USE OF CYCLODEXTRINS FOR MALODOR REDUCTION IN THE AREA OF LAUNDRY CARE

Abstract

 The present invention generally relates to an article for the treatment of fabrics comprising a substrate and a textile treatment composition, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one cyclodextrin. The invention also relates to the use of such a laundry article for treating fabrics, and to a method of using such articles. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of cyclodextrins in such a laundry article for improving the olfactory impression of the article and for malodor combatting.

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to an article for the treatment of fabrics comprising a substrate and a textile treatment composition, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one cyclodextrin. The invention also relates to the use of such a laundry article for treating fabrics, and to a method of using such articles. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of cyclodextrins in such a laundry article for improving the olfactory impression of the article and for malodor combatting.

[0002] Laundry detergents and conditioning compositions are available in several different product formats, such as powders, granulates, liquids, gels or unit dose items such as tablets or pouches.

[0003] Especially unit dose items comply with the consumer's desire for simplified dosage. Nonetheless, laundry tablets and pouches exhibit a few drawbacks. Due to their high densification, especially tablets show delayed dissolution and thus a delayed release of their ingredients in the wash liquor. In order to improve dissolution rates without diminishing cleaning properties several technical solutions have been found such as incorporation of disintegration aids. Since integration aids usually do not possess cleaning or conditioning properties of their own, overall product complexity and manufacturing costs are raised. The disadvantage of pouches comprising liquid detergent or conditioning composition is that incompatible ingredients cannot be formulated in one single formulation. Additionally, wrapping material such as polyvinyl alcohol often does not dissolute completely during the washing process, and residues thereof can be found on the fabrics.

[0004] Another alternative unit dose item comprises laundry detergents that are coated on water-insoluble or water-soluble substrates, loosely referred to as "laundry sheets". Such a laundry article is added together with the laundry to the washing machine. During the washing process its active ingredients are released into the wash liquor.

[0005] Consumers, however, do not only judge a fabric cleaning or conditioning agent, such as a laundry sheet, by its cleaning or conditioning properties, but further value appealing aesthetics thereof, which includes a pleasing olfactory impression.

[0006] To this end, consumer home care products, such as products for textile washing and/or conditioning purposes, are usually perfumed. The presence of fragrant ingredients, however, also meets the requests of consumers that the product be effective in the masking of unpleasant odors, such as body odor present on fabrics to be treated with said product, such as worn clothes and bed covers, for instance. Although the use of fragrances and odorants, for example in the form of perfume compositions, even in encapsulated form, can provide a certain degree of relief, any bad odors and off-flavors that occur can generally only be partially masked and cannot be completely neutralized. In addition, perfumes are comparatively expensive ingredients that are often difficult to formulate, of which overdosing should be generally avoided for health reasons.

[0007] There is therefore a continuing need for fabric treatment products, which reduce or even prevent the occurrence of bad odors and off-notes and which themselves exhibit a pleasant, long-lasting fragrance profile.

[0008] Surprisingly, it has been found that the presence of at least one cyclodextrin in a laundry sheet improves the olfactory impression of the product itself in intensifying the fragrance intensity and fragrance-imparting quality thereof. It has been further surprisingly found that, compared to a cyclodextrin comprised in a liquid detergent composition, the presence of at least one cyclodextrin in a laundry sheet yields better malodor reduction effects.

[0009] In a first aspect, the present invention thus relates to laundry article for the treatment of fabrics comprising a substrate and at least one textile treatment composition, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one cyclodextrin.

[0010] In a second aspect, the present invention also relates to the use of a laundry article as described herein in treating fabrics.

[0011] In a third aspect, the present invention further relates to a method of treating a fabric, characterized in that a laundry article as described herein is used in at least one step thereof.

[0012] In a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to the use of at least one cyclodextrin for improving the olfactory impression of an article it is part of and for reducing malodor, wherein the cyclodextrin is part of a laundry article and the laundry article is used in a textile treatment process

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention are described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It should be recognized that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0014] The term "textile treatment composition", as used herein, means an agent or composition, which is used for textile treatment and thereby causally leads to a change in at least one property of the textile selected from chemical, physical or aesthetic properties after completion of the treatment. The components of a textile treatment agent may, in the context of the present invention, in principle be selected and adapted so that the agent has the desired treatment properties, for example textile cleaning, conditioning and/or color protecting properties.

[0015] The term "conditioning" means, in the context of the present invention, imparting a desired property, for example, with respect to textiles, pleasant handle, crease resistance or low static charge. Accordingly, a "textile conditioning composition", as used herein, is a composition which, when used in textile washing and/or care processes, is intended to impart a pleasant handle, wrinkle resistance or reduced static charge to the treated textile.

[0016] Within the scope of the invention are all conceivable textile washing and/or care processes, on a commercial scale, in the washing machine or in hand washing. This includes, for example, washing and cleaning processes and applications for the cleaning, care and/or conditioning, pre- and/or posttreatment of all types of textiles, such as, for example, garments, carpets, and textile furniture surfaces.

[0017] "One or more", as used herein, relates to at least one and comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more of the referenced species. Similarly, "at least one" means one or more, i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more.

[0018] "At least one", as used herein in relation to any component, refers to the number of chemically different molecules, i.e. to the number of different types of the referenced species, but not to the total number of molecules. "At least one surfactant" thus means, for example, at least one type of surfactant, i.e. that one type of surfactant or a mixture of several different surfactants may be meant. Together with weight indications, the indication refers to all compounds of the indicated type contained in the composition/mixture, i.e. that the composition does not contain any further compounds of this type beyond the indicated amount of the corresponding compounds.

[0019] In the present specification, the terms "a" and "an" and "at least one" are the same as the term "one or more" and can be employed interchangeably.

[0020] "About", as used herein in relation to a numerical value, means said value ±10%, preferably ±5%.

[0021] All percentages given herein in relation to the compositions or formulations relate to weight % relative to the total weight of the respective composition or formula, if not explicitly stated otherwise. Numeric ranges specified in the format "from x to y" include the specified values. If multiple preferred numeric ranges are specified in this format, it is understood that all ranges created by combining the different endpoints are also included.

[0022] The term "liquid", as used herein, refers to compounds or mixtures of compounds that are flowable and pourable at room temperature (about 15 °C to about 25 °C).

[0023] Where reference is made herein to molar masses, this information always refers to the number-average molar mass M_n, unless explicitly stated otherwise. The number average molar mass can be determined, for example, by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) according to DIN 55672-1:2007-08 with THF as eluent. The weight average molecular weight M_w can also be determined by GPC as described for Mn.

[0024] Whenever alkaline earth metals are mentioned in the following as counterions for monovalent anions, this means that the alkaline earth metal is naturally present only in half the amount of substance - sufficient for charge balance - as the anion.

[0025] According to the present invention, provided herein is a laundry article for the treatment of fabrics comprising a substrate and at least one textile treatment composition, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one cyclodextrin.

[0026] In the context of the present invention, the term "substrate" generally refers to a material serving as a matrix to hold at least one textile treatment composition, and to release it during the treatment of a fabric, such as during the washing and/or conditioning of a fabric. According to preferred embodiments, it has a planar shape. "Planar", in the context of the present invention, refers to a planar extension, or shape, for example the shape of a cloth or a sheet. Thus, a sheet-like substrate according to the present invention, in some embodiments, is in the form of a cloth, for example in the form of a non-woven fabric, a knitted fabric or a woven fabric, the dimensions of which are preferably chosen to be user-friendly, for example such that the article can preferably be used as a unit dose in fabric treatment processes, such as washing and/or conditioning processes. According to further embodiments, the substrate may be in the form of a film.

