MXPA99005185A - Aqueous disinfecting cleaning composition - Google Patents

Abstract

Aqueous disinfecting and cleaning compositions and concentrates which are efficacious against gram positive and gram negative bacteria, have relatively low volatile organic content ("VOC") and are surprisingly mild to the user of the compositions. The compositions include a quaternary ammonium compound as its primary germicidal active agent, have a low content of active constituents, and do not include organic solvents such as alcohols, glycols, or glycol ether in significant amounts.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning compositions. More particularly, the present invention is directed to improved cleaning compositions which find particular use in disinfectant and hard surface cleaning applications. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Notwithstanding the advantageous formulations of the known art, there still remains a real and continuing need in the art for improved disinfectant and cleaning compositions in general, and in specific such compositions that provide at least one but that is a plurality. of aspects of the following characteristics: low volatile organic content, low irritability for the end user of the composition, stability of phase in storage, easy to manufacture, low cost, efficacy against gram positive bacteria, effectiveness against gram negative bacteria, good characteristics of cleaning, and relatively low percentages of active ingredients required in such an aqueous formulation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The compositions of the invention are aqueous disinfectant and cleaning compositions and concentrates thereof, which are effective cleaning compositions and which are effective as disinfectant compositions against gram negative and gram positive bacteria, have volatile organic content. relatively low ("VOC") and are surprisingly benign to the user of the compositions. It is surprising that these results are concurrently achieved with a composition that includes a quaternary ammonium compound as its main germicidal active agent and indicates a non-apparent synergistic effect from the prior art. These compositions also provide good disinfecting and cleaning properties with low amounts of active constituents, and desirably do not include organic solvents such as glycol ethers, glycols or low molecular weight alcohols, in significant amounts, ie, amounts in excess of about 1% by weight and more. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES According to a first embodiment of the invention there is provided an aqueous cleaning and disinfecting composition in a concentrated form comprising, but desirably consisting of: an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties desirably present in an amount of from about 0.001-5% by weight; 0. 01-10% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer; 0.01-10% by weight of an additional non-ionic surfactant; 0-3% by weight of a polymeric cationic surfactant based on a polyquaternary ammonium salt; 0-3% by weight of an adjuvant, desirably present in an amount of about 0.1-0.5% by weight; optionally, minor amounts of up to about 5% by weight of one or more conventional additives particularly coloring agents, fragrances and fragrance solubilizers, viscosity modifying agents such as thickeners, pH adjusting agents and pH regulators including organic salts and inorganic and water to form 100% by weight of the concentrated form of the inventive compositions. According to a second embodiment of the invention, an aqueous dilution of the concentrated cleaning and disinfecting composition described above is provided, which provides effective sanitizing and cleansing. In a further embodiment of the invention there is provided a process for cleaning and / or disinfecting surfaces in need of such treatment, which includes contacting a surface with an aqueous dilution or concentrated composition of a concentrated composition, as taught herein. In particularly preferred embodiments the concentrated disinfectant and cleaning compositions provided herein provide good cleaning, effective cleaning of surfaces particularly hard surfaces, and low irritability for the consumer. The compositions of the invention include an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties. Particularly useful quaternary ammonium compounds and salts thereof include ammonium germicides, which can be characterized by the general structure formula: '1 R - N * - Rg X- R " wherein at least one of R1 t R2, R3 and R4 is a hydrophobic, aliphatic, aryl aliphatic or aliphatic aryl radical of from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and the total cation potion of the molecule has a molecular weight of at least 165. The hydrophobic radicals can be long chain alkyl, long chain alkoxy aryl, long chain alkyl aryl, long chain alkyl aryl substituted by halogen, long chain alkyl phenoxy alkyl, aryl alkyl, etc. The remaining radicals on the nitrogen atoms other than the hydrophobic radicals are substituents of a hydrocarbon structure which usually contains a total of no more than 12 carbon atoms. Radicals R? R2, R3 and R4 can be straight chain or branched, but preferably straight chain and can include one or more amide or ester linkages. The radical X can be any anionic radical that forms salts. Exemplary quaternary ammonium salts within the above description include alkyl ammonium halides such as trimethyl cetyl ammonium bromide, aryl alkyl ammonium halides such as benzyl dimethyl octadecyl ammonium bromide, alkyl pyridine N-halides as N-pyridine bromide of cetyl, and the like. Other suitable types of quaternary ammonium salts include those in which the molecule contains either amide or ester bonds such as octyl benzyl dimethyl ethyl ethoxy phenoxy ammonium chloride, N - (laurylcocoaminoformylmethyl) pyridinium chloride, and the similar. Other very effective types of quaternary ammonium compounds, which are useful as germicides, include those in which the hydrophobic radical is characterized by a substituted aromatic nucleus as in the case of ammonium chloride of lauryloxyphenylthyrmethyl, ammonium methosulfate of cetylaminophenyltrimethyl, methosulphate of dodecylphenyltrimethyl ammonium, dodecylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, chlorinated dodecylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride and the like. Preferred quaternary ammonium compounds that act as germicides and which are useful in the practice of the present invention include those having the structural formula: CH, R2 _ N + - Rc X- wherein R2 and R3 are the same or different C8-C12 alkyl, or R2 is C12.16 alkyl, C8_12 alkyletoxy, C8.12 alkylphenol ethoxy and R3 is benzyl, and X is a halide, for example, chloride, bromide or iodide or X can be methosulfate. The alkyl groups mentioned in R2 and R3 can be straight or branched chain, but preferably are substantially linear. Particularly useful quaternary germicides include compositions that include a single quaternary, as well as mixtures of two or more different quaternaries. Particularly useful examples include mixtures of ammonium benzyl dimethyl alkyl chlorides, dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (C8_C10); dimethyl amide chloride didecyl; ammonium dimethyl dioctyl chloride; single alkyl ammonium benzyl dimethyl chloride compounds; ammonium benzyl ethyl dimethyl alkyl chloride; ammonium chloride benzyl dimethyl myristyl; ammonium chloride benzyl dodecyl methyl, ammonium chloride xylene-bis-trimethyl dodecyl methyl; benzethonium chloride. It should be understood that these quaternary ammonium compounds can be used alone or in mixtures of two or more. These quaternary ammonium compounds are desirably present in the concentrated compositions in an amount of from about 0.001% -5% by weight, desirably they are present in an amount of from 0.1-3% by weight and more desirably are present in a amount from 0.5-3% by weight. When diluted in a larger volume of water to form a disinfectant and cleaning composition, the quaternary ammonium compounds must be present in a sufficient amount so that they are at a concentration of at least about 150 parts per million (p.p.m.), more desirably at least about 175 p.p.m. and more desirably about 200 p.p.m. The present inventors have surprisingly found that certain of their formulations exhibit effective disinfection and cleansing with less than 200 p.p.m. of the quaternary ammonium compounds in cleaning compositions, which is an amount below which is generally believed to be necessary for the effectiveness of disinfection. A further constituent of the invention is a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer. Polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymers include nonionic surfactants in which the major portion of the molecule is composed of blocks of polymeric C3-C4 alkylene oxides. Such nonionic surfactants, while being preferentially formed from an initial group of alkylene oxide chain, can have as an initial core almost any hydrogen-containing group including, without limitation, amides, phenols, thiols and secondary alcohols. A group of such non-ionic surfactants which contains the characteristics of alkylene oxide blocks are those which can generally be represented by the formula (A): HO- (EO) x (PO) and (EO) zH (A) wherein EO represents ethylene oxide. PO represents propylene oxide, and is equivalent to at least 15, (E0) x.z equals 20 to 50% of the total weight of said compounds and the total molecular weight is preferably in the range of about 2000 to 15,000. Another group of nonionic surfactants suitable for use in the novel compositions can be represented by the formula (B): R- (EO, PO) a (EO, PO) bH (B) wherein R is an alkyl, aryl or aralkyl group , where the R group contains from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, the weight percent of EO is within the range of 0 to 45% in one of the blocks a, b and within the range of 60 to 100% in the other blocks a, b and the total number of moles of EO and PO combined is in the range of 6 to 125 moles, with 1 to 50 moles in the block rich in PO and from 5 to 100 moles in the block rich in EO. Additional nonionic surfactants that are generally encompassed in Formula B include butoxy derivatives of ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block polymers having molecular weights within the range of about 2000-5000. Still further useful nonionic surfactants containing polymeric butoxy groups (BO) may be represented by the formula (C) as follows: RO- (BO) n (EO) xH (C) wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, n is approximately 5-15 and x is approximately -15. They are also useful as non-ionic block copolymer surfactants, which also include polymeric butoxy groups, which can be represented by the following formula (D): HO- (EO) x (BO) n (EO) and H (D) in where n is about 5-15, preferably about 15, x is about 5-15, preferably about 15, and y is about 5-15, preferably about 15. Still further useful nonionic block copolymer surfactants include ethoxylated diamine derivatives of propoxylated ethylene, which can be represented by the following formula: wherein (EO) represents ethoxy, (PO) represents propoxy, the amount of (PO) x is such as to provide a molecular weight before ethoxylation of about 300 to 7500, and the amount of (EO) is such that to provide approximately % to 50% of the total weight of said compound. Of these, the most preferred are those that are represented by the formula (A) above; specific examples of which include materials currently commercially available under the trade name "Pluronic®", and in particular the F series of "Pluronic®", L series of "Pluronic®", series P of "Pluronic®", as well as the R series of "Pluronic®", each of which generally described as being block copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide. Those of the L series of "Pluronic®" and the R series of "Pluronic®" are generally preferred, since they are supplied in liquid form by the manufacturer and are easily formulated in the present inventive compositions. They are also available in a wide range of HLB values, and those that have HLB values in the range of 1.0-23.0 can be used, although it is found to be particularly advantageous those with intermediate HLB values such as from about 12.0-18.0. These materials are currently commercially available from BASF AG (Lud igshafen, Germany). Other exemplary nonionic block copolymers useful on the basis of ethoxy / propoxy polymeric units which may also be used include those currently commercially available from Poly-Tergent® E and Poly-Tergent® from Olin Chemicals Corp. (Stamford CT). It should be understood that these nonionic surfactants based on polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymers can be used alone or in mixtures of two or more such compounds. These nonionic surfactant compounds are desirably present in the concentrated compositions in an amount of from about 0.01-10% by weight, desirably in an amount of 0.1-4% by weight and more desirably in an amount of 1-4% by weight. weight. The present inventive compositions also include a nonionic surfactant. Preferred nonionic surfactants provide surprisingly good levels of cleaning performance, particularly in conjunction with preferred quaternary ammonium compounds described herein. Most desirably, