Freshening compositions comprising malodor binding polymers and malodor counteractants

Abstract

Freshening compositions comprising a malodor binding polymer, a malodor counteractant comprising at least one aliphatic aldehyde, and an aqueous carrier, wherein the composition is essentially free of any material that would soil or stain fabric; and methods thereof are provided. In some embodiments, the malodor binding polymer comprises a homopolymeric polyethylenimine having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 2,000,000. Such freshening compositions may be used to reduce malodor and/or microbes on inanimate surfaces or in the air.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A freshening composition for reducing malodor comprising:
 an effective amount of a malodor binding polymer;   a malodor counteractant comprising at least one aliphatic aldehyde;   an aqueous carrier;   wherein said composition is essentially free of any material that would soil or stain fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said malodor binding polymer is a polyamine having a molecular weight of at least 150 Daltons and 15% to 80% primary amino groups 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said malodor binding polymer is a homopolymeric polyethyleneimine having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 2,000,000 Daltons. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said malodor binding polymer is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of said composition. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein said homopolymeric polyethyleneimine is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 0.07% by weight of said composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said malodor binding polymer is a homopolymeric polyethyleneimine having a molecular weight of about 25,000 Daltons. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said at least one aliphatic aldehyde is present in the amount of about 0.001% to about 5% by total weight of said composition. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said at least one aliphatic aldehyde is present in the amount of about 0.001% to about 1% by total weight of said composition. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein said at least one aliphatic aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of bourgeonal, citral, citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde, cymal, decyl aldehyde, helional, hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, lauric aldehyde, ligustral, lyral, melonal, methyl dihydro jasmonate, methyl nonyl acetaldehyde, methyl phenyl carbinyl acetate, nonyl aldehyde, 2′ 6-nonadien-1-al, octyl aldehyde, oxane, P.T. bucinal, polysantol, rhubafuran, tripal, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition further comprises a buffering agent selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid, dicarboxcylic acid, N-(2-Acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition further comprises maleic acid. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition comprises a pH of about 3 to about 8. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition comprises a pH of about 5 to 8. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition is free of anionic surfactants. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition comprises no more than 3% surfactant by weight of said composition. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition comprises no more than 1% surfactant by weight of said composition. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said aqueous carrier is present in an amount of 90% to about 99.5%. 
     
     
         18 . An aqueous freshening composition for reducing malodor comprising:
 a homopolymeric polyethyleneimine having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 2,000,000;   at least one aliphatic aldehyde;   a glycol;   a dicarboxylic acid to provide a pH of about 3 to about 8;   about 90% to about 99.5% of an aqueous carrier;   wherein said composition is essentially free of any material that would soil or stain fabric.   
     
     
         19 . A method of reducing malodor comprising the steps of:
 a. providing the freshening composition of  claim 1 ;   b. dispersing an effective amount of said freshening composition on an inanimate surface or in the air.