[0027] "Water-soluble" refers, in the context of the present invention, to a material which, upon contact with water, for example upon contact with a wash liquor, does not swell, dissolve and/or disintegrate only insignificantly, the structure of which disintegrates, or the constituents of which, upon contact with water, at least partially dissolve, preferably substantially dissolve, most preferably completely dissolve and/or become suspended.

[0028] "Water-insoluble" means, in the context of the present invention, a material whose constituents substantially do not go into solution or become suspended upon contact with water, preferably do not go into solution or become suspended.

[0029] The substrate may be made of a single material, but may also comprise mixtures of different materials. For example, if the substrate is a water-insoluble material, it may comprise cellulosic and/or synthetic fibers. Similarly, a blend of viscose and cellulose fibers may be used. Blends of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers or cellulosic fibers and viscose and synthetic fibers may also be used. Also considered are substrates consisting essentially or exclusively of cellulosic fibers/materials.

[0030] Suitable fibers include, but are not limited to, cellulosic fibers, i.e., suitable fibers comprise or consist of cellulose or are cellulosic fibers. In various embodiments, the textile material comprises cellulose type fibers, such as linen, cotton (cotton blends are also possible) or viscose. A specific example is lyocell. The fibers may be natural fibers or regenerated cellulose-based fibers, such as cotton or viscose, or blends of natural fibers and regenerated fibers. Particularly suitable are regenerated cellulosic fibers such as viscose, modal and lyocell, or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, the fibers used are made from purified cellulose, particularly cellulose containing less than 10% by weight of other components such as hemicellulose or lignin. Preferably, the cellulose from which the fibers are formed is substantially free of hemicellulose and lignin. Also preferably, the fibers used in the textile materials described herein are not wood pulp.

[0031] Processes for producing suitable regenerated cellulose fibers are well known and involve chemically converting purified cellulose, for example from pulp or other natural sources, into a soluble compound which is then dissolved and forced through a spinneret to produce chemically consolidated filaments, fibers.

[0032] Suitable lyocell fibers are marketed, for example, by Lenzing, AT, under the Tencel^® brand.

[0033] Although the fibers are preferably cellulose-based, it is also possible to use fibers comprising or consisting of cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose esters, especially cellulose acetate.

[0034] Suitable synthetic fibers include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester and polyolefin fibers.

[0035] In various embodiments, the substrate is a cellulose-based nonwoven, in particular a lyocell substrate, which may comprise further natural fibers, in particular cellulose fibers. The further natural fibers present may be different from the cellulose fibers.

[0036] In various embodiments, the substrate is made at least in part from fibers of a cellulosic material, but may also be a composite material in that it also comprises non-cellulosic material. Accordingly, the material may comprise a naturally occurring material or a plastic or a mixture thereof.

[0037] The water-insoluble substrate material is typically selected to have sufficient wet strength and sufficient resistance to abrasion resulting from contact with other materials in a bath, such as a wash liquor or rinse water. Therefore, the water-insoluble substrate materials of the present application are preferably tensile and robust so as to be suitable in principle for all types of washing machines. Tensile strength refers to the material's resistance to unraveling and/or tearing. The direction of tensile strength can be distinguished between machine direction (MD) and cross direction (CD). In the production of the material, for example in cloth form, the longitudinal direction (production direction) is the machine direction. The direction perpendicular to it is the transverse direction. Further, the sheets should be robust and stable both wet (i.e., immersed in water for 10 seconds) and dry (as obtained from a supplier). Thus, in the wet state, the substrate material preferably has a tensile strength in the machine direction (MD) of from 200 N/m to 1500 N/m, preferably from 400 N/m to 1400 N/m, especially from 600 N/m to 1300 N/m, more preferably from 750 N/m to 1200 N/m, and/or in the transverse direction (CD) of from 50 N/m to 1000 N/m, preferably from 100 N/m to 800 N/m, more preferably from 150 N/m to 500 N/m. In the dry state, it preferably has a tensile strength in the machine direction (MD) of 1200 N/m to 2800 N/m, preferably of 1400 N/m to 2600 N/m, in particular of 1500 N/m to 2400 N/m, especially preferably of 1600 N/m to 2200 N/m and/or in the transverse direction (CD) of 200 N/m to 1500 N/m, preferably of 250 N/m to 1000 N/m, especially of 300 N/m to 800 N/m.

[0038] The substrate may additionally comprise a binder such as polyvinyl acetate, although in various embodiments no such binder is included.

[0039] Examples of nonwovens that may find use as the water-insoluble substrates to the articles of the present invention may include, but are not limited to, Ahlstrom Needlepunch, Ahlstrom 11 B04.31 10, Ahlstrom VPM7.1, Sandler Sawaloom^® 6000, Sandler Sawaloom^® 6600, Sandler Sawaloom^® 6700, Sandler Sawaloom^®6351, Sandler Sawaloom^® 2621 and Sandler Sawatex^® 2611 (spunlace products), all from Sandler AG; Texel^® 04531 needlepunch, and Texel^® 05232 needlepunch from Tenotex; and HDK#225 thermal bonded PET, and HDK #590, 401, 330, #2, #4 and #5 thermal bonded nonwovens from HDK Industries, Inc.

[0040] In various other embodiments, the substrate is a water-soluble substrate material. In this context, suitable water-soluble materials that may comprise, for example, fibers for making water-soluble substrates are known in the prior art and include materials made from polymers of natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic origin, such as, for example and without limitation, polyvinyl alcohols, polyamides, polylactides, proteins, starch, alginate, chitosan, galactans, gum Arabic, agar, and derivatives and copolymers of the foregoing. In various embodiments, a water-soluble substrate comprises at least one water-soluble polymer, preferably at least one polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), and is present, for example, in the form of a water-soluble film, such as a PVOH film.

[0041] In various embodiments, the water-soluble substrate may comprise further components, for example emollients such as dipropylene glycol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol, or mixtures thereof.

[0042] Examples of commercially available water-soluble non-woven substrate materials are the nonwovens of the Norafin Ecoline product line, distributed by Norafin Industries (Germany) GmbH.

[0043] According to the invention, basically any diameter or denier of a respective fiber can be used. Suitable, without limitation, are fibers having from about 1.0 to about 2.0 dtex, preferably from about 1.2 to about 1.5 dtex and/or from about 30 to about 45 mm, preferably from about 35 to about 42 mm. The substrate, for example in the form of a cloth, nonwoven or the like, may be wet laid or spun, depending on the length of the fibers. It is preferred that the fibers have a length of from about 2 mm to about 5 mm for wet laid nonwovens, or from about 30 mm to about 50 mm for spunbonded nonwovens. In one embodiment described herein, all of the fibers may be in the form of a yarn.

[0044] The thickness of the sheet-like substrate is preferably from 0.62 mm to 1.5 mm, preferably from 1.0 mm to 1.2 mm. If the substrate is a textile substrate, depending on the fiber material and type of fabric, a balance must be made between permeability to the wash liquor and stability of the product.

