Laundry Additive for Providing Antimicrobial Effects to Fabrics and Interior Surfaces of Washing Machines

Abstract

A laundry additive composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer, a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100° C., and an antimicrobial active for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel, as well as imparting microbiocidal or microbiostatic properties to the fabric and/or washing machine surfaces. Laundry additive compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking a fabric or garment. Alternately, they can be added to a washing treatment liquor that comprises either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits and/or refresh the microbiocidal or microbiostatic properties imparted to fabrics and/or washing machine surfaces.

1 . A method for treating a fabric to provide at least one fabric protective property to the fabric, comprising:
 (1) depositing a composition onto the fabric in a treatment liquor, wherein the composition comprises:
 a. from 5 to 30 weight % of a hydrophobic agent that does not cause significant color change, nor impart discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C.; 
 b. a fluoropolymer; 
 c. an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier; and 
 d. an antimicrobial active; 
   wherein the treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and   (2) curing the fabric at a drying temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.;   wherein:
 i. the fabric protective property is selected from the group comprising: increased water repellency, increased oil repellency, soil and stain release, improved handfeel, improved softness, improved resistance to damage, residual antimicrobial efficacy, and any combination thereof; 
 ii. the hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer; 
 iii. the zeta potential modifier comprises a cationic or cationically modified material; 
 iv. the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is at least from 1:1 to 300:1; and 
 v. the antimicrobial active provides residual antimicrobial efficacy beyond the time of the washing process. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 1 , wherein at least one fabric protective property is imparted to the fabric in addition to residual antimicrobial efficacy. 
     
     
         3 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 2 , wherein the depositing step and the curing step are repeated at least once. 
     
     
         4 . A composition for treating a fabric to provide at least one fabric protective property to the fabric, comprising:
 (1) from 5 to 30 weight % of a hydrophobic agent that does not cause significant color change, nor impart discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C.;   (2) a fluoropolymer;   (3) an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier; and   (4) an antimicrobial active;   
       wherein:
 i. the fabric protective property is selected from the group comprising: increased water repellency, increased oil, repellency, soil and stain release, improved handfeel, improved softness, improved resistance to damage, residual antimicrobial efficacy, and any combination thereof; 
 ii. the hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer; 
 iii. the zeta potential modifier comprises a cationic or cationically modified material; 
 iv. the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is at least from 1:1 to 300:1; and 
 v. the antimicrobial active provides residual antimicrobial efficacy beyond the time of the washing process. 
 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial active contains a metal/polymer complex. 
     
     
         10 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 9 , wherein a metal ion comprising the metal/polymer complex is selected from the group comprising silver, copper, zinc, oxides of any of the foregoing, as well as combinations of any of the foregoing. 
     
     
         11 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the metal/polymer complex is anionic. 
     
     
         12 . The method for treating a fabric of  claim 1 , wherein depositing step (1) is delayed until some time t after any laundry detergent is introduced into the treatment liquor.