Fabric treatment article and composition

Abstract

The invention provides an article for fabric treatment comprising a substrate releasably impregnated with a fluid treatment composition adapted for fabric cleaning and freshening by contact of the fluid composition with the fabric to be treated during a tumble drying process, the fluid treatment composition comprising: a glycol ether solvent; water; a non-ionic surfactant; and a perfume characterised in that the glycol ether solvent is present in the composition in an amount which is miscible with the water present in the composition.

1 . An article for fabric treatment comprising a substrate releasably impregnated with a fluid treatment composition adapted for fabric cleaning and freshening by contact of the fluid composition with the fabric to be treated during a tumble drying process, the fluid treatment composition comprising: 
 a glycol ether solvent;    water;    a non-ionic surfactant; and    a perfume    wherein the glycol ether solvent is present in the composition in an amount which is miscible with the water present in the composition and the total surfactant content is not more than 2% by weight of the fluid treatment composition.    
     
     
         2 . An article according to    claim 1    wherein the glycol ether solvent is present in the composition in an amount of from 1.5 to 3.5% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         3 . An article according to    claim 2   , wherein the glycol ether solvent is selected from dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether and tripropylene glycol mono methyl ether.  
     
     
         4 . An article according to    claim 3   , wherein the glycol ether solvent is dipropyline glycol n-butyl ether.  
     
     
         5 . An article according    claim 3   , wherein the non-ionic surfactant is the only surfactant and is a C 12 -C 15  primary alcohol ethoxylate and present in an amount of from 1.1 to 2% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         6 . An article according to    claim 1   , wherein the fluid composition comprises a mixture of non-ionic, anionic and amphoteric surfactant wherein the amount of anionic surfactant is less than the amount of non-ionic surfactant and the amount of amphoteric surfactant is not more than the amount of non-ionic surfactant.  
     
     
         7 . An article according to    claim 1   , wherein the perfume is present in an amount of from 0.5 to 0.75% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         8 . An article according to    claim 1   , wherein the fluid treatment composition is free from polymeric emulsification aids and gelling agents.  
     
     
         9 . An article according to    claim 1   , wherein the fluid treatment composition comprises at least 94% by weight water.  
     
     
         10 . An article according to    claim 1   , wherein the fluid treatment composition further comprises one or more preservatives.  
     
     
         11 . An article according to    claim 1    wherein the fluid treatment composition comprises: 
 1.5 to 3.5% by weight dipropyolene glycol n-butyl ether  
 1.1 to 2.0% by weight C 12 -C 15  primary alcohol ethoxylate  
 0.5 to 0.07% by weight perfume  
 an effective amount of preservative  
 balance being water,  
 said composition being free of polymeric emulsification aids and gelling agents.  
 
     
     
         12 . An article according to    claim 11    wherein the fluid treatment composition is present in an amount of from 20 to 40 g.  
     
     
         13 . A process for treating a fabric comprising the steps of:  
     
     
         14 . providing contacting the fabric with an article comprising a substrate releasably impregnated with a fluid treatment composition adapted for fabric cleaning and freshening by contact of the fluid composition with the fabric to be treated during a tumble drying process, the fluid treatment composition comprising: 
 a glycol ether solvent;    water;    a non-ionic surfactant; and    a perfume    wherein the glycol ether solvent is present in the composition in an amount which is miscible with the water present in the composition and the total surfactant content is not more than 2% by weight of the fluid treatment composition and contacting the fabric with said article in a tumble drier and conducting a tumble drying process.    
     
     
         15 . A process according to    claim 13    wherein said fluid treating composition of said article comprises: 
 1.5 to 3.5% by weight dipropyolene glycol n-butyl ether,  
 1.1 to 2.0% by weight C 12 -C 15  primary alcohol ethoxylate,  
 0.5 to 0.07% by weight perfume,  
 an effective amount of preservative,  
 balance being water,  
 said composition being free of polymeric emulsification aids and gelling agents.  
 
     
     
         16 . A process according to    claim 13    wherein the fabric to be treated and the fabric treatment article are placed directly in the tumble dryer without any other form of containment.  
     
     
         17 . A process according to    claim 13    comprising the preliminary step of treating a stain on the fabric by direct application, with a wiping, rubbing or pressing action, of the article to the fabric.  
     
     
         18 . Use of an article according    claim 1    in a domestic dry cleaning process, using a tumble drier.