Title: Reusable zeolite water softener for clothes washing

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Claims: I claim:

1. A method of washing soiled textiles comprising the step of agitating said soiled textiles in an aqueous washing solution at a temperature in the range of 80.degree. F. to 200.degree. F. in a washing machine in the presence of (A) a detersive proportion of a water-soluble nonionic or anionic surfactant and (B) a product comprising 20 to 300 parts by weight of particles of a water-insoluble, inorganic aluminosilicate having at least about one atom of aluminum for every three atoms of silicon, a cation selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, lithium and hydrogen, and a particle size of less than ten microns incorporated in 100 parts by weight of a water-insoluble hydrophilic poly(urea/urethane) substrate having an open porous structure, said product being effective to remove calcium and magnesium ions from said washing solution.

2. A product as in claim 1 in which said ratio is about 1:1.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said surfactant is separately added to said aqueous washing solution.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein all or a portion of said surfactant is a component of said product.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous washing solution further includes a water-soluble detergent builder salt.

6. A product for use in contact with the wash water in a clothes washing machine during the washing of soiled textiles which comprises 20 to 300 parts by weight of particles of amorphous or hydrated, water-insoluble inorganic aluminosilicate having at least one atom of aluminum for every three atoms of silicon, a cation selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, lithium or hydrogen, and a particle size of less than 10 microns incorporated in 100 parts by weight of a water-insoluble substrate comprising a hydrophilic poly(urea/urethane) in the form of a sponge having about 30 to 100 pores per inch, said aluminosilicate being distributed on the pore walls and within the pores and said product being effective to remove calcium ions from said wash water.

7. A product as set forth in claim 6 wherein said aluminosilicate is a synthetic sodium zeolite of Type A.

8. A product as in claim 6 in which said ratio of aluminum to silicon is about 1:1.

9. A product as in claim 6 wherein said polymer is derived from a prepolymer produced by reaction of a polyoxyalkylene polyol with a stoichiometric excess of an organic polyisocyanate.

10. A product as set forth in claim 6 which further includes about 2% to 10% by weight of a nonionic or an anionic surfactant.
Other info:

Inventors: Leonard, Ralph Spencer (Berkeley Heights, NJ, US)

Application Number: 537223
Filing Date: 1974-12-30
Publication_date: 1978-01-03
Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive (New York, NY)
Primary Class(es): 8/137 210/679, 210/687, 252/179, 428/317.9, 428/331, 510/356, 510/532, 521/122, 521/174
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3033641	May, 1962	Thomas	210/38.
3266973	Aug, 1966	Crowley	210/502.
3382141	May, 1968	Arledter et al.	162/156.
3424545	Jan, 1969	Bauman	8/137.
3434864	Mar, 1969	Haden et al.	117/152.
3545622	Dec, 1970	Sakhnovsky et al.	210/502.
3686025	Aug, 1972	Morton	117/140.
3687297	Aug, 1972	Kuhn et al.	210/502.
3755222	Aug, 1973	Gruber et al.	260/DIG.
3870145	Mar, 1975	Mizuno	252/8.
3929678	Dec, 1975	Laughlin et al.	252/526.
3985669	Oct, 1976	Krummel et al.	252/89.
4025427	May, 1974	Loeb	210/38.

Other Refs: 813,5811,542,7542,055,4231,143,6347,406,306416,430

Apr, 1974	BE.
Sep, 1968	FR
May, 1972	DT.
Feb, 1963	DT.
Sep, 1974	NL.
Mar, 1933	UK

Primary Examiner: Dixon, Jr., William R.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: