Soil release agent and method to facilitate the cleaning of ovens used for cooking

A composition for the pre-treatment of a surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits consisting essentially of:

• a. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is an inorganic clay material and is present in an amount sufficient so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of said surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries;
• b. an alkaline, food-safe, water-soluble inorganic salt in an amount sufficient so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled;
• and
• c. water.

A composition for the pre-treatment of a surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits consisting essentially of:

• a. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is a magnesium aluminum silicate, said thickening agent being present in an amount of about 2.2% by weight of said composition, so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of said surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries;
• b. an alkaline, food-safe, water-soluble inorganic salt which is tripotassium phosphate, said inorganic salt being present in an amount of about 5 to 25% by weight of said composition, so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled;
• and
• c. water,
• wherein said composition, prior to application to said surface, has a pH of about 12.0 to 12.5, and wherein said composition further consists essentially of FD&C Blue #1 Dye in an amount of about 0.04% by weight of said composition.

A method for cleaning a desired surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits comprising the steps of:

• a. applying to the surface a composition consisting essentially of:
• i. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is substantially insoluble in said composition and which is present in an amount sufficient so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of the surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries,
• ii. an alkaline, water-soluble, food-safe, inorganic salt in an amount sufficient so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled, and
• iii. water,
• to form a continuous coating on the surface;
• b. drying the continuous coating to form a film;
• c. allowing the film to become soiled;
• and
• d. removing the soiled film by contacting it with water or an aqueous solution.

A method for cleaning a desired surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits comprising the steps of:

• a. applying to the surface a composition consisting essentially of:
• i. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is an inorganic clay material which is present in an amount sufficient so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of the surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries,
• ii. an alkaline, water-soluble, food-safe, inorganic salt in an amount sufficient so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled, and
• iii. water,
• to form a continuous coating on the surface;
• b. drying the continuous coating to form a film;
• c. allowing the film to become soiled;
• and
• d. removing the soiled film by contacting it with water or an aqueous solution.

A method for cleaning a desired surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits comprising the steps of:

• a. applying to the surface a composition consisting essentially of:
• i. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is a smectite clay material derived from bentonite rock and contains predominantly montmorillonite clay and which is present in an amount sufficient so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of the surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries,
• ii. an alkaline, water-soluble, food-safe, inorganic salt in an amount sufficient so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled, and
• iii. water,
• to form a continuous coating on the surface;
• b. drying the continuous coating to form a film;
• c. allowing the film to become soiled;
• d. removing the soiled film by contacting it with water or an aqueous solution;
• and
• e. reapplying the composition to the surface after said removal step.

A method for cleaning a desired surface which is subjected to heat and is liable to soiling by baked-on organic food deposits comprising the steps of:

• a. applying to the surface a composition consisting essentially of:
• i. a food-safe, inorganic thickening agent which is magnesium aluminum silicate, said thickening agent being present in an amount of about 2.2% by weight of said composition, so that said composition is capable of forming a continuous coating adhered to all desired portions of the surface, which coating also remains continuous as the coating dries,
• ii. an alkaline, water-soluble, food-safe, inorganic salt which is tripotassium phosphate, said water-soluble salt being present in an amount of about 5% to 25% by weight of said composition, so that said composition is readily removable with water or an aqueous solution after said composition has been dried and soiled, and
• iii. water,
• to form a continuous coating on the surface, wherein the composition, prior to being applied to said surface, has a pH of about 12.0 to 12.5, and wherein the composition is applied to said surface by spraying,
• b. drying the continuous coating by heating at about 400.degree. F. to form a film,
• c. allowing the film to become soiled;
• and
• d. removing the soiled film by wiping with a wet cloth or sponge,
• wherein said composition also consists essentially of FD&C Blue #1 Dye in an amount of about 0.04% by weight of said composition, and wherein said desired surface is that of an oven.