Natural Cleaning Composition with Alkyl Polyglucoside and Silica

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaning compositions that use natural ingredients struggle to achieve effective cleaning performance with a limited number of components, often requiring multiple surfactants, solvents, and builders to match the performance of synthetic formulations.

Innovation Solution

A hard surface cleaning composition comprising 0.1 to 5% alkyl polyglucoside, 0.5 to 5% ethanol, 0.1 to 3% colloidal silica, and optionally dyes, builders, fragrances, fatty acids, colorants, and preservatives, which effectively cleans hard surfaces with a minimal number of natural ingredients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If natural ingredients are used in cleaning compositions, then environmental sustainability is improved, but cleaning performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental sustainabilityVSAvoidcleaning performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple natural ingredients (alkyl polyglucoside surfactant, ethanol, colloidal silica, and optionally glycerol) to create a composite cleaning formulation that achieves effective cleaning performance while maintaining natural composition. This composite approach allows the formulation to overcome the limitations of individual natural ingredients and deliver reliable cleaning results comparable to synthetic formulations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If multiple surfactants and solvents are used to achieve adequate cleaning performance, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but formulation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidformulation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a multi-functional formulation where each ingredient serves multiple purposes: alkyl polyglucoside provides surfactant action for soil removal, ethanol acts as both solvent and drying agent to prevent streaking, and colloidal silica provides mild abrasive action and optical brightening. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized ingredients, simplifying the overall formulation while maintaining effective cleaning performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition provides superior cleaning performance comparable to synthetic formulations while maintaining a simple, natural ingredient profile, reducing residue and streaking, and ensuring consumer satisfaction.

Implementation Method 1

0.1 to 5% alkyl polyglucoside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Implementation Method 2

0.5 to 5% ethanol

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

0.1 to 3% colloidal silica

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS20080318822A1Natural cleaning compositions
Publication Date: 2008.12.25 THE CLOROX CO

AI summary

A cleaning composition with a limited number of natural ingredients contains alkyl polyglucoside, ethanol and colloidal silica. The cleaning composition optionally has a small amount of glycerol. The cleaning composition optionally has a small amount of fragrance. The cleaning composition can be used to clean hard surfaces and cleans as well or better than commercial compositions containing synthetically derived cleaning agents.