Liquid fabric conditioner composition and method of use

Abstract

The invention includes a method of conditioning fabrics, comprising contacting fabric with a liquid composition comprising an amino-functional silicone and a quaternary ammonium, and drying said fabric at 200 degrees F. or greater. The invention includes a method of conditioning fabrics, comprising washing fabric in a detergent having a wash pH of greater than 10, contacting fabric with a liquid composition comprising an amino-functional silicone and a quaternary ammonium, and drying said fabric at less than 200 degrees F. The invention further provides a method of conditioning fabrics wherein softness, anti-static, and anti-wrinkle properties are imparted to the fabric wherein the conditioned fabric resists yellowing in industrial and institutional conditions wherein the wash pH is greater than 9 and/or the fabric temperature is 200 degrees Fahrenheit or greater.

1 . Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:
 (a) contacting cotton fabric with a liquid composition, the liquid composition consisting of
 (i) an amino-functional silicone an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance, and 
 (ii) optionally an anti-static agent, dye transfer inhibition/color protection agent, odor removal/odor capturing agent, soil shielding/soil releasing agent, ultraviolet light protection agents, sanitizing agent, disinfecting agent, water repellency agents, insect repellency agent, anti-pilling agents, souring agent, mildew removing agent, enzyme, allergicide agent, starch agent, bleaching agent, optical brightness agent, surfactant, and mixtures thereof; 
   (b) drying said fabric so that the fabric temperature is 200 degrees F. or greater; wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step followed by a conditioning step according to step (a) and drying step according to step (b) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.   
     
     
         2 . The method of conditioning fabric according to  claim 1  comprising a step of washing the fabric in a wash pH greater than 9 before contacting the fabric with the fabric conditioning composition. 
     
     
         3 . Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:
 (a) washing cotton fabric with a wash pH greater than 9,   (b) contacting the washed fabric with a composition, the composition consisting of
 (i) an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance, and 
 (ii) optionally an anti-static agent, dye transfer inhibition/color protection agent, odor removal/odor capturing agent, soil shielding/soil releasing agent, ultraviolet light protection agents, sanitizing agent, disinfecting agent, water repellency agents, insect repellency agent, anti-pilling agents, souring agent, mildew removing agent, enzyme, allergicide agent, starch agent, bleaching agent, optical brightness agent, surfactant, and mixtures thereof; 
   (c) drying said fabric so that the fabric temperature is 200 degrees F. or greater, wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.   
     
     
         4 . A method of treating fabric, the method comprising: (a) allowing cotton fabric to contact a liquid fabric conditioning composition, wherein said composition consists of: (i) an amidoamine quaternary ammonium compound, an amino-functional silicone compound, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance, and (ii) optionally an anti-static agent, dye transfer inhibition/color protection agent, odor removal/odor capturing agent, soil shielding/soil releasing agent, ultraviolet light protection agents, sanitizing agent, disinfecting agent, water repellency agents, insect repellency agent, anti-pilling agents, souring agent, mildew removing agent, enzyme, allergicide agent, starch agent, bleaching agent, optical brightness agent, surfactant, and mixtures thereof; and (b) subjecting said conditioned fabric to the inside of an industrial dryer during a drying operation wherein the fabric temperature is 200 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, and the delta b* of said fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control after 15 cycles, wherein a cycle comprises a wash step, a treating step according to step (a), and a drying step according to step (b). 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the softness of the treated fabric does not decrease. 
     
     
         6 . Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:
 (a) washing cotton fabric in a high alkaline detergent;   (b) contacting the cotton fabric with a liquid composition, the liquid composition consisting of
 (i) an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance, and 
 (ii) optionally an anti-static agent, dye transfer inhibition/color protection agent, odor removal/odor capturing agent, soil shielding/soil releasing agent, ultraviolet light protection agents, sanitizing agent, disinfecting agent, water repellency agents, insect repellency agent, anti-pilling agents, souring agent, mildew removing agent, enzyme, allergicide agent, starch agent, bleaching agent, optical brightness agent, surfactant, and mixtures thereof; and 
   (c) drying said fabric at a temperature of greater than 200 degrees F., wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.   
     
     
         7 . The method of conditioning fabric according to  claim 6  comprising a step of washing the fabric in a wash pH greater than 9 before contacting the fabric with the fabric conditioning composition. 
     
     
         8 . Method of conditioning fabrics, comprising:
 (a) washing cotton_fabric with a wash pH greater than 10,   (b) contacting the washed fabric with a composition, the compositions consisting of
 (i) an amino-functional silicone, an amidoamine quaternary ammonium, water, salt, viscosity controlling agent, fragrance; and 
 (ii) optionally an anti-static agent, dye transfer inhibition/color protection agent, odor removal/odor capturing agent, soil shielding/soil releasing agent, ultraviolet light protection agents, sanitizing agent, disinfecting agent, water repellency agents, insect repellency agent, anti-pilling agents, souring agent, mildew removing agent, enzyme, allergicide agent, starch agent, bleaching agent, optical brightness agent, surfactant, and mixtures thereof; and 
   (c) drying said fabric at a temperature of greater than 200 degrees F., wherein the delta b* of cotton fabric is greater (more negative) than the delta b* of a control when subjected to at least 15 cycles, a cycle is comprised of a wash step according to step (a) followed by a conditioning step according to step (b) and drying step according to step (c) and the softness of the fabric does not decrease.