap), alpha-sulfonated fatty acid ester sodium, linear alkylbenzene sulfonate sodium (LAS), alkyl sulfate ester sodium (AS), alkyl ether sulfate ester sodium (AES), alpha-olefin sulfonate sodium (AOS), etc. These can also be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of course, these anionic surfactants can be used in combination with the nonionic surfactant.

[0062] Furthermore, as the surfactant (b), for example, a cationic surfactant that is widely used for fabric softening can be used. Examples of the cationic surfactant include various alkylamine salt type cationic surfactants and quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactants. These may also be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of course, these cationic surfactants may be used in combination with the nonionic surfactant or anionic surfactant.

[0063] As described above, the content of the surfactant (b) is preferably 0.1 to 20% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, based on the total amount of the pest repellent.

[0064] In other words, if the amount of the surfactant (b) is more or less than the above range, there is a risk that the balance of the system will be lost or that the pest repellent effect will not be fully exerted.

[0065] The content ratio of the surfactant (b) to the pest repellent component (a) [(b) / (a)] is preferably set to 1 / 2 to 5 / 1, particularly 1 / 1 to 3 / 1, on a weight basis, in order to maximize the effect of the surfactant (b).

[0066] Furthermore, the stabilizer (c) serves to maintain the pest repellent component (b) dispersed in water more stably and to solubilize it, and examples of such stabilizers include sodium cumene sulfonate, calcium chloride, potassium sulfite, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, formic acid, citric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, ethanolamine, alkanolamine, sodium hydroxide, butyl carbitol, ethyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, dibutyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, hydrogenated castor oil, dibutyl sebacate, diethyl sebacate, dioctyl sebacate, dimethyl sebacate, isopropyl myristate, diisopropyl sebacate, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, etc. Among these, propylene glycol, diisopropyl sebacate, and ethylene glycol monophenyl ether are preferably used in terms of effectiveness.

[0067] As described above, the content of the stabilizer (c) is preferably 1 to 20% by weight, and particularly preferably 2 to 15% by weight, based on the total amount of the pest repellent.

[0068] In other words, if the amount of the stabilizer (c) is more or less than the above range, the balance of the system may be lost or the pest repellent effect may not be fully exerted.

[0069] In addition, the content ratio of the stabilizer (c) to the pest repellent component (a) [(c) / (a)] is preferably set to 1 / 5 to 500 / 1, particularly 1 / 1 to 100 / 1, and especially 5 / 1 to 20 / 1, on a weight basis, in order to stabilize the system.

[0070] The pest repellent to be used in laundry is usually prepared as a liquid formulation containing the above-mentioned components (a) to (c) as essential components with the remainder being water (d). In addition to the above-mentioned essential components (a) to (c), an optional component such as a preservative (e) can also be added.

[0071] Examples of the preservative (e) include 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT), methyl parahydroxybenzoate, ethyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate, butyl parahydroxybenzoate, isothiazolinone, sodium salicylate, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, sodium dehydroacetate, isopropylmethylphenol, benzalkonium chloride, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl caprate, glycerin fatty acid ester, chlorphenesin, salicylic acid, bisabolol, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, etc. Among these, 1,2-benzisothiazolin-one (BIT), methyl parahydroxybenzoate, ethyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate, butyl parahydroxybenzoate, isopropylmethylphenol, etc. are preferably used.

[0072] By incorporating the preservative (e), deterioration of the liquid can be prevented, and the pest repellent effect of the pest repellent component (a) can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0073] Furthermore, the pest repellent of the present invention may contain, as optional components, dispersants, sequestering agents, softeners, opacifying agents, antioxidants, pH adjusters, foam adjusters, anti-redeposition agents, thickeners, defoamers, fluorescent brightening agents, enzymes, colorants, fragrances, antibacterial agents, antifungal agents, antiviral agents, deodorizers, fiber lubricants, texture improvers, mite repellent components, anti-wrinkling agents, antioxidants, as well as general insect repellents, insecticides and repellents, as necessary.

[0074] When such a pest repellent is added as part of the washing or rinsing liquid in the same manner as conventional detergents or fabric softeners, and a textile structure (such as clothing) is washed, and then hung up in a wet state on a clothesline or the like to dry, the water and the pest repellent component gradually evaporate from the wet laundry (textile structure), causing the laundry to dry, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. During this time, the pest repellent component is present on and around the surface of the laundry, exerting a repellent effect against pests such as stink bugs, and therefore pests do not attach to the laundry.

[0075] When the water completely evaporates and the laundry is dry, the pest repellent component also volatilizes and no longer remains in the laundry, and the odor caused by the pest repellent component disappears, making the laundry feel natural.

[0076] The terms "a state in which no pest repellent component remains in the laundry (textile structure)" and "a state in which the laundry (textile structure) is dry" are as defined above.