[0045] The substrate is preferably formed to a density of 40-200 g/m², 40-80 g/m², 55-75 g/m² or 60-75 g/m², preferably about 65 g/m². The values apply to the textile material in its ready-to-use, i.e. dry, form. The density can be determined according to ISO 9073-1 (from 1989).

[0046] The dimensions of a ready-to-use, in particular in the form of a unit dose, may for instance be in the range of about 20-30 cm x 10-20 cm, such as about 25 cm x 12 cm. In general, the sheet may have any shape, such as a rectangular, polyhedral, rhomboidal, round, oval, heart- or other decorative shape, and may even be shaped in a way to identify a particular brand (such as the shape of a letter or word or trademark). The substrate may be colored or may be substantially white, and may be textured, for instance from heated rollers that are patterned. In general, the aesthetics of the sheet should be pleasing enough so that consumers will want to use it with their laundry chores.

[0047] The purpose of the substrate is to provide a carrier for at least one textile treatment composition, such as a detergent and/or textile conditioning composition, and further to provide a sufficient area through which the active ingredients of the at least one textile treatment composition are accessible to the wash liquor. Preferred applications are textile washing processes, in particular in automatic washing machines, such as front loaders or top loaders. According to the present invention, the substrate of the article described herein is accordingly charged with a textile treatment composition. In various embodiments, the textile treatment composition is a detergent and/or textile conditioning composition.

[0048] A textile treatment composition, such as a detergent and/or textile conditioning composition, usually comprises at least one active substance, preferably at least two active substances. Suitable active agents include, for example, surfactants, enzymes, UV stabilizers, fragrances (perfume), dyes, color-catching compounds, dye transfer inhibitors, optical brighteners, preservatives, bittering agents, disinfectants, defoamers, encapsulated ingredients (e.g. encapsulated perfume), pH-adjusting agents, and skin-feel-improving or skin-care additives.

[0049] The amount of any of the aforementioned exemplary types of ingredients depends on the particular intended end use of the composition, and the skilled person is generally familiar with suitable dosages of these ingredients or is able to find appropriately suitable amounts in the literature.

[0050] A typical fabric conditioning composition, for instance, preferably comprises at least one quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant and may further comprise one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of fragrances, fragrance vehicles, fluorescent agents, dyestuffs, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, graying inhibitors, shrinkage preventers, antiwrinkle agents, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial active ingredients, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, antistatics, ironing aids, phobizing and impregnating agents, swelling and nonslip agents, and UV absorbers. If the fabric conditioning composition is basically a fabric softening composition a preferred optional ingredient of the fabric conditioning composition is an antistatic agent. Another preferred optional ingredient of a fabric conditioning composition is an antimicrobial active agent such as silver or a silver compound such as SILVERPLUS^® (available from Rudolf Chemie). It is preferred that the fabric conditioning composition has a melting point of ≧ 50 °C. and more preferred in the range of 50 to 58 °C so as to avoid spotting.

[0051] A typical detergent composition, for example, may comprise one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, builders, chelants and further adjuvant ingredients such as, without limitation, bleaches, bleach catalysts, bleach activators, enzymes, fragrances, fragrance vehicles, fluorescent agents, dyestuffs, foam inhibitors, silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, graying inhibitors, shrinkage preventers, antiwrinkle agents, dye transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial active ingredients, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatics, and UV absorbers. Suitable detergent compositions may be in the form of a co-melt of mostly anhydrous waxy ingredients (materials normally solids or waxes at ambient temperature), or in the form of a low-water content slurry or paste. The detergent composition, even if in the form of a co-melt of waxy ingredients, may contain insoluble particles agglomerated into the melt, either for performance or aesthetic reasons.

[0052] According to various preferred embodiments, the at least one textile treatment composition comprises at least one perfume.

[0053] Suitable perfume oils may comprise individual fragrant compounds, for example synthetic products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol, and hydrocarbon type. Fragrant compounds of the ester type are, for example, benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate, dimethylbenzyl carbinyl acetate (DMBCA), phenylethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, ethylmethylphenyl glycinate, allylcyclohexyl propionate, styrallyl propionate, benzyl salicylate, cyclohexyl salicylate, floramate, melusate and jasmecyclate. The ethers include, for example, benzyl ethyl ether and ambroxan; the aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamen aldehyde, lilial and bourgeonal; the ketones include, for example, the ionones, isomethyl ionone and methyl cedryl ketone; the alcohols include anethol, citronellol, eugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol and the hydrocarbons include, for example the terpenes, such as limonene and pinene. However, mixtures of various fragrances, which together produce an attractive fragrant note of the resulting perfume oil, are preferably used.

[0054] The perfume oils may also contain natural mixtures of fragrances, as are obtainable from vegetal sources, for example pine, citrus, jasmine, patchouli, rose or ylang-ylang oil. Also suitable are e.g. muscatel sage oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, melissa oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lime blossom oil, juniper berry oil, vetivert oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil and laudanum oil and orange blossom oil, neroli oil, orange peel oil and sandalwood oil.

[0055] Exemplary long-lasting fragrances may be selected from essential oils, such as angelica root oil, aniseed oil, arnica flowers oil, basil oil, bay oil, bergamot oil, champax blossom oil, silver fir oil, silver fir cone oil, elemi oil, eucalyptus oil, fennel oil, pine needle oil, galbanum oil, geranium oil, ginger grass oil, guaiacum wood oil, Indian wood oil, helichrysum oil, ho oil, ginger oil, iris oil, cajuput oil, sweet flag oil, chamomile oil, camphor oil, Canoga oil, cardamom oil, cassia oil, Scotch fir oil, copaiba balsam oil, coriander oil, spearmint oil, caraway oil, cumin oil, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, limette oil, mandarin oil, melissa oil, amber seed oil, myrrh oil, clove oil, neroli oil, niaouli oil, olibanum oil, orange oil, origanum oil, Palma Rosa oil, patchouli oil, Peru balsam oil, petit grain oil, pepper oil, peppermint oil, pimento oil, pine oil, rose oil, rosemary oil, sandalwood oil, celery seed oil, lavender spike oil, Japanese anise oil, turpentine oil, thuja oil, thyme oil, verbena oil, vetiver oil, juniper berry oil, wormwood oil, wintergreen oil, ylang-ylang oil, ysop oil, cinnamon oil, cinnamon leaf oil and cypress oil. However, in the context of the present invention, the higher boiling or solid fragrances of natural or synthetic origin can be advantageously used as long-lasting fragrances or mixtures of fragrances. These compounds include for example the following compounds and their mixtures: ambrettolide, amyl cinnamaldehyde, anethol, anisaldehyde, anis alcohol, anisole, methyl anthranilate, acetophenone, benzyl acetone, benzaldehyde, ethyl benzoate, benzophenone, benzyl alcohol, borneol, bornyl acetate, bromostyrene, n-decyl aldehyde, n-dodecyl aldehyde, eugenol, eugenol methyl ether, eucalyptol, farnesol, fenchone, fenchyl acetate, geranyl acetate, geranyl formate, heliotropin, methyl heptyne carboxylate, heptaldehyde, hydroquinone dimethyl ether, hydroxycinnamaldehyde, hydroxycinnamyl alcohol, indole, irone, isoeugenol, isoeugenol methyl ether, isosafrol, jasmone, camphor, carvacrol, carvone, p-cresol methyl ether, coumarone, p-methoxyacetophenone, methyl n-amyl ketone, methyl anthranilic acid methyl ester, p-methylacetophenone, methyl chavicol, p-methylquinoline, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl n-nonyl acetaldehyde, methyl n-nonyl ketone, muscone, naphthol ethyl ether, naphthol methyl ether, nerol, nitrobenzene, n-nonyl aldehyde, nonyl alcohol, n-octyl aldehyde, p-oxyacetophenone, pentadecanolide, phenyl ethyl alcohol, phenyl acetaldehyde dimethyl acetal, phenylacetic acid, pulegone, safrol, isoamyl salicylate, methyl salicylate, hexyl salicylate, cyclohexyl salicylate, santalol, scatol, terpineol, thymine, thymol, undecalactone, vanillin, veratrum aldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamic acid, ethyl cinnamate, benzyl cinnamate. In the context of the present invention, the advantageously utilizable fragrances of higher volatility particularly include the lower boiling fragrances of natural or synthetic origin that can be used alone or in mixtures. Exemplary fragrances of higher volatility are alkyl isothiocyanates (alkyl mustard oils), butanedione, limonene, linalool, linalyl acetate and linalyl propionate, menthol, menthone, phellandrene, phenylacetaldehyde, terpinyl acetate, citral, citronellal.

[0056] In order to achieve an aroma therapeutic effect, essential oils may be used as the benefit agent. Exemplary essential oils are angelica fine (angelica archangelica), aniseed (pimpinella anisum), benzoe siam (styrax tokinensis), cabreuva (myrocarpus fastigiatus), cajeput (melaleuca leucadendron), cistrose (cistrus ladaniferus), copaiba-balsam (copaifera reticulata), costic root (saussurea discolor), silver fir needle (abies alba), elemi (canarium luzonicum), fennel (foeniculum dulce) pine-needle (picea abies), geranium (pelargonium graveolens), ho-leaves (cinnamonum camphora), immortals (straw flower), helichrysum ang., ginger, perforate St. John's wort (hypericum perforatum), jojoba, German chamomile (matricaria recutita), chamomile oil blue (matricaria chamomilla), Roman chamomile (anthemis nobilis), wild chamomile (ormensis multicaulis), carrot (daucus carota), knee pine (pinus mugho), lavander (lavendula hybrida), litsea cubeba (may chang), manuca (leptospermum scoparium), balm mint (melissa officinalis), pine tree (pinus pinaster), myrrh (commiphora molmol), myrtle (myrtus communis), neem (azadirachta), niaouli (mqv) melaleuca quin. viridiflora, palmarosa (cymbopogom martini), patchouli (pogostemon patschuli), perubalsam (myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae), raventsara aromatica, rose wood (aniba rosae odora), sage (salvia officinalis), horsetail (equisetaceae), yarrow (achillea millefolia), narrow leaf plantain (plantago lanceolata), styrax (liquidambar orientalis), tagetes (marigold) tagetes patula, tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia), tolubalsam (myroxylon balsamum I.), virginia-ceder (juniperus virginiana), frankincense (olibanum) (boswellia carteri), and silver fir (abies alba).

[0057] It has surprisingly been found that the presence of at least one cyclodextrin improves the odor impression of the article itself. Thus, a synergy between the at least one cyclodextrin and the at least one perfume has been discovered, said synergy being more pronounced in an article according to the present invention, i.e. a laundry article comprising at least one cyclodextrin and at least one perfume, compared with a combination of cyclodextrin and perfume present in the same amount in a conventional liquid detergent formulation.

[0058] In various embodiments, the textile treatment composition comprises a skin-care compound.

[0059] A "skin care compound" is understood to mean a compound or a mixture of compounds that, upon contact of a textile surface with the textile treatment composition, is absorbed onto the surface, and upon contact of the surface with skin, lends a benefit to the skin compared with a surface that was not treated with said composition. This advantage can include for example the transfer of the skin care compound from the surface onto the skin, a lower water transfer from the skin to the fabric or a lower friction on the surface of the skin by the treated surface.

[0060] The skin care compound is preferably hydrophobic, can be liquid or solid and must be compatible with the other ingredients of the laundry and homecare composition. The skin care compound may be selected, for instance, from:

a) waxes such as carnauba, spermaceti, beeswax, lanolin, derivatives thereof as well as their mixtures;

b) plant extracts, for example vegetal oils such as avocado oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm nut oil, rape seed oil, linseed oil, soya oil, peanut oil, coriander oil, castor oil, poppy-seed oil, coconut oil, pumpkin seed oil, wheat germ oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, macadamia nut oil, apricot nut oil, hazel nut oil, jojoba oil or canola oil, chamomile, aloe vera or also green tea extract or plankton extract as well as mixtures thereof;

c) higherfatty acids such as lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, isostearic acid or polyunsaturated fatty acids;

d) higher fatty alcohols such as lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol or 2-hexadecanol;

e) esters, such as cetyl octanoate, lauryl lactate, myristyl lactate, cetyl lactate, isopropyl myristate, myristyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl adipate, butyl stearate, decyl oleate, cholesterol isostearate, glycerol monostearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, alkyl lactate, alkyl citrate or alkyl tartrate;

f) hydrocarbons such as paraffins, mineral oils, squalane or squalene;

g) lipids;

h) vitamins such as vitamin A, C or E or vitamin alkyl esters;

i) phospholipids;

j) sun protection agents such as octyl methoxylcinnamate and butyl methoxybenzoylmethane;

k) silicone oils such as linear or cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes, amino-, alkyl-, alkylaryl- or aryl-substituted silicone oils; and

l) mixtures thereof.

[0061] In preferred embodiments, the textile treatment composition comprises at least one dye-capturing compound. The term "dye-capturing" (which may also be referred to as "color capture", "color catch", "dye-scavenging", or the like), as used herein, may in particular denote the capability of binding, adsorbing, absorbing or otherwise capturing a dye or color from a fluid, such as a washing liquor, and retaining the same such that it may not be easily released again into the fluid from which it has been removed.

[0062] The term "dye-capturing functionality", as used herein, may in particular denote a property or a functional group (for example of a molecule or a compound, for instance of a dye-capturing agent) capable of (or configured for) binding, adsorbing, absorbing or otherwise capturing a dye or color from a fluid, such as a washing liquor, and retaining the same such that it may not be easily released again into the fluid from which it has been removed. To this end, a dye-capturing functionality may in particular have cationic properties (such as being temporarily (depending on the pH environment) or permanently positively charged) or represents a cationic functional group (such as a tertiary or a quaternary amine functional group or moiety), because most of the dyes or colors which may be released from or bled out of a piece of laundry into a washing liquor are typically anionic compounds (i.e. being temporarily or permanently negatively charged).

[0063] Principally suitable dye-capturing coatings are known in the prior art and are mentioned, for example, in PCT/EP2017/050080, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0064] Color-catching compounds, or dye-capturing compounds, suitable for employment in the context of the present invention include, without limitation, polyamines or GMAC (glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride), or a precursor of GMAC, such as 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. Specific examples of suitable dye-scavenging compounds include GMAC and precursors thereof.

[0065] Other suitable dye-scavenging compounds include N-trisubstituted ammonium-2-hydroxy-3-halopropyl compounds of general formula (I):

         X'-CH2-CHOH-CH2-N+(R1R2R3) Y'-     (I)

wherein R1, R2, R3 are each independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, benzyl or a hydroxyl-substituted derivative thereof, X' is a halogen atom, and Y'- is chloride, bromide, sulfate or sulfonate, or
an epoxide-propylammonium salt of the general formula (II):
(II)
wherein R4, R5, R6 and Y"- have the same meaning as R1, R2, R3 and Y'- of formula (I) above, as defined above.

[0066] In various embodiments, the dye scavenging compound is a compound of formula (I) or (II) wherein R1, R2, R3 or R4, R5, R6 are each independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, benzyl or a hydroxyl substituted derivative thereof, preferably methyl, ethyl, n-propyl or n-butyl, more preferably methyl or ethyl, most preferably methyl. X' is a halogen atom, preferably selected from Cl or Br.

[0067] Y'- and/or Y"- are selected from chloride, bromide, sulfate or sulfonate, preferably chloride. It is understood that when Y' or Y" is a sulfate or sulfonate anion, this refers to ½ sulfate/sulfonate ion, i.e., the anion is shared by two positively charged ammonium compounds.

[0068] In various embodiments, the dye-scavenging compound is preferably an epoxypropylammonium salt of general formula (II), preferably a glycidyltrimethylammonium salt, also known as (2,3-epoxypropyl)trimethylammonium salt, more preferably the chloride salt available in solid form or as a 72 % aqueous composition from Sigma Aldrich, where R4, R5, R6 are each methyl and Y"- is chloride.

[0069] Alternatively, the compound may be a compound of formula (I) above, for example 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride, obtainable from Sigma Aldrich, wherein R1, R2, R3 are each methyl, X' is chlorine, and Y'- is chlorine.

[0070] Of course, more than one compound of formula (I) or (II) may be used in combination, or a corresponding compound may be used in combination with another dye-capturing compound of formula (I) or (II), respectively.

[0071] In various embodiments, the dye-scavenging compound is selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of vinylimidazole (more specifically N-vinylimidazole) and vinylpyrrolidone (more specifically N-vinylpyrrolidone), a copolymer of vinylimidazole (more specifically N-vinylimidazole) and vinylcarbazole (more specifically N-vinylcarbazole), a copolymer of vinylimidazole (more specifically N-vinylimidazole) and vinylphthalimide (more specifically N-vinylphthalimide), and a copolymer of vinylimidazole (more specifically N-vinylimidazole) and vinylindole (more specifically N-vinylindole). In particular, the dye-capturing agent may comprise a copolymer of vinylimidazole and vinylpyrrolidone.

[0072] For further information on color-catching compounds suitable for employment in the context of the present invention, as well as on methods for application of such compounds or mixtures comprising such compounds to laundry treatment articles, such as laundry sheets, reference is made to WO 2020/244925 A1 and WO 97/48789 A1, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0073] In various embodiments, the at least one textile treatment composition comprises at least one dye-scavenging compound. In various embodiments, the textile treatment composition comprises a dye-capturing agent in an amount of from about 0.1 to 20 wt.-%, such as in an amount of 0.2 to 17.5 wt.-%, such as in an amount of from 0.5 to 15 wt.-%, such as in an amount of from 0.75 to 12.5 wt.-%, or such as in an amount of from 1 to 10 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the textile treatment composition.

[0074] In various embodiments, the textile treatment composition, which may be a laundry detergent composition, may comprise at least one detersive surfactant.

[0075] Detergent formulations may contain one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants cationic, zwitterionic, and amphoteric surfactants. Combinations of the aforementioned types of surfactants are also anticipated.

[0076] Suitable nonionic surfactants are in particular alkylglycosides and ethoxylation and/or propoxylation products of alkylglycosides or linear or branched alcohols in each case having 12 to 18 C atoms in the alkyl moiety and 3 to 20, preferably 4 to 10, alkyl ether groups. Corresponding ethoxylation and/or propoxylation products of N-alkylamino, vicinal diols, fatty acid esters and fatty acid amides, which correspond with regard to the alkyl moiety to the stated long-chain alcohol derivatives, and of alkylphenols having 5 to 12 C atoms in the alkyl residue may furthermore be used.

[0077] Particularly suitable nonionic surfactants are alkoxylated, advantageously ethoxylated, in particular primary alcohols with preferably 8 to 18 C atoms and on average 1 to 12 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) per mol of alcohol, in which the alcohol residue may be linear or preferably methyl-branched in position 2 or may contain linear and methyl-branched residues in the mixture, as are conventionally present in oxo alcohol residues. In particular, however, alcohol ethoxylates with linear residues prepared from alcohols of natural origin with 12 to 18 C atoms, for example from coconut, palm, tallow fat or oleyl alcohol, and on average 2 to 8 EO per mol of alcohol are preferred. Exemplary ethoxylated alcohols include, for example, C12-C14 alcohols with 3 EO or 4 EO, C9-C11 alcohols with 7 EO, C13-C15 alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO, 7 EO or 8 EO, C12-C18 alcohols with 3 EO, 5 EO or 7 EO and mixtures of these, such as mixtures of C12-C14 alcohol with 3 EO and C12-C18 alcohol with 7 EO. The stated degrees of ethoxylation are statistical averages, which, for a specific product, may be an integer or a fractional number. Suitable alcohol ethoxylates may have a narrow homologue distribution (narrow range ethoxylates, NRE). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EO may also be used. Examples of these are (tallow) fatty alcohols with 14 EO, 16 EO, 20 EO, 25 EO, 30 EO or 40 EO. In particular, in products for use in machine washing, extremely low-foam compounds are conventionally used. These include C12-C18 alkylpolyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol ethers in each case having up to 8 mol of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide units per molecule. It is, however, also possible to use other nonionic surfactants which are known to be low-foaming, such as for example C12-C18-alkyl polyethylene glycol/polybutylene glycol ethers with in each case up to 8 mol ethylene oxide and butylene oxide units per molecule and end group-terminated alkylpolyalkylene glycol mixed ethers. Alkoxylated alcohols containing hydroxyl groups, or "hydroxy mixed ethers", are also particularly preferred. Alkylglycosides of the general formula RO(G)x, in which R means a primary linear or methyl-branched aliphatic residue, in particular methyl-branched in position 2, with 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 C atoms, and G denotes a glycose unit with 5 or 6 C atoms, preferably glucose, may also be used as nonionic surfactants. The degree of oligomerization x, which indicates the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any desired number and, being an analytically determined variable, may also assume fractional values between 1 and 10; x is preferably 1.2 to 1.4. Polyhydroxyfatty acid amides of the formulae (I) and (II) are likewise suitable, in which R¹ and R³ denote linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl residues with 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R² denotes hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl residue with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R⁴ denotes a linear, branched or cyclic alkylene residue or an arylene residue with 2 to 8 carbon atoms, R⁵ denotes a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl residue or an aryl residue or an oxyalkyl residue with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, C1-C4 alkyl or phenyl residues being preferred, and [Z] denotes a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl residue with 3 to 10 carbon atoms, the alkyl chain of which is substituted with at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated, derivatives of this residue:

[0078] The polyhydroxyfatty acid amides, especially those of formula (II), may preferably be derived from reducing sugars with 5 or 6 carbon atoms. [Z] is also preferably obtained by reductive amination of a sugar such as glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds may then be converted into the desired polyhydroxyfatty acid amides by reaction with fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of an alkoxide as catalyst.

[0079] A further class of suitable nonionic surfactants, which can be used either alone or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, in particular together with alkoxylated fatty alcohols and/or alkyl glycosides, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in particular fatty acid methyl esters. Nonionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-coconut alkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alcohol-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and the fatty acid alkanolamide type may also be suitable. The quantity of these nonionic surfactants preferably amounts to no more than that of the ethoxylated fatty alcohols, in particular no more than half the quantity thereof. "Gemini" surfactants may also be considered as further surfactants. These are generally taken to mean such compounds as have two hydrophilic groups per molecule. These groups are generally separated from one another by a "spacer". This spacer is generally a carbon chain, which should be long enough for the hydrophilic groups to be sufficiently far apart that they can act mutually independently. Such surfactants are in general distinguished by an unusually low critical micelle concentration and the ability to bring about a great reduction in the surface tension of water. In exceptional cases, gemini surfactants include not only such "dimeric" surfactants, but also corresponding "trimeric" surfactants. Suitable gemini surfactants are, for example, sulfated hydroxy mixed ethers or dimer alcohol bis- and trimer alcohol tris-sulfates and -ether sulfates. End group-terminated dimeric and trimeric mixed ethers are in particular distinguished by their di- and multifunctionality. The stated end group-terminated surfactants accordingly exhibit good wetting characteristics and are low-foaming, such that they are in particular suitable for use in machine washing or cleaning processes. Gemini polyhydroxyfatty acid amides or poly-polyhydroxyfatty acid amides may, however, also be used.

[0080] Suitable anionic surfactants are in particular soaps and those, which contain sulfate or sulfonate groups. Surfactants of the sulfonate type, which may preferably be considered are C9-C13 alkyl benzene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, i.e. mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkane sulfonates and disulfonates, as are obtained, for example, from C12-C18 monoolefins with a terminal or internal double bond by sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products. Alkane sulfonates, which are obtained from C12-C18 alkanes for example by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation with subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization are also suitable. The esters of a-sulfofatty acids (ester sulfonates), for example the a-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids, which are produced by a-sulfonation of the methyl esters of fatty acids of vegetable and/or animal origin with 8 to 20 C atoms in the fatty acid molecule and subsequent neutralization to yield water-soluble mono salts, may also be considered suitable. The a-sulfonated esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids are here preferred, it also being possible for sulfonation products of unsaturated fatty acids, for example oleic acid, also to be present in small quantities, preferably in quantities of no more than approx. 2 to 3 wt. %. Preferred a-sulfofatty acid alkyl esters are in particular those which comprise an alkyl chain with no more than 4 C atoms in the ester group, for example methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester and butyl ester. The methyl esters of a-sulfofatty acids (MES), and the saponified disalts thereof too, are particularly advantageously used. Further suitable anionic surfactants are sulfated fatty acid glycerol esters, which are mono-, di- and triesters and mixtures thereof, as are obtained during production by esterification by a monoglycerol with 1 to 3 mol of fatty acid or on transesterification of triglycerides with 0.3 to 2 mol of glycerol. Preferred alk(en)yl sulfates are the alkali metal and in particular sodium salts of sulfuric acid semi-esters of C12-C18 fatty alcohols for example prepared from coconut fatty alcohol, tallow fatty alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl- or stearyl alcohol or C10-C20 oxo alcohols and those semi-esters of secondary alcohols of this chain length. Alk(en)yl sulfates of the stated chain length which contain a synthetic linear alkyl residue produced on a petrochemical basis and which exhibit degradation behaviour similar to that of the appropriate compounds based on fatty chemical raw materials are also preferred. In particular, C12-C16 alkyl sulfates and C12-C15 alkyl sulfates and C14-C15 alkyl sulfates are preferred because of their washing characteristics. 2,3-Alkyl sulfates, which may be obtained as commercial products of Shell Oil Company under the name DAN^®, are also suitable anionic surfactants. The sulfuric acid monoesters of linear or branched C7-C21 alcohols ethoxylated with 1 to 6 mol of ethylene oxide are also suitable, such as 2-methyl-branched C9-C11 alcohols with on average 3.5 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) or C12-C18 fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO. Preferred anionic surfactants also include the salts of alkylsulfosuccinic acid, which are also known as sulfosuccinates or sulfosuccinic acid esters, and are the monoesters and/or diesters of sulfosuccinic acid with alcohols, preferably fatty alcohols and in particular ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Preferred sulfosuccinates contain C8 to C18 fatty alcohol residues or mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred sulfosuccinates contain a fatty alcohol residue, which is derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols, which are in themselves nonionic surfactants. Sulfosuccinates whose fatty alcohol residues are derived from ethoxylated fatty alcohols with a narrow homologue distribution are here particularly preferred. It is likewise also possible to use alk(en)ylsuccinic acid with preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alk(en)yl chain or the salts thereof. Further anionic surfactants, which may be considered are fatty acid derivatives of amino acids, for example of N-methyltaurine (taurides) and/or of N-methylglycine (sarcosides). Sarcosides or sarcosinates are particularly preferred here and most especially sarcosinates of higher and optionally mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids such as oleyl sarcosinate. Further anionic surfactants, which may in particular be considered are soaps. Saturated fatty acid soaps are in particular suitable, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, hydrogenated erucic acid and behenic acid and in particular soap mixtures derived from natural fatty acids, for example coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids. Known alkenylsuccinic acid salts may also be used together with these soaps or as substitutes for soaps.

[0081] The anionic surfactants, including the soaps, may be present in the form of the sodium, potassium or ammonium salts thereof and as soluble salts of organic bases, such as mono-, di- or triethanolamine. The anionic surfactants are preferably present in the form of the sodium or potassium salts thereof, in particular in the form of the sodium salts.

[0082] A variety of quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant may be utilized, such as acyclic quaternary surfactants, also known as ester quats and diester quats. For example, useful quaternary synthetic surfactants that are acyclic include linear alkyl, branched alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, oleylalkyl, acyloxyalkyl, diamidoamine, or diester quaternary ammonium compounds. It may be preferred that the quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is a fabric softening agent. It may also be preferred that the quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is an anti-static agent. In this context of cationic functionalization of a laundry treatment substrate, reference may again be made to WO 2020/244925 A1 and WO 97/48789 A1, respectively.

[0083] The quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant may be present in an amount of about 10 to 80 wt.-%, preferably in an amount of about 25 to 60 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the textile treatment composition.

[0084] Surfactants are typically present in detergents as contemplated herein in amounts of preferably about 5 wt.-% to about 50 wt.-%, in particular of about 8 wt.-% to about 30 wt.-%.

[0085] Enzymes suitable for employment in the context of the present invention are those from the class of amylases, proteases, lipases, cutinases, pullulanases, hemicellulases, cellulases, oxidases, laccases and peroxidases and mixtures thereof. Particularly suitable enzymatic active ingredients are those obtained from fungi or bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus lentus, Streptomyces griseus, Humicola lanuginosa, Humicola insolens, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas cepacia or Coprinus cinereus. The enzymes may be adsorbed onto carrier substances and/or be embedded in encapsulating substances in order to protect them from premature inactivation. They are present in products as contemplated herein preferably in quantities of up to 5 wt. %, in particular of about 0.0001 to about 4 wt. %, based on the active protein content. If the product as contemplated herein contains protease, it preferably exhibits a proteolytic activity in the range from about 100 PU/g to about 10,000 PU/g, in particular about 300 PU/g to about 8000 PU/g. If two or more enzymes are to be used in the product as contemplated herein, this may be achieved by incorporating the two or more separate enzymes or enzymes which are separately formulated in known manner.

