MXPA99004412A - Sprayable disinfecting compositions and processes for disinfecting surfaces therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the disinfection of surfaces with a liquid disinfecting composition comprising a hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil, and a shear thinning polymeric thickener.

Description

ROCLABLE DISINFECTANT COMPOSITIONS AND PROCEDURE TO SANITIZE SURFACES WITH THE SAME TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to sprayable liquid compositions suitable for disinfecting animated surfaces, for example, human skin or inanimate surfaces including hard surfaces, walls, tiles, table surfaces, bathroom surfaces, kitchen surfaces, as well as fabrics, clothes and carpets. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The antimicrobial compositions include materials that have the ability to disinfect. It is generally recognized that a disinfectant material greatly reduces or even eliminates microorganisms that exist on a surface. Compositions based on halogen-containing compounds such as hypochlorite or quaternary compounds have been extensively described in the art for disinfection purposes. Compositions comprising peroxygenated bleaches are also known as disinfectant compositions. WO88 / 00795 is representative of the prior art, and discloses liquid disinfectant compositions comprising a compound selected from the group of organic acids, perborates, perishes and their salts, together with other antimicrobial compounds such as a quaternary ammonium salt and an oil essential. However, said disinfectant compositions are not completely satisfactory for the consumer, who is looking for an effective disinfectant composition that can be easily used in various disinfection applications, for example, in sprayable form, in a safe manner for the consumer and the environment. In fact, a disadvantage associated with said disinfectant compositions based, for example, perished, is that they can damage the surfaces on which they are put in contact to carry out their disinfecting action. In fact, said peracid-based disinfectant compositions are perceived by consumers as unsafe for various surfaces, including hard surfaces or fabrics. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide effective disinfectant compositions even when used in highly diluted conditions, which are convenient for use by the consumer and safe for the surface and the environment. It has now been discovered that this can be achieved by providing a liquid and sprayable disinfectant composition comprising a hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil and a polymeric thickener thinning thickener. More particularly, it has been found that the liquid compositions containing hydrogen peroxide of the present invention and comprising said antimicrobial essential oil and poiimeric shear thinning thickener, exhibit improved safety for the surface treated therewith, while providing effective disinfection performance on clean surfaces, i.e., surfaces that are free of any organic and / or inorganic soils, even at high dilution levels, i.e. at dilution levels of up to 1: 100 (composition: water). In addition, it has been found that the liquid and spray compositions containing hydrogen peroxide of the present invention comprising said antimicrobial essential oil and polymeric shear thinning thickener exhibit improved safety for the user after use, compared to the same. compositions without said polymeric thickener for shearing thinning. In fact, an advantage of the liquid compositions of the present invention is that the inhalation of said compositions by the user is avoided or diminished, when said compositions are applied on a surface that will be disinfected by means of a spray dispenser. In this way, the compositions herein allow to avoid potential health problems such as irritation of the nose and / or throat and / or cough or even damage to the lungs., which could otherwise occur from the inhalation of a mist or haze of hydrogen peroxide that could be formed by spraying on a surface a composition containing hydrogen peroxide and free of said polymer thickener from shear thinning. A further advantage of the present invention is that irritation and / or damage to the eyes when spraying a liquid composition according to the present invention on a surface to be disinfected is also avoided. Another advantage of the present invention is that liquid compositions comprising hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil and a polymeric thickener thinning agent are easily applied on the surface to be disinfected by means of a spray dispenser (v. ., a manually operated trigger dispenser). In fact, said compositions result in a shear thinning behavior to facilitate their application, that is, said compositions are thinner at higher shear rates. In this way, said compositions easily pass through the pumping mechanism of a spray dispenser where the shear rate is high and immediately afterwards recover their thickened character when they reach the surface to be treated and adhere to it. Likewise, the life time of a spray dispenser head is extended, that is, the shear thinning behavior of said compositions avoids the obstruction of said head. Another advantage of the present invention is that liquid and sprayable disinfectant compositions can be uniformly applied to a relatively large area of a surface that will be disinfected by means of a spray dispenser, thereby ensuring effective disinfection performance. In fact, effective disinfection performance is provided over a wide range of pure bacterial strains including Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains, and more resistant microorganisms such as fungi. Another advantage of the compositions of the present invention is that apart from the disinfection properties provided, a suitable cleaning is also provided, especially in the embodiment of the present invention in which the compositions herein further comprise a surfactant or a mix of it. Likewise, the compositions according to the present invention are suitable for use on all types of surfaces, including animated surfaces such as human skin or mouth (e.g., as an oral preparation or toothpaste), as well as inanimate surfaces such as hard surfaces, and in laundry applications, e.g., as a laundry detergent, laundry additive or even pretreatment for laundry. More particularly, an advantage of the compositions according to the present invention is that they are suitable for use on delicate surfaces, including those surfaces in contact with food and / or babies, in a safe manner. Moreover, when the compositions according to the present invention are used under diluted conditions, the amount of chemical residues left on the surfaces is reduced. In this way, it may not be necessary to rinse, for example, a hard surface after said compositions have been applied thereto in diluted conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention encompasses a liquid and sprayable disinfectant composition comprising hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil and a polymeric thickener thinning agent. The present invention further encompasses a method for disinfecting a surface, wherein a liquid composition as described herein is sprayed onto said surface. The present invention also encompasses a liquid disinfectant composition as described herein, packaged in a spray dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The liquid and sprayable disinfectant compositions As an essential element, the compositions according to the present invention comprise hydrogen peroxide. It is believed that the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the compositions of the present invention contributes to the disinfecting properties of said compositions. In fact, hydrogen peroxide can attack the vital function of the microorganism's cells, for example, they can inhibit the accumulation of ribosome units within the cytoplasm of the microorganism's cells. Likewise, hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidant that generates hydroxyl free radicals that attack proteins and nucleic acids. In addition, the presence of hydrogen peroxide provides strong stain removal benefits that are particularly noticeable, for example, in laundry and / or hard surface applications. Typically, the compositions herein comprise of 0. 01% to 15% by weight of the total composition of hydrogen peroxide, preferably from 0.5% to 10% and most preferably from 0.8% to 8% As a second essential ingredient, the compositions according to the present invention comprise an essential oil antimicrobial, or a mixture thereof. Typically, the compositions herein comprise at least 0.001% by weight of the total composition of said antimicrobial essential oil, or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.006% to 10%, most preferably from 0.02% to 4% and more preferably from 0.04% to 2% The antimicrobial essential oils suitable for use in the compositions herein are those essential oils that exhibit antimicrobial activity. It is speculated that said antimicrobial essential oils act as protein denaturing agents. Likewise, said antimicrobial oils are compounds of natural origin that contribute to the safety profile of the compositions of the present invention when they are used to disinfect any surface. An additional advantage of said antimicrobial essential oils is that they impart a pleasing odor to the disinfectant compositions of the present invention without the need to add a perfume. In fact, the disinfectant compositions according to the present invention provide not only excellent disinfecting properties on clean surfaces that will be disinfected, but also a suitable aroma while being safe for the surfaces. Suitable antimicrobial essential oils for use herein include, but are not limited to, oils obtained from thyme, citrus, lemons, oranges, anise, cloves, anise seed, cinnamon, geranium, roses, mint, spearmint, lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, mint, camphor, sandalwood, cedar, rosmarin, pine, vervain grass, ratanias and mixtures thereof. It is particularly preferred to use here eucalyptus oil, thyme oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, geranium oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, peppermint oil and mixtures thereof. As a third essential ingredient, the compositions according to the present invention comprise a polymeric slimming shear thinner or a mixture thereof. By "polymeric thickener for shear thinning" is meant herein a polymer that can be dissolved or dispersed in a water-based product, and once it is dissolved or dispersed it is capable of thickening said product, said product having different viscosities at different shear stresses. In other words, thanks to the presence of said polymer, the higher the shear stress, the less viscous the product will be. These polymeric slimming shear thinners perform a double function when they are incorporated into the liquid compositions according to the present invention, said function being not only to prevent or diminish the inhalation by the user of said liquid composition when this be sprayed on the surface to be disinfected, but also provide an increased contact time of the composition on vertical surfaces, thus reducing the risk of the composition dripping. Polymeric slimming shear thinners suitable for use herein include synthetic and natural polymers. Polymeric shear thinning thickeners suitable for use herein include polyurethane polymers, polyacrylamide polymers, polycarboxylate polymers such as polyacrylic acids and sodium salts thereof, xanthan gum or derivatives thereof, alginate or a derivative therein, polysaccharide polymers such as substituted cellulose materials such as ethoxylated cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose and mixtures thereof. The polymeric slimming thickeners which are preferred to be used in the compositions of the invention are xanthan gum or derivatives thereof, sold by the Kelco division of Merck under the trade names KELTROL®, KELZAN AR®, KELZAN D35®, KELZAN S®, KELZAN XZ® and the like. Xanthan gum is an extracellular polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestras. Xanthan gum is made by fermentation based on corn sugar or other corn by-product sweeteners. Xanthan gum comprises a base structure chain of poly beta- (1-4) -D-Glucopyranosyl, similar to that found in cellulose. Aqueous dispersions of xanthan gum and their derivatives exhibit remarkable rheological properties. Xanthan gum exhibits high pseudoplasticity, that is to say, over a wide range of concentrations a rapid thinning by shear stress occurs which is generally understood as instantaneously reversible. Preferred xanthan materials include the interlaced xanthan materials. The xanthan polymers can be entangled with a variety of known covalent reaction crosslinking agents that react with the hydroxyl functionality of large polysaccharide molecules and can also be entangled using divalent, trivalent or polyvalent metal ions. Such entangled xanthan gels are described in the US patent. No. 4,782,901, which is incorporated by reference herein. Suitable crosslinking agents for xanthan materials include metal cations such as AI +, Fe + 3, Sb + 3, Zr + 4 and other transition metals, etc. The known organic crosslinking agents can also be used. The interlaced xanthan agent which is preferred in the invention is KELZAN AR®, a product of Kelco, a division of Merck Incorporated. KELZAN AR® is an interlaced xanthan agent that provides a thixotropic composition that can produce fog or large particle spray when sprayed. The xanthan gum or derivatives thereof are physically and chemically stable in the hydrogen peroxide containing compositions of the present invention. Said xanthan gum or derivatives thereof are also preferred due to its high solubility in water, and its safety profile with humans and the environment. The polycarboxylate polymers for use herein preferably have a molecular weight of 500,000 to 4,500,000, preferably 1,000,000 to 4,000,000. The polymers most preferred to be used herein contain from 0.5% to 4% by weight of an entanglement agent, wherein the entanglement agent tends to connect linear chains of the polymers to form the resulting entangled products. Suitable entanglement agents include polyalkenyl polyethers. Polycarboxylate polymers include polacrilate polymers. Other monomers than acrylic acid can be used to form these polymers, including monomers such as maleic anhydride, which acts as a source of additional carboxylic groups. The molecular weight per carboxylate group of the monomers containing a carboxylate group typically ranges from 25 to 200, preferably from 50 to 150, most preferably from 75 to 125. Other monomers may also be present in the monomer mixture, if desired, such such as ethylene and propylene, which act as diluents. The polycarboxylate polymers that are preferred to be used herein are the polyacrylate polymers. Commercially available polymers of the polyacrylate type include those sold under the trade names Carbopol®, Acrysol® ICS-1, Polygel® and Sokalan®. The most preferred polyacrylate polymers are the copolymer of acrylic acid and alkyl acrylate (C5-C10), commercially available under the tradename Carbopol® 1623, Carbopol® 695 from BF Goodrich and the copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic anhydride, commercially available under the trade name Polygel® DB of 3V Chemical company. Mixtures of any of the polycarboxylate polymers described hereinbefore may also be used. The compositions according to the present invention comprise from 0.005% to 10% by weight of the total composition of a polymeric slimming shear thinner or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.01% to 5% by weight, most preferably 0.02% to 2% by weight and more preferably from 0.02% to 1%.

It has now been discovered that a sprayable liquid composition comprising hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil and a shear thinning polymeric thickener exhibits improved safety on surfaces, e.g., on hard surfaces and / or on fabrics, and a Effective disinfection performance on clean surfaces, avoiding or decreasing at the same time the inhalation of said composition by the user when said composition is sprayed on the surface to be treated by means of a spray dispenser. The improved security for the surface is provided with the sprayable liquid compositions of the present invention, in comparison, for example, with the same compositions with a peracid in place of said hydrogen peroxide. In fact, the color damage, e.g., the change and / or discoloration observed when treating colored fabrics with a sprayable liquid composition according to the present invention comprising hydrogen peroxide, said antimicrobial essential oil, is reduced. said polymeric thickener for shearing thinning, while providing an effective disinfection performance on said fabrics, in comparison with the color damage observed when using, for example, the same composition but with a peracid instead of said peroxide. hydrogen. Furthermore, it has been found that the sprayable liquid compositions containing hydrogen peroxide of the present invention and comprising said antimicrobial essential oil and said polymeric slimming shear thinner exhibit improved safety after use, avoiding or decreasing their inhalation by of the user while being sprayed on the surface to be treated, in comparison with the same compositions without said poiimeric thickener thickener. In fact, the incorporation of said polymeric thinning shear thickener in the presently sprayed compositions comprising hydrogen peroxide and an antimicrobial essential oil, allows the formation of mist while being sprayed on a surface in which the droplets / particles formed liquids measure at least partially not less than 10 microns. The safety for the surface can be evaluated on surfaces such as fabrics, by measuring the tensile strength of said fabrics. The tensile strength of a fabric can be measured using the Stress Resistance method. This method consists of measuring the tensile strength of a certain fabric by stretching it until it breaks. The force, expressed in Kg, necessary to break the fabric is the "Ultimate Stress Resistance", and can be measured with the "INSTRON Stress-Force Machine." Effective disinfection performance is obtained with the compositions of the present invention in a variety of microorganisms including Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, and Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeroginosa, as well as fungi such as Candida albicans, present on clean surfaces, ie, any surface that is substantially free of organic soils and / or inorganic, even if they are used under highly diluted conditions, eg, up to a dilution level of 1: 100 (composition: water) The disinfecting properties of a composition can be measured by the bactericidal activity of said composition A suitable test method for evaluating the bactericidal activity of a composition on clean surfaces is described be in the European Standard prEN 1040, CEN / TC 216 N 78, November 1995, issued by the European Committee for the Normativity, Brussels. European Standard prEN 1040, CEN / TC 216 N 78, specifies a test method and requirements for the minimum bactericidal activity of a disinfectant composition. The test is passed if the bacterial colony forming units (cfu) are reduced from a 107cfu (initial level) to a 102cfu (final level after contact with the disinfectant product), that is, a reduction of 105 viability is necessary. The compositions according to the present invention pass this test, even if they are used under highly diluted conditions. The particle size of the liquid droplets present in the breathing zone of a potential user after the simulated delivery of a sprayable liquid composition according to the present invention from a trigger-activated bottle can be defined by the following test method. The particle size distribution of the aerosol that passes through a simulated breathing zone can be determined using a model that simulates the conditions of consumer use. The human simulation model can be adapted from Mokler (see in particular American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal (40), 330-346, 1979). The particle size distributions of the sprayable liquid compositions can be measured using inertial impact devices (Andersen and Mercer impactors). The compositions according to the present invention are liquid compositions that include aqueous or non-aqueous compositions. Preferably, the liquid compositions herein are aqueous compositions having a pH as such of not more than 12, preferably 2 to 10 and most preferably 3 to 9. The pH of the compositions can be adjusted using organic or inorganic acids, or alkalizing agent. The compositions according to the present invention are physically stable, i.e., that phase separation does not occur when stored in rapid aging tests (RAT) at 50 ° C for 10 days, and / or that phase separation does not occur during Freeze-thaw cycles, that is, heating at 50 ° C and cooling the compositions to 4 ° C three times in 3 days.

Optional ingredients The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise a surfactant or mixtures thereof. Suitable surfactants for use herein may be any surfactant known to those skilled in the art, including anionic, nonionic, cationic, amphoteric and / or zwitterionic surfactants. The surfactants contribute to the cleaning performance of a composition of the present invention. Particularly suitable anionic surfactants for use herein include the water soluble salts or acids of the formula ROSO3M, wherein R is preferably a C6-C24 hydrocarbyl, preferably an alkyl or hydroxyaikyl having an alkyl component of C10-C20 , most preferably a C12-C18 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, and M is H or a cation, e.g., an alkali metal cation (e.g., sodium, potassium and lithium) or ammonium or substituted ammonium cations ( e.g., methyl-, dimethyl- and trimethylammonium cations and quaternary ammonium cations such as tetramethylammonium and dimethylpiperidinium cations, and quaternary ammonium cations derived from alkylamines, such as ethylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine and mixtures thereof, and Similar). Other anionic surfactants suitable for use herein include alkyldiphenylethersulfonates and alkylcarboxylates. Other anionic surfactants may include salts (including, for example, sodium, potassium, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts such as mono-, di- and triethanolamine salts) of soap, Cg-C20 linear alkylbenzenesulfonates, primary or secondary alkanesulfonates of C8-C22, C8-C24 olefinsulfonates, sulfonated polycarboxylic acids prepared by the sulfonation of the pyrolyzed product of alkaline earth metal citrates, e.g., as described in the description of British Patent No. 1, 082,179, aiquil polyglycol ether sulfates of C8-C24 (containing up to 10 moles of ethylene oxide); alkyl ether sulfonates such as methyl estersulfonates of C-? 4.16; acyl glycerol sulfonates, fatty olyl glycerol sulfates, alkyl phenol ethylene oxide ether sulfates, paraffinsulfonates, alkyl phosphates, isethionates such as acyl isethionates, N-acyltaurates, aikyl succinates and sulfosuccinates, sulfosuccinate monoesters (especially saturated and unsaturated C12-C18 monoesters), sulfosuccinate diesters (especially diesters) C6-C14 saturated and unsaturated), acyl sarcosinates, alkylpolysaccharide sulfates such as alkylpoiiglucoside sulphates (the non-sulphonic non-ionic compounds described below), branched primary alkyl sulphates, alkylpolyethoxycarboxylates such as those of the formula RO (CH2CH2?) kCH2COO -M + wherein R is a C 8 -C 22 alkyl, k is an integer from 0 to 10 and M is a soluble salt forming cation. Also suitable are rosin acids and hydrogenated rosin acids, such as rosin, hydrogenated rosin, and rosin acids and hydrogenated rosin acids present in, or derived from tallow oil. Additional examples are given in "Surface Active Agents and Detergents" (Vols. I and II by Schwartz, Perry and Berch). A variety of such surfactants are also generally described in the US patent. No. 3,929,678, issued December 30, 1975 to Laughlin et al., In column 23, line 58 to column 29, line 23 (incorporated herein by reference).

The anionic surfactants which are preferred to be used in the compositions herein are the alkylbenzene sulphonates, alkylsulphates, akoxylated alkyl sulphates, paraffinsulfonates and mixtures thereof. Suitable amphoteric surfactants for use herein include amine oxides having the following formula R 1 R 2 R 3 NO, wherein each of R i, R 2 and R 3 is independently a straight or branched saturated hydrocarbon chain of 1 to 30 carbon atoms. Amine oxides suitable for use according to the present invention are amine oxides having the following formula R 1 R 2 R 3 NO, wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon chain of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably 6 to 20, most preferably 6 to 14 and more preferably 8 to 10, and wherein R2 and R3 are independently linear or branched hydrocarbon chains, substituted or unsubstituted from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and most preferably are methyl groups. R1 can be a straight or branched saturated hydrocarbon chain. The amine oxides which are preferred to be used herein are, for example, the amine oxides of naturally mixed Cs-C-iß as well as the C12-C-16 amine oxides commercially available from Hoechst. The zwitterionic surfactants suitable for use herein contain both cationic and anionic hydrophilic groups on the same molecule at a relatively broad pH scale. The typical cationic group is a quaternary ammonium group, although other positively charged groups such as phosphonium, imidazolinium and sulfonium can also be used. Typical anionic hydrophilic groups are the carboxylates and sulfonates, although other groups such as sulphates, phosphonates and the like can be used. A generic formula for some zwitterionic surfactants that will be used in the present is RrN + (R2) (R3) R4X- where Ri is a hydrophobic group; R2 and R3 are each C1-C4 alkyl, hydrixyalkyl or other substituted alkyl group which may also be linked to form ring structures with N; R4 is a moiety joining the cationic nitrogen atom to the hydrophilic group and is typically an alkylene, hydroxyalkylene or polyalkoxy group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms: and X is the hydrophilic group which is preferably a carboxylate or sulfonate group. Preferred hydrophobic groups are alkyl groups containing from 1 to 24, preferably less than 18, most preferably less than 16 carbon atoms. The hydrophobic group may contain unsaturation and / or substituents and / or linking groups such as aryl groups, amido groups, ester groups and the like. In general, simple alkyl groups are preferred for reasons of cost and stability. Highly preferred zwitterionic surfactants include the betaine and sulfobetaine surfactants, derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof. Said betaine or sulfobetaine surfactants are preferred because they aid disinfection by increasing the permeability of the bacterial cell wall, thereby preventing other active ingredients from entering the cell. In addition, thanks to the mild action profile of said betaine or sulfobetaine surfactants, they are particularly suitable for cleaning delicate surfaces, eg, delicate clothing or surfaces in contact with food and / or babies. The betaine and sulphobetaine surfactants are also extremely gentle to the skin and / or surfaces that will be treated. The betaine and sulfobetaine surfactants suitable for use herein are betaine / sulfobetaine and betaine detergents in which the molecule contains both basic and acid groups that form an inner salt that gives the molecule both cationic and anionic hydrophilic groups on the a wide range of pH values. Some common examples of these detergents are described in the US patents. Nos. 2,082,275, 2,702,279 and 2,255,082, incorporated herein by reference. The betaine and sulfobetaine surfactants which are preferred herein have the formula: R2 R 1 - N + - (CH 2) n - Y - R 3 wherein Ri is a hydrocarbon chain containing from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, preferably from 8 to 18, most preferably from 12 to 14, wherein R 2 and R 3 are hydrocarbon chains containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, preferably 1 carbon atom, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10, preferably from 1 to 6, most preferably is 1; Y is selected from the group consisting of carboxyl and sulfonium radicals, and wherein the sum of the hydrocarbon chains R-i, R2 and R3 is from 14 to 24 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof. Examples of particularly suitable betaine surfactants include C12-Ci8 alkyldimethylbetaine, such as coco-betaine and C-io-C-iß alkyldimethylbetaine, such as laurylbetaine. Cocobetaine is commercially available from Seppic under the trade name Amonyl 265®. Laurylbetaine is commercially available from Albright & Wilson under the trade name Empigen BB / L®. Other specific zwitterionic surfactants have the generic formulas: R? -C (O) -N (R2) - (C (R3) 2) n-N (R2) 2 (+) - (C (R3) 2) n-SO30? R1-C (O) -N (R2) - (C (R3) 2) nN (R2) 2 (+) - (C (R3) 2) n-COOO wherein each Ri is a hydrocarbon, e.g. , an alkyl group containing from 8 to 20, preferably up to 18, most preferably up to 16 carbon atoms; each R2 is a hydrogen (when attached to the amide nitrogen), short chain alkyl or substituted alkyl containing from one to 4 carbon atoms, preferably groups selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, ethyl or hydroxy propyl -substituted and mixtures thereof, preferably methyl; each R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and hydroxyl groups and each n is a number from 1 to 4, preferably from 2 to 3, most preferably 3, with no more than one hydroxyl group in any portion (C (Rs) 2) - The Ri groups may be branched and / or unsaturated. The R2 groups can also be connected to form ring structures. A surfactant of this type is an acylamidopropylene (hydroxypropylene) sulfobetaine Cio-C grease which is available from Sherex Company under the tradename "Varion CAS sulfobetaine" ®. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the compositions herein are particularly suitable for the disinfection of a hard surface, the surfactant is typically a surfactant system comprising an amine oxide and a betaine surfactant or sulfobetaine, preferably at a weight ratio of amine oxide to betaine or sulfobetaine from 2: 1 to 100: 1, most preferably from 6: 1 to 100: 1 and more preferably from 10: 1 to 50: 1. The use of such a surfactant system in the compositions herein suitable for disinfecting a hard surface, provides an effective cleaning performance and provides gloss on the cleaned surfaces, i.e., the amount of film / streaking left on the surface cleaned that has been treated with said compositions is minimal. Suitable nonionic surfactants for use herein are ethoxylated and / or propoxylated fatty alcohols which are commercially available with a variety of fatty alcohol chain lengths and a variety of degrees of ethoxylation. In fact, the HLB values of said aicoxylated nonionic surfactants depend essentially on the chain length of the fatty alcohol, the nature of the alkoxylation and the degree of the alkoxylation. Surfactant catalogs are available that list a number of surfactants, including nonionics, together with their respective HLB values. Particularly suitable for use herein as nonionic surfactants are the non-ionic hydrophobic surfactants having an HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) of less than 16, preferably less than 15, most preferably less than 12, and more preferably less than 10. These hydrophobic nonionic surfactants have been shown to provide adequate fat cutting properties. The hydrophobic nonionic surfactants which are preferred to be used in the compositions according to the present invention are the surfactants having an HLB of less than 16 and which are in accordance with the formula RO- (C2H4?) N (C3H6?) mH, wherein R is an alkyl chain of Cβ to C22 or an alkylbenzene chain of Cβ to C28, and where n + m is from 0 to 20 and n is from 0 to 15 and m is from 0 to 20, preferably n + m is from 1 to 15 and, n and m are from 0.5 to 15, most preferably n + m is from 1 to 10 and, n and m are from 0 to 10. The R chains that are preferred to be used herein are the C8 to C22 alkyl chains . Accordi, suitable hydrophobic nonionic surfactants for use herein are Dobanol® 91-2.5 (HLB = 8: 1; R is a mixture of C9 and Cu alkyl chains, n is 2.5 and m is 0), or Lutensol® T03 (HLB = 8, R is an alkyl chain of C13, n is 3 and m is 0), or Lutensol® AO3 ( HLB = 8, R is a mixture of C-? 3 and C15 alkyl chains, n is 3 and m is 0), or Tergitol® 25L3 (HLB = 7.7; R is on the scale of an alkyl chain length of C12 at C15, n is 3 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 23-3 (HLB = 8: 1, R is a mixture of C12 and C13 alkyl chains, n is 3 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 23-2 ( HLB = 6: 2, R is a mixture of C12 and C13 alkyl chains, n is 2 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 45-7 (HLB = 11: 6, R is a mixture of C14 and C15 alkyl chains) , n is 7 and m is 0), Dobanol® 23-6.5 (HBL = 11.9, R is a mixture of C12 and C13 alkyl chains, n is 6.5 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 25-7 (HLB = 12; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C12 and C15j n is 7 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-5 (HLB = 11.6, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C9 and Cu, n is 5 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-6 (HLB = 12.5; R is a mixture of Cg and Cu alkyl chains, n is 6 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-8 (HLB = 13.7; R is a mixture of alkyl chains of Cg and Cu, n is 8 and m is 0), or Dobanol® 91-10 (HLB = 14.2, R is a mixture of alkyl chains of C9 to Cu, n is 10 and m is 0) or mixtures thereof. Preferred herein are Dobanol® 91-2.5, or Lutensol® TO3, or Lutensol® AO3, or Tergitol® 25L3, or Dobanol® 23-3, or Dobanol® 23-2, or mixtures thereof. These Dobanol® surfactants are commercially available from SHELL. These Lutensol® surfactants are commercially available from BASF and these Tergitol® surfactants are commercially available from UNION CARBIDE.

Other suitable surfactants also include conventional C6-C20 soaps (alkali metal salt of a C6-C20 fatty acid, preferably sodium salts). Typically, the surfactant or mixtures thereof is present in the composition of the present invention at a level of from 0.01% to 50% by weight of the total composition, preferably from 0.01% to 30% and most preferably from 0.1% to 20% . The compositions according to the present invention may comprise as an optional additional ingredient additional antimicrobial ingredients that contribute to the antimicrobial activity of the compositions of the present invention. Such ingredients may be present up to a level of 5% by weight of the total composition, preferably from 0.001% to 1%, and include parabens such as ethylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, glutaraldehyde or mixtures thereof. The compositions herein may further comprise a chelating agent as a preferred optional ingredient. Suitable chelating agents can be any of those known to those skilled in the art, such as those selected from the group consisting of phosphonate chelating agents, aminocarboxylate chelating agents or other carboxylate chelating agents, or polyfunctionally substituted aromatic chelating agents or mixtures thereof.

Such phosphonate chelating agents may include etidronic acid (1-hydroxyethylidenebiphosphonic acid or HEDP) alkali metal ethan-1-dihydroxydiphosphonates, as well as aminophosphonate compounds, including aminoalkylenepoly (alkylenephosphonate), alkali metal ethane-1-hydroxyphosphonate, nitrilotrimethylenephosphonates, ethylenediaminetetramethylenephosphonates and diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonates. The phosphonate compounds may be present either in their acid form or as different cation salts in some or all of their acid functionalities. The phosphonate chelating agents that are preferred for use herein are the diethylenetriaminepentamethylene phosphonates. Said phosphonate chelators are commercially available from Monsanto under the trade name DEQUEST®. Polyfunctionally substituted aromatic chelating agents may also be useful in the compositions herein. See the US patent. No. 3,812,044 issued May 21, 1974 to Connor and others. Compounds of this type that are preferred in acid form are dihydroxydisulfobenzenes such as 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-disulfobenzene. A biodegradable chelating agent that is preferred to be used herein is ethylenediamine-N, N'-disuccinic acid, or the alkali metal, alkaline earth, ammonium or substituted ammonium salts thereof or mixtures thereof. The ethylenediamine-N, N'-disuccinic acids, especially the (S, S) isomer, have been described extensively in the US patent. 4,704,233, November 3, 1987 to Hartman and Perkins. Ethylenediamine-N, N'-disuccinic acid, for example, is commercially available under the tradename ssEDDS® from Palmer Research Laboratories. Suitable and currently useful aminocarboxylate chelating agents include ethylenediaminetetraacetates, diethylenetriamine-pentaacetates, diethylenetriaminepentoacetate (DTPA), N-hydroxyethylenediaminetriacetates, nitrilotriacetates, ethylenediaminetetrapropionates, triethylenetetramine-hexaacetates, ethanoldiglicines, propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA), and methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA). , both in their acid form, or in their alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salt forms. Particularly suitable for use herein are diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), propylene diamine tetraacetic acid (PDTA) and which is commercially available, for example, from BASF under the tradename Triion FS® and methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA). Additional carboxylate chelating agents for use herein include malonic acid, salicylic acid, glycine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid or mixtures thereof. Such chelating agents, especially phosphonate chelating agents such as diethylenetriaminepentamethylenephosphonates are particularly preferred in the compositions according to the present invention, since they have been shown to contribute more to the disinfecting properties of hydrogen peroxide.

Typically, the compositions according to the present invention comprise up to 5% by weight of the total composition, of a chelating agent or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.002% to 3% by weight and most preferably from 0.002% to 1.5%. The compositions herein may further comprise a radical scavenger as a preferred optional ingredient. Suitable radical scavengers for use herein include the well-known substituted mono- and dihydroxybenzenes and derivatives thereof, alkyl- and arylcarboxylates and mixtures thereof. The radical scavengers which are preferred to be used herein include di-tert-butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), p-hydroxytoluene, hydroquinone (HQ), di-tert-butylhydroquinone (DTBHQ), mono-tert-butylhydroquinone (MTBHQ), ter- butyl-hydroxyanisole (BHA), p-hydroxyanisole, benzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid, toluic acid, catechol, t-butylcatechol, 4-allyl catechol, 4-acetylcatechol, 2-methoxyphenol , 2-ethoxyphenol, 2-methoxy-4- (2-propenyl) phenol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, benzylamine, 1, 1, 3, -tris (2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5) -t-butylphenyl) -butane, tert-butyl-hydroxyaniline, p-hydroxyaniline, as well as n-propyl-gallate. It is highly preferred to use in the present di-tert-butylhydroxytoluene, which is commercially available from SHELL under the tradename IONOL CP®. These radical scavengers further contribute to the stability of the hydrogen peroxide-containing compositions herein.

Typically, the compositions according to the present invention comprise up to 5% by weight of the total composition of a radical scavenger or mixtures thereof, preferably from 0.01% to 1.5% by weight and more preferably from 0.01% to 1%. The compositions herein may comprise as an optional ingredient a solvent or mixtures thereof. When used, the solvents will advantageously give an improved cleaning performance to the compositions herein. Suitable solvents for incorporation into the compositions according to the present invention include propylene glycol derivatives such as n-butoxypropanol or n-butoxypropoxypropanol, water soluble CARBITOL® solvents or water soluble CELLOSOLVE® solvents. Water-soluble CARBITOL® solvents are compounds of the 2- (2-alkoxyethoxy) ethanol class wherein the alkoxy group is derived from ethyl, propyl or butyl. A water-soluble carbitol which is preferred is 2- (2-butoxyethoxy) ethanol, also known as butylcarbitol. Water-soluble CELLOSOLVE® solvents are compounds of the 2-alkoxyethoxyethanol class, with 2-butoxyethoxyethanol being preferred. Other suitable solvents are benzyl alcohol, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and diols such as 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol and 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol and mixtures thereof. The solvents that are preferred to be used herein are n-butoxypropoxypropanol, butylcarbitol® and mixtures thereof. A solvent that is most preferred to be used here is butylcarbitol®. Solvents may typically be present in the compositions of the invention at a level of up to 10% by weight, preferably 2% to 7% by weight of the composition. The compositions herein may further comprise a variety of other optional ingredients such as pH regulators (e.g., borate pH regulators), detergency builders, stabilizers, bleach activators, soil suspending agents, dye transfer agents, brighteners, perfumes, antiforming agents of dust, enzymes, dispersants, inhibitors of dye transfer, pigments, perfumes and dyes. The compositions according to the present invention preferably have a viscosity of 10 cps at 4000 cps, most preferably of cps at 2000 cps, more preferably 30 cps at 700 cps, measured with a Carrimed rheometer at a temperature of 25 ° C and a shear rate of 15-35 s-1.

Packaging Form of the Compositions The compositions herein can be packaged in a variety of suitable detergent packages known to those skilled in the art. The liquid compositions herein can be desirably packaged in manually operated spray application containers. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses liquid compositions of the invention packaged in a spray applicator, preferably a trigger spray applicator or a pump spray applicator. In fact, said spray applicators allow uniformly applying to a relatively large area of a surface to be disinfected liquid compositions suitable for use in accordance with the present invention; thus contributing to the disinfecting properties of said compositions. Said spray applicators are particularly suitable for disinfecting vertical surfaces. Suitable spray applicators for use in accordance with the present invention include manually operated trigger-type foam applicators sold, for example, by Specialty Packaging Products, Inc. or Continental Sprayers, Inc. These types of applicators are described, for example. , in US-4,701, 311 to Dunnining and others, and in US-4,646,973 and US-4,538,745 both to Focarracci. It is particularly preferred to use spray applicators such as T 8500® or T8900®, commercially available from Continental Sprayers International or T 8100®, commercially available from Canyon, Northern Ireland. In said applicator the liquid composition is divided into fine liquid drops resulting in a spray that is directed on the surface to be treated. In fact, in said spray applicator the composition contained in the body of said applicator is directed through the head of the spray applicator by means of energy communicated to a pumping mechanism by the user when it activates said pumping mechanism. Most particularly, in said head of the spray applicator the composition is forced against an obstacle, e.g., a grid or a cone or the like, thus providing shocks to help atomize the liquid composition, i.e. to assist in the formation of drops of liquid.

Disinfection Procedures The present invention encompasses a method for disinfecting a surface, wherein a liquid disinfectant composition as described above is applied to a surface in its concentrated form. By "surface" we mean any surface here, including animated surfaces such as human skin, mouth and teeth, and inanimate surfaces. Inanimate surfaces include, but are not limited to, hard surfaces typically found in homes, such as kitchens, bathrooms or car interiors, eg, mosaics, walls, floors, chrome, glass, smooth vinyl, any plastic, wood plastic, table surfaces, laundry, cooking surfaces, tableware, sanitary articles such as sinks, showers, shower curtains, basins, toilets and the like, as well as fabrics including clothes, curtains, clothing, bedding, bath linen, Tablecloths for tables, sleeping bags, tents, upholstered furniture and the like, and rugs. The inanimate surfaces also include household appliances such as, but not limited to, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, automatic dryers, ovens, microwave ovens, dishwashers and the like. The compositions of the present invention have been shown to be particularly suitable for the disinfection of non-horizontal hard surfaces. In the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention wherein said liquid composition is sprayed onto a hard surface that will be disinfected by means of a spray applicator, it is not necessary to rinse the surface after the composition has been applied, in fact there are no visible residues on the surface. The present invention will be further illustrated by the following examples.

EXAMPLES The following sprayable liquid compositions were made by mixing the ingredients listed in the listed proportions (% by weight unless otherwise indicated). These compositions were packed in bottles equipped with a T8900® trigger spray skimmer, commercially available from Continental Sprayers Inc. These sprayable liquid compositions passed the prEN test 1040 of the European Committee of Normativity. These sprayable compositions provide effective disinfection when used concentrated or diluted, for example, at dilution levels of 1: 100, 1: 25, 1: 50, on clean surfaces with limited damage or even without any damage to said surface (v. gr., change of color in the fabrics) being at the same time safe for the user. These compositions, packaged in a spray applicator, exhibit reduced inhalation of said compositions by the user when said compositions are sprayed onto a surface. Compositions I II III IV V VI (% in weigh) Hydrogen peroxide 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.5 3.0 Betaine * 1.0 1.0 0.05 0.5 0.3 3.0 Amine oxide from Cío ** 1.5 1.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 Thyme oil 0.05 0.1 0.05 - - - Geranium oil - - - 0.1 - Eucalyptus oil 0.1 - 0.1 - - Nail oil - - - - 015 0.2 HEDP 0.1 0.09 0.09 0.05 0.2 0.3 BHT 0.05 0.05 0.06 0.1 0.1 0.15 Tetraborate 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.5 Dobanol 91-10® 0.1 0.05 0.05 0.5 0.5 1.0 Fatty acid - 0.1 0.1 - - Xanthan gum 0.1 0.05 0.04 0.03 0.05 - Polymer @ - - - 0.5 Water and minor components I up to 10C) 0 / NaOH up to pH 8.5 Compositions VIII VIII IX (% by weight) Hydrogen peroxide 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 Eucalyptus oil 0.5 Geranium oil 0.5 Thyme oil 0.5 - - 0.8 Dobanol 91-10® 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Betaine * 1.5 1.5 1.0 2.0 Polymer @ 0.5 0.5 - - Xanthan gum - - 0.3 0.4 Water and minor components - up to 100% - H2SO4 up to pH 4 Betaine * is either commercially available cocobetaine from Seppic under the trade name Amonil 265® or commercially available laurylbetaine from Albright & Wilson under the trade name Empigen BB / L® or mixtures thereof. Amine oxide of C- ** is decyldimethylamine oxide. HEDP is etidronic acid. BHT is butylated hydroxytoluene. Tetraborate is sodium tetraborate decahydrate. Dobanol 91-10® is a non-ionic C9-C11 ethoxylated surfactant (10).

Polymer® is the copolymer of acrylic acid and alkyl acrylate (C5-C10) commercially available under the tradename Carbopol® 1623 from BF Goodrich.

Claims (23)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A liquid and sprayable disinfectant composition comprising hydrogen peroxide, an antimicrobial essential oil and a polymeric thickener thickener.

2. A composition according to claim 1, which comprises hydrogen peroxide in an amount of about 0.01% to about 15% by weight of the total composition.

3. A composition according to claim 2, which comprises hydrogen peroxide in an amount of about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of the total composition.

4. A composition according to claim 2, which comprises hydrogen peroxide in an amount of about 0.8% to about 8% by weight of the total composition.

5. A composition according to claim 1, further characterized in that said antimicrobial essential oil is selected from the group consisting of thyme oil, lemon variety oil, citrus oil, lemon oil, orange oil, oil anise, clove oil, anise seed oil, cinnamon oil, geranium oil, rose oil, lavender oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, peppermint oil, camphor oil, oil sandalwood, cedar oil, rosmarin oil, pine oil, vervain oil, lemon variety oil, ratania oil and mixtures thereof.

6. A composition according to claim 5, further characterized in that said antimicrobial essential oil is thyme oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, geranium oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, peppermint oil or mixtures of the same.

7. A composition according to claim 1, which comprises at least 0.001% by weight of the total composition, said antimicrobial essential oil, or mixtures thereof.

8. A composition according to claim 7, which comprises about 0.006% to about 10% by weight of the total composition, said antimicrobial essential oil, or mixtures thereof.

9. A composition according to claim 7, which comprises about 0.02% to about 4% by weight of the total composition, of said antimicrobial essential oil, or mixtures thereof.

10. A composition according to claim 1, further characterized in that said polymeric thickener thinning shear is a polyurethane polymer, a polycarboxylate polymer, a polyacrylamide polymer, xanthan gum or a derivative thereof, alginate or a derivative thereof, a polysaccharide polymer or mixtures thereof.

11. A composition according to claim 10, further characterized in that said polymer thickener for shearing thinning is xanthan gum or a derivative thereof.

12. A composition according to claim 1, which comprises about 0.005% to about 10% by weight of the total composition, of said polymeric thickener by shear thinning or mixtures thereof.

13. A composition according to claim 12, which comprises about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of the total composition, of said polymeric thickener thinning shear or mixtures thereof.

14. A composition according to claim 12, which comprises about 0.02% to about 2% by weight of the total composition, of said polymeric thickener thinning shear or mixtures thereof.

15. A composition according to claim 1, which further comprises a surfactant at a level of from about 0.01% to about 50% by weight of the total composition.

16. - A composition according to claim 15, which comprises a surfactant at a level of from about 0.01% to about 30% by weight of the total composition.

17. A composition according to claim 15, which comprises a surfactant at a level of from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of the total composition.

18. A composition according to claim 15, further characterized in that said surfactant is: a zwitterionic surfactant or mixtures thereof, preferably a betaine or sulphobetaine surfactant, or derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof in accordance with the formula: R2 I R1- N + - (CH3) n - Y - R3 wherein Ri is a hydrocarbon chain of about 1 to about 24 carbon atoms, wherein R2 and R3 are hydrocarbon chains of about 1 to about 3 atoms of carbon, wherein n is an integer from about 1 to about 10, and Y is selected from the group consisting of carboxyl and sulfonyl radicals, and wherein the sum of the hydrocarbon chains Ri, R2 and R3 is from about 14 to about 24 carbon atoms, and / or - an amphoteric surfactant or mixtures thereof, preferably an amine oxide having the formula R <R> NO, wherein each of Ri, R2 and R3 is indepe preferably a linear or branched saturated hydrocarbon chain comprising from about 1 to about 30 carbon atoms, preferably Ri is a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain comprising from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms and R2 and R3 are independently linear hydrocarbon chains or branched, substituted or unsubstituted from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, or mixtures thereof.

19. A composition according to claim 1, which has a pH of no more than 12.

20. A composition according to claim 19, which has a pH of about 2 to about 10. 21.- A composition according to claim 19, which has a pH of from about 3 to about 9. 22. A liquid disinfecting composition according to claims 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 18 or 19 , packed in a spray applicator. 23. A method for disinfecting a surface, further characterized in that a liquid composition according to claims 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 18 or 19 is sprayed onto said surface.