U.S. patent application number 10/036862 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-26 for wet-dry cleaning system.
Invention is credited to Bencik, Sherrie Lynn, Cole, Douglas Bryan, Kistler, Annastacia Jane, Koenig, David William, Melius, Mark Kevin, Peluso, John Eugene, Ward, Margaret Murphy.
Application Number | 20030116464 10/036862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21891065 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030116464 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Koenig, David William ; et
al. |
June 26, 2003 |
Wet-dry cleaning system
Abstract
A method for cleaning a surface is described, which includes
wiping a surface with a wet product and also with a dry product.
The method may be facilitated by providing instructions to clean a
surface with a wet product and a dry product, and the instructions
may be conveniently provided with a wet wiping product and/or a dry
wiping product.
Inventors: |
Koenig, David William;
(Menasha, WI) ; Kistler, Annastacia Jane;
(Appleton, WI) ; Peluso, John Eugene; (Appleton,
WI) ; Ward, Margaret Murphy; (Appleton, WI) ;
Cole, Douglas Bryan; (Hortonville, WI) ; Melius, Mark
Kevin; (Appleton, WI) ; Bencik, Sherrie Lynn;
(Neenah, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Glen P. Belvis
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Family ID: |
21891065 |
Appl. No.: |
10/036862 |
Filed: |
December 21, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/494 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K 13/001 20130101;
A47K 2010/3266 20130101; A47K 10/42 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/494 |
International
Class: |
B65D 073/00 |
Claims
1. A method for cleaning soil from an animal body surface,
comprising: instructing a user to wipe an animal body surface with
a fresh product at least three times; wherein at least one fresh
product is dry, and at least one fresh product is wet.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a dry product, followed
by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping the
surface with a wet product.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a dry product, followed
by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the
surface with a dry product.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a wet product, followed
by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping the
surface with a dry product.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a wet product, followed
by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the
surface with a dry product.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a dry product, followed
by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the
surface with a wet product.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instructing comprises
directing the user to wipe the surface with a wet product, followed
by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping the
surface with a wet product.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wet product is a wet
wipe.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dry product is tissue.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises human
skin.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dry fresh product is
associated with a dry product identifier, and the wet fresh product
is associated with a wet product identifier; the dry product
identifier and the wet product identifier comprising at least one
term that is the same.
12. A system for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body
surface, comprising: a package comprising a first fresh product;
and instructions to wipe an animal body surface at least three
times with a combination of the first fresh product and a second
fresh product; wherein one of the first fresh product or the second
fresh product is wet.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first fresh product is a
wet product.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wet product is a
pre-moistened wet wipe.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first fresh product is a
dry product.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the dry product is tissue.
17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a dispenser.
18. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are enclosed
in the package.
19. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are printed on
the package.
20. The system of claim 12, wherein the surface comprises human
skin.
21. The system of claim 12, wherein the package further comprises
the second fresh product.
22. The system of claim 12, wherein the first fresh product is
associated with a first product identifier, and the second fresh
product is associated with a second product identifier; the first
product identifier and the second product identifier comprising at
least one term that is the same.
23. A package for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body
surface, comprising: a dry product comprising a first number of
portions; a wet product comprising a second number of portions; and
instructions to wipe an animal body surface at least three times
with a combination of a fresh portion of the dry product and a
fresh portion of the wet product.
24. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by
wiping the surface with a wet product; and the first number of
portions is double the second number of portions.
25. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by
wiping the surface with a dry product; and the first number of
portions is double the second number of portions.
26. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by
wiping the surface with a dry product; and the first number of
portions is double the second number of portions.
27. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by
wiping the surface with a dry product; and the second number of
portions is double the first number of portions.
28. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product, followed by
wiping the surface with a wet product; and the second number of
portions is double the first number of portions.
29. The package of claim 23, wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by
wiping the surface with a wet product; and the second number of
portions is double the first number of portions.
30. A method for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body
surface, comprising: enclosing in a package a first fresh product
selected from the group consisting of a dry product and a wet
product; and offering the package for sale; wherein the package
comprises instructions to wipe the surface at least three times
with a combination of the first fresh product and a second fresh
product; wherein one of the first fresh product and the second
fresh product is wet.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising enclosing the second
fresh product in said package.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising enclosing a
dispenser in said package.