[0077] Furthermore, when washing a textile structure by hand, the pest repellent may be added to the liquid in which the textile structure is soaked. In this case, it is preferable to indicate the amount of pest repellent to be used relative to the amount of liquid used for soaking as a guide for the amount of pest repellent to be added. For example, it is preferable to indicate "add the amount up to the cap mark in 2 to 5 liters of water."

[0078] In the present invention, such a pest repellent can be used not only separately from a laundry detergent or a laundry finishing agent, but also as a part of a laundry finishing agent such as a fabric softener or a fragrance agent in advance. In such a case, it is preferable to replace a part of the composition of the laundry detergent or laundry finishing agent with the components of the pest repellent of the present invention without impairing the washing performance or washing finishing performance of the laundry detergent or laundry finishing agent.

[0079] According to the laundry detergent and laundry finishing agent of the present invention, when washing clothes, etc., there is no need to add a pest repellent separately from the laundry detergent or laundry finishing agent, and a pest repellent effect can be easily imparted to the laundry. EXAMPLES

[0080] Next, examples of the present invention will be described together with comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0081] [Examples 1 to 21, Comparative Examples 1 to 4] First, the following pest repellent component (a), surfactant (b), stabilizer (c), water (d), and optional preservative (e) were prepared, and the components were mixed and stirred uniformly to obtain the composition shown in Tables 1 and 2 below, thereby obtaining 25 types of pest repellents, which are Examples 1 to 21 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4.

[0082] <Insect repellent ingredient (a)> Geraniol (synthetic essential oil component) · Eugenol (natural essential oil component) Clove oil (natural essential oil ingredient) Sassafras oil (natural essential oil component) Oregano oil (natural essential oil ingredient) Fenchyl alcohol (natural essential oil component) Nutmeg oil (natural essential oil component) Geranium oil (natural essential oil ingredient) Fenchyl acetate (synthetic essential oil component) ·Coriander oil (natural essential oil ingredient) ·Geranyl acetate (natural essential oil ingredient) ·Spearmint oil (natural essential oil ingredient) · Thyme oil (natural essential oil ingredient) Lavender oil (natural essential oil ingredient)

[0083] <Surfactant (b)> Surfactant 1: Polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil ether (Uniox HC60, NOF Corp.)

[0084] <Stabilizer (c)> Stabilizer 1: Propylene glycol

[0085] <Preservatives (e)> Preservative: 1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT, Buckman Laboratories)

[0086] The pest repellents of Examples 1 to 21 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 thus obtained were evaluated in two categories, that is, pest repellent performance and residual amount of the pest repellent component, according to the following methods.

[0087] <Pest repellent performance> Test washing was carried out under the conditions below using each of the above pest repellents, and it was evaluated whether the wet cloth after washing had a repellent effect against the round stink bug. (1) Washing conditions (based on the washing method using commercially available fabric softener) Textile structure: Cotton cloth (100% cotton, 30cm x 50cm, cloth weight approx. 14g) Pest repellent amount: 0.1ml Water for diluting pest repellent: 200ml Pest repellent dilution concentration: 0.05% by weight Ratio of insect repellent to fiber structure: 0.007% by weight Rinse time: 5 minutes Switching time: 3 minutes Dehydration time: 5 minutes Dewatering speed: 1000rpm (2) Control example In addition, washing was carried out under exactly the same conditions as above, but without using any insect repellent, and this was used as a "control example." (3) Evaluation of pest repellency The wet cloth containing the pest repellent (textile structure: cotton towel) 1 obtained by the above washing and the cloth not containing the pest repellent 2 (control example) were spread out side by side as shown in Figure 2(a) in an atmosphere of 25°C. A circular wire mesh 3 with a diameter of 35 cm and mesh size of #1 mm was then placed on top of them as a lid, and bait (green peas) 4 was also placed as shown in the figure to stimulate the movement of the stink bugs. Then, stink bugs 5 (40 in total) were released one after another on the boundary between fabrics 1 and 2, and over the course of four hours until fabrics 1 and 2 were dry, the number of stink bugs 5 that invaded the treated area (the area on the fabric 1 side, excluding those on the inside of wire mesh 3) and the untreated area (the area on the fabric 2 side, excluding those on the inside of wire mesh 3) were counted, as shown in Figure 2(b), and the pest repellent performance was calculated as a numerical value (repellent rate, %) according to the following formula (1). The higher the numerical value, the better the pest repellent performance.

[0088] [formula] Pest repellency (repellency rate, %) = [(number of insects invading the untreated area - number of insects invading the treated area) / number of insects invading the untreated area] x 100 ... (1)

[0089] <Residual insect repellent ingredients> Using cloth 1 treated with the same pest repellent as used in the "pest repellent performance" above, 4 hours after cloth 1 had dried, seven monitors were asked to smell the cloth 1 and evaluate whether or not the odor of the pest repellent ingredient remained on the cloth 1 using the six-point scale below. The residual odor was evaluated based on how many of the seven monitors rated it as "0: odorless." 0: Odorless 1: Barely detectable odor 2: The smell is weak, but you can still tell what it is. 3: An odor that can be detected and immediately identified 4: Strong odor 5: Strong odor

[0090] The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 below.

