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mfulton wrote:

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What does the Rubbing Alcoholdue to the mix?

Mike

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Here is an excerpt from the US Patent, scroll down, learn!

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described composition is new in the industry because it is the only composition formulated with a combination of chemicals that are considered to be mild household cleaners but works as fast as most dangerous acids and has no disadvantages such as raising the nap of wood, causing some outside surfaces to deteriorate more rapidly than normal, or leaving a white scum. In actual field tests, the presently claimed composition dramatically out-performed every product that could be found available in and was sold in major hardware, paint, and marine stores in the United States. It also out-performed the cleaning composition disclosed and claimed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/822,130.

Further, the combination of ingredients is unique in that the chlorinated bleach solution will clean mold, mildew, fungus, algae, and other stains on outdoor surfaces, but at the same time the surfactant or surfactants act as a buffer in that they combine with and retard the harshness of the chlorinated bleach solution and enhance the action of the chlorinated bleach solution by emulsifying organic oils and any animal fatty acids and dirt residue. The surfactants are also penetrants that will actually penetrate porous surfaces and help lift the foreign matter to the surface for easy removal. The alcohol serves two purposes: first, it helps the chlorinated bleach to slightly raise the grain in wood so the wood will more easily release the foreign matter and cleaning action can take place with no labor, and second, it also acts as a drying agent on the emulsified organic oils so that they tend to thicken and stick together for easier removal. With this combination of ingredients, the pressure from the average garden hose is all that is needed to cause the surface to be cleaned. This action is unsurpassed in cleaning and preparing surfaces and especially wood, for painting, staining, or sealing.

Importantly, and unexpectedly, the composition does not cause the nap of wood to raise, does not cause premature deterioration of other materials such as some fabrics, and does not form a white scum on cleaned surfaces, as did its commercialized forerunner, which used about 5 percent by volume of a 100 percent chlorinated bleach solution.

According to the present invention, the surfactant can be any surfactant that is miscible with water and compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions. The phrase "compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions" means that the surfactant and chlorinated bleach solutions are soluble in each other without reacting or changing their chemical composition. The surfactant must be suitable for storage with hypochlorite solutions without loss of its cleaning ability and without reaction.

The surfactant emulsifies the oils and dirt impregnated in the wood or surface being cleaned as well as any perfume or odorant oils added to the inventive composition. Further, the surfactant emulsifies undesirable materials in and on the surface being cleaned and helps remove these undesirable materials such as oxidized oils and dirt. The surfactant also serves as a buffer to prevent raising the wood grain by the hypochlorite solution.

Preferably, the surfactant is an amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, an ethoxylated carbon chain compound and/or a sulfonated carbon chain compound.

Specific examples of such surfactants suitable for use in the present composition include a lauryl dimethyl amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, an ethoxylated hydrogenated tallow amine, a nonylphenol ethoxylated or triethanol amine salt of an alkylauryl sulfonate or an octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol. An amine oxide, a lauryl betaine, or an octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol are especially preferred.

The surfactant can be one or a combination of surfactants and the total percent by volume ranges from about 0.1 to about 10 percent. The preferred amount of surfactant is about 1 percent by volume.

According to the present invention, the alcohol can be any of a primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol, as long as it is compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions. The phrase "compatible with concentrated chlorinated bleach solutions" means that the alcohol and chlorinated bleach solutions are soluble in each other without reacting or changing their chemical composition.

Specific examples of suitable alcohols that are useful in the present composition, on a 100 percent basis, include methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol and its denatured counterparts, and isopropyl alcohol.

Isopropyl alcohol and/or methyl alcohol are preferred. Ethyl alcohol and its denatured counterparts are less desirable because of high cost and the complexity of the denaturant formulas. Higher alcohols such as butyl, octyl, and decyl alcohol are not desirable because they dry too slowly.

The alcohol aids the penetration of the surfactant and bleach (hypochlorite) into the surface and helps emulsify undesirable oils. The alcohols can be used alone or in combination.

The alcohol is used in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 8 percent by volume, and an amount of about 0.5 to 1.2 percent by volume is preferred.

According to the present invention, the chlorinated bleach solution can be any of sodium hydrochlorite, potassium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. Calcium hypochlorite is less preferred because the calcium ion is relatively insoluble and causes surfactants, soaps or detergents to become inactive.

In the present composition, hypochlorite removes the stains caused by mold, mildew, fungus and algae usually associated with dampness and moisture. The chlorinating and oxidizing action of the hypochlorite solution whitens and brightens the surface cleaned and returns it to a stain and dirt free surface as when new.