MXPA01008856A - Method for cleaning and refreshing fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for treating a fabric article with the following steps:placing the fabric article in a container having an opening and at least one wall that defines an interior void space. Then the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the interior void space of the container are raised to a predetermined first temperature and a predetermined first relative humidity for a predetermined first period of time. Finally, at least one of the temperature or the relative humidity of the air within the interior void space of the container are changed at the end of the first period of time to a predetermined second temperature and a predetermined second relative humidity for a predetermined second period of time.

Description

METHOD TO CLEAN AND REFRESH FABRICS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to methods useful for cleaning and refreshing fabrics in a non-immersion cleaning process. The temperature and relative humidity are controlled in the multi-step process of this invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Certain delicate fabrics are not suitable for conventional domestic cleaning procedures by immersion. Household washing machines, which provide excellent cleaning results for most fabrics that are used in today's society, can, under certain conditions, shrink or otherwise damage silk, linen, wool and other delicate fabrics. Consumers typically have their delicate "dry cleaned" cloth items. Unfortunately, dry cleaning usually involves immersion of the fabric in various hydrocarbon and halocarbon solvents that require special handling and the solvent must be recovered, rendering the procedure unsuitable for domestic use. Therefore, dry cleaning has traditionally been limited to commercial establishments making it less convenient and more expensive than domestic washing procedures. Attempts have been made to provide domestic dry cleaning systems that combine immersion laundry procedures to clean and freshen fabrics in the home with the fabric care benefits of dry cleaning procedures. One such household system for cleaning and cooling garments comprises a substrate sheet containing various liquid or gel cleaning agents and a plastic bag. The garments are placed in the bag together with the sheet, and then they are rotated in a conventional clothes dryer. In a current commercial mode, multiple single-use flat sheets comprising a cleaning / refreshing agent and a single multi-use plastic bag are provided in a package. Unfortunately, those prior art methods often involve only one step in relation to temperature and relative humidity. That is, the rotary dryer is programmed at a particular temperature and time. The moisture in the bag was a function of the moisture loaded in the bag and the temperature selection. But once the time and temperature are selected, the one-step procedure is established. Moreover, when a conventional rotary dryer is used, the consumer is often limited to the temperature conditions pre-set by the manufacturer, which are set to dry fabrics, not to clean and refresh them. Frequently, those conditions of the manufacturer are less than optimal with respect to one or more de-oiling, deodorizing, and optionally depositing perfume. Moreover, said domestic processes are designed to be used in a conventional clothes dryer, or similar apparatus. Such devices are not always readily available, they are often inexpensive, and in many countries clothes dryers are simply unnecessary. For example, in many hot tropical regions, people typically do not have clothes dryers because their clothes can be dried all year round by hanging them outside in the sun. In areas of the world where people typically do not have clothes dryers, products that require a heating appliance, such as a clothes dryer, are of little or no value. Vaporizer cabinets have also been used in the art to treat cloth articles with large doses of vapor. Unfortunately, those high temperature, high relative humidity procedures can have negative effects on cloth articles. In addition to the rough effect on fabrics, a drying step is often required which further increases the load on the fabrics. The drying step also requires additional time and energy, and often results in undesirable shrinkage. And finally, dryer cabinets are typically very wasteful with respect to steam because it is only water. Accordingly, there is a need to develop a non-immersion, domestic cleaning and refreshing process and cleaning and refreshing compositions for use therein, which provide acceptable cleaning without the need for a rotary dryer. It has now surprisingly been found that by regulating the temperature and relative humidity inside a container during a non-immersion, domestic cleaning process, and only dry cleaning, the fabrics are cleaned, de-rusted and cooled. The present invention provides such methods for cleaning and cooling fabrics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for treating at least one article of fabric comprising the steps of: a) placing the fabric articles in a container having an opening and at least one wall defining an interior void; b) raising the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the interior vacuum space of the container to a first predetermined temperature and a first predetermined relative humidity for a first predetermined period of time; and c) changing at least one of the temperature or relative humidity of the air within the empty space inside the container at the end of the first time period to a second predetermined temperature and a second predetermined relative humidity for a second predetermined period of time.

In a preferred aspect of the invention, the fabrics are contacted with an aqueous composition before being placed in a container according to step a) defined above. In another preferred aspect of the invention, steam is used to raise the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the interior vacuum of the container, and more preferably the opening remains open all the time. In another preferred aspect of the invention, the steam that is introduced into the interior empty space of the container comprises water and a perfume. In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for treating a cloth article comprising the steps of: a) placing the cloth article in a container having an opening and at least one wall defining an interior void; b) introducing ozone into the empty space inside the container during a first predetermined period of time; and c) changing at least one of the temperature or relative humidity of the air within the empty space inside the container at the end of the first time period to a second predetermined temperature and a second predetermined relative humidity for a second predetermined period of time. Ozone can be generated by an ozone source, such as an ultraviolet lamp, or even a high-voltage source, within the empty space inside the container. Preferably, the level of ozone that is provided within the container is between 0.5 and 200ppm, preferably between 0.5 and 50ppm, more preferably between 0.5 and 20ppm. Lower levels of 0.5 ppm are not preferred because they would not provide sufficient bleaching performance and consequently do not provide sufficient yield of the benefit chained to the bleaching property. The present invention provides benefits over the prior art by defining the optimum process steps for cleaning and refreshing delicate fabric articles in a non-immersion, domestic cleaning process. The methods of the invention can be carried out in any suitable container, such as a plastic bag, a cabinet, a cabinet or a rotary dryer. Unlike many previous methods, the methods of this invention involve at least two distinct steps, and preferably three steps. It has been surprisingly discovered that the optimal conditions for deodorizing a fabric differ from the conditions that are best to de-rust. Similarly, the deposition of perfume on the fabric requires a third group of conditions for optimum performance. In the multi-step process of this invention, the temperature, relative humidity or both, can be manipulated and controlled. Alternatively, one step of the process may involve the introduction of ozone into the container to neutralize the chemicals that cause odors on the items being cleaned and refreshed. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for delivering an active ingredient, for example, perfume, to the fabrics being treated. Simultaneously, the methods of the present minimize the amount of steam supplied so that the assets are not wasted. And finally, the methods of the present are designed to supply only enough steam to achieve the fabric treatment process, without the need for additional mechanical drying.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides methods for cleaning and refreshing cloth articles in a non-domestic immersion process. The methods require at least two steps, and preferably three. The methods can be carried out in a suitable apparatus in which the temperature and relative humidity can be manipulated and controlled. In another aspect of this invention, one of the steps of the method includes introducing ozone into the container to neutralize odor-causing chemicals on the fabric articles being cleaned and refreshed. A warm, moist environment inside the container volatilizes the malodor components in the manner of a "steam distillation" process, and moistens the fabrics and dirt on them. This wetting of the fabrics can loosen pre-established wrinkles, and because the fabrics are hung in the container, no new wrinkles are formed. The proper selection of the amount of steam, and specifically the amount of water that is used in the process, and, more importantly, adequate ventilation of the container in the present manner can minimize the shrinkage of the fabrics. Moreover, if the container is not ventilated, volatile odor materials removed from the fabrics, which are not captured by the filter if present, may be undesirably deposited on them. Relative humidity is a well-known concept for those skilled in the art of fabric care. As used herein, "relative humidity" means the ratio of the actual amount of water vapor in the air to the largest possible amount at the same temperature. The temperature and relative humidity controllers are well known to those skilled in the art as are the active and passive controllers, as used herein, an "active" controller is a controller that reads a meson and supplies feedback to the device which is controlling and that device is adjusted based on the feedback received. A "passive" controller, as used herein, is a controller that turns a device on or off, or opens or closes a device, based on the predetermined selection as time. For example, a passive temperature controller would ignite a heating element or close an opening to increase the temperature in a given environment and after a certain period of time the heating element is turned off or the opening is opened. In contrast, an active temperature controller reads the temperature and if, for example, the temperature is too low, the energy of the heating element increases or the opening closes to increase the temperature.

Method To clean a fabric article properly, many aspects of the appearance of the article must be considered. Specifically, the fabric article must be at least substantially free of odor and wrinkles after a cleaning and refreshing operation. It is often preferred that the article be perfumed to give a pleasant aroma, and should be free of localized spots. The methods of this invention require at least two steps designed to deodorize, de-oiling and / or depositing perfume on a cloth article. Additionally, a manual procedure for removing specks to remove localized spots is provided, but the speckle removal procedure is carried out outside the apparatus. The conditions for each of these steps of the method are described in more detail below. Although the steps of the method of this invention can be carried out in an appropriate order, the deodorization step will be discussed first. Deodorization should be distinguished from the concealment of odors, which involves applying a pleasing essence to a cloth to conceal, or disguising odors on the fabric. Deodorization, as used herein, involves the actual removal or neutralization of chemicals that cause bad odor. When constituents that cause bad odor are removed or neutralized, the fabric article should have little or no residual odor. This step of the process can be carried out with ozone, which neutralizes odors, or with high temperatures and ventilation, and / or by capture by filter, which eliminates constituents that cause bad odor. The advantages of using ozone as a whitening system is that this component provides a satisfactory total color safety, especially on cellulose fabrics, and reduction of bad odor, stain removal, as well as disinfection of the articles treated with it. The deodorization step is described herein as the first step as a convenience. It is understood that the steps of deodorization and dewrinkling can be carried out in any order. If a perfume deposition step is used, it must necessarily follow the deodorization step, so that the perfume does not detach from the fabric immediately after it is deposited. Accordingly, when the deodorization is the first step, the first temperature should be at least about 45 ° C, preferably at least about 60 ° C, and more preferably at least about 70 ° C, and the first relative humidity should be at less approximately 20%. At these relatively high temperatures, odor-causing chemicals are released from the fabrics, and are then preferably removed from the container by means of the opening. Even more preferably, the opening comprises a filter so that odor odors do not enter the environment outside the container. When the first temperature and the first relative humidity are reached, the procedure time, i.e., the first time, may be from about 2 minutes to about 20 minutes, preferably from about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes, and even more preferably from approximately 8 minutes to approximately 12 minutes. The deodorization step described above can be supplemented, or even repd, by treating the fabric articles with ozone, preferably incorporated at room temperature. The use of ozone to neutralize chemicals that cause bad odors and to disinfect clothes, for example, doctor's gowns, is well known in the art. Consult specifically, published patent applications DE 24 33 909 and FR 2059 841, both incorporated herein by reference. For purposes of the methods described herein, ozone may be introduced into the container from any suitable source, such as an ultraviolet lamp. One or more sources can be used and can be pd in any convenient location on or adjacent to the exterior of the container. The source of ozone should be tailored according to the volume of the container considering the surface area of the cloth items to be cleaned and refreshed. Those skilled in the art will know what type and size of equipment to use for a given container. The second step of the present invention is directed to unroll, which requires relatively high relative humidity and temperature. The good circulation of air is beneficial for the step of de-rilling, but it is not necessary. For the second step, that is, the de-shrinking step, the second temperature must be larger than "T" as defined by the equation: T = 60 - (0.17 * RH2), in which RH2 is the second relative humidity in percentage. RH2 is preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least about 85%, and even more preferably at least about 90%. Preferably, the second temperature is less than about 90 ° C, more preferably less than about 80 ° C., and more preferably less than about 70 ° C. When the second temperature and the second relative humidity are reached, the procedure time, ie, the second time, may be from about 2 minutes to about 20 minutes, preferably from about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes, and even more preferably from approximately 8 minutes to approximately 12 minutes. Finally, there is preferably a third step involving a gradual cooling of the interior void space. As the temperature decreases, the amount of vapor that the air can retain in the air decreases, and when the air becomes saturated the vapors begin to condense. Naturally, the vapors will condense on the cloth articles inside the bag, and as those articles dry, the active ingredients such as perfume remain behind. As briefly discussed above, the steps of the methods of the invention are designed to deliver assets without undue waste and without saturating the fabrics to the point where they need additional drying. Preferably, during the third step in the process the temperature within the inner void space decreases to a third temperature at which the third temperature is less than about 45 ° C, preferably less than about 40 ° C, and more preferably less than about 35 ° C. The third step may last for a third period of time, which may be from about 2 minutes to about 20 minutes, preferably from about 3 minutes to about 10 minutes, and even more preferably from about 3 minutes to about 5 minutes. As discussed in more detail below, the vapor within the container is preferably a cleaning and refreshing composition. The cleaning and refreshing composition can be added to the container directly, by means of a sheet / substrate, in a cartridge or any other means that will be known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, the cleaning and refreshing composition is in a cartridge that is introduced into the interior vacuum of the container and the cleaning and cooling composition is released from the cartridge in the interior vacuum of the container.

Apparatus The methods of this invention can be conducted in any suitable apparatus. Said apparatuses require a container that substantially encloses the articles of cloth to be cleaned and refreshed. By "substantially encloses", it means that the fabric articles are enclosed in the container, but that the container can include, and preferably will include, one or more openings. The container must have an opening for stuffing the fabric articles, and preferably, there is a bar, hook or other device on which the fabric articles are hung. The garments that are hung on the treatment apparatus may have weights or stretch to improve wrinkle reduction. Hanging weights and hanging devices are known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, the garments to be treated are mechanically stretched after placing them in the container before starting the process. This stretching or so-called tensioning of the garment helps to relax wrinkles during the procedure. Preferred stretching systems include clamps with weights as well as compressible or collapsible lightweight stretching systems, in which the system comprises a tensioning device, such as a spring. This last system has the benefit of not adding extra weight to the cleaning and refreshing apparatus, together with the possibility of adjusting the force and direction of tension as necessary. Preferably, these systems are mounted inside the container in its bottom part. An example of such a system is a rotary blind that is conventionally used as a sunscreen for automobiles and commercially available from Halfords. This system is a blind that can be extended or compacted by means of a spring-loaded mechanism. Only slight modifications to this system are needed to adapt it to the tension formation of the garment. A preferred adaptation includes adhering the housing of this system to the bottom of the apparatus and providing one or more clamps on the other side so that the fastening is obtained and therefore the stretching or tensioning of the garment in the apparatus. The tension of the spring can also be adjusted to the desired stretching force for a given garment. The size of the clamp may vary so that one or more clamps adhere to the system. In addition, another variation includes having only one clamp that runs along or partially of the blind tensioning system located opposite the housing of the system. The container preferably has only one wall configured as an egg shell. It has been discovered that the vapor, and subsequently the active ingredients, condense preferentially at the corners and along the sharp edges of a more conventional rectangular shaped cabinet. This does not mean that the methods of this invention can not be conducted in rectangular cabinets; which you can. But while the cabinet has fewer edges and sharp corners, it is more efficient. Accordingly, the cabinets, cabinets, and garment bags are all suitable for use in the present invention. Moreover, a common rotary dryer can be a suitable container, but those apparatuses usually do not have humidity controllers, nor do they have the ability to program a multi-step process with respect to temperature and humidity. Accordingly, with some additional programming and controllers, a conventional rotary dryer could be used for the methods of this invention. In addition to the at least one wall defining an interior void space, the containers of this invention preferably comprise: an aperture and / or a filter; a heating element, which is capable of heating liquids to produce vapors and which can operate dry to heat air; a moisture supplier; and an air circulation device, for example, a fan. More preferably, the container further comprises an active temperature controller capable of changing and maintaining the temperature of the air within the interior empty space of the container; a passive humidity controller capable of changing and maintaining the relative humidity of the air within the interior empty space of the container; and / or a moisture sink as a condenser. Even more preferably, the air circulation device is a fan and the fan inlet is within the interior empty space of the container so that at least a portion of the air within the empty space of the container is recirculated. Preferably, for optimum deodorization, it is preferred to have air velocities around the garment between 0.05 to 10 m / s, more preferably between 0.1 and 5, more preferably between 0.5 and 2 m.s-1. In addition, a filter is preferably provided, at or adjacent to the exterior of the container. The water and the assets, that is to say "the cleaning and refreshing composition" can be added to the container in any suitable form. The composition can be poured into the bag, poured into a reservoir that feeds the heating element / humidifier, canisters can be used to inject the composition, or an absorbent substrate saturated with the composition can be placed in the bag. Substrates and compositions suitable for use in the methods of this invention are described in greater detail below. It is understood that those skilled in the art will know other methods for adding assets to the container and those methods are within the scope of this invention.

Cleaning / refreshing composition. The cleaning / refreshing composition preferably comprises water and optionally a member selected from the group consisting of surfactants, perfumes, preservatives, bleaches, cleaning aids, shrinkage reducing compositions, organic solvents and mixtures thereof. Preferred organic solvents are glycol ethers, specifically methoxy propoxy propanol, ethoxy propoxy propanol, propoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propoxy propanol, butoxy propanol, ethanol, isopropanol and mixtures thereof. Compositions which are suitable for reducing the shrinkage of fabrics which are suitable for use in the present invention are selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, all the isomers of propanediol, butanediol, pentanediol, hexanediol and mixtures thereof. More preferably the compositions for reducing shrinkage of fabrics are selected from the group consisting of neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1-octanol and mixtures thereof. The surfactant is preferably a nonionic surfactant, such as an ethoxylated alcohol or ethoxylated alkylphenol, and is present up to about 2% by weight of the cleaning / refreshing composition. Typical fabric cleaning / freshening compositions herein may comprise at least about 80% by weight of water, preferably at least about 90%, and more preferably at least about 95% of water. The following Examples give specific scales for the individual components of preferred cleaning / freshening compositions for use herein. A more detailed description of the individual components of the cleaning / freshening compositions, ie the organic solvents, surfactants, perfumes, preservatives, bleaches and cleaning aids can be found in the US patent. No. 5,789,368, which was issued on August 4, 1998 to You et al. The full description of the You et al patent is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, cleaning / refreshing compositions are described in the co-pending patent application of E.U.A. No. 08 / 789,171, which was filed on January 24, 1997, in the name of Trinh et al. The full description of the Trinh et al application is incorporated herein by reference. And compositions for reducing shrinkage of fabrics for use in this invention can be found in the provisional co-pending application of E.U.A. No. 60 / 097,596, entitled "Cleaning Compositions that Reduce Fabric Shrinkage" (Cleaning compositions that reduce shrinkage of fabrics), which was presented by Strang and Sikiosi, on August 24, 1998. The complete description of the Strang application. and Sikiosi is incorporated herein by reference.

Pre-treatment composition In one embodiment of this invention, the cleaning / refreshing composition can be used to pre-treat the fabrics before placing them in the container defined in step a) of the present invention. In fact, it has been found that this pretreatment of the fabrics is highly beneficial for the removal of clay such as horse mud as well as creamy or sticky deodorant spots which adhere to localized parts of the cloth articles, for example the part of fabric under the armpit. Furthermore, it has also been found that this pre-treatment step is beneficial to improve the deodorization performance as well as the dewrinkling performance of the apparatus on the treated fabrics. Accordingly, a method for treating the fabrics is provided, in which the fabrics are contacted with a cleaning / refreshing composition as defined herein before placing them in the container defined in step a) . Preferably the contact occurs by spraying the fabrics with a commercially available hand spray bottle under the reference 7292458 for the 1000 ml and 792457 for the 500ml VEL or aerosol spray as the aluminum aerosol cans with polyethylene coating and a resistance pressure of 18 bar as it is commercially available from Boxal, part of Algroup Wheaton. Valves suitable for cans are Seaquist aluminum cup spray valves. Preferably, the filling of the can by propellant is done with nitrogen at 10 bar for the initial pressure filling while the cans are filled with the pre-treatment composition up to 60% of the total volume of the can. The typical description of said spray jet can be found in WO 96/04940 page 19 line 21 to page 22 line 27. Optionally, for more improved deodorizing performance, cyclodextrin, in particular -cyclodextrin such as -hydroxypropylcyclodextrin can be used. , or cyclodextrin -methylated, while for improved dewrinkling, lubricants such as D5 cyclomethicone from Dow Corning or quaternary ammonium diester compound such as di (tallowyloxyethyl) dimethyl ammonium in the cleaning / refreshing composition. Typical levels of said cyclodextrin are 0.01, preferably from 0.1% to 5% by weight.

Substrate In one embodiment of this invention, the cleaning / refreshing composition can be absorbed releasably into an absorbent substrate, hereinafter referred to as a "substrate". The substrate contains the composition releasably. By "releasably containing" it means that the composition is effectively released from the substrate in the stained fabrics as part of the fabric cleaning and refreshing process herein. This release occurs mainly by volatilization of the composition due to the heat of the complementary heat source. The substrate can be any desired shape, such as powders, flakes, strips and the like. However, it is more preferred that the substrate be in the form of an integral pad or "sheet" that substantially maintains its structural integrity throughout the process. The substrates and sheets of this invention are sometimes referred to in the literature as "carriers" or "absorbent carrier sheets"; it is understood that all those marks refer to materials that absorb liquid that can be used to transport liquids conveniently. Said substrates are described in detail in the patent of E.U.A. No. 5,789,368 to You et al, which was incorporated herein by reference above. The manufacture of these sheets is not part of this invention and has already been described in the literature. See, for example, the patents of E.U.A. Nos. 5,009,747 Viazmensky et al, April 23, 1991 and 5,292,581 Viazmensky et al, March 8, 1994, which are incorporated herein by reference. The substrate is designed to contain a sufficient amount of the cleaning / refreshing composition that is effective for the intended purpose. The capacity of the substrate for said composition will vary according to the designed use. The size of the substrate should not be so large as to be unmanageable by the user. Typically, the dimensions of the substrate will be sufficient to provide a macroscopic surface area (both sides of the substrate) of at least about 360 cm2, preferably in the range of about 360 cm2 to about 3000 cm2. For example, a generally rectangular substrate may have the dimensions (X direction) of about 10 cm to about 35 cm, and (Y direction) of about 18 cm to about 45 cm. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the substrate is a dark material, or is covered with a dark material, such as a black fabric.

It is well known that dark materials absorb heat better than whiter materials. Accordingly, a dark substrate would tend to absorb more heat and volatilize more cleaning and refreshing composition if, for example, solar radiation is used as the complementary heat source. As discussed, the substrate may optionally be covered with a fibrous cover sheet, preferably heat resistant, and more preferably hydrophobic, as described in detail in the US patent. No. 5,789,368 to You et al, which was incorporated herein by reference above. Additionally, the co-pending provisional application of E.U.A. 60 / 077,556, which was filed on March 11, 1998 in the name of Wise et al, describes certain improvements to the cover sheets of this invention. The full description of Wise et al's application is incorporated herein by reference. Suitable combinations of the cover sheets described in You et al can be used with the improvements described in Wise et al, according to the wishes of the manufacturer, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Powder cleaning composition The user of the present process may be provided with various speckle cleaning compositions for use in the optional speckle pre-detection method of this invention. These compositions are used to remove localized spots from the fabrics that are being treated, either before or after * cleaning and refreshing procedure as defined herein. Necessarily, the composition for cleaning motes must be compatible with the fabric being treated. That is, no significant amount of the colorant should be removed from the fabric during the cleaning of motes and the composition for cleaning motes should not leave visible stains on the fabric. Therefore, in a preferred aspect of this invention, speckle cleaning compositions are provided that are substantially free of materials that leave visible residue on the treated fabrics. This necessarily means that the preferred compositions are formulated to contain the highest possible level of volatile materials, preferably water, typically about 95%, preferably about 97.7%, and surfactant at levels of about 0.1% to about 0.7%. A preferred jet cleaning composition will also contain a cleaning solvent such as butoxy propoxy propanol (BPP) at a low but effective level, typically from about 1% to about 4%, preferably about 2%. Preferred methods and compositions for cleaning mott are described in the U.S.A. No. 5,789,368 to You et al, which was incorporated herein by reference above. Additionally, the methods and compositions for cleaning of preferred spots are described in the patent of E.U.A. No. 5,630,847, issued May 20, 1997 to Roetker. The full description of the Roetker patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Treatment member In one embodiment, a treatment member is provided to assist in removing localized spots from the fabrics. In a preferred aspect of this invention, the speckle cleaning composition is provided in a spout, such as a bottle, and the spout has an end tip that can serve as the treatment member. Additionally, the treatment member may comprise an absorbent base material which may be, for example, a natural or synthetic sponge, an absorbent cellulosic pad or sheet, or the like. In contact with, and extending outward from this base material there may be multiple protuberances. Specific examples of treatment members can be found in the patent of E.U.A. No. 5,789,368 to You et al, which was incorporated herein by reference above.

