FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the present invention relates to unit dose cleaning products.

The field of the present invention relates to unit dose cleaning products prepared by nonwoven websheet.

The field of the present invention relates to nonwoven websheet construction suitable for use as detergent pouch.

The field of the present invention relates to unit dose cleaning products containing detergent compositions in particulate form. The field of the present invention relates to unit dose cleaning products containing detergent compositions for laundry or dishwashing or body cleansing.

Particularly the present invention relates to unit dose cleaning products prepared by nonwoven websheet in order to fulfill the requirements and the needs in this particular field.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Detergents pre-portioned in bags as pouches have been known for a long time. The introduction of detergent pouches attracts the attention of consumers since the need for measuring off the detergent quantity required for a washing program from detergent powder box was obviated. Correspondingly, the pouch containing the detergent composition can be easily removed from the box involving plurality of such pouches and placed to the washing machines without any spilling, dusting or inhaling of powder. The efficiency of cleaning operation was improved accordingly as a result of precise dosing, avoiding of spills, wasteful overdosing and underdosing. During the employment of pouches, the users’ hands do not come into contact with detersive and potentially skin irritating constituents of the cleaning composition, which is particularly important for users having an allergic reaction to detergent constituents. Beside all these, the properties of the pouches have to be considered. The pouches have to be dense enough to keep constituents enclosed. The material used for pouch construction must not be affected by the constituents and also, it has to be water permeable to enable the rapid dissolve out or wash out of the constituents by the wash water. The materials used in pouch formation must have high processability in filling and packaging machines. Additionally, the pouch material should be cheap enough to worth using. Pouches found in the market do not provide all these properties at the same time.

There have been numerous proposals in the art of marketing particulate detergent products as pouches. One proposal involves the preparation of pouches from water soluble film materials which has been known for a long time. Although it seems that these products gain much commercial success, they are not strong enough to fulfill required transport and storage conditions since the water soluble film material is vulnerable to moisture which weakens the structural integrity of products. If these products are stored in close proximity to each other, they may tend to stick together, which may lead to rupturing or breaking of the films. Additionally, they are also subject to breakage handling, can leak contents before use and release the content in the wash liquor very quickly during use, which may lead to insufficient cleaning performance.

The other proposal involves the preparation of detergent pouches by using water permeable water insoluble materials as an alternative approach upon considering the disadvantages of water soluble pouches. Water permeable water insoluble detergent pouches allow the intrusion of water and the transport of the constituents of the composition through permeable walls into wash water in solubilized or dispersed form. During use, these products are placed in the drum of the washing machine together with the soiled and/or stained fabric load. The use of water permeable water insoluble pouches enables the release of detergent ingredients directly in the wash liquor which is in close proximity to the wash load. Correspondingly, the loss of the detergent within the dispenser and sump of the washing machine are obviated and thus, the cleaning performance of the process is improved. Despite all these advantages, water insoluble water permeable detergent bags have a major problem being the difficulty in making products strong enough for competent transport and for agitation during washing process. Additionally, another difficulty is to make products having pore sizes large enough to enable passage of water and dissolved ingredients but narrow enough to prevent the escape of constituents of the composition during storage, transportation, etc. Besides, as a result of narrow pore size, complete release of the ingredients can’t be possible and some residues are left inside the pouches which deteriorates the cleaning performance.

Solid particulated cleaning compositions are generally comprised of granulated matter and powdered matter. Granulated matter has bigger particle size compared to powdered matter. Granulation serves to stick materials which are originally in powdered form to have a bigger and homogene particle size distribution of the material. This enables a better handling with regard to homogeneity of the composition, improved flowing and filling ability among others. Granulation is therefore a preferred form in solid particulate cleaning compositions. However, due to the noncompatibility of some ingredients to each other and sensibility of some to granulation conditions such as high temperatures and partly due to cost reasons some ingredients have to be added to the particulate cleaning composition in powdered form. Besides during the granulation process due to friction and processing at higher temperatures some powdered material is formed as well. The powdered material comprises of material of small particle size in considerable amounts. These matter may escape through the pores of the nonwoven pouch.

EP0163417B2, discloses a small closed bag prepared by using water permeable water insoluble material, containing a powdered bleach composition. The porosity of the bag material with regard to the powder contained within the bag should be as such to prevent undesired spillage of particulate cleaning composition. Besides the porosity should be sufficient to allow adequate water permeability, otherwise the bag will not release its content sufficiently quick. The porosity of the bag material of the present invention is provided by using materials consisting of a mixture of polyester and cellulosic fibers. Long fibres of polyester fibres are used in combination with cellulosic fibres to improve the wet strength of the sheet material to prevent disintegration of the same during washing process and binder is also necessary for improving the wet strength. However, the sheet material of the bag does not have uniform pore size distribution which causes an uncontrolled release of constituents of the composition due to the presence of staple fibers. Besides, upon contact with wash liquor, the sheet material can be damaged and give rise to uncontrolled and fast release of the particles which deteriorates cleaning efficiency of the product.

Till now, the pouches of prior art have faced with various difficulties as to keep the particulate detergent therein, or having too narrow openings to allow the full passage of detergent composition into wash liquor.

Therefore, there is a need for a unit dose cleaning product prepared by water permeable but water insoluble material that prevents the outward passage of even smaller particles of the constituents of detergent composition while allowing passage of solubilized particles of the composition when disposed into wash liquor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a unit dose cleaning product comprising an outer shell prepared by water permeable but water insoluble materials having a porosity and pore size distribution as such to prevent outward passage of constituents of detergent composition in dry state.

The present invention relates to a unit dose cleaning product comprising an outer shell prepared by water permeable but water insoluble materials such as nonwoven websheet. The present invention relates to a nonwoven websheet construction which can be designed to be used as unit dose cleaning product.

The present invention relates to a nonwoven websheet construction having porosity and pore size being narrow enough to keep detergent particles in dry state therein, and large enough to enable full passage of detergent composition into wash liquor in a feasible time period. The present invention relates to a nonwoven websheet construction having uniform porosity and pore size distribution.

To this end, a nonwoven websheet of water permeable but water insoluble or hydrophobic material prepared by polyethylene or polypropylene is provided and then manufactured into unit dose cleaning product which is filled with particulate cleaning composition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 a. Top view of a one compartmental unit dose cleaning product of the present invention prepared with a SSMMS nonwoven websheet according to Example 1

Figure 1 b. Side view of a one compartmental unit dose cleaning product of the present invention prepared with a SSMMS nonwoven websheet according to Example 1 Figure 2. Top view of a two compartmental unit dose cleaning product of the present invention prepared with a SSMMS nonwoven websheet according to Example 1

Figure 3. Layers of SSMMS nonwoven websheet according to Example 1

Figure 4. Layers of SSS nonwoven websheet according to Example 6

Figure 5. A picture of a one compartmental unit dose product prepared with a SSMMS nonwoven websheet according to the present invention

Figure 6. A SMS nonwoven websheet shown under microscop 20x magnification Figure 7. A SSS nonwoven websheet shown under microscop 20x magnification

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention nonwoven websheet provides a websheet with pores small enough to hold even the powdered material with small particle size and cause not to dust and loosing cleaning material. This goal is achieved by incorporating meltblown type nonwoven fiber layer(s) between spunbond type nonwoven fiber layers.

The water permeable but water insoluble websheet of the pouch of the present invention can be prepared from a nonwoven websheet. This nonwoven websheet can be made from fibers or filaments of different materials either synthetic or natural origin such as polyolefin, polypropylene, polyethyleneteraphthalate, polyamide, polyester, polyacrylic, PVC, cellulose acetate, polyethylene or cellulosic fibres. Preferably, synthetic fibers and more preferably, polyester, polypropylene or any combinations or blends of those fibers and most preferably, polypropylene fibers are used, wherein preferred type of polypropylene is isotactic.

Nonwoven websheets used in the present invention can be made by spunmelt process which encompasses two processes such as spunbond (S) and meltblown (M) or the combinations thereof.

Spunbonding process is based on extrusion of multiplicity of continuous thermoplastic polymer strands thorough a multiciplicity of die orifices in a downward direction onto a moving surface. These extruded strains are collected in randomly distributed mode which are then bonded together to provide integrity to the resultant nonwoven websheet. The nonwoven layer prepared by spunbonding has high strength, high porosity and good abrasion resistance.

The spunbond layer of the present invention for polypropylene fiber material comprises fibers with diameters in the range of 8-25 micron, preferably 12-20 micron. The spunbond fiber diameter below said values provides not the necessary strength and fiber diameters above said diameter fails to form nonwoven websheet with desired pore dimension avoiding spilling.

The spunbond layer weighs per area in the range of 5-30 gsm preferably 7-15 gsm. Said gsm are necessary to provide strength. In meltblowing process, extruded strands are broken up and then, before collecting onto a moving surface, these extruded strains are dispersed into individual fibers. The fibers first cooled by air then bonded together to obtain structural integrity. The nonwoven websheet prepared by meltblowing becomes very compact so that it can act as a barrier.

The meltblown layer of the present invention for polypropylene fiber material comprises fibers with diameters in the range of 1 -3 micron, preferably 1.2-2.0 micron. The Meltblown fiber diameter below said values are not strong enough to resist mechanical stress and may broke; too high of diameter may fail to build a strong mesh and cause spilling.

The meltblown layer weighs per area in the range of 5-30 gsm preferably 7-15 gsm, which is in the similar weight range as spunbond layers has. Said gsm values are necessary to provide tighter pores, for preventing spillage.

The nonwoven websheet of the present invention is the combination of spunbond and meltblown layers. The meltblown layer(s) comprise at most 15% preferably 10% of the total weight nonwoven websheet, remaining layers are spunbond layers. Spunbond layers are present always on both side of the nonwoven websheet since they are more robust compared to meltblown layers, which prevents abrasion.

Prepared spunbond and meltblown layers are combined and subjected to calender bonding by heating at least one of the rollers of the calender close to softening temperatures of the components and applying a pressure to make the softened polymers bonded, therewith providing said nonwoven websheet.

The prepared nonwoven websheet of the present invention consists of at least two spunbond layers and at least one meltblown layer located between them. The nonwoven websheet of the present invention can be composed of three or more layers, wherein used layers are composed from combination of spunbonded (S) and meltblown (M) layers and the outer layers are always spunbond layers since spunbond layers provide more strength which is required in the outer position of the nonwoven websheet. Besides meltblown layer having much thinner and broken fibres are more prone to disengage from nonwoven websheet when located on the surface due to friction and applied forces.

The embodiments of the present invention can be comprised of three or more layers of combination of spunbond/meltblown layer construction wherein these layers can be positioned SMS, SSMS, SMMS, SSM MS, SMMMS or SSSMS layers. Preferably, the embodiment of the present invention can have five layers of combination of spunbond/meltblown construction. More preferably, the embodiment of the present invention utilizes spunbond/spunbond/meltblown/meltblown/spundbond layer (SSMMS) construction.

Spunbond layers of the construction improve the strength and softness of the web, giving a fabric-like appearance while providing large pores. The inclusion of the meltblown layers makes the web more compact and reduces the pore size of the web wherein meltblown layers act as a barrier to prevent outward passage of the cleaning composition in dry state. The nonwoven websheet construction of the present invention has sufficient wet strength which enables the product to withstand during washing process without disintegrating.

The nonwoven websheet of the present invention unit dose product should be able to hold the particulated cleaning composition which is comprised of mainly from granulated and powdered material inside of the pouch in amounts as much as necessary and sufficient amounts. Whereas an amount above 5% by weight of dusting, it means leaving of powdered material the pouch would cause together with economical impact a nonuniformity of the ingredient since some powdered ingredients may be in considerable amount in small particle size present. This may additionally lead to lack of fulfilling the desired duty of the cleaning composition. A high amount of dusting may cause in humid environment sticking of pouches together which are sold normally in multiunit packages in the market.

A low amount of dusting is desirable but on the other hand to achieve this a very narrow pore size of the pouch websheet would cause a considerable slowing of the entry of washing water into the pouch and slowing the release of the ingredients from inside of pouch to the outside direction, to the washing environment. This would cause a delayed start of washing procedure even a much longer washing and cleaning times compared to conventional dosage forms, which is not desired by the end user. A dusting of less than 1 % by weight of particulate cleaning composition is appropriate to achieve said goals preferably.

The terms cleaning product and/or cleaning composition and/or detergent composition are used interchangeably and refers to an amount of a laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent which is sufficient for laundering, dishwashing, cleaning or washing operation implementing with automatic washing machines or dishwashers.

The terms cleaning product and/or cleaning composition and/or detergent composition are used interchangeably and refers to an amount of a laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent which is sufficient for laundering, dishwashing, cleaning or washing operation implemented with automatic washing machines or dishwashers or refers to cleaning composition employed for body cleansing.

The terms pouch and /or sachet and/or capsule and/or bag are used interchangeably and refers to unit dose cleaning product.

The term unit dose cleaning product of the present invention refers to the products containing single or multiple compartments.

The term“web” is used to refer to a collection of formed fibers and/or filaments and/or a sheet formed by fibers and/or filaments wherein continuous filaments of any nature or origin associate one another.

The term nonwoven is used to refer to a sheet of fibers and/or filaments of any nature or origin that are bonded together by any means formed into a web by any means with the exception of weaving or knitting as defined by European Disposables and Nonwovens Association (EDANA).

The term water permeable is used to refer to the material which allows the intrusion of water under conditions of product used.

The unit dose cleaning product of the present invention may contain one or multiple compartments wherein these compartments can involve different ingredients which may be poorly compatible or incompatible with each other. The ingredients contained within the compartment(s) can be solid particles which are in powder, granule, shaped form or mixtures thereof. The ingredients may be further in the form of of liquid, gel, semisolid, wax or paste form filled in a closed container preferably in form of a pouch or a capsule.

The unit dose cleaning product of the present invention can be rectangular, square, triangle, oblong, circle, semicircle, spheres, ovoids and hexagonal, round, square, elliptical and other three dimensional shapes, preferably rectangular or close to rectangular in shape. The shape and the volume of compartments of the unit dose product can be same or different from each other.

The unit dose cleaning product of the present invention can be formed from single folded sheets which are sealed on two or three sides or from two sheets one on top of another which are sealed from four sides. As an alternative, the sheets can be folded like envelopes or pillows wherein the overlapping flaps are sealed along all its free edges to form the closed structure and also, the product may contain additional transverse or longitudinal seals as required. The sheets can be sealed ultrasonically or by using heat-sealing or by using adhesives. The seals must be strong enough not to rupture during the washing process. Additionally, the nonwoven websheet used to form the unit dose cleaning product also must have sufficient wet strength to withstand washing process in washing machine without disintegrating. The product of the present invention remains closed during washing process.

The nonwoven unit dose products websheets of the present invention can be formed into a pouch by laying two separate nonwoven websheets one on top of the other and the edges are sealed. Furthermore said unit dose product may be formed by providing only one websheet which is falted and sealed on the edges excluding the falted edge.

The sealing process may be accomplished with heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, adhesion techniques or whichever process is suitable for this purpose.

The unit dose cleaning product of the present invention can be marked or tagged or may comprise a texture on one or more of its surfaces so that it can be easily recognized within the washed fabrics. The product of the present invention may be embossed with embossed pattern or may contain apertures arranged in a random or non-random, repeating pattern. After the use, the non-woven unit dose product of the present invention can be discarded.

According to the present invention the non-woven unit dose product with nonwoven websheet comprises of polypropylene fibers weighing from 10 to 100 gsm, preferably 10 to 80 gsm, more preferably, 15 to 70 gsm.

The cleaning composition used in the present invention has particulate nature with a particle size not allowing more than 5% , preferably 1 % by weight of the ingredient spilling out of the unit dose cleaning product nonwoven websheet cover. The present invention nonwoven websheet is in the state of preventing spillage of the in the market widely used particulate compositions. Whereas said nonwoven websheet has pore size still big enough allowing to complete washing procedure in a time period acceptable for regular washing process.

As such the particle size of the in the market widely used particulate compositions may have particle size of less than 300 micron for the range of less than 5% of all ingredients by weight and particle size of less than 150 micron for the range of less than 1 % of all ingredients by weight. Further, the particle size of the particulate composition may have particle size of less than 100 micron for the range of less than 5% of all ingredients by weight and particle size of less than 50 micron for the range of less than 1 % of all ingredients by weight.

In the unit dose cleaning product of the present invention, the pore size of the web and particle size of the detergent compositions should be matched in a way as to prevent the escape of ingredients from the product such that the powder is substantially wholly confined within the pouch but enable penetration of water into the pouch and leaching the ingredients out during washing process. Therefore, the pore size of the unit dose product must be large enough to enable the rapid entry of water into the product for leaching out of ingredients however, small enough to keep ingredients inside of the product in dry state.

The average pore size of the nonwoven websheet is arranged with the combination of spunbond and meltblown layer, number of layers, fiber diameter of layers and weigh of layers. In the present invention preferred layer combination delivers the nonwoven websheet with required pore size by keeping the strength requirements. The nonwoven websheet of the present invention is prepared according to the steps;

-laying at least 1 spunbond layer on the belt,

-laying at least 1 meltblown layer onto spunbond layer,

-laying at least 1 spunbond layer onto meltblown layer,

-applying pressure and heat with means of an embossed calender. wherein wonwoven websheets are encountered by embossing with calender rolls by application of pressure and heat with a temperature around 200 °C.

Further said nonwoven websheets are processed as following to obtain said unit dose cleaning products;

-Laying an outer shell nonwoven websheet made of nonwoven material onto mould templates, -forming cavities by pulling of nonwoven websheet to the moulds,

-filling of cleaning composition into the cavities,

-placing on another outer shell websheet made of nonwoven material -sealing the filled composition at the edges of filled cavities,

-cutting the sealed edges to obtain unit dose product whereas said outer shell nonwoven websheet comprises preferably SSMMS layers and sealing after filling is performed with technics such as heating or ultrasonic treatment or using adhesive.

Said nonwoven websheets may be treated further mechanically or chemically, with compositions to impart further desired properties to facilitate or enabling the use as said unit dose cleaning product.

The following examples should serve for understanding the present invention and should not be limiting.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1: Preparation of Nonwoven Websheet of SSMMS Layer

A spunbond layer is provided by extrusion of isotactic polypropylene strands through orifices under air cooling giving strands having average diameter of 16 micron on a moving layer. An additional spunbond layer is provided as above and extruded above the first spunbond layer.

A meltblown layer is provided above the second spunbond layer by meltblowing the isotactic polypropylene strands with an average diameter of 1.6 micron through orifices under air cooling. An additional meltblown layer is provided as above and extruded above the first meltblown layer.

An additional spunbond layer is provided as above and extruded above the second meltblown layer.

Collected layers are heat pressed with a calender by a temperature close to polypropylene melting point, wherein the emboss cylinder is heated to 200°C around.

The emboss pattern were dots with 16 per cm ² , covering around 15% of the total nonwoven websheet surface area. Thereby a nonwoven websheet comprise of SSMMS layers is obtained with a weight per area of 50gsm ; gram square meter, wherein meltblown layers have 10% by weight of the total weight of nonwoven websheet, remaining 90% are spunbond layers whereas each spunbond layer has similar weight ratio. EXAMPLE 2: Preparation of Particulate Cleaning Composition

Labsa Na %18

Sodium Silicate %6

Carboxy Methyl Cellulose %1

Sodium Carbonate %10 Phosphonate %0.4

Sodium Sulfate %16

Of the total weight of final composition are slurried in water and spray dried in tower to obtain granulated matter with a particle size distributed mainly in the range of 0.1 to 1 mm .

This granulate is further mixed with Nonionic A7 %2

Zeolith %4

Sodium percarbonate %26

TAED %1.5

Enzyme %2 Texcare SRA %1.5 of the total weight of the final composition.

Further perfume, antifoaming agent, whitening agent, optics among others may be added. EXAMPLE 3: Preparation of One Compartmental Unit Dose Cleaning Product with Solid Particulate Cleaning Composition and SSMMS Websheet.

In example 1 prepared nonwoven web is placed on a template of moulds and vacuum is applied to provide nonwoven websheet cavities. Preweighed amounts of solid particulate cleaning composition prepared according to example 2 is poured into each moulds and another nonwoven websheet is placed thereupon. After that each mould is heat sealed by heating close to polypropylene melting point temperatures at the edges and cut to obtain individual unit dose products.

EXAMPLE 4: Preparation of Nonwoven Websheet of SMS layer A spunbond layer is provided by extrusion of isotactic polypropylene strands through orifices under air cooling giving strands having average diameter of 16 micron on a moving layer.

A meltblown layer is provided above the spunbond layer by meltblowing the isotactic polypropylene strands through orifices under air cooling giving strands with an average diameter of 1.6 micron. An additional spunbond layer is provided as above and extruded above the second meltblown layer.

Collected layers are heat pressed with a calender by a temperature close to polypropylene melting point.

Thereby a nonwoven websheet comprise of SMS layers is obtained with a weigh per area of 14 gsm, wherein meltblown layers have 10% by weight of the total weight of nonwoven websheet, remaining 90% are spunbond layers whereas each spunbond layer has similar weight ratio.

A unit dose cleaning product is prepared with this nonwoven websheet using particulate cleaning composition of Example 2 and applying the procedure as given in Example 3. EXAM PLE 5: Preparation of Nonwoven Websheet of SSS Layer of 14gsm

A spunbond layer is provided by extrusion of isotactic polypropylene strand through orifices under air cooling giving strands with an average diameter of 16 micron on a moving layer Two additional spunbond layers are provided each subsequently as above and extruded above the first spunbond layer.

Collected layers are heat pressed with a calender by a temperature close to polypropylene melting point. Thereby a nonwoven websheet comprise of SSS layers is obtained with a weigh per area of 14 gsm ; wherein each layer has equal or similar weight ratio.

A unit dose cleaning product is prepared with this nonwoven websheet using particulate cleaning composition of Example 2 and applying the procedure as in Example 3 given.

EXAMPLE 6: Preparation of Nonwoven Websheet of SSS Layer of 65 gsm Same procedure as the Example 5 is applied with spunbond layers appropriate to give a SSS nonwoven websheet with 65 gsm.

A unit dose cleaning product is prepared with this nonwoven websheet using particulate cleaning composition of Example 2 and applying the procedure as in Example 3 given.

EXAMPLE 7: Preparation of Two Compartmental Unit Dose Cleaning Product with Solid Particulate Cleaning Composition and a Gel Filled Capsule

In Example 1 prepared nonwoven web is placed on a template of moulds having 2 moulds for each unit dose and vacuum is applied to provide nonwoven websheet cavities. Preweighed amounts of solid particulate cleaning composition prepared according to example 2 is poured into each moulds and a capsule filled with liquid ingredients is placed into adjacent mould. After that each mould is heat sealed by heating close to polypropylene melting point temperatures at the edges and cut in that way to obtain individual unit dose products having two compartments each, one is filled with solid particulate composition the other one having a capsule.

TESTS and MEASUREMENTS 1 : Test for Dusting Determination

According to Example 2 prepared unit dose cleaning product is weighed and placed onto a sieving machine of Retsch AS200 Model. After shaking for 30 minutes the unit dose product is weighed. No more than 5% preferably no more than 1 % of the particles should pass through the nonwoven websheet to cause dusting.

Whereas dusting means the difference of the weights of the unit dose products before and after shaking in percentage. The difference results from the amount of the powdered material of the cleaning product which has left the unit dose product..

By measurements;

Example 6; unit dose product with 65gsm SSS nonwoven websheet caused 2.91 % of dusting,

Example 4; unit dose product with 14 gsm SMS nonwoven websheet caused 0.5% of dusting

Example 3; unit dose product with 50 gsm SSMMS nonwoven websheet caused 0.1 % of dusting.

Example 5; unit dose product with 14gsm SSS nonwoven websheet all of the ingredients were spilled

As can be seen meltblown layer containing nonwoven websheet has significantly less dusting. SSS nonwoven websheet has despite higher gsm such as 65 gsm a higher , in unacceptable range higher dusting.

The presence of meltblown layer cause less dusting , even a 14 gsm SMS nonwoven websheet cause a dusting below 1 % which is in permittable range, but as low gsm may cause rupture of the nonwoven websheet this material is not suitable for producing unit dose product of the present invention. A SSMMS nonwoven websheet provides with much less dusting, significantly below the allowable limit of 1 % and with the possessing required strength a good example for the present invention.

2: Washing Performance

Example 3; with meltblown layer and Example 6; without meltblown layer of the nonwoven unit dose products are placed with the laundry items in automatic washing machines respectively and washing procedure and cleaning performance is monitored. Accordingly both unit dose products of Example 3 and Example 6 shows quite similar washing behavior and cleaning performance.

3: Particle Size Measurement

The particle size distribution of the particulate material of the unit dose cleaning product is measured with Malvern Mastersizer 3000 equipment.

Thereby for the in Example 2 given particulate material particle size of 124 micron for the less than 5% by weight of the product and particle size of 53 micron for the less than 1 % by weight of the product is found.

The particle size measurements indicates that , the present invention product disclosed in Example 3 causes less than 0.1 % dusting even with a particle size of less than 53 micron content, thereby suitable for use as unit dose cleaning product.