[0086] Graying inhibitors have the task of keeping dirt, which has been dissolved, away from the textile fibers suspended in the liquor. Water-soluble colloids of a mainly organic nature are suitable for this purpose, for example starch, gelatin, salts of ether carboxylic acids or ether sulfonic acids of starch or cellulose or salts of acidic sulfuric acid esters of cellulose or starch. Water-soluble polyamides containing acidic groups are also suitable for this purpose. Derivatives of starch other than those listed above, for example aldehyde starches, may further be used. Cellulose ethers, such as carboxymethylcellulose (Na salt), methylcellulose, hydroxyalkylcellulose and mixed ethers, such as methylhydroxyethylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, methylcarboxymethylcellulose and mixtures thereof, may be used, for example, in quantities of about 0.1 to about 5 wt.-%, relative to the textile treatment composition.

[0087] Textile treatment compositions may contain derivatives of diaminostilbene disulfonic acid or the alkali metal salts thereof as optical brighteners. Suitable compounds are, for example, salts of 4,4'-bis(2-anilino-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazinyl-6-amino)stilbene 2,2'-disulfonic acid or compounds of similar structure which, instead of the morpholino group, bear a diethanolamino group, a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group. Brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may furthermore be present, for example the alkali metal salts of 4,4'-bis(2-sulfostyryl)-diphenyl, 4,4'-bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)-diphenol, or 4-(4-chlorostyryl)-4'-(2-sulfostyryl)-diphenyl. Mixtures of the above-stated optical brighteners may also be used.

[0088] In order to establish a desired pH value, the at least one textile treatment composition may contain acids, which are compatible with the system and are environmentally compatible, in particular citric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid and/or adipic acid, as well as mineral acids, in particular sulfuric acid, or bases, in particular ammonium or alkali metal hydroxides. Such pH regulators may be present in textile treatment compositions in quantities of preferably no more than 20 wt.-%, in particular of about 1.2 wt.-% to about 17 wt.-%.

[0089] In the context of the present invention, amounts of the at least one textile treatment composition, which may be a detergent and/or fabric conditioning composition, are typically in the range of about 5 to about 95 wt.-%, preferably in the range of about 20 to about 90 wt.-%, more preferably in the range of about 40 to about 90 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the substrate. For instance, the at least one fabric treatment composition may be applied onto the substrate in an amount of about 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 or 90 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the substrate.

[0090] According to the present invention, a further constituent of the laundry article described herein is at least one cyclodextrin.

[0091] The term "cyclodextrin" as used herein is intended to include any of the known cyclodextrins, such as substituted and unsubstituted cyclodextrins containing from about six to about twelve glucose units, and mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of cyclodextrins suitable for employment in the context of the present invention include cyclodextrins selected from the group consisting of α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, alkylated α-cyclodextrin, alkylated β-cyclodextrin, alkylated γ-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated α-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated β-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated γ-cyclodextrin, methylated cyclodextrin, and mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the at least one cyclodextrin is β-cyclodextrin, hydroxypropylated β-cyclodextrin, or methylated β-cyclodextrin, or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the at least one cyclodextrin is methylated β-cydodextrin or hydroxypropylated β-cyclodextrin or a mixture thereof, more preferably methylated β-cydodextrin.

[0092] According to the present invention, the at least one cyclodextrin is present in an amount in the range of about 0.01 to 30 wt.-%, preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 25 wt.-%, more preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 15 wt.-%, still more preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 5 wt.-%, for instance but without limitation in an amount of about 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the laundry article.

[0093] Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that compounds perceived as malodorous can be bound by the cyclodextrin comprised in the article, as herein defined and described, which is why the articles described herein have a strong effect against malodors, such as those that can typically be found on worn clothes, moist fabrics, such as moist or wet towels, and the like. Particularly, it has been discovered that the malodor-neutralizing or malodor-combatting effect is more pronounced with an article according to the present invention, i.e. a laundry article comprising at least one cyclodextrin, as herein described, than with a conventional textile treatment composition comprising at least one cyclodextrin, such as a detergent ortextile conditioning composition, such as a liquid detergent composition comprising at least one cyclodextrin. A non-restrictive example of bad odors that may be encountered on fabrics and textile surfaces is body odor, such as sweat odor. Non-limiting examples of specific molecules that leave a commonly negatively evaluated olfactory impression include amines, such as diethylamine and triethylamine; sulfides, such as dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl trisulfide; thiols, such as methyl mercaptan; and organic acids, such as butyric acid, isovaleric acid, caproic acid, unsaturated short-chain carboxylic acids and unsaturated or hydroxylated branched fatty acids; and sulfanylalkanols. Thus, the use of cyclodextrins, as described herein, can lead to an improved olfactory impression when using corresponding articles and compositions compared to articles and compositions known in the prior art.

[0094] The water-soluble or water-insoluble substrate for the laundry article of the present invention may be charged, for instance impregnated, with a fabric treatment composition, such as a detergent composition and/or a fabric conditioning composition, by any suitable processing means, insofar applicable.

[0095] For example, in the case of a water-insoluble substrate, a simple spray coating of the substrate with a heated molten mixture or an aqueous solution, even dipping of the substrate into various mixtures, is possible. For example, the molten compositions may be sputter-sprayed from guns with heated nozzles much in the same way that heavy paints, glues and coatings and the like are sprayed onto wide surfaces in many other industries. In the case of more than one composition to be applied, the impregnation of each composition on the substrate may be conducted either at the same time (in a simultaneous process with parallel feeders or sprayers for example) or in separate operations that are perhaps sequential operations of the same process or separate combinations of different processes. Impregnations may be applied on one side of the substrate, or one or more impregnations can be applied on one side, and the other composition may be applied on the other side of the substrate. This is a particularly important option for when a substrate having dissimilar sides is used. A suitable process for impregnation is for example a slot-coating process or a Gravure-coating process. In a slot coating process, the fluid to be applied is forced under pressure through a thin slot of a given width and length. The mass rate of application (gm/second) is controlled by both application pressure and slot size. The substrate is coated as it is drawn past the slot (for example at 1-100 feet per minute). Depending upon the scale of manufacture, representative slot-coating dies include Ultracoat, Acuflow, Ultra flow product from Extrusion Dies Industries LLC (EDI), Wayne Yellow Jacket^® Flexible Lip Flat Dies, or Liberty Die Coating Equipment.

[0096] Another application method suitable in the context of the present invention is the printing of compound or compound mixture onto the substrate surface, for instance via Flexoprint. For instance, the printing of an active substance, a mixture of active substances or a mixture comprising at least one active substance, provided that it is provided in printable form, may be performed as a so-called after-treatment. In the context of the present invention, for instance, it may be preferably that a laundry article, for instance a laundry sheet having a color-catching functionality, in other words, a laundry sheet comprising at least one dye-scavenging compound, is "after-treated" with an active substance or a mixture comprising at least one active substance.

[0097] Generally, the form of any composition applied to the substrate may be anything from thin to thick liquid, to slurry or paste, to molten materials that solidify into waxy appearing coatings upon cooling. It should be understood that the scope of the present invention includes the application of any of the described compositions in stages to the substrate. For example, in the application of a detergent composition to the substrate, one or more of the ingredients may be left out of the composition and applied separately to the substrate (for example, to pre-condition the substrate). Then the remaining ingredients may be applied to the substrate.

[0098] In the case of a water-soluble substrate, the substrate material components and the detergent and/or textile conditioning composition components may be dissolved and/or suspended in a suitable solvent, such as water. Mixing of the components is recommended and may be performed prior to and/or after contacting of the respective components with the solvent. The resulting mixture may be foamed so to produce a laundry article featuring a porous matrix structure. Upon evaporation of the solvent, e.g. water, a water-soluble substrate charged with a fabric treatment composition, such as a detergent and/or textile conditioning composition, may be obtained, typically in the form of a film if the mixture is poured into a suitable receptacle for solvent evaporation, such as a petri dish in the case of badges produced in the small laboratory scale. Alternatively, thermal fixation of any active ingredient, such as wash-active ingredients, is possible. To this end, the water-soluble substrate material is heated, and the pulverous active ingredients may be fixed upon the thusly malleable substrate surface.

[0099] The at least one cyclodextrin may be applied to or incorporated into the article by processes similar or identical to the ones described above. In the context of the present invention, it is intended that the cyclodextrin may be formulated into the at least one textile treatment composition to be an integral part thereof. Alternatively, the at least one cyclodextrin may be applied to a substrate already formed and comprising the at least one fabric treatment composition via after-treatment, as herein described above. In other words, application/incorporation of the at least one cyclodextrin may be performed separately from the at least one fabric treatment composition.

[0100] As outlined herein above, in particularly preferred embodiments, the laundry article described herein is a planar article, e.g. a laundry sheet. In some embodiments, a laundry sheet, as described herein, is in the form of a unit dose.

[0101] The use of the laundry article according to the present invention, as herein defined and described above, for treating fabrics, as defined herein, constitutes a further object of the invention. In this regard, the present invention relates more particularly to those uses, in which a laundry article as described herein is used in an automatic washing machine, such as for the washing and/or conditioning of fabrics.

[0102] Another object of the invention is a method of treating a fabric, characterized in that in at least one method step at least one laundry article as described herein is used. The present invention is directed at both manual and machine washing and fabric treating, e.g., conditioning processes. However, particularly preferred is a method for washing textiles in an automatic washing machine, in which the article according to the invention is dosed into the interior of a washing machine. The dosing or introduction of the article according to the invention into the interior of the washing machine may be performed manually, or alternatively, the article may be dosed into the interior of the washing machine by means of a dosing chamber.

[0103] An article as described herein can in principle also be advantageously used in combination with other textile treating agents, such as textile washing and/or care agents, in corresponding processes, such as in combination with a conventional detergent and/or a textile conditioning agent, such as a conventional detergent and/or a textile conditioning agent in liquid or compact form.

[0104] In a further aspect, the present invention also relates to the use of at least one cyclodextrin for improving the olfactory impression of an article it is an integral part of and for reducing malodor, wherein the cyclodextrin is part of a laundry article and the laundry article is used in a textile treatment process.

[0105] It is understood that all embodiments disclosed herein in relation to the laundry articles are similarly applicable to methods of application and uses thereof, insofar applicable, and vice versa.

[0106] The following examples are given to illustrate the present invention. Because these examples are given for illustrative purposes only, the invention should not be deemed limited thereto.

Examples

[0107] Textiles (30x30cm) made of 1) cotton 2) polyester 3) polyester & cotton mix (50/50) were washed at 40 °C with a commercial sports detergent, adding to the wash liquor a laundry sheet (1.9 g) treated with cyclodextrins (60 mg). After drying, a standardized artificial bad odor mixture "sweat" was sprayed onto each textile, and the textiles were stored individually in a Plexiglas chamber with a volume of 27 I tightly sealed at room temperature. After 4 hours, the Plexiglas chambers were opened and the contents were odor-assessed by 10 trained professionals each on a scale from 1 = very weak intensity to 10 = very strong intensity. The results given in the following tables were obtained as mean values.

Table 1: Results after 4h on cotton

	Fragrance intensity	Malodor intensity
Sports detergent	4,3	4,7
Sports detergent + laundry sheet including 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	6,7	2,0
Sports detergent + 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	4,3	2,7

Table 2: Results after 4h on polyester

	Fragrance intensity	Malodor intensity
Sports detergent	6,0	4,0
Sports detergent + laundry sheet including 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	7,5	2,5
Sports detergent + 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	6,5	3,0

Table 3: Results after 4h on polyester /cotton mix (50/50)

	Fragrance intensity	Malodor intensity
Sports detergent	6,0	3,0
Sports detergent + laundry sheet including 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	6,8	1,5
Sports detergent + 60 mg hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin	6,2	2,3

[0108] As evident from the above examples, the employment of a laundry article according to the present invention in addition to a conventional laundry detergent in the treatment of various textile substrates improves the overall fragrance intensity obtained on said substrates after treatment thereof. Furthermore, the malodor intensity is significantly reduced compared to textiles not treated with the laundry article according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A laundry article for the treatment of fabrics comprising a substrate and at least one textile treatment composition, characterized in that the article further comprises at least one cyclodextrin.

2. The laundry article according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is present in an amount in the range of about 0.01 to 30 wt.-%, preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 25 wt.-%, more preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 15 wt.-%, still more preferably in the range of about 0.01 to 5 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the textile treatment composition.

3. The laundry article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is selected from α-cyclodextrin, β-cyctodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, alkylated α-cyclodextrin, alkylated β-cyclodextrin, alkylated γ-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated α-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated β-cyclodextrin, hydroxyalkylated γ-cyclodextrin, methylated cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof.

4. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is selected from the group consisting of β-cyclodextrin, hydroxypropylated β-cyctodextrin, methylated β-cyctodextrin and mixtures thereof.

5. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one cyclodextrin is methylated β-cyctodextrin or hydroxypropylated β-cyctodextrin or a mixture thereof.

6. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cyclodextrin is hydroxypropylated β-cyctodextrin.

7. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the substrate is

- in the form of a sheet;

- water-soluble or water-insoluble; and/or

- a film, a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric.

8. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the textile treatment composition is a fabric detergent and/or conditioning composition.

9. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the textile treatment composition comprises at least one substance, preferably at least two substances selected from the group consisting of surfactants, enzymes, UV stabilizers, fragrances (perfume), dyes, color-catching compounds, dye transfer inhibitors, optical brighteners, preservatives, bittering agents, disinfectants, defoamers, encapsulated ingredients (e.g. encapsulated perfume), pH-adjusting agents, and skin-feel-improving or skin-care additives.

10. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the textile treatment composition comprises at least one perfume.

11. The laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the treatment composition comprises at least one color-catching compound.

12. Use of a laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for treating fabrics.

13. A method of treating a fabric, characterized in that a laundry article according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is used in at least one step thereof.

14. Use of at least one cyclodextrin for improving the olfactory impression of an article it is part of and for reducing malodor, wherein the cyclodextrin is part of a laundry article and the laundry article is used in a textile treatment process.