Acid formulations for use in a system for warewashing
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsLee J. Monsrud, Michael S. Rischmiller, Daniel Osterberg, John Mansergh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of acidic warewashing are disclosed. The compositions can include other materials including surfactants and chelating agents, and are preferably phosphorous free. Methods of using the acidic compositions are also disclosed. Exemplary methods include using the acidic compositions together with other compositions, including alkaline compositions and rinse aids employed in an alternating alkaline/acid/alkaline manner. The methods also include acidic compositions that serve multiple roles.
Claims12
A method of cleaning articles in an institutional or a consumer dishmachine comprising:
- providing a concentrated acidic composition, wherein the concentrated acidic composition comprises at least one acid selected from the group consisting of urea sulfate, urea hydrochloride, sulfamic acid, sulfuric acid, methylsulfamic acid, methanesulfonic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid and mixtures thereof;
- and a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an EO/PO block copolymer, a PO/EO reverse block copolymer, a linear alcohol ethoxylate, an alkoxylated alcohol, a fatty alcohol ethoxylate, a dimethicone surfactant, and mixtures thereof;
- diluting the concentrated acidic composition to form a first acidic use solution having a first concentration of said acid and said surfactant;
- applying the first acidic use solution to articles in need of cleaning as a detergent;
- diluting the concentrated acidic composition to form a second acidic use solution having a second concentration of said acid and surfactant;
- and
- applying the second acidic use solution to the articles to be cleaned as a rinse aid in combination with a rinse aid composition having a pH, wherein the second acidic use solution lowers the pH of the rinse aid composition for a period of time by at least 1 pH unit compared to the rinse aid composition alone, wherein the method does not employ any phosphorus or phosphorus-containing compounds.
A method of cleaning articles in an institutional or a consumer dishmachine comprising:
- spraying onto articles in need of cleaning an acidic composition using a rinse arm of the dishmachine, wherein the acidic composition comprises at least one acid selected from the group consisting of urea sulfate, urea hydrochloride, sulfamic acid, sulfuric acid, methylsulfamic acid, urea hydrochloride, methanesulfonic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid and mixtures thereof, and wherein at least a portion of the acidic composition is caused to remain in the rinse arm as residual acidic composition;
- and
- spraying onto the articles a mixture of a rinse aid composition having a pH and the residual acidic composition using the rinse arm of the dishmachine, wherein the residual acidic composition lowers the pH of the rinse aid composition for a period of time by at least 1 pH unit compared to the rinse aid composition alone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.