33. The method of claim 30, wherein the surface comprises skin.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein the first fresh product is
associated with a first product identifier, and the second fresh
product is associated with a second product identifier; the first
product identifier and the second product identifier comprising at
least one term that is the same.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] There are many different methods for cleaning soils from
surfaces. Vacuum methods are useful for removing particulate matter
and larger objects such as dirt granules, paper, and other solids.
For foreign matter which is adsorbed onto a surface, however, it is
often advantageous to apply physical force to clean the surface.
Dry wiping products, including paper towels and tissue, are useful
for cleaning surfaces in this way. This physical force may be
further aided by the application of a liquid, even in small
amounts. This approach includes for example a spray of water, an
application of a cleaning solution, or contact with a sheet or
sponge containing a liquid, optionally followed by wiping of the
surface with a dry wipe which is absorbent.
[0002] Wet wipes are a specialized type of cleaning sheet product
which have many applications. They may be used with small children
and infants when changing diapers, they may be used for household
cleaning tasks, they may be used for cleaning hands, they may be
used for facial cleaning including removal of cosmetics, they may
be used as a bath tissue, they may be used as by a caregiver to
clean a disabled or incontinent adult, or they may be used in and
for a whole host of other applications, where it is advantageous to
have a wipe or towel that has some wetness or moisture in it.
[0003] Wet wipes can be any wipe, towel, tissue or sheet like
product including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic
material and combinations thereof, that is wet or moist or becomes
wet during use or prior to use. Wet wipes may be dispersible when
in contact with water or may be non-dispersible. Examples of wet
wipes are disclosed in application Ser. Nos. 09/564,449;
09/564,213; 09/565,125; 09/564,837; 09/564,939; 09/564,531;
09/564,268; 091564,424; 091564,780; 09/564,212; 09/565,623 all
filed May 4, 2000, application Ser. no. 09/223,999 filed Dec. 31,
1998, and in application Ser. number 09/900,698 filed Jul. 6, 2001,
the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0004] When faced with a wide array of options for cleaning a
surface, it can be difficult for a user to determine which option
or specific combination of options will provide maximum cleansing
without requiring unreasonable effort and expense. There is thus a
need for a cleaning system which provides for efficient cleaning of
a surface. Ideally, this system will involve as few steps as
possible and will utilize products, whether wet or dry, which are
readily available. It is also desirable to provide instructions to
a user to carry out the process of the cleaning system.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] In an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
method for cleaning soil from an animal body surface, comprising
instructing a user to wipe an animal body surface with a fresh
product at least three times; wherein at least one fresh product is
dry, and at least one fresh product is wet.
[0006] These embodiments may further comprise methods wherein the
instructing comprises directing the user to wipe the surface with a
dry product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product; directing the
user to wipe the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping the
surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface with a
dry product; directing the user to wipe the surface with a wet
product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a dry product; directing the
user to wipe the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the
surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface with a
dry product; directing the user to wipe the surface with a dry
product, followed by wiping the surface with a wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product; and directing
the user to wipe the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping
the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping the surface with
a wet product.
[0007] These embodiments may yet further comprise a method wherein
the wet product is a wet wipe; wherein the dry product is tissue;
wherein the surface comprises human skin; and wherein the dry fresh
product is associated with a dry product identifier, and the wet
fresh product is associated with a wet product identifier; the dry
product identifier and the wet product identifier comprising at
least one term that is the same.
[0008] In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
system for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body surface,
comprising a package comprising a first fresh product; and
instructions to wipe an animal body surface at least three times
with a combination of the first fresh product and a second fresh
product; wherein one of the first fresh product or the second fresh
product is wet.
[0009] These embodiments may further comprise a system wherein the
first fresh product is a wet product; the wet product is a
pre-moistened wet wipe; the first fresh product is a dry product;
the dry product is tissue; the instructions are enclosed in the
package; the instructions are printed on the package; the surface
comprises human skin; the package further comprises the second
fresh product; and the system further comprises a dispenser.
[0010] These embodiments may yet further comprise a system wherein
the first fresh product is associated with a first product
identifier, and the second fresh product is associated with a
second product identifier; the first product identifier and the
second product identifier comprising at least one term that is the
same.
