GB2404664A - Low wax aqueous silicone polishes and their uses - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an aqueous polish composition comprising a solvent, at least 0.75% w/w of a silicone and not more than 0.3% w/w of a wax. The invention further provides an aqueous polish composition comprising a silicone or wax, and less than 20% w/w of a volatile organic compound (VOC).

Description

2404664

POLISHES AND THEIR USES

The present invention relates to polishes. In particular the present invention relates to furniture polishes.

5

Many items of furniture, especially wood products, are popular and are present in the majority of households. Because of the nature and expense of furniture, and in particular wood furniture, furniture polishes are widely 10 used to clean and polish the furniture to protect it and prolong the life of the article.

Preferable qualities of furniture polishes are that they should give a desired gloss or matt finish to the surface 15 on which they are applied, that this should not give smear marks which are detrimental to the appearance of furniture and that they should remove dust and dirt from the surface without scratching or otherwise damaging the surface of the furniture. In addition, the polishes should be easy 20 to use and not require excessive effort to polish the surface to give the desired shine.

Many polishes include relatively large quantities of waxes, such as beeswax and paraffin wax, which impart a 25 shine to the surface of the furniture, but have the disadvantage that large quantities of said waxes may lead to increased smearing on the surface of the article, and also make polish difficult to use.

30 A need exists for a polish, especially for articles of furniture, and especially for wood surfaces which polish provides excellent glossing and shine properties while at the same time providing a low level of smearing and ease

of use properties. It would be advantageous to provide a polish which utilises limited or no wax, but effects good gloss and cleaning properties on a surface to be cleaned.

5 It has surprisingly been found that utilisation of one or more silicones in the absence of wax, or with low concentrations of wax, provides effective polish properties with minimised smearing and excellent cleaning and protection of surfaces polished.

10

It would be further advantageous to provide an effective polish comprising relatively low quantities of volatile organic compounds, such as solvents, but which retain excellent cleaning and protecting characteristics.

15

It is therefore an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to overcome at least one problem of the prior art, whether expressly disclosed herein or not.

20 According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an aqueous polish composition comprising an organic solvent, at least 0.75% w/w of a silicone and not more than 0.3% w/w of a wax.

25 Percentage values quoted above denote the total complement of such components which are present; there may be more than one.

The silicone may be a single type of silicone or it may be

30 a mixture of two or more silicones. Preferably the total silicone content is a mixture of different silicones, for example a blend of silicones having viscosities from 350

V

to 30,000 centistokes (CST), for example silicone 350, silicone 10,000 and silicone 30,000.

The silicone or silicones is/are preferably present in an 5 amount of at least 1% w/w, more preferably at least 2% w/w and most preferably at least 3% w/w, of the total weight of the composition.

Suitably the, or at least one, silicone is a 10 polydimethylsiloxane.

The, or at least one, silicone may comprise a cyclic silicone, such as dimethicone, for example.

15 The, or at least one, silicone may comprise a siloxane polymer of the formula

20

30

I

A

Q

|

A |

Si-O—

M

1

A

(I)

wherein each group A independently represents an alkyl group having up to 6 carbon atoms, M represents an alkyl group having up to 6 carbon atoms and Q represents an 25 alkyl group, wherein a proportion of the groups Q have more than 20 carbon atoms and the remainder have up to 6 carbon atoms, and wherein "x" is an integer selected to give a molecular weight of the polymer III in the range 3,000-30,000.

Preferably the longer chain groups Q have 21-40 carbon atoms, more preferably 21-36 carbon atoms, and most preferably 24-32 carbon atoms.

Preferably a group A is a methyl group.

Preferably a group M is a methyl group.

5

Preferably the shorter chain alkyl groups Q are methyl groups.

Preferably all groups A, M and Q are methyl groups, other 10 than the longer chain alkyl groups Q.

Preferably the molecular weight of the compound I is in the range 5,000-20,000, especially 6,000-12,000.

15 In one embodiment of the invention the compound of formula III is in accordance with the following definition:

CH~ I 3 H,C-Si-0-3 I CH-

CH, I 3 -Si-O-I

CH,

Q'

CH,

W

CH,

x Si"CH3

CH,

(MA)

where Q' is a longer chain alkyl group as defined above, w 20 is 5-95 mol% and x is 95-5 mol%. Preferably w is 50-95 mol %, especially 70-91 mol %. Preferably x is 5-50 mol %, especially 9-30 mol %.

In preferred embodiments the polish composition comprises 25 two or more silicones, and more preferably comprises both a polydimethylsiloxane and a cyclic silicone.

30

It has been surprisingly found that a blend of two or more silicones, with limited or no wax, enables the aqueous polish compositions to effect good glossing and cleaning

properties whilst avoiding excessive smearing of treated surfaces. It has also been surprisingly found that the use of silicones with low or no wax in aqueous polish compositions allow said compositions to be manufactured 5 comprising relatively low levels of volatile solvents and other volatile compounds, and as such non-volatile solvents may replace volatile solvents without detrimental effect to the efficacy of the compositions.

10 In particularly preferable embodiments the polish composition comprises three or more different silicones, and most preferably comprises at least one cyclic silicone and at least one polydimethylsiloxane, in addition to at least one further silicone.

15

Preferably the wax is present in an amount no more than 0.1% w/w, more preferably no more than 0.05% w/w, and most preferably no more than 0.01% w/w by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

20

In particularly preferred compositions the aqueous polish composition is wax free.

Suitable waxes include hydrocarbon waxes and esters of 25 fatty acids and alcohols.

Particularly preferred as a wax in the invention is paraffin wax, a microcrystalline wax or beeswax.

30 Paraffin waxes generally have a macrocrystallline structure and consist largely of n-alkanes of formula

C20H42 and upwards, with some iso- and cycloalkanes, and some aromatics.

Beeswax is usually a mixture of myricyl palmitate, cerotic acid and esters, and some paraffins.

5 Suitably the aqueous composition is an aqueous composition that includes water in an amount of at least 55%, preferably at least 60%, and more preferably at least 65%, by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

10 Preferably the organic solvent is present in an amount of at least 0.5%, more preferably at least 2%, most preferably at least 5% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

15 Preferably the organic solvent is present in an amount of no more than 40%, more preferably no more than 30%, most preferably no more than 25% by weight of the total weight of the polish composition.

20 The organic solvent may comprise an aliphatic alcohol or hydrocarbon, preferably alkane, solvent, whether unbranched or branched, but it is preferably unbranched.

The organic solvent is preferably an aliphatic alcohol or

25 a hydrocarbon solvent.

Suitable hydrocarbon solvents include petroleum distillates, alkanes, including paraffinic solvents, and isoparaffinic solvents. Alkane solvents are preferred.

30

It has been found that hydrocarbon solvents, particularly alkanes, are particularly effective in polish compositions comprising silicone and no or low wax.

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises two or more organic solvents, more preferably two or more hydrocarbon solvents, and most preferably two or more 5 alkane solvents. Suitably at least one organic solvent is a non-volatile organic solvent. Preferably at least one solvent is a volatile solvent and at least one solvent is a non-volatile solvent.

10 By "non-volatile solvent" or "non-volatile organic compound" described herein we generally include solvents and compounds classified by the California Air Resources Board, California, USA, as solvents or compounds having a vapour pressure of less than 0.1mm Hg at 20°C, or 15 compounds with 12 or more carbon atoms where the vapour pressure is unknown; or is not classified as a volatile compound by the California Air Resource Board, California, USA. Conversely a "volatile solvent" or "volatile organic compound" may be defined as a solvent or compound having a 20 vapour pressure of more than 0.1mm Hg at 20°C. By "volatile organic compound" or "volatile solvent" we also mean a compound which readily evaporates from the composition at ambient temperature and pressure, especially below 25°C, and includes, for example, lower 25 chain (Ci-Cn) alcohols and alkanes. Hereinafter "volatile organic compound" may be referred to as "VOC".

Preferably the non-volatile organic solvent(s) is present in an amount of at least 5% w/w, more preferably at least 30 7% w/w and most preferably at least 9% w/w. Preferably the non-volatile organic solvent(s) is present in an amount of no more than 25% w/w, preferably no more than 20% w/w, and most preferably no more than 15% w/w.

Suitably the volatile organic solvent(s) is present in an amount of at least 2% w/w, more preferably at least 5% w/w. Preferably the volatile solvent(s) is present in an 5 amount of no more than 20% w/w, more preferably no more than 17% w/w.

Preferably at least one organic solvent is a Ci - Cu volatile solvent and at least one solvent is a C12 and 10 above non-volatile solvent, preferably a C12-C40 nonvolatile solvent, more preferably a C12-C30 non-volatile solvent, most preferably a Ci2-C2o non-volatile solvent.

The Ci-Cn solvent and C12 or greater solvent may comprise 15 a mixture of solvents having various amounts of carbon atoms.

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises a greater amount of the non-volatile solvent (s) than the 20 volatile solvent(s).

Particularly preferred as non-volatile solvent(s) are Ci2-C2o alkane solvents.

25 In particularly preferred embodiments of the first aspect of the invention the aqueous polish composition comprises less than 20% w/w of a volatile organic compound, more preferably less than 18% and most preferably less than 17%.

30

The volatile organic compound may be as described and defined hereinabove, and may be, for example, the organic solvent, a propellant, or the like.

!'• «•♦

«

The percentages above comprise the total percentage of all volatile organic compounds present in the composition whether used as solvents, propellants or otherwise.

5

The polish composition may comprise a surfactant.

A surfactant may be present in an amount up to 15% of the polish composition, preferably up to 10%, more preferably 10 up to 5%. A surfactant may be present in an amount of at least 0.1%, preferably at least 0.2%.

A surfactant used in the present invention may be selected from one or more surfactants which may be anionic, 15 cationic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwitteronic surface active agents.

One class of nonionic surfactants which may be used in the present invention are alkoxylated alcohols, particularly 20 alkoxylated fatty alcohols. These include ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty alcohols, as well as ethoxylated and propoxylated alkyl phenols, both having alkyl groups of from 7 to 16, more preferably 8 to 13 carbon chains in length.

25

10

• • • • • • •

Examples of alkoxylated alcohols include certain ethoxylated alcohol compositions presently commercially available from the Shell Company, (Houston, TX) under the general trade name NEODOL (trade mark), which are 5 described as linear alcohol ethoxylates and certain compositions presently commercially available from the Union Carbide Company, (Danbury, CT) under the general trade name TERGITOL (trade mark), which are described as secondary alcohol ethoxylates.

10

Examples of alkoxylated alkyl phenols include certain compositions presently commercially available from the Rhone-Poulenc Company (Cranbury, NJ) under the general trade name IGEPAL (trade mark), which are described as 15 octyl and nonyl phenols.

Preferred surfactants for use in the present invention are surfactants which function as emulsifiers. Especially preferred is sorbitan sesquiolate.

20

Examples of anionic surface active agents which may be used in the present invention include but are not limited to: alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, amine salts, aminoalcohol salts or the magnesium salts of one or more 25 of the following compounds: alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether sulphates, alkylamidoether sulphates, alkylaryl polyether sulphates, monoglyceride sulphates, alkylsulphonates, alkylamide sulphonates, alkylarylsulphonates,

olefinsulphonates, paraffin sulphonates, alkyl

30 sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates, alkylamide sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkyl sulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, acyl sarconsinates, acyl isothionates and N-acyl taurates.

11

• • • • • •

Generally, the alkyl or acyl group in these various compounds comprises a carbon chain containing 12 to 20 carbon atoms.

5 Other anionic surface active agents which may be used include fatty acid salts, including salts of oleic, ricinoleic, palmitic and stearic acids; copra oils or hydrogenated copra oil acid, and acyl lactylates whose acyl group contains 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

10

Amphoteric surfactants which may be used in the present invention including amphoteric betaine surfactant compounds having the following general formula:

15 (+) (-)

R-N(Ri)2-R2COO

wherein R is a hydrophobic group which is an alkyl group containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 20 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl or arylalkyl group containing a similar number of carbon atoms with a benzene ring being treated as equivalent to about 2 carbon atoms, and similar structures interrupted by amido or either linkages; each R]_ is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 3

25 carbon atoms; and R2 is an alkylene group containing from

1 to 6 carbon atoms.

One or more such betaine compounds may be included in the compositions of the invention.

30

A mixture of two or more surface active agents may also be used. Other known surface active agents not particularly

12

described above may also be used. Such surface active agents are described in McCutcheon's Detergents and Emulsifiers, North American Edition, 1982; Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopaedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd Ed., Vol. 22, pp 5 346-387.

Preferred surfactants for use in this invention are anionic surfactants and/or non-ionic surfactants, especially non-ionic surfactants, particularly those 10 having emulsification properties.

The polish compositions of the invention may optionally include one or more conventional additives known to be useful in polish compositions, including viscosity 15 modification agents, fragrances (natural or synthetically produced), foaming agents, water softening agents, corrosion inhibitors (such as sodium benzonate, for example), preservatives (such as isothiazolinones, Proxel GXL or Mergal K7, for example) and colouring agents. Such 20 optional constituents should be selected so to have little or no detrimental effect upon the polishing efficacy of the compositions, and possibly a beneficial effect. Generally the total weight of such additives may comprise up to 40% by weight of the composition, but preferably 25 less, for example up to 20%, more preferably up to 10%, and most preferably up to 5%.

The polish composition is preferably a liquid or an emulsion. Preferably it is an emulsion.

30

In a preferred formulation according to the present invention, the aqueous polish composition is designed to be spray dispensed from a container. This may be a trigger

spray or an aerosol can. For aerosol dispensing the polish composition may therefore additionally include from 3-50% w/w of a propellant, preferably 5-10% w/w, the propellant preferably being a volatile organic compound 5 having a suitable vapour pressure, for example, propane, butane, and isobutane. It will be appreciated, however, that any typical aerosol propellants, such as halogenated hydrocarbons, dimethyl ethers and compressed gases, for example CO2, N2 and LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) may be 10 used. It will be appreciated that one compound may function as the solvent and as the propellant. In such cases the definitions given above for the amount of a propellant which should be present are applicable.

15 According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an aqueous polish composition comprising a silicone or wax, and wherein the composition comprises less than 20% w/w of a volatile organic compound (VOC).

20 Percentage values quoted above denote the total complement of such components which are present; there may be more than one.

The volatile organic compound or compounds may be as 25 described and defined hereinabove, and may comprise an organic solvent or solvents, and/or a propellant, for example.

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises at 30 least 0.75% w/w of a silicone or wax, more preferably at least 1% w/w, and most preferably at least 2% w/w.

14

The silicone may be a single type of silicone or it may be a mixture of two or more silicones. Preferably the total silicone content is a mixture of different silicones, for example a blend of silicones having viscosities from 350 5 to 30,000 centistokes (CST), for example silicone 350, silicone 10,000 and silicone 30,000.

The silicone is preferably present in an amount of at least 2% w/w, more preferably at least 3% w/w and most 10 preferably at least 4% w/w, of the total weight of the composition.

Suitably the, or at least one, silicone is a polydimethylsiloxane.

15

The, or at least one, silicone may comprise a cyclic silicone, such as dimethicone, for example.

In preferred embodiments the polish composition comprises 20 both a polydimethylsiloxane and a cyclic silicone.

In particularly preferably embodiments the polish composition comprises three or more different silicones, and most preferably comprises at least one cyclic silicone 25 and at least one polydimethylsiloxane, in addition to at least one further silicone.

The silicone may be as described for the first aspect of the invention.

30

The composition may comprise a silicone, a wax or both silicone and wax.

15

The wax may be as described for the first aspect of the invention, when present.

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises less 5 than 19% w/w of a volatile organic compound, more preferably less than 18% w/w, and still more preferably less than 17% w/w, most preferably less than 15% w/w, and especially less than 13% w/w. In especially preferred embodiments the composition may comprise less than 10% w/w 10 of a volatile organic compound.

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises an organic solvent.

15 In preferred embodiments the aqueous polish composition comprises a propellant as well as the organic solvent.

Preferably the organic solvent is present in an amount of at least 0.5%, more preferably at least 2%, most 20 preferably at least 5% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

Preferably the organic solvent is present in an amount of up to 30%, more preferably up to 25%, most preferably up 25 to 20% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

The organic solvent is preferably a hydrocarbon solvent or an aliphatic alcohol. Suitable hydrocarbon solvent 30 include alkanes, including paraffinic solvents and isoparaffinic solvents, for example.

16

Preferably the aqueous polish composition comprises two or more organic solvents, more preferably two or more hydrocarbon solvents. Suitably at least one organic solvent is a non-volatile organic solvent.

5

Preferably the composition comprises at least one nonvolatile organic solvent and at least one volatile organic solvent.

10 The volatile and non-volatile organic solvent(s) may be as described for the first aspect of the invention.

Suitably the aqueous composition comprises water in an amount of at least 55%, preferably at least 60% and more 15 preferably at least 65% by weight of the total weight of the composition.

The aqueous polish composition of the second aspect of the invention may comprise a surfactant, which may be as 20 described for the first aspect of the invention. The composition of the second aspect may comprise additional additives such as preservatives, anti-foaming agents, fragrance, colour, anti-corrosives etc, which may be as described for the first aspect of the invention.

25

In preferred embodiments the polish composition is designed to be spray dispersed from a container. This may be a trigger spray or any aerosol can. For aerosol dispersing the polish composition may therefore 30 additionally include a propellant. The propellant is preferably a VOC having a suitable vapour pressure, for example, propane, butane, and isobutane. Obviously the aqueous polish composition of the second aspect of the

« « I

17

invention comprises a VOC of less than 20% w/w of the total weight of the composition, and therefore the amount of VOC propellant will be such that the total concentration of VOC including propellant and solvent is 5 kept less than 20% w/w. Typically the amount of propellant in the polish composition may be from 1% to 10% w/w, preferably from 4% to 9% w/w and more preferably from 5% to 8% w/w.

10 According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing package comprising a polish composition of the first or second aspect, the dispensing package having a spray nozzle. Preferably the package is non-pressurised and has a trigger spray to emit the 15 polish. Most preferably, however, the package is pressurised and includes a propellant.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of polishing a surface, the 20 method comprising the step of treating the surface with a polish composition according to the first or second aspect of the present invention or using a dispensing package of the third aspect of the present invention. The surface may be a metal, plastics, wooden or glass surface, for 25 example. The surface is suitably a porous surface, especially a wooden surface.

In this specification, unless otherwise stated, percentages refer to the weight of a component, on total 30 weight of the polish (including a solvent and, if present, a separate propellant).

18

« C • •

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a polishing wipe comprising a sheet material impregnated with an aqueous polishing composition of the first or second aspect of the invention.

5

The sheet material may be any sheet material capable of carrying and delivering the aqueous polish composition, and may be porous, absorbent and/or fibrous in structure.

10 Preferably the sheet material is a fibrous sheet material.

The sheet material could in principle be woven, but is preferably non-woven. For example, the sheet material may include non-woven sheet materials such as melt blown, 15 coform, air-laid, bonded-carded web materials, hydro-entangled materials and combinations thereof.

Preferably, the sheet material is a non-woven fibrous sheet material comprising synthetic and/or natural fibres. 20 Most preferably, the non-woven fibrous sheet material comprises viscose and/or rayon fibres.

Typically, the sheet material (dry) has a weight of at least 20 grams per square metre (gm~2) , preferably at 25 least 30gm~2, and most preferably at least 40gm~2.

Typically the sheet material (dry) has a weight of up to 80gm"2, more preferably up to 70gm"2, and most preferably up to 60gm"2.

30

A particularly preferred sheet material has a weight of approximately 50gm"2.

1 n •• •••••

ly •••••• •

Preferably, the wipe has a size in the range 10 to 40cm by 10 to 40cm, more preferably in the range 15 to 35cm x 15 to 35cm.

5 Preferably the loading of the liquid composition on the wipe is at least 30gm"2, and most preferably at least 50gm"2.

Preferably the loading of the liquid composition on the 10 wipe is up to 150gm~2, and most preferably up to lOOgm"2.

Preferably, each individual wipe is loaded with at least 3.5g of the composition.

15 Preferably, each individual wipe is loaded with up to 5.5g of the composition.

Most preferably each wipe is loaded with approximately 5g of the composition. Advantageously, it has been found that 20 this level of loading provides a wipe of size and grammage outlined above with sufficient moisture so that it does not dry out but which is not too wet to cause smearing in use.

25 In a particularly preferred embodiment each individual wipe has a size of approximately 20 x 30cm using a sheet material having a weight (dry) of 50gm~2, and is loaded with about 5g of the composition.

30 According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a packaged product comprising a substantially airtight container having a resealable opening and containing a wipe of the fifth aspect.

20

• • t •

• • • • • •

• • • ♦ •

The container could be a tub or a soft-pack in the form of a pouch (hereinafter a "wrap"). Preferably, the container includes a plurality of wipes which are arranged in a 5 generally folded configuration in a stack so that each wipe can be removed from the container one at a time. Such folded configurations well known to those skilled in the art and include C-folded, ^Z-folded, quarter-folded configurations and the like. Each wipe may be interfolded

10 with the wipe immediately above and below in the stack of wipes so that the action of withdrawing one wipe raises a part of the wipe underneath it, to assist its removal. Alternatively the wipes may rest on each other in a stack without being interleaved.

15

Alternatively, wipes could be wound as a roll and separated by perforated tear zones and the container could be a tub having an opening through which wipes are pulled.

20 According to a further aspect, the present invention provides the use of the wipe as defined hereinbefore for cleaning a surface, for example of furniture. Preferably, the wipe is used to clean surfaces of glass, wood, plastics, metal and the like.

25

According to a still further aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a wipe as defined hereinbefore, the method comprising the steps of providing a sheet material as defined hereinbefore and as part of

30 the manufacture of the wipe moistening the sheet material with an aqueous composition as defined hereinbefore.

Preferably, in the manufacturing method, a supply roll of sheet material is unwound to provide a continuously moving web of material. The web of material is saturated or otherwise impregnated with the liquid cleaning composition 5 by any suitable means such as spraying, dipping, or the like as are well known to those skilled in the art. In a particular aspect, the web of material is passed over several perforated tubes which feed the solution into the material.

10

In another embodiment a roll or stack of wipes is put in the container dry, and the liquid cleaning composition is injected into the container, to impregnate the wipes.

15 In one embodiment the web of material is slit in the machine direction into multiple ribbons, each of which may be folded into the type of fold desired for the individual wipe. The web of material is slit using a cutter, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

20

In a related method a wide roll of material is cut into a number of shorter rolls. A plurality of such shorter rolls are unwound at the same time. If wished the longitudinal edges of the unrolling webs (the edges

25 parallel to the direction of unrolling) are folded over against the central region of the webs. The unrolling webs are brought together in face-to-face manner and then cut at intervals, to form stacks ready to be packaged. In principle impregnation could be at any stage but in a

30 preferred embodiment it is the individual unrolling webs which are impregnated, for example by spraying or dipping.

J

22

• • •

A resulting stack of wipes may be placed in a container, such as a plastics wrap or a tub, to provide a package of wipes. The container provides a substantially hermetically sealed environment for the wipes to minimise the escape of 5 the liquid composition, by evaporation or otherwise.

According to skill a further aspect of the invention there is provided a polish composition comprising:

10

(a)

55-65% w/w of water

(b)

0.1-1% w/w of a preservative

(c)

0.1-15% w/w of a surfactant

(d)

0.75-30% w/w of a silicone

(e)

0-0.3% w/w of a wax

15

(f)

0.5-40% w/w of an organic solvent

(g)

0-15% w/w of additional components

Preferably the polish composition comprises:

20 (a) 55-65% w/w of water

(b) 0.2-0.8% w/w of a preservative

(c) 0.1-5% w/w of a surfactant

(d) 1-20% w/w of a silicone

(e) 0-0.05% w/w of a wax

25 (f) 5-20% w/w of an organic solvent

(h) 0-10% w/w of additional components

Preferably the composition further comprises 0-20% w/w of a propellant, more preferably 5-10& w/w.

The invention will now be described with reference to the following examples, Example A, and Example B.

Examples

Aqueous furniture polishes were produced according to the first and second aspect of the invention, designated Formulation A to D, as defined below.

Formulation A

Ingredient

Concentration % w/w

Deionised Water

69.17

Sodium Benzoate (preservative) supplied by Ellis Everard, UK

0.46

Sorbitan Sesquiolate (surfactant) supplied by Uniquema, UK

0.74

White Mineral Oil supplied by Penreco, US

0.09

Dimethyl Gum (Cyclomethicone - Dow Corning (R) 1401 Fluid, CAS number 31692-79-2)

0.29

50 est Silicone Fluid (Dow Corning (R) 200 Fluid, (est))

1.25

Silicone Fluid Blend (Dow Corning (R) 1341 Fluid (a mixture of silicones having visocities from 50 est to 30000 est)

2.91

Fragrance - Prolemon 438483B supplied by Firmenich, UK

0.46

Organic Non-volatile Solvent (Exxsol DUO hydrocarbon fluid) supplied by Exxon Mobil

9.20

Volatile Organic Solvent (Exxsol D3135 Naphtha hydrocarbon fluid) supplied by Exxon Mobil

7.43

Propellant - butane

8.00

24

Formulation A employs a blend of at least three silicones, dimethyl gum, and 50st Silicone and Silicone Fluid Blend, and is wax free.

5 Formulation A, comprising a propellant was located in a pressurised container, for aerosol dispersion.

Formulation B

10 Formulation B comprised all of the ingredients of Formulation A except for the propellant. Formulation B is therefore suitable as an aqueous polish composition to be impregnated into a wipe, rather than dispensed from a pressurised container.

15

Formulation C

A second aqueous polish composition of the first and second aspects of the invention was prepared according to 20 the ingredients given in Table 2 below.

Formulation C

Ingredient

Concentration % w/w

Deionised Water

69.17

Sodium Benzoate

0.46

Sorbitan Sesquiolate

0.74

White Mineral Oil

0.09

Silicone 30000 (Dow Corning (R) 200 Fluid, 30000 est) supplied by Dow Corning

0.29

Silicone 10000 (Dow Corning (R) 200 Fluid, 10000 est) supplied by Dow Corning

1.25

Dimethicone 350 est (Dow Corning (R) 350 Fluid, 350 est) supplied by Dow Corning

2.91

Fragrance - Prolemon 438483B

0.46

Organic Non-volatile Solvent (Exxsol DUO C14-C19 Fluid)

9.20

Volatile Organic Solvent (Exxsol D3135 Naphtha C6-C8 Fluid)

7.43

Propellant - butane

8.00

Formulation D

Formulation D was prepared using the same ingredients as Formulation C, but without the propellant. Formulation D is therefore suitable for impregnating into a wipe.

Example A Smearing Test

5 A wipe was folded around a rubbing block. 0.5g of Formulation B or D were then impregnated onto the top edge of the wipe. The wipe on the rubbing block was then wiped down the centre of a wooden tile measuring 30cm x 30cm. A clean duster was then wrapped around the rubbing block and 10 the portion of the wooden board to which the polish had been applied was buffed by rubbing up and down five times with a cloth. A panel of at least ten people was then asked to assess the degree of smearing. The results indicated that the level of smearing on the wooden block 15 was very low, and aesthetically acceptable to the panel.

Example B

The smearing tests were repeated as above for Example A, 20 but using the Formulations A and C which were contained in a pressurised aerosol can. In these cases, 0.5g of Formulations A and C were sprayed onto the respective wooden surfaces, and wiped with clean wipes in the same manner as described above. It was found that the aqueous 25 polish compositions of Formulations A and C had excellent non-smearing properties and combined good glossing properties.

These results show that the aqueous polish formulations of 30 the first and second aspects of the invention give good resistance the problem of excessive smearing, whilst retaining good glossing and cleaning properties. The use of polish compositions comprising one or more silicones

and no or low wax levels enables the polish compositions to be manufactured with lower quantities of organic solvents and volatile organic compounds, whilst remaining effective at glossing, cleaning and avoiding smearing.

Claims (1)

1. An aqueous polish composition comprising an organic solvent, at least 0.75% w/w of a silicone and not more than 0.3% w/w of a wax.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 1, comprising a plurality of silicones.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the silicone or silicones are present in an amount of at least 4% w/w, of the total weight of the composition.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a silicone is a polydimethylsiloxane.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the composition comprises three or more different silicones.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the composition is wax free.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in any preceding claim comprising two or more organic solvents.

   An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 7, wherein at least one organic solvent is a non-volatile organic solvent.

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   9. An aqueous polish composition comprising a silicone or wax, and less than 20% w/w of a volatile organic compound (VOC).

   5

   10. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 9, comprising at least 1% w/w of a silicone or wax.

   11. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 9 or

   10 10, wherein the polish composition comprises less than

   18% w/w of a volatile organic compound.

   12. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in any one of Claims 9 to 11, further comprising an organic solvent.

   15

   13. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 11, comprising two or more organic solvents, at least one organic solvent being a non-volatile organic solvent.

   20 14. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, wherein at least one organic solvent is a Ci-Cn volatile solvent and at least one solvent is a C12 or greater non-volatile solvent.

   25 15. An aqueous polish composition as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the volatile Ci-Cn organic solvent is present in an amount of no more than 10% w/w of the total weight of the composition.

   30 16. A dispensing package comprising a polish composition of any one of Claims 1 to 15, the dispensing package having a spray nozzle.

   30

   t « •

   111 Ml

   17. A method of polishing a surface, the method comprising the step of treating the surface with a polish composition according to any one of Claims 1 to 15 or using a dispensing package of Claim 16.

   5

   18. A polishing wipe comprising a sheet material impregnated with an aqueous polish composition of any one of Claims 1 to 15.

   10 19. A packaged product comprising a substantially airtight container having a resealable opening and containing a wipe of Claim 18.

   20. An aqueous polish composition substantially as 15 described herein.

   21. A wipe substantially as described herein.

   22. A packaged product substantially as described herein.

   20