EP0687290B1 - Floor-cleaning agents - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns aqueous agents containing a non-anionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant and an alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate, at least 25 % of the non-ionic surfactant consisting of alkylpolyglycoside. The agent is suitable for use, after dilution, for the cleaning and care of floors of any kind. It has a particularly good storage stability and gives a protective film which is highly transparent.

Description

The present invention relates to an aqueous agent which can be used in a diluted state for cleaning and maintaining hard surfaces, in particular floors.

Numerous new processes and agents have been developed for cleaning and maintaining floors in recent years and decades, not least due to the development of new materials for floor coverings. In practice, the choice of agents is essentially determined by whether cleaning or preservation of the surface is to be achieved as a matter of priority. For the care and preservation of surfaces, primarily those agents are used that produce more or less hard, resistant films. For this purpose, the agents usually contain heavy metal salts, mostly in emulsified form, waxes or film-forming polymers and crosslinking agents, which together form self-glossy or polishable films on the treated surfaces after drying. In this way, long-lasting preservation of the surfaces can be achieved, with strong mechanical loads being well tolerated, depending on the quality of the film. However, removal of such films is only possible under extreme conditions if it becomes necessary, for example because of dirt or damage. In contrast, agents that focus on cleaning contain high levels of surfactants, often together with alkaline substances, organic solvents or abrasives. In many cases, these agents can be used to thoroughly remove dirt and old coverings, but the surfaces cleaned in this way are usually exposed to re-soiling without protection, unless a preservation treatment is connected.

Since in many cases cleaning and maintenance of the floor surface are equally desirable, in addition to these agents, those have also been developed that can be used to clean and preserve them in one step are. Examples of such agents can be found, for example, in British Patent 1,528,592 and German Patent Application 35 33 531. These agents, which are also referred to as wiping agents, contain, in addition to film-forming polymers, sufficient amounts of surfactants, in particular nonionic and anionic surfactants, so that care and cleaning with these agents are possible at the same time. Certain difficulties arise with these agents if particular low-foaming properties are important in the application and for this reason larger amounts of low-foam nonionic surfactants are used in the agents. The appropriately set agents are often not stable to segregation in the cold and show less good residue behavior when used on smooth floors, with occasional increased re-soiling of the films. To achieve an improvement here without impairing the otherwise good properties of known agents was one of the objects of the present invention.

The invention relates to an aqueous agent for cleaning floors, which contains nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant and at least 1% by weight of alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate with a minimum film-forming temperature between 0 and 70 ° C, at least 25% by weight of those in these Agents contained nonionic surfactants consist of alkyl polyglycosides.

The new agents have excellent cleaning properties and, after drying on the floor surface, deliver very even films with extremely high transparency and very little tendency to re-soiling. Particularly noteworthy is the high stability against segregation when stored in the cold, which exists even when non-foaming nonionic surfactants with relatively low solubility in water are used in view of the particular low-foaming nature and / or the agents have very high surfactant concentrations.

The surfactants contained in the compositions are based on a mixture of non-ionic and anionic surfactants. The nonionic surfactants make up at least 50% by weight of the total surfactant content in the agents according to the invention; their proportion is preferably between 65 and 95% by weight.

In principle, all types of nonionic surfactants are suitable as nonionic surfactants for the agents according to the invention, provided that they meet the requirements regarding low foam. The addition products of 3 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) with primary C ₈ -C ₂₀ alcohols, such as, for. B. on coconut or tallow fatty alcohols, oleyl alcohol, oxo alcohols or secondary alcohols of this chain length. The corresponding ethoxylation products of other long-chain compounds are also suitable, for example the fatty acids and the fatty acid amides with 12 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkylphenols with 8 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl part. In all of these products, propylene oxide (PO) can also be added instead of part of the ethylene oxide. Also suitable as nonionic surfactants are mono- and diethanolamides of fatty acids and long-chain amine oxides or sulfoxides, for example the compound N-cocoalkyl-N, N-dimethylamine oxide. Also to be mentioned are the water-soluble addition products containing 20 to 250 ethylene glycol ether groups and 10 to 100 propylene glycol ether groups of ethylene oxide with polypropylene glycol, alkylenediamine polypropylene glycol and with alkylpolypropylene glycol with 1 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in which the polypropylene glycol chain acts as a hydrophobic residue. Of the abovementioned nonionic surfactants, the addition products of 3 to 10 mol of ethylene oxide with long-chain primary alcohols having 10 to 16 carbon atoms from the group of the oxo alcohols and the natural fatty alcohols are preferred in the agents according to the invention, the fatty alcohol ethoxylates being very particularly preferred.

In addition to the above-mentioned nonionic surfactants, the agents according to the invention always also contain alkyl polyglycosides as nonionic surfactants. These are surfactants of the general formula I.

RO (-G) _n I

in which R is a long-chain alkyl radical having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, G is a glycosidically bonded radical of a monosaccharide and n is a value between 1 and 10.

Alkyl polyglycosides have been known as surface-active substances for more than 50 years and can be produced in various ways. In this context, reference should only be made to European patent application 362 671, which also cites literature on older processes.

A synthesis which is important on an industrial scale today consists essentially in the acid-catalyzed condensation of monosaccharides of the aldose type (HO-G) with long-chain alcohols (R-OH) which contain 8 to 22, preferably 8 to 18, C atoms. When water escapes, alkyl glycosides of the formula I are formed

RO (-G) _n

the value of n can be varied within wide limits by the choice of reaction conditions. Alkyl glycosides of the formula I with n = 1 to 10 can be used according to the invention; Compounds with values for n between 1 and 6, in particular 1 to 2, are preferred. In products in which n is greater than 1, n naturally represents a statistical mean.

In the production of the alkyl glycosides, one can also start from oligosaccharides or polysaccharides, which are then depolymerized to lower fragments in the course of the acid-catalyzed reaction by hydrolysis and / or alcoholysis before the alkyl glycosides of the formula I form. Mixtures of different reducing monosaccharides or polysaccharides which contain different monosaccharide units can also be used as starting materials, and if n is greater than 1, appropriately mixed alkylglycoside molecules can be formed.

The following monosaccharides are preferably suitable as starting materials: glucose, mannose, galactose, arabinose, apiose, lyxose, gallose, altrose, idose, ribose, xylose and talose as well as the oligo- and polysaccharides composed of these monosaccharides, for example maltose, lactose, maltotriose, hemicellulose , Starch, partial hydrolyzates of starch and sugar syrup. In the context of the invention, however, alkyl glycosides are preferred which are composed of the same monosaccharide units. Especially Alkyl glycosides in which the rest (-G) is derived from glucose are preferred. For these compounds, which are also referred to as alkyl glucosides, glucose, maltose, starch and other oligomers of glucose are used accordingly as starting materials.

In the preparation described above, the alkyl part R is derived from long-chain, optionally unsaturated, preferably primary alcohols which can be branched, but are preferably not branched. Examples are the synthetic oxo alcohols with 9 to 15 C atoms and the fatty alcohols obtained from natural fatty acids with 8 - 22 C atoms. The fatty alcohols with 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the oxo alcohols with 11 to 15 carbon atoms are preferred, but in particular the fatty alcohols with 8 to 10 carbon atoms or with 12 to 14 carbon atoms.

In addition to the actual alkyl glycosides of formula I, technically manufactured products generally also contain certain proportions of free alcohol R-OH and non-acetalized saccharides, optionally in oligomerized form. In most cases, these technical impurities do not interfere with the intended use. If alcohol mixtures are used in the production of the alkyl glycosides, for example alcohols based on natural fats, the alkyl glycosides are of course also mixtures with a correspondingly larger meaning of R in formula I.

In the context of the present invention, those alkyl polyglycosides are preferably used whose glycoside part consists of 1 to 2 glucose units and whose alkyl part is derived from fatty alcohols having 8 to 10 carbon atoms. The alkyl polyglycosides in the agents according to the invention make up at least 25% by weight of the total of nonionic surfactants present. In the limit, alkyl polyglycosides alone can be included as nonionic surfactants. A content of 40% by weight to 80% by weight of alkyl polyglycosides, based on the total of nonionic surfactants, is particularly preferred.

The agents according to the invention primarily contain synthetic anionic surfactants as anionic surfactants. These are primarily of the sulfonate and sulfate type.

The surfactants of the sulfonate type are alkylbenzenesulfonates with a C ₉ -C ₁₅ -alkyl radical and olefin sulfonates, ie mixtures of alkene and hydroxyalkanesulfonates and disulfonates, such as are obtained, for example, from C ₁₂ -C ₁₈ monoolefins with a terminal or internal double bond by sulfonating with gaseous Sulfur trioxide and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products is considered. Also suitable are the alkanesulfonates which are obtainable from C ₁₂ -C ₁₈ alkanes by sulfochlorination or sulfoxidation and subsequent hydrolysis or neutralization or by bisulfite addition to olefins, and the esters of α-sulfofatty acids, e.g. B. the α-sulfonated methyl or ethyl esters of hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel or tallow fatty acids.

Suitable sulfate-type surfactants are the sulfuric acid monoesters of long-chain primary alcohols of natural or synthetic origin, ie of fatty alcohols, such as, for. As coconut fatty alcohols, oleyl alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, palmityl or stearyl alcohol, or the C ₁₀ -C ₂₀ oxo alcohols or secondary alcohols of this chain length. The sulfuric acid monoesters of the aliphatic long-chain primary alcohols or ethoxylated secondary alcohols ethoxylated with 1 to 6 mol of ethylene oxide (EO) are also suitable. Sulfated fatty acid alkanolamides, sulfated fatty acid monoglycerides and long-chain sulfosuccinic acid esters are also suitable. The anionic surfactants are preferably used as alkali salts, in particular sodium salts, but ammonium salts or the salts of alkanolamines having 2 to 6 carbon atoms can also be used. In the context of the present invention, particularly preferred anionic surfactants are the fatty alcohol sulfates and the fatty alcohol ether sulfates, for example C ₁₂ / C ₁₈ coconut alcohol sulfate Na and C ₁₂ / C ₁₄ coconut alcohol + 2E0 sulfate.

In addition to the nonionic and anionic surfactants mentioned, the Agents according to the invention also contain smaller amounts of other surfactants, in particular amphoteric surfactants and soaps, if this is expedient to achieve special effects and the other good properties of the agents are not thereby impaired. The soaps are the water-soluble salts of long-chain fatty acids with preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms, for example coconut fatty acid sodium salt and tallow fatty acid sodium salt. The amphoteric surfactants are long-chain compounds whose hydrophilic part consists of a cationically charged center (usually a tertiary amino or a quaternary ammonium group) and an anionically charged center (usually a carboxylate or a sulfonate group). Examples of such surfactants are N-cocoalkyl-N, N-dimethylaminoacetate and N-dodecyl-N, N-dimethyl-3-aminopropanesulfonate.

The total content of surfactants in the agents according to the invention is preferably between 4 and 25% by weight, in particular between 8 and 16% by weight, based on the total agent in the undiluted state.

The content of alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate with a minimum film formation temperature between 0 and 70 ° C is essential for the care properties of the agents. These carboxylates can be resin-like compounds, for example copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride, which can be partially saponified and, if appropriate, also partially esterified or amidated. Soluble polymer compounds, which are copolymers of at least 3 different monomers, are preferred, the polycarboxylates not being metal-crosslinked.

As the most important constituent, the polymers used preferably contain an acrylate copolymer of 1 to 30 parts by weight, based on the copolymer, of monomers containing carboxylic acid groups, 30 to 70 parts by weight of monomers which form homopolymers with glass transition temperatures below 20 ° C., preferably esters of acrylic acid with C ₁ - C ₈ alcohols and / or methacrylic acid with C ₄ -C ₈ alcohols, and 30 to 70 parts by weight of comonomers which form homopolymers with glass transition temperatures above room temperature, preferably methacrylic acid esters of C ₁ -C ₃ alcohols or styrene.

As comonomers containing acid groups, ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids can be used; acrylic acid and methacrylic acid are primarily suitable.

Comonomers with glass transition temperatures below 20 ° C., i.e. glass transition temperatures below room temperature (based in each case on homopolymers of a monomer), include esters of acrylic acid with C ₁ -C ₈ alcohols and esters of methacrylic acid with C ₄ -C ₈ alcohols. For example, the methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or 2-ethylhexyl ester of acrylic acid can be used here, as can the butyl, hexyl or 2-ethylhexyl ester of methacrylic acid. Comonomers whose homopolymers have glass transition temperatures above room temperature are esters of methacrylic acid with C ₁ -C ₃ alcohols, such as methyl methacrylate or ethyl methacrylate. A particularly important comonomer whose homopolymer has a glass transition temperature above room temperature is styrene.

Copolymers of acrylic acid and / or methacrylic acid with styrene, acrylic acid esters and / or methacrylic acid esters are preferably used. The copolymers of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with different acrylic and / or methacrylic acid esters and / or styrene are particularly preferred, for example terpolymers of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid and styrene. The respective ratios of comonomers whose homopolymers have glass transition temperatures below room temperature and monomers whose homopolymers have glass transition temperatures above room temperature must be set so that the film-forming temperature of the polymer dispersion is in the range between 0 and 70 ° C. The general knowledge of polymer chemistry applies. The film formation temperatures mentioned relate to the plasticizer-free system, i. H. on the polymers without further additives. Examples of such polymers are the products Primal 1531 (from Rohm and Haas), NeoCryl XK-39 and NeoCryl BT-26 (from ICI).

In any case, the polycarboxylates used, if they are not already water-soluble as such, should be able to be converted into a soluble form with the aid of alkalis. In particular, NaOH, KOH and non-volatile amines, such as, for example, alkanolamines, come in as alkalis Question. Aqueous ammonia is preferred, with the aid of which the desired clarification of the polycarboxylates can be carried out particularly safely without the risk of overbasing. The finished compositions should preferably have a pH between about 7 and about 11 in the undiluted state; the ranges with pH values between 8 and 9, but also between 10 and 10.5 are particularly preferred.

The amount of polymeric polycarboxylates in the agents according to the invention is preferably chosen so that the weight ratio between polycarboxylate and the total content of surfactants is between 1: 6 and 2: 3, in particular between 1: 4 and 1: 2. If a mixture of several polymeric polycarboxylates is used, these values apply to the total polycarboxylate content.

In addition to the above-described mandatory ingredients and water and, if appropriate, alkalizing agents, the agents according to the invention can contain further auxiliaries and additives, as are customary in such agents. It is a prerequisite, of course, that this does not impair the positive properties of the agents. Examples of such additives are organic, completely water-miscible solvents which are used to increase the performance and, if appropriate, to improve the wetting capacity. Lower alcohols having 2 or 3 carbon atoms are preferably used, amounts not exceeding 10% by weight, preferably between about 0.2 and 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the undiluted agent. Examples of other additives are perfume oils, dyes, viscosity regulators and preservatives. These substances are usually used in amounts of not more than 5% by weight, preferably between 0.01 and 2% by weight.

The agents are used in such a way that a solution of the agent is first prepared by dilution with water, in which the content of non-volatile constituents is between about 0.2 and about 1 g / l. Depending on the concentration of the original agent, this concentration is achieved by dilution between about 1: 1000 and about 1: 50. The diluted solution is then applied to the surface to be cleaned with the aid of an absorbent article, for example with the aid of a wipe or a sponge, and z. T. removed with the dirt from the surface again. After this treatment the Surface not rinsed off, so that the remaining cleaning agent solution can dry out to form an evenly protective film. Because of this application method, such agents are also referred to as wiping agents. The agent according to the invention is distinguished by an optimal cleaning action against a multitude of soiling and at the same time forms a resistant film which forms excellent protection against re-soiling. The film is completely transparent and allows the color and structure of the treated surfaces to appear largely unchanged without additional gloss. When the agent is used again, the film dissolves, making the cleaning process easier. There is no annoying film addition.

The agent according to the invention is particularly low-foaming even when it is used in higher concentration or undiluted for the local removal of stains. Even in high concentrations, it has excellent storage stability at the usual storage temperatures, but especially in the cold. The product is particularly suitable for cleaning floors and provides excellent results on stone, sealed parquet, tiles, linoleum and plastic floors, but it is also suitable for cleaning other hard surfaces, even for glass. Use on high-gloss floor coverings is particularly advantageous because the film formed does not reduce the gloss due to its high transparency.

The preparation of the agent in its various embodiments presents no difficulties. Usually, the polymeric polycarboxylate is first dissolved in water, if appropriate with the addition of the alkalizing agents, and the surfactants are then mixed in at the desired concentration. Finally, the additives follow.

1 bis 10, vorzugsweise 2 bis 6 Gew.-%

Fettalkoholethoxylat (3 bis 10 EO).

1 bis 10, vorzugsweise 4 bis 8 Gew.-%

Fettalkoholpolyglucosid,

0,5 bis 4, vorzugsweise 1 bis 3 Gew.-%

anionisches Tensid aus der Gruppe Fettalkoholsulfat, Fettalkoholethersulfat und deren Mischungen,

1 bis 8, vorzugsweise 3 bis 5 Gew.-%

alkalilösliches polymeres Polycarboxylat mit einer minimalen Filmbildetemperatur zwischen 0 und 70 °C,

0 bis 10, vorzugsweise 0,2 bis 5 Gew.-%

an Wasser mischbaren organischen Lösungsmitteln und

0 bis 5, vorzugsweise 0,01 bis 2 Gew.-%

an weiteren Hilfs- und Zusatzstoffen.

In the following, some information is given about a preferred frame formulation of the agent according to the invention. It contains:

1 to 10, preferably 2 to 6% by weight

Fatty alcohol ethoxylate (3 to 10 EO).

1 to 10, preferably 4 to 8% by weight

Fatty alcohol polyglucoside,

0.5 to 4, preferably 1 to 3% by weight

anionic surfactant from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfate, fatty alcohol ether sulfate and mixtures thereof,

1 to 8, preferably 3 to 5% by weight

alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate with a minimum film-forming temperature between 0 and 70 ° C,

0 to 10, preferably 0.2 to 5% by weight

water miscible organic solvents and

0 to 5, preferably 0.01 to 2% by weight

of other auxiliaries and additives.

Examples

Mixing the individual components in water gave the compositions No. 1 to 3 according to the invention and the compositions No. 4 to 10 not according to the invention, which are given in Table 1. The figures for the ingredients mean% by weight; the rest 100% by weight is water. 3 g of these agents were each diluted to one liter and used in this form to test the cleaning ability and the re-soiling behavior. The transparency of the residue remaining after drying was checked with a 3 times stronger concentration of the agents; The cold stability was tested on the undiluted agents. The test results are also shown in Table 1.

• 1. Prüfung des Reinigungsvermögens
  Die Reinigungswirkung der Wischpflegemittel wurde mit Hilfe eines Gardner-Waschbarkeits- und Scheuerprüfgeräts ermittelt, wie es in den Qualitätsnormen des Industrieverbandes Putz- und Pflegemittel e. V. beschrieben ist (Seifen-Öle-Fette-Wachse, 108, Seiten 526 bis 528 (1982)). Bei dieser Methode wird eine weiße PVC-Folie mit einer Testanschmutzung aus Ruß und Fett versehen und unter standardisierten Bedingungen mit einem mit dem Reinigungsmittel getränkten Schwamm maschinell gewischt. Die Reinigungsleistung wird durch fotoelektrische Bestimmung des Remissionsgrades (Angaben in %) gemessen.
• 2. Prüfung des Wiederanschmutzungsverhaltens
  Hier wurde ein weißer PVC-Belag (75 x 21 cm) in drei gleiche Abschnitte von 25 x 21 cm unterteilt. Auf jeder dieser Teilflächen wurden 1,2 ml der zu prüfenden Lösung mit einem eigenen Baumwolltuch verteilt. Dieser Wischvorgang wurde nach dem Abtrocknen neunmal wiederholt. Die Prüfung des Anschmutzungsverhaltens erfolgte dann nach dem Abtrocknen in einer speziellen Trommel, in die der PVC-Belag eingelegt und mit 36 g einer besonderen Anschmutzungsmischung 30 Minuten lang bei 25 Umdrehungen pro Minute bewegt wurde. Der Testschmutz hatte folgende Zusammensetzung:
  • 3 g gesiebter Staubsaugerschmutz (RFC der Wäschereiforschung,Krefeld)
  • 3 g gebrannter Seesand
  • 15 g Kunstoffgranulat Durethan WKV 30 (Bayer, Leverkusen)
  • 15 g Stahlkugeln 6 - 7 mm Durchmesser
  
  Nach dem Anschmutzungsvorgang wurde die Testbahn aus der Trommel entnommen, abgeklopft und visuell durch drei Personen abgemustert. Die Bewertung erfolgte nach folgendem Raster:
  • 1 = Belag sehr hell, kaum angeschmutzt
  • 2 = Belag hell, mäßig angeschmutzt
  • 3 = Belag leicht grau, mittel angeschmutzt
  • 4 = Belag grau, stark angeschmutzt
  • 5 = Belag intensiv grau, sehr stark angeschmutzt.
• 3. Prüfung der Rückstandstransparenz
  Eine schwarze, hochglänzende Kachel (15 x 15 cm) wurde 10 Sekunden in die Prüflösung eingetaucht, und dann senkrecht zum Trocknen aufgestellt. Nach dem vollständigen Abtrocknen wurde der Glanz mit Hilfe eines Reflektionsmeßgerätes (Dr. Lange, Meßwinkel 20 °) bestimmt und mit dem vor dem Tauchvorgang ermittelten Ausgangswert verglichen. In Tabelle 1 sind die Differenzen zwischen beiden Meßwerten als Abnahme des Glanzes wiedergegeben.
• 4. Prüfung der Kältestabilität
  Unverdünnte Reinigungsmittel wurden in transparenten Glasflaschen 24 Stunden bei +3 °C gelagert. Nach dieser Zeit wurde das Aussehen der Proben visuell beurteilt:
  • + = Produkt unverändert klar
  • - = Produkt eingetrübt oder ausgeflockt.
  
  Aus den in Tabelle 1 aufgeführten Prüfergebnissen wird deutlich, daß die erfindungsgemäßen Mittel bei insgesamt sehr guten Eigenschaften besondere Vorteile bei Kältestabilität und Rückstandstransparenz aufweisen. Vorteile bei Kältestabilität und Rückstandstransparenz aufweisen.
  

The procedure for the tests was as follows:

• 1. Checking the cleaning ability
  The cleaning effect of the wiping care products was determined with the help of a Gardner washability and abrasion tester, as described in the quality standards of the Industrial Association for Cleaning and Care Products e. V. (Seifen-Öle-Fette-Wwachs, 108, pages 526 to 528 (1982)). In this method, a white PVC film is soiled with soot and grease and, under standardized conditions, is mechanically wiped with a sponge soaked in the cleaning agent. The cleaning performance is measured by photoelectric determination of the reflectance (in%).
• 2. Check the re-soiling behavior
  Here a white PVC covering (75 x 21 cm) was divided into three equal sections of 25 x 21 cm. 1.2 ml of the solution to be tested was distributed on each of these partial areas with its own cotton cloth. This wiping process was repeated nine times after drying. The soiling behavior was then checked after drying in a special drum in which the PVC covering was placed and moved with 36 g of a special soiling mixture for 30 minutes at 25 revolutions per minute. The test dirt had the following composition:
  • 3 g sieved vacuum cleaner dirt (RFC from laundry research, Krefeld)
  • 3 g of burnt sea sand
  • 15 g plastic granules Durethan WKV 30 (Bayer, Leverkusen)
  • 15 g steel balls 6 - 7 mm in diameter
  
  After the soiling process, the test sheet was removed from the drum, tapped off and visually inspected by three people. The evaluation was based on the following grid:
  • 1 = very light topping, hardly soiled
  • 2 = covering light, moderately soiled
  • 3 = covering light gray, medium soiled
  • 4 = gray covering, heavily soiled
  • 5 = covering intensely gray, very heavily soiled.
• 3. Checking the transparency of residues
  A black, high-gloss tile (15 x 15 cm) was immersed in the test solution for 10 seconds and then set up vertically to dry. After drying completely, the gloss was determined with the aid of a reflection measuring device (Dr. Lange, measuring angle 20 °) and compared with the initial value determined before the dipping process. Table 1 shows the differences between the two measured values as a decrease in gloss.
• 4. Testing the cold stability
  Undiluted cleaning agents were stored in transparent glass bottles at +3 ° C for 24 hours. After this time the appearance of the samples was assessed visually:
  • + = Product unchanged clear
  • - = product clouded or flocculated.
  
  It is clear from the test results listed in Table 1 that the compositions according to the invention have particular advantages in terms of cold stability and transparency of residues while having very good properties overall. Show advantages in cold stability and residue transparency.
  

Claims (8)

1. An aqueous floor cleaning composition containing nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant and at least 1% by weight of alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate with a minimum film-forming temperature of 0 to 70°C, characterized in that at least 25% by weight of the nonionic surfactant component consists of alkyl polyglycosides.
2. A floor cleaning composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the nonionic surfactants make up at least 50% by weight and preferably 65 to 95% by weight of the total surfactant content.
3. A floor cleaning composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the ratio by weight of polymer to total surfactant content is from 1:6 to 2:3 and preferably from 1:4 to 1:2.
4. A floor cleaning composition as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the total surfactant content is between 4 and 25% by weight and preferably between 8 and 16% by weight, based on the weight of the composition as a whole.
5. A floor cleaning composition as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 containing

   1 to 10, preferably 2 to 6%   by weight of fatty alcohol ethoxylate (3 to 10 EO),

   1 to 10, preferably 4 to 8%   by weight of fatty alkyl polyglucoside,

   0.5 to 4, preferably 1 to 3%   by weight of anionic surfactant from the group consisting of fatty alcohol sulfate, fatty alcohol ether sulfate and mixtures thereof,

   1 to 8, preferably 3 to 5%   by weight of alkali-soluble polymeric polycarboxylate with a minimum film forming temperature of 0 to 70°C,

   0 to 10, preferably 0.2 to 5%   by weight of water-miscible organic solvents and

   0 to 5, preferably 0.01 to 2%   by weight of other auxiliaries and additives.
6. A floor cleaning composition as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the alkyl polyglycoside used has an alkyl chain of 8 to 12 carbon atoms and a polyglycoside component consisting of 1 to 2 glucose units.
7. The use of the composition claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in diluted form for the simultaneous cleaning and care of hard surfaces, more particularly floors.
8. A process for the cleaning and care of floors, in which a composition according to any of claims 1 to 6 is diluted with water to a content of nonvolatile constituents of 0.2 to 1 g/l and the floor is subsequently wiped with this dilute solution of the composition using an absorbent article.