Fabric Treatment for Stain Release

Abstract

A fabric treatment composition that includes at least one zeta potential modifier and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100° C. that imparts fabric protection benefits, including improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better handfeel to treated fabrics. Particularly preferred compositions include at least one zeta potential modifier in an amount sufficient to adjust the zeta potential of the composition to be positive and greater than zero millivolts. Particularly preferred compositions also include a fluoropolymer. The composition can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking or direct spray application, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, or used prior to or during the drying cycle of an automatic drying machine or refresher machine, or used prior to or in conjunction with an ironing device. The fabric treatment is complete when the fabric is cured by drying and/or heating.

1 - 67 . (canceled)  
   
   
       68 . (canceled)  
   
   
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       71 - 86 . (canceled)  
   
   
       87 . A method of treating fabrics in a washing machine to provide first fabric protective properties and subsequent second fabric protective properties to a fabric, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) depositing a first composition onto the fabric in a first treatment liquor wherein the first composition comprises a hydrophobic agent having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C., a fluoropolymer and an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier so that the first treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and    (b) first curing said fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.;    (c) depositing a second composition onto the fabric in a second treatment liquor wherein the second composition comprises a hydrophobic agent having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C. and an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier so that the second treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and    (d) subsequently curing said fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.;    wherein said first fabric protective properties comprise increased water repellancy, increased oil repellancy, improved handfeel, improved softness, improved resistance to damage, and any combination thereof; and wherein said second fabric protective properties comprise at least one of said first fabric protective properties; wherein said hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer; and wherein the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is greater than or equal to 1:3.    
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said step (c) and step (d) are repeated a plurality of times on said fabric to maintain said second fabric protective properties, wherein said second composition comprises a level of hydrophobic agent less than the level of hydrophobic agent present in said first composition.  
   
   
       89 . The method of  claim 88  wherein said first composition comprises: 
 (a) 0.5 to 60 weight % of a hydrophobic agent;    (b) 5 to 30 weight % of a fluoropolymer; and    (c) an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier so that the first treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and    wherein said second composition comprises:    (a) a level of hydrophobic agent less than the level of hydrophobic agent present in said first composition; and    (b) an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier so that the second treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts.    
   
   
       90 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       91 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the first treatment liquor comprises the wash liquor, the rinse liquor, or both.  
   
   
       92 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said hydrophobic agent of step (a) is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic waxes, polymers produced from ethylenically unsaturated monomers, low molecular weight polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oxidized polyethylene, oxidized polypropylene, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.  
   
   
       93 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said first composition further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of emulsifiers, pH adjusters, silicones, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, soil release agents, soil release polymers, antistatic agents, fragrances, fragrance extenders, antimicrobial actives, preservatives, dyes, colorants, viscosity control agents, antifoaming agents, pearlizing agents, opacifying agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, dye transfer inhibitors, dye fixative agents, dispersants, chlorine scavengers, wetting agents, electrolytes, enzymes, bleaching agents, brighteners, heavy metal chelating agents, fabric softener actives, soil suspending agents, soil release agents, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       94 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said zeta potential modifier used in step (a) is a cationic material.  
   
   
       95 . The method of  claim 94  wherein the cationic material is a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of mono and di-methyl fatty amines, alkyl trimethyl ammonium salts, dialkyl dimethyl ammonium salts, alkyl amine acetates, trialkylammonium acetates, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, dialkylmethylbenzyl ammonium salts, alkylpyridinium halide and alkyl (alkyl substituted) pyridinium salts, alkylthiomethylpyridinium salts, alkylamidomethylpyridinium salts, alkylquinolinium salts, alkylisoquinolinium salts, N,N-alkylmethylpyrollidinium salts, 1,1-dialkylpiperidinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium-1-oxide salts, methyl bis(alkyl ethyl)-2-alkyl imidazolinium methyl sulfate (and other salts), methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (and other salts), alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates (and other salts), trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.  
   
   
       96 . The method of  claim 94  wherein the cationic material is selected from the group consisting of cationically modified materials including cationically modified organic polymers, biopolymers, clays, silicas, nanoparticles, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       97 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the first composition has a zeta potential of less than about +150 millivolts.  
   
   
       98 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the first composition has a zeta potential of less than about +100 millivolts.  
   
   
       99 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the second treatment liquor comprises the wash liquor, the rinse liquor, or both.  
   
   
       100 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said hydrophobic agent of step (c) is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic waxes, polymers produced from ethylenically unsaturated monomers, low molecular weight polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oxidized polyethylene, oxidized polypropylene, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.  
   
   
       101 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said second composition further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of emulsifiers, pH adjusters, silicones, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, soil release agents, soil release polymers, antistatic agents, fragrances, fragrance extenders, antimicrobial actives, preservatives, dyes, colorants, viscosity control agents, antifoaming agents, pearlizing agents, pacifying agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, dye transfer inhibitors, dye fixative agents, dispersants, chlorine scavengers, wetting agents, electrolytes, enzymes, bleaching agents, brighteners, heavy metal chelating agents, fabric softener actives, soil suspending agents, soil release agents, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       102 . The method of  claim 87  wherein said zeta potential modifier used in step (c) is a cationic material.  
   
   
       103 . The method of  claim 102  wherein the cationic material is a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of mono and di-methyl fatty amines, alkyl trimethyl ammonium salts, dialkyl dimethyl ammonium salts, alkyl amine acetates, trialkylammonium acetates, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, dialkylmethylbenzyl ammonium salts, alkylpyridinium halide and alkyl (alkyl substituted) pyridinium salts, alkylthiomethylpyridinium salts, alkylamidomethylpyridinium salts, alkylquinolinium salts, alkylisoquinolinium salts, N,N-alkylmethylpyrollidinium salts, 1,1-dialkylpiperidinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium-1-oxide salts, methyl bis(alkyl ethyl)-2-alkyl imidazolinium methyl sulfate (and other salts), methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (and other salts), alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates (and other salts), trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.  
   
   
       104 . The method of  claim 102  wherein the cationic material is selected from the group consisting of cationically modified materials including cationically modified organic polymers, biopolymers, clays, silicas, nanoparticles, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       105 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the second composition has a zeta potential of less than about +150 millivolts.  
   
   
       106 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the second composition has a zeta potential of less than about +100 millivolts.