[0091] [Table 1]

[0092] [Table 2]

[0093] Table 3 below shows a comparison of the change in repellency rate over time in the evaluation of the 21 products of the above Example and the evaluation of the 4 products of the Comparative Example that do not contain the pest repellent component (a).

[0094] [Table 3]

[0095] From the above results, it can be seen that all of the products of Examples 1 to 21 are generally evaluated as good. On the other hand, the product of Comparative Example 4, which does not contain the essential component pest repellent component (a), naturally does not obtain a pest repellent effect. In addition, the products of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, which contain the pest repellent component (a) but do not contain the surfactant (b) or stabilizer (c), lose the balance between the water and the oil-based pest repellent component (a), causing the pest repellent component (a) to separate and reduce the total amount attached to the fabric, or even if it does attach, it is unevenly distributed. For this reason, it can be seen that the pest repellent effect varies, and pests invade parts where the pest repellent component (a) is not attached, resulting in an insufficient effect. [Industrial Applicability]

[0096] To provide a pest repellent method, which exerts an excellent repellent effect against pests only while the clothes are wet by applying a pest repellent together with water to clothes, etc., and volatilizing the repellent component of the repellent together with water as the clothes, etc. are dried, and the method can be utilized in a pest repellent used therein, and a laundry detergent and a laundry finishing agent using the same.

Claims

1. A method for repelling pests, comprising: A pest repellent containing a volatile pest repellent component capable of repelling target pests is applied to a fiber structure together with water to moisten the fiber structure, and then the pest repellent component is volatilized together with water from the moistened fiber structure to repel pests, and the pest repellent component does not remain in the fiber structure after the fiber structure is dried, The pest is a stink bug, The pest repellent contains a volatile pest repellent component (a) capable of repelling a target pest, a surfactant (b) and a stabilizer (c) in the following proportions: The wetting of the textile structure is carried out by washing the textile structure, and the pest repellent is provided to the textile structure as part of a washing liquid or a rinsing liquid; The pest repellent component (a) is applied to a fiber structure in a state where the pest repellent component (a) is diluted to a concentration of 0.00001 to 0.01% by weight based on the amount of water in the cleaning solution or rinsing solution; The pest repellent component (a) is at least one selected from the group consisting of geraniol, eugenol, and plant essential oils containing at least one of these, The stabilizer (c) is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethanolamine, alkanolamine, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, dibutyl glycol, and polyethylene glycol; A method for repelling pests, characterized in that the surfactant (b) is a nonionic surfactant. (a) pest repellent component 0.1 to 5% by weight (b) Surfactant: 0.1 to 20% by weight (c) Stabilizer 1-20% by weight

2. 2. The method for repelling pests according to claim 1, wherein the content ratio of the surfactant (b) to the pest repellent component (a) [(b) / (a)] is set to 1 / 2 to 5 / 1.

3. 3. The method for repelling pests according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content ratio of the stabilizer (c) to the pest repellent component (a) [(c) / (a)] is set to 1 / 1 to 20 / 1.

4. 4. The method for repelling pests according to claim 1, wherein the pest repellent component in the pest repellent is applied in a proportion of 0.005 to 0.1% by weight based on the dry fiber weight of the fiber structure.

5. A pest repellent for use in the pest repellent method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the pest repellent is a liquid agent that is provided to a textile structure in a diluted state to a concentration of 0.01 to 0.2% by weight based on the amount of water in a washing liquid or a rinsing liquid when the textile structure is washed; The composition contains a volatile pest repellent component (a) capable of repelling target pests, a surfactant (b) and a stabilizer (c) in the following proportions: A pest repellent, characterized in that the pest repellent component (a) is at least one selected from the group consisting of geraniol, eugenol, and plant essential oils containing at least one of these. (a) pest repellent component 0.1 to 5% by weight (b) Surfactant: 0.1 to 20% by weight (c) Stabilizer 1-20% by weight

6. 6. The insect repellent according to claim 5, wherein the surfactant (b) is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkylene polycyclic phenyl ethers and polyoxyalkylene hydrogenated castor oil ethers.

7. 7. The pest repellent according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the content ratio of the surfactant (b) to the pest repellent component (a) [(b) / (a)] is set to 1 / 2 to 5 / 1.

8. The pest repellent according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the content ratio of the stabilizer (c) to the pest repellent component (a) [(c) / (a)] is set to 1 / 1 to 20 / 1.

9. A laundry detergent comprising the pest repellent according to any one of claims 5 to 8.

10. A laundry finishing agent comprising the pest repellent according to any one of claims 5 to 8.

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