[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
package for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body surface,
comprising a dry product comprising a first number of portions; a
wet product comprising a second number of portions; and
instructions to wipe an animal body surface at least three times
with a combination of a fresh portion of the dry product and a
fresh portion of the wet product.
[0012] These embodiments may further comprise a package wherein the
instructions comprise directions to a user to wipe the surface with
a dry product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a wet product, and the first
number of portions is double the second number of portions; wherein
the instructions comprise directions to a user to wipe the surface
with a dry product, followed by wiping the surface with a wet
product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, and the
first number of portions is double the second number of portions;
wherein the instructions comprise directions to a user to wipe the
surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface with a
dry product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, and
the first number of portions is double the second number of
portions; wherein the instructions comprise directions to a user to
wipe the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface
with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface with a dry
product, and the second number of portions is double the first
number of portions; wherein the instructions comprise directions to
a user to wipe the surface with a dry product, followed by wiping
the surface with a wet product, followed by wiping the surface with
a wet product, and the second number of portions is double the
first number of portions; wherein the instructions comprise
directions to a user to wipe the surface with a wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a dry product, followed by
wiping the surface with a wet product, and the second number of
portions is double the first number of portions.
[0013] In another embodiment of the invention there is provided a
method for facilitating the cleaning of an animal body surface,
comprising enclosing in a package a first fresh product selected
from the group consisting of a dry product and a wet product; and
offering the package for sale; wherein the package comprises
instructions to wipe a surface at least three times with a
combination of the first fresh product and a second fresh product;
wherein one of the first fresh product and the second fresh product
is wet.
[0014] These embodiments may further comprise a method further
comprising enclosing the second fresh product in said package;
further comprising enclosing a dispenser in said package; a method
wherein the surface comprises skin; and a method wherein the first
fresh product is associated with a first product identifier, and
the second fresh product is associated with a second product
identifier; the first product identifier and the second product
identifier comprising at least one term that is the same.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a graph of the cleaning ratios measured for
all-wet, all-dry, and wet-dry cleaning processes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] A cleaning system is provided which includes the combination
of wiping with a dry product and wiping with a wet product. This
wet-dry cleaning system unexpectedly provides for the rapid
cleaning of soils from a variety of surfaces, including human skin.
Cleaning a surface by the method of this system produces a clean
surface more efficiently than cleaning with a dry product alone. A
user may be instructed to carry out the method when cleaning a
surface.
[0017] The wet-dry cleaning system can be used on a wide range of
surfaces. Surfaces to be cleaned include inanimate surfaces such as
furniture; countertops; walls; floors; bathroom and kitchen
fixtures; electronic equipment including housings and displays;
interiors and exteriors of automobiles, trains, aircraft,
watercraft and spacecraft; windows; industrial equipment; and
electronic boards. These surfaces may, for example, contain wood,
fibers, plastic, metal, cloth, ceramic, glass, paint, or minerals.
Surfaces to be cleaned also include biological surfaces, including
animal body surfaces such as skin, hair, fingernails, and toenails;
and the surfaces of vegetables, fruits, grains, and meats. The
wet-dry cleaning system is particularly effective in cleaning soils
from skin. "Soil" includes a wide range of undesirable substances
which may be removed from a surface. Soil includes a wide range of
biological secretions including, but not limited to, blood, feces,
meconium, urine, bile, cerumen, colostrum, gastric juice,
intestinal secretions, nasal secretions, menses, mucus, saliva,
sebum, semen, smegma, sputum, sweat, tears, and/or vernix caseosa.
Soil can also contain undigested or indigestible food; vegetable
fiber such as cellulose; water; mucus; proteins; bacteria; fungi;
inorganic salts; cellular debris; applied cosmetics and other
foreign substances.
[0018] The wet product used may be any type of substance which
contains moisture and which can be used to wipe a surface. Examples
of wet products include damp cloths, sponges, and wet wipes. These
products may be provided to the user in a moist condition, or they
may be moistened by the user, for example by applying a liquid or
by applying pressure to release the moisture that is contained in
the product. The wet product may include agents other than water.
Other agents which may be present include antimicrobials, skin
health agents, or cleaning compounds such as detergents or
surfactants. In addition to the above-mentioned U.S. patent
applications, moist products are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,213,344; 6,121,165; 6,028,018; 5,964,351; 5,935,880; 5,667,635;
5,656,361; 5,629,081; and 5,540,332.
[0019] Wet products may be made by the application of a wetting
solution to a fibrous web of material. Examples of wetting
solutions are given in the above mentioned U.S. applications serial
numbers 09/900,698; 09/564,449; 09/564,213; 09/565,125; 09/564,837;
091564,939; 09/564,531; 09/564,268; 09/564,424; 09/564,780;
09/564,212; 09/565,623; and 09/223,999. In this context, a fibrous
product is considered "wet" when the wetting solution is added to
the web with an add-on between about 25% and the maximum add-on
which can be accepted by the web (i.e. saturation). To determine
the liquid add-on, first the weight of a portion of dry web having
specific dimensions is determined. The dry web corresponds to the
basesheet which can be fed to the wetting and winding apparatus.
Then, the amount of liquid by weight equal to a multiple (e.g. 1,
1.5, 2.5, 3.3, etc., times) where 1=25 100%, 2.5=250%, etc., of the
portion of the dry web, or an increased amount of liquid measured
as a percent add-on based on the weight of the dry web portion, is
added to the web to make it moistened, and then referred to as a
"wet" web. Preferably, the wetting solution add-on is between about
25% and 700%; more preferably between 50% and 400%; more preferably
still between 30 100% and 350%; more preferably still between 150%
and 300%; more preferably still between 200% and 250%.
[0020] The dry product used may be any type of substance which can
be used to wipe a surface and which is not a moist product. For
example, the dry product may have a liquid add-on of less than 25%.
In other examples, the dry product may have a liquid add-on of less
than 15%, or less than 5%. Examples of dry wiping product include
sheets such as nonwovens, tissue (including toilet tissue and
facial tissue), and paper towels; cloth; cotton pads and swabs; and
chamois.
[0021] Wet product and dry product may independently be provided in
a variety of configurations, for example as a stack of separate
sheets, as a folded stack of perforated sheets, or as a roll of
wipes. The wet and dry product may each contain a plurality of
portions, such that a single wiping step utilizes one portion of
the product. The portion may be a single sheet, such as an
individual sheet from a stack or a sheet defined by perforations,
or it may be more than one sheet.
[0022] Preferably, the wet-dry cleaning system includes at least 3
wiping steps, each step involving a wipe with a fresh portion of
product. A product is considered "fresh" if its surface does not
contain soil. For example, wet cloths or sponges may be considered
fresh if, after wiping soil from a surface, the soil is removed
from the product by rinsing or washing. Similarly, a chamois may be
considered fresh if it is allowed to dry after absorbing liquid
from a surface. Disposable wiping products or portions thereof such
as toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins, and wet wipes are
considered fresh if they have not been used to remove soil from a
surface.
[0023] The wet-dry cleaning system includes wiping the surface with
a dry product and wiping the surface with a wet product in various
sequences. The wet-dry cleaning thus includes the processes of:
[0024] dry wiping, followed by dry wiping, followed by wet wiping
(ddw);
[0025] dry wiping, followed by wet wiping, followed by dry wiping
(dwd);
[0026] wet wiping, followed by dry wiping, followed by dry wiping
(wdd);
[0027] wet wiping, followed by wet wiping, followed by dry wiping
(wwd);
[0028] dry wiping, followed by wet wiping, followed by wet wiping
(dww); and
[0029] wet wiping, followed by dry wiping, followed by wet wiping
(wdw).
[0030] The progress of a cleaning process can be examined by
measuring the amount of adsorbed particles removed from a surface.
A useful method for these measurements is the detection of
fluorescent beads, which can be deposited on a surface and then
removed by the cleaning process of interest. Once a sample of
fluorescent beads has been removed from a surface, the beads can be
detected and counted, for example by a flow cytometer, providing
for quantification of the amount of particles remaining on a
surface after a cleaning process.
[0031] The wet-dry cleaning system can be used to clean a variety
of surfaces, employing any wet product and any dry product. The
wet-dry cleaning process may be facilitated by providing a user
with a wet and/or a dry product, together with appropriate
instruction to carry out at least one of the wet-dry processes. The
system preferably includes instructions for carrying out the
cleaning process and includes a wet product or a dry product. The
system may also include a dispenser for the product. The system may
include both the wet product and the dry product together, and the
product (or products) and the instructions may be present together
in some form of packaging. In some instances, the dispenser may
serve as the packaging for the product and the instructions.
[0032] For example, the wet and dry products may be provided in a
package as a container of pre-moistened wet wipes and a roll or
stack of dry product, with the process instructions enclosed in the
package. The wet and dry products may be provided in a package as a
single dispenser containing both wet wipes and dry tissue or
towels, with instructions on the packaging. If the wet product and
the dry product are packaged together, it may be desirable to
prevent the wet product and the dry product from contacting each
other, so as to maintain the moisture level of each at a useful
level.
[0033] The instructions may be printed, for example on a sheet of
paper, in a brochure or pamphlet, or in a book. The instructions
may be audible or visual, for example as a recording on a magnetic
videotape or audio tape, on a CD-ROM, or on a computer-readable
medium. The instructions may be printed on the packaging, on a
dispenser, or may be on or enclosed in the packaging of the wet
and/or dry product. For example, the system may contain
instructions enclosed within packaging or printed on packaging,
where the packaging encloses a wet product and/or a dry product.
The instructions may be provided independent of the product or
packaging, such as by direct mail, a broadcast message, or a retail
display.
[0034] The instructions may communicate to a user the steps of a
wet-dry cleaning process. For example, the instructions may direct
the user to wipe a surface with a fresh portion of dry product,
followed by wiping the surface with a fresh portion of wet product,
followed by wiping the surface with a fresh portion of dry product.
The instructions may include directions to perform additional
wiping of the surface beyond the wet-dry cleaning process. The
instructions may also include directions or suggestions for tasks
such as preparing the surface to be cleaned, removing the product
from its packaging or from a dispenser, and disposal of the used
product. The instructions may refer to the cleaning of specific
surfaces, such as animal body surfaces.
[0035] The wet product and dry product may be packaged together
with a large number of portions of each product. The number of
portions of each provided in a single package may correspond to the
relative amounts of each product which would be used in a cleaning
process. For example, a package which is designed to facilitate the
"ddw", "dwd", or "wdd" cleaning processes may contain twice as many
portions of dry product as wet product. In this way, the user does
not end up with an excess of one type of product when the other
type of product has been exhausted.
[0036] For example, the system may include a number of portions of
wet product, twice as many portions of dry product, and
instructions to carry out a cleaning process using two fresh
portions of dry product and one fresh portion of wet product. Such
a cleaning process may involve dry wiping, followed by dry wiping,
followed by wet wiping (ddw); dry wiping, followed by wet wiping,
followed by dry wiping (dwd); or wet wiping, followed by dry
wiping, followed by dry wiping (wdd). The instructions may include
directions or a suggestion to repeat the process as necessary. In
another example, the system may include a number of portions of dry
product, twice as many portions of wet product, and instructions to
carry out a cleaning process using two fresh portions of wet
product and one fresh portion of dry product. Such a cleaning
process may involve wet wiping, followed by wet wiping, followed by
dry wiping (wwd); dry wiping, followed by wet wiping, followed by
wet wiping (dww); or wet wiping, followed by dry wiping, followed
by wet wiping (wdw).
[0037] The wet and dry products may be provided in a single-use
packet containing a certain number of portions of each product. For
example, a single-use cleaning packet could contain one portion of
a wet product and two portions of a dry product, and may optionally
contain instructions on using the products to clean a surface. The
wet product, dry product, and packaging for a single-use packet can
all be made sterile such that the packet could be used for cleaning
surfaces in a sterile medical environment such as a hospital,
ambulance, or clinic.
[0038] The wet product and dry product can each also have a name,
brand name, or other identifier associated with it, for example by
being placed on the product, the product's packaging, or packaging
that contains several products. These identifiers that are
associated with the wet product and dry product may be the same,
similar or substantially similar to each other. In this way the
good will, loyalty, or consumer acceptance of the identifier and/or
of the dry or wet product can be used, or inure to, the benefit of
the other product. Thus, the use of the same or substantially
similar identifiers would be envisioned, such as by way of example
and without limitation, "XXXX" for dry product and "moist XXXX",
"wet XXXX", "XXXX wet", "xxxx", "Xxxx", "Xx", "XXX('s" or "Xxxx
moist" for the wet product. In a similar manner, the use of "YYYY"
for wet product could be extended to "dry YYYY", "YYYY dry, "yyyy",
"Yyyy", "Yy", "YYYY's" or "Yyyy dry" for the dry product. Changes
in capitalization and/or font of an identifier are for the purposes
of this disclosure considered to be the same identifier. Such
identifiers or brand names, by way of example and without
limitation, could be or include the term Charmin.RTM., the term
White Cloud.RTM., the term Angel Soft.RTM., the term Northern.RTM.,
the term Soft 'N Gentle.RTM., the term Marcal.RTM., the term
Coronet.RTM., the term MoistMates.RTM. or the term Soft
Weve.RTM..
[0039] Accordingly, the dry product and the wet product may have
identifiers associated which are similar to each other. Any
instructions to carry out the cleaning process may include
suggestion to use the similarly identified wet and dry products to
carry out the cleaning process, reducing the burden on the user.
The wet product may have an identifier associated with it which
contains at least one term that is the same as an identifier
associated with the dry product. Similarly, the dry product may
have an identifier associated with it which contains at least one
term that is the same as an identifier associated with the wet
product.
EXAMPLES
[0040] Protocol For Extraction of Soil From Skin-like Material
[0041] Hydrated Vitro-CorneumT (IMS, Inc., Milford, Conn.) samples
to be tested were cut into five uniform pieces measuring
approximately 5 cm .times.5 cm (.+-.1.5 cm) using scissors. An
aliquot of 20 .mu.l of an aqueous solution containing fluorescent
beads (1.7.times.10.sup.8 beads per milliliter water) was pipetted
onto the center of each piece of material. The beads were
carboxylate-modified 10 .mu.m particles labeled with fluorescein
isothiocyanate (FITC) (BANGS LABORATORIES, INC., Fishers, Ind.).
The Vitro-Corneum.TM. was placed into a 50-ml conical tube and
incubated at room temperature (22.degree. C. .+-.20.degree. C.) for
2 hours to allow the beads time to adhere to the test material.
Following incubation, 20 ml of 0.25% (w/v) Sodium dodecyl sulfate
(SDS, SIGMA-ALDRICH, St. Louis, Mo., catalog #86,401-1) was added
to each tube. The tubes were sonicated with a VIRSONIC MICROTIP
sonicator (model #475, VIRSONIC, Gardiner, N.Y.) at setting #3, 10%
of output power, for 3 minutes. To avoid contamination, the
sonicator tip was swabbed with alcohol between samples. Immediately
following sonication, one 2-ml sample was removed from each 50-ml
tube and placed into a 5-ml tube for flow cytometry analysis.
[0042] The size of soil particles can vary widely. For example,
approximate sizes of soils are believed to be 4 nanometers (nm) for
globular proteins, 10-100 nm for viruses, 1-10 micrometers (.mu.m)
for most bacteria, 10-30 .mu.m for most eukaryotic animal cells,
and 10-80 .mu.m and greater for pollen and inorganic/organic
aggregates. Since most of soils are cells (bacterial or eukaryotic)
or components of those cells, the surface properties of the soil
can be characterized by a net negative charge. The net negative
charge is associated with but not limited to the presence of glyco-
and mucoproteins most of them containing sialic acid residues,
phospholipids, sulphates of mucopolysaccharides, cellulose,
lipopolysaccharides, and teichoic acids contained in the various
cell structures.
[0043] A 10 .mu.m particle as used in these examples thus has a
size that is approximately in the middle of the range of sizes for
most soils associated with the skin surface. A carboxylate-modified
bead as used in these examples is believed to have surface
properties that mimic the negative charge of most biological soils.
The Vitro-Corneum.TM. product is used to provide a surface which is
similar to human skin.
EXAMPLE 1
[0044] Extraction From Skin-like Material After Cleaning
[0045] Vitro-Corneum.TM. was cut into 5 cm .times.5 cm (.+-.1.5 cm)
squares using scissors. 10 .mu.l of the 10 .mu.m FITC labeled
carboxlyate-modified beads were pipetted onto each piece of
Vitro-Corneum.TM. The pieces of Vitro-Corneum.TM. were placed in a
hydration chamber (IMS, Inc., Milford, Conn.) overnight. The
following day, samples of the materials to be used for wiping were
cut into approximately 13 cm .times.5 cm pieces (.+-.1.5 cm).
Cottonelle.RTM. Fresh.TM. Rollwipes samples (KIMBERLY-CLARK
CORPORATION, Neenah, Wis.) were placed into sealed plastic bags
after preparation to prevent the test product from drying out prior
to testing. Additionally, each piece of Vitro-Corneum.TM. was
removed from the hydration chamber immediately before testing. The
remaining pieces of the Vitro-Corneum.TM. were left in the chamber
to remain hydrated.
[0046] To ensure that each test material hasuniform contact time
and pressure with the Vitro-Corneum.TM., a Monitor/Slip &
Friction.TM. Model #32-06 (TESTING MACHINES, INC., Amityville,
N.Y.) wiping instrument or an equivalent instrument can be used.
The instrument consists of a moving horizontal bed to contain test
fluids and substrates. A probe capable of holding test materials is
suspended above the horizontal bed. The probe is lowered to the
sample bed using manual controls. The sample bed is then moved by a
variable speed DC motor and slide wire assembly to create a wiping
motion. Contact time was set at approximately 2.0 seconds (.+-.0.5
seconds) and pressure was set to 1 pound per square inch (PSI). The
test material was loaded onto the wiping instrument while the
Vitro-Corneum.TM. piece was secured onto the wiping platform using
tape. The Vitro-Corneum.TM. was wiped the desired number of times
with the material to be examined. For repetitive wiping, each wipe
was performed with a fresh piece of test material. Cottonelle.RTM.
Toilet Paper (KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION, Neenah, Wis. was tested
using the fabric side of the material and wiping in the cross
direction. Cottonelle.RTM. Fresh.TM. Rollwipes were wiped in the
machine direction. The Vitro-Corneum.TM. pieces were placed into a
50-ml conical tube. 10 ml of 0.25% SDS was added to each tube. The
beads were extracted from each sample using the Virsonic.TM.
microtip probe sonicator for 3 minutes at etting #3, 10% output
power. To avoid contamination, the sonicator tip was swabbed with
alcohol between samples. Three 2-ml samples were withdrawn from
each 50-ml conical tube and placed into 5-ml tubes for flow
cytometry analysis, thus each individual sample was analyzed in
triplicate.
[0047] Controls were performed to ensure the accuracy of the
results. The positive control consisted of 10 .mu.l of the bead
suspension, at original concentration (1.7.times.10.sup.8 beads per
ml), applied to Vitro-Corneum.TM.. The positive control was not
wiped with any test materials, but was extracted and analyzed to
ensure that all beads were completely removed from the
Vitro-Corneum.TM. substrate by sonication. The negative control
consisted of a piece of unwiped Vitro-Corneum.TM., without beads,
extracted and analyzed to provide a baseline for flow cytometry
analysis. A positive wiping control was also employed, consisting
of Vitro-Corneum.TM. prepared with 10 .mu.l of the bead suspension
and wiped once on the wiping apparatus with a portion of
KIMWIPES.RTM. EX-L Wipers (KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION, Neenah,
Wis.). The wiping control ensured that the wiping apparatus
operated properly and provided a control that demonstrated daily
consistency.
EXAMPLE 2
[0048] Flow Cytometry Analysis of Fluorescent Beads
[0049] The flow cytometry analyses were performed on a FACSCALIBUR
flow cytometer (BECTON DICKINSON BIOSCIENCES, San Jose, Calif.).
equipped with a 15-mW, 488-nm, air-cooled argon ion laser. Samples
were delivered at the low flow rate, corresponding to 12 .mu.l
(.+-.2 .mu.l) per minute. Forward scatter, side scatter, and one
fluorescent signal were measured. A band pass filter of 530 nm (515
to 545 nm) was used to collect the FITC fluorescence. Forward
scatter was collected with a diode detector. Side scatter was
collected with a photomultiplier tube. Using the CELLQUEST version
3.1 software (BECTON DICKINSON), the acquired data was analyzed and
the desired bead population was counted.
EXAMPLE 3
[0050] Comparative Results From Cleaning Processes
[0051] Cleaning processes utilizing three wiping steps were
performed for all combinations of wet and dry wiping. A cleaning
process utilizing one wipe with a portion of KIMWIPES.RTM.
EX-L-Wipers was performed as a control. Each process was repeated
14-15 times, and the results were averaged to provide the
percentage of fluorescent beads removed.
[0052] The following parameters were calculated from the
fluorescent imaging analysis after the three-step cleaning
procedures were complete, and are given in Table A:
[0053] 1) ratio of beads removed to beads applied;
[0054] 2) ratio of beads removed by wet-dry process to beads
removed by control process; and
[0055] 3) ratio of beads remaining after wet-dry process to beads
remaining after control process.
1TABLE A beads removed/ beads removed/ beads remaining/ Process*
beads applied (%) control control ddd 53.7 2.451 0.593 ddw 79.8
3.803 0.255 dww 81.5 3.507 0.241 wwd 83.9 3.611 0.210 wdw 86.8
3.739 0.171 wdd 87.6 4.173 0.157 dwd 89.2 4.250 0.136 www 97.6
4.458 0.030 *d = wipe with dry product; w = wipe with wet
product
[0056] The same data was used to generate the graph of FIG. 1. The
cleaning ratio in FIG. 1 is defined as: 1 -- (beads removed/beads
applied), with a lower cleaning ratio corresponding to better
cleaning. Also depicted in FIG. 1 are blocks indicating statistical
significance clustering. The cleaning ratios for two processes
which are positioned under a single box are not statistically
distinguishable from each other.
[0057] In a surprising and unexpected result, the two wet-dry
cleaning processes having the best cleaning ratios were processes
involving only a single wet wipe each, dwd and wdd. As is seen from
Table A and FIG. 1, the all-wet cleaning process (www) provides the
lowest cleaning ratio of all the processes examined. Thus,
processes involving a majority of wet wipes would be expected to
yield the most thorough cleaning. The wet-dry cleaning processes
having the lowest cleaning ratios were the dwd and the wdd
processes. All of the wet-dry cleaning processes (i.e. exclusive of
the "ddd" and "www" processes) performed remarkably better than the
all dry process.
[0058] For the wet-dry cleaning processes, the highest percentage
of beads appear to have been removed by processes involving a wet
wipe followed by a dry wipe (wwd, wdw, wdd, and dwd). When examined
as a comparison with the control process, the ddw process, in
addition to the processes involving a wet wipe followed by a dry
wipe, also removed a relatively high number of beads.
[0059] In general, the data reflect that the combination of a dry
wipe with a wet wipe in an overall three-step sequence provides
more thorough cleaning than the use of dry wipes alone. In
comparing the "ddd" process to the "ddw" process, the percentage of
beads removed increased by at least 48% with the inclusion of a wet
wiping step. In comparing the "ddd" process to the "dww" process,
the ratio of beads removed compared to the control increased by at
least 43% with the inclusion of a wet wiping step. In comparing the
"ddd" process to the "ddw" process, the ratio of beads remaining
compared to the control was reduced by at least 56% with the
inclusion of a wet wiping step.
[0060] Without wishing to be bound by any theory of operation, it
is believed that dry wipes remove soils by providing mass transfer
to the soils, imparting enough momentum to the soils to remove them
from the surface. Dry wipes can also absorb liquid on the surface,
as well as soils contained in the liquid. Wet wipes are believed to
help solubilize the surface and the soils, reducing the friction
and the attractive interactions between the surface and the soil.
The combination of the cleaning action of the dry wipe with the
cleaning action of the wet wipe can take advantage of both types of
cleaning -- mass transfer of soils and solubilization of soils. For
processes involving a wet wipe followed by a dry wipe, the wet
wiping step is believed to increase the amount of soil available
for removal, the soil removal being effectively provided by the
subsequent dry wiping step. This "wet-then-dry" sequence within the
overall wet-dry cleaning process thus advantageously provides for
increased cleaning efficiency.
* * * * *