Apparatus for Treating a Stain in Clothing

Abstract

A method for treating stained fabric. The method includes the step of providing a contact substrate containing a stain treatment fluid. The contact substrate can have micro fibers having a diameter less than about 5 micrometers. The stain treatment fluid can include a surfactant.

1 . A method for treating a stained fabric comprising the steps of:
 providing a contact substrate containing a stain treatment fluid, said contact substrate comprising micro fibers having a diameter less than about 5 micrometers;   contacting the contact substrate with said stained fabric thereby transferring said stain treatment fluid to said stained fabric; and   rubbing said stained fabric with said contact substrate;   wherein said stain treatment fluid comprises from about 0.001% to about 99.99%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of a surfactant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, rayon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate is selected from the group consisting of a nonwoven comprising microfibers, a woven comprising microfibers, a looped woven comprising microfibers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said micro fibers are notched-pie microfibers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said micro fibers are staple fibers or continuous splitted fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said micro fibers are split polypropylene-polyethylene fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate is a fibrous material having Hansen solubility parameters that are positive falling within a Hansen space spherical volume of about 34000 MPa 3/2 , the Hansen space spherical volume being centered at a dispersion component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ D  of about 18 MPa 1/2 , a polar component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ P  of about 1 MPa 1/2 , and a bonding energy component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ H  of about 3 MPa 1/2 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein δ D  is between about 15 MPa 1/2  and about 20 MPa 1/2 . 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate is a fibrous material having Hansen solubility parameters that are positive falling within a Hansen space spherical volume of about 10000 MPa 3/2 , the Hansen space spherical volume being centered at a dispersion component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ D  of about 18 MPa 1/2 , a polar component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ P  of about 1 MPa 1/2 , and a bonding energy component of interaction energy between molecules per molar volume δ H  of about 3 MPa 1/2 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein δ D  is between about 15 MPa 1/2  and about 20 MPa 1/2 . 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of rubbing said stained fabric with said contact substrate is assisted by a backing layer joined to said contact substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate has an L* value measured by a reflectance meter greater than about 80. 
     
     
         13 . A stain wiping implement for use in the method of  claim 1 , wherein said contact substrate is joined to a backing layer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said stain treatment fluid comprises from about 0.05% to about 5%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of said surfactant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said stain treatment fluid further comprises from about 0.001% to about 7%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of a bleach. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said bleach is selected from the group consisting of peroxide bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said stain treatment fluid further comprises from about 0.001% to about 5%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of a chelant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said chelant is selected from the group consisting of phosphonate chelating agents, amino carboxylate chelating agents, carboxylate chelating agents, ethylenediamine N,N′-disuccinic acids, polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents, citric acids, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said stain treatment fluid comprises:
 a) from about 0.05% to about 5%, by weight of said surfactant;   b) from about 0.001% to about 7%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of a bleach;   c) from about 0.001% to about 5%, by weight of said stain treatment fluid, of a chelant; and   d) a perfume.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof.