CORINNA BÖHME*, DITMAR KISCHKEL, ANNE BÖHN-CHASTANG
Corresponding Author*
BASF, 67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany

Abstract

Ethoxylated fatty alcohols show excellent cleaning properties even on heavy oily soils. Used in combination with short-chain alkyl polyglucosides in hard surface cleaner formulations, they can significantly improve foam stabilisation, gloss retention, and plastic compatibility. These benefits form the basis for premium products with claims that support the most important trends and needs in the home care cleaner market, thereby enabling choices in hard surface cleaning.

INTRODUCTION

The driving forces in the home care market are convenience, safety, performance, and sustainable solutions. Convenience relates to a product’s ease of use and its suitability for multi-purpose applications, and also creates the emotional motives that prompt the consumer to buy it. Safety means hygiene, skin protection, and protection against antimicrobial contamination, as well as describing the care of sensitive surfaces such as plastics. As cleaning performance is a must in detergents, consumers are always looking for more efficiency, improved gloss, and other additional benefits. Moreover, almost every newly launched product offers an improved sustainability profile. Saving water and energy and using sustainable raw materials or renewable packaging are the most popular statements connected with this trend.
The claims supporting these trends, such as “environmentally friendly”, “easier to clean”, or “gentle on surfaces” are directly linked to performance effects produced by cleaner ingredients.

ELEMENTS AND EFFECTS
BASF’s Home Care unit worked on various combinations of two quite dif ...