Absorbent Article Receiving Stains An absorbent article that receives stains, sometimes referred to herein as a stain receiver, can be used in the optional speckle pre-detection operations of the present. Said stain receptors can be any absorbent material that is soaked in the liquid composition that is used in the speckle pre-detection operation. Disposable paper towels, cloth towels such as BOUNTY ™ brand towels, clean rags, etc. can be used. However, in a preferred mode the spot sink is specifically designed to "pull" or "pull" the liquid compositions away from the stained area. A preferred type of stain receptor consists of a non-woven pad, such as thermally bonded air-laid fabric ("TBAL"). Another highly preferred type of stain receptor for use herein comprises polymeric foam, wherein the polymeric foam comprises a water-in-oil polymerized emulsion, sometimes referred to as "poly-HIPE". The manufacture of polymeric foam is described very extensively in the patent literature: see, for example: US patent. No. 5,260,345 to DesMarais, Stone, Thompson, Young, LaVon and Dyer, issued November 9, 1993; patent of E.U.A. No. 5,550,167 to DesMarais, issued August 27, 1996 and patent of E.U.A. No. 5,650,222 to DesMarais et al, issued July 22, 1997, all incorporated herein by reference. Typical conditions for forming the polymeric foam of the present invention are described in the co-pending patent application of E.U.A. Serial No. 09 / 042,418, which was filed on March 13, 1998 by TA DesMarais et al, entitled "Absorbent Materials for Distributing Aqueous Liquids", the description of which is incorporated into The present disclosure by reference The additional description of conditions for forming the polymeric foams for use in the present invention is described in co-pending US provisional application Serial No. 60 / 077,955, which was filed on March 13. 1998 by TA DesMarais et al, entitled "Abrasion Resistant Polimeric Foam And Stain Receivers Made Therefrom" (abrasion resistant polymer foam and stain receptor made from them), the description of which is incorporated herein by reference The various spot receptors described herein, and which are described in the references incorporated herein by reference, comprise pr substantially a waterproof backing sheet. The backing sheet may be made, for example, of a thin layer of polypropylene, polyethylene and the like. The backing sheet provides protection for the surface on which the stain receiver rests from the cleaning composition of specks. For example, the cleaning processes of specks are typically performed on a hard surface, such as a table top. The stain receiver is placed on the table and the fabric to be treated is placed on the stain receiver. The speckle cleaning composition is applied to the stained area of the fabric and then pulled toward the stain receiver. But in the absence of a backing sheet, the cleaning composition for specks can drip towards the top surface of the table, possibly causing damage to it. The following Examples further illustrate the invention, but are not intended to be limiting thereof.

EXAMPLE I Two extra large men's jackets that have been exposed to cigarette smoke and have been crumpled using standard methods, are placed on clothes hangers. These jackets are then hung inside a plastic bag that has two co-flat ends (the top and bottom) with the side walls being cylindrical and slightly arched outward near the center. For illustration purposes only, the bag can be conceived in an egg shell-like manner with the upper and lower portions cut out. The container has a door to access the interior, and the door closes with a lock. A small slot near the bottom of the bag serves as the window and the window remains open at all times during this procedure. Inside the bag is a fan, a heating element, a thermocouple and a reservoir that is in fluid communication with the heating element. Approximately 100 to 125 ml of a composition comprising about 99% water and 1% perfume, by weight, is poured into the stock and the door is closed. An external "on / off" switch is turned on to start the procedure to refresh fabrics. The switch is connected to a programmable microprocessor that controls the multi-step procedure. First, the temperature rises to about 70 ° C with a relative humidity of about 50%. This is achieved by operating the fan and the heating element, with little or nothing of the cleaning and refreshing composition in contact with the heating element. This first step lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes. For the second step, the temperature is reduced to about 50 ° C and the relative humidity rises to more than about 95%. This is achieved through the introduction of the vaporized cleaning and refreshing composition. The fan continues to operate during this second step, which lasts approximately 7 to 9 minutes. Finally, with the fan running the heating element is turned off and the interior of the bag is cooled naturally to approximately 45 ° C in less than about 10 minutes. The fan shuts off automatically, and a light indicator indicates that the procedure is complete. The jackets are removed and are substantially free of wrinkles, deodorized and ready to be used.

EXAMPLE II Two extra large men's jackets that have been exposed to cigarette smoke and have been crumpled using standard methods, are placed on clothes hangers. The areas with more wrinkles are then pre-treated with a hand-handled spray which is commercially available under reference 7292457 of Vel and which contains demineralized water so that the wrinkle areas are slightly moistened but not soaked. These jackets are then hung inside a plastic bag that has two co-flat ends (the top and bottom) with the side walls being cylindrical and slightly arched outward near the center. For illustration purposes only, the bag can be conceived in an egg shell-like manner with the upper and lower portions cut out. The container has a door to access the interior, and the door closes with a lock. A window is provided near the bottom of the bag but the window remains closed when the ozone is present in the bag. Inside the bag is a fan, an ultraviolet lamp, a heating element, a thermocouple and a receptacle for receiving a cartridge containing a cleaning and refreshing composition. The receptacle is in fluid communication with the heating element. The cleaning and refreshing composition comprises about 100 to 125 ml of a composition comprising about 99% water and 1% perfume, by weight. After the cartridge is connected to the receptacle, door is closing. An external "on / off" switch is turned on to start the procedure to refresh fabrics. The switch is connected to a programmable oprocessor that controls the multi-step procedure. First, the ultraviolet lamp is turned on to produce ozone. The lamp stays on for approximately 10 minutes. The fan is optionally running during this first step. For the second step, the temperature is reduced to about 50 ° C and the relative humidity rises to more than about 95%. This is achieved through the introduction of the vaporized cleaning and refreshing composition. The fan continues to operate during this second step, which lasts approximately 7 to 12 minutes.

Finally, with the fan running, the heating element is turned off and the interior of the bag cooled naturally to about 45 ° C in less than about 10 minutes. The fan shuts off automatically, and a light indicator indicates that the procedure is complete. The jackets are removed and are substantially free of wrinkles, deodorized and ready to be used.

EXAMPLE III Cleaning and Refreshing Compositions Although the cleaning and cooling compositions of this invention may only comprise water and perfume, additional components for fabric treatment may also be included. For example, fabric cleaning / freshening compositions according to the present invention, for use in the methods described herein, are prepared as follows: Ingredient% (weight) Sheet Emulsifier Cartridge 0.5 0 (TWEEN 20) * Perfume 0.5 0.5 KATHON® 0.0003 0 Sodium Benzoate 0.1 0 Water rest Rest * Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate available from ICI Surfactants.

Additionally, preferred compositions for use in the methods of this invention are as follows: Ingredient% (by weight) Scale (% by weight) Water 99.0 95.1-99.9 Perfume 0.5 0.05-1.5 Surfactant * 0.5 0.05-2.0 Ethanol or Isopropanol 0 Optional at 4% Solvent (eg BPP) 0 Optional at 4% Hydrogen peroxide 0 Optional at 4% pH range from approximately 6 to approximately 8.

EXAMPLE IV Spot Cleaning Compositions A speckle cleaning composition for use in the present invention, preferably with a spout as defined above, and with a TBAL or poly-HIPE foam spot sink, is Prepare as follows: Ingredient Anionic composition (%) Hydrogen peroxide 1,000 Amino acid 0.0400 tris (methylene phosphonic) * Butoxipropoxypropanol (BPP) 2,000 NH4 coconut E1S 0.285 Oxide of dodecyldimethylamine 0.031 Magnesium chloride 0.018 Magnesium sulphate 0.019 Hydrotrope, perfume, other 0.101 minor ingredients Kathon preservative 0.0003 Water (deionized or distilled) 96.5 Target pH 6.0 * Stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide.

Preferably, to minimize the potential for color damage as described hereinbefore, the pretreatment compositions of specks containing H2O2, comprise the anionic or nonionic surfactant in an amount (by weight of the composition) that is less than the amount of H2O2. Preferably, the weight ratio of surfactant: H 2 O 2 is in the range from about 1: 10 to about 1: 1.5, more preferably from about 1: 4 to about 1: 3.

Claims (36)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A method for treating a fabric article comprising the steps of: a) placing the fabric article in a container having an opening and at least one wall defining an interior void; b) raising the temperature and relative humidity of the air within the interior vacuum space of the container to a first predetermined temperature and a first predetermined relative humidity for a first predetermined period of time; and c) changing at least one of the temperature or relative humidity of the air within the empty space inside the container at the end of the first time period to a second predetermined temperature and a second predetermined relative humidity for a second predetermined period of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that said fabric is contacted with a pretreatment composition before being placed inside the container of step a).

3. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that said contact occurs by spraying.

4. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that steam is used to raise the temperature and relative humidity of the air inside the empty space inside the container.

5. - The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the temperature inside the interior vacuum to decrease to a third temperature characterized in that the third temperature is less than about 45 ° C, preferably less than about 40 ° C. ° C, and more preferably less than about 35 ° C.

6. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the container comprises additionally: a) a heating element; b) a moisture supplier, preferably a passive humidity controller capable of changing and maintaining the relative humidity of the air within the interior vacuum of the container; c) a window and / or filter; and d) an air circulation device.

7. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that the container further comprises an active temperature controller capable of changing and maintaining the temperature of the air inside the empty space inside the container.

8. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that the container further comprises a passive moisture controller capable of changing and maintaining the relative humidity of the air inside the empty space inside the container.

9. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that the window remains open at all times.

10. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the steam that is introduced into the interior empty space of the container comprises water and a perfume.

11. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that the air circulation device is a fan and the fan inlet is inside the empty space inside the container so that at least a portion of the air inside the empty space of the container is recirculated.

12. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the first temperature is at least about 45 ° C, preferably at least about 60 ° C, and more preferably at least about 70 ° C, and the first relative humidity is at least about 20%, preferably at least about 50%.

13. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the second temperature is larger than T as defined by the equation: T = 60 - (0.17 * RH2), in which RH2 is the second relative humidity in percentage.

14. The method according to claim 13, further characterized in that RH2 is at least 50%, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least about 85%, more preferably at least about 90%.

15. - The method according to claim 13, further characterized in that the second temperature is less than about 90 ° C, preferably less than about 80 ° C, and more preferably less than about 70 ° C.

16. A method for treating a cloth article comprising the steps of: a) placing the cloth article in a container having an opening and at least one wall defining an interior void; b) introducing ozone into the empty space inside the container during a first predetermined period of time; and c) changing at least one of the temperature or relative humidity of the air within the empty space inside the container at the end of the first time period to a second predetermined temperature and a second predetermined humidity for a second predetermined period of time.

17. The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the first temperature is at least about 45 ° C, preferably at least about 60 ° C, and more preferably at least about 70 ° C.

18. The method according to any of claims 16 or 17, further characterized in that the ozone is generated by an ozone source within the interior empty space of the container.

19. The method according to claim 18, further characterized in that the source of ozone is an ultraviolet lamp or a high voltage source.

20. - The method according to claim 18, further characterized in that the source of ozone provides benefits on the treated fabrics selected for reduction or elimination of bad odor, stain removal, disinfection, and mixtures thereof.

21. The method according to claim 18, further characterized in that steam is used to change the temperature and relative humidity of the air inside the empty space inside the container.

22. The method according to claim 16, further comprising a cooling step after the second period in which the temperature within the interior vacuum space is allowed to decrease to less than about 45 ° C, preferably less than about 40 °. C, and more preferably less than about 35 ° C.

23. The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the container further comprises: a) a heating element; b) a moisture supplier, preferably a passive humidity controller capable of changing and maintaining the relative humidity of the air within the interior vacuum of the container; c) a window and / or filter; and d) an air circulation device.

24. The method according to claim 23, further characterized in that the container further comprises an active temperature controller capable of changing and maintaining the temperature of the air inside the empty space inside the container.

25. - The method according to claim 23, further characterized in that the container further comprises a passive humidity controller capable of changing and maintaining the relative humidity of the air within the interior empty space of the container.

26. The method according to claim 23, further characterized in that the window remains closed at all times.

27. The method according to claim 21, further characterized in that the steam that is introduced into the interior empty space of the container comprises water and optionally a perfume.

28.- The method according to claim 23, further characterized in that the air circulation device is a fan and the fan inlet is inside the empty space inside the container so that at least a portion of the air inside the empty space of the container is recirculated.

29. The method according to claim 28, further characterized in that the air circulation device provides air velocities around the gap of between 0.05 to 10 ms "1, more preferably between 0.1 and 5 ms" 1, more preferably between 0.5 and 2 ms "1.

The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the second temperature is greater than T as defined by the equation: T = 60 - (0.17 * RH2), in the which RH2 is the second relative humidity in percentage.

31. - The method according to claim 30, further characterized in that RH2 is at least 50%, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least about 85%, more preferably at least about 90%.

32. The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the second temperature is less than about 90 ° C, preferably less than about 80 ° C, and more preferably less than about 70 ° C.

33.- The method according to any of claims 1 or 16, further characterized in that a cartridge containing a cleaning and refreshing composition is introduced into the interior vacuum of the container and the cleaning and refreshing composition is released from the cartridge at Empty space inside the container.

34. The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the container further comprises a filter.

35.- The method according to claim 34, further characterized in that the filter is in close proximity to the fan.

36. The method according to any of claims 1-35, further characterized in that the garments are stretched or subjected to tension before the start of the cycle, preferably by means of one or more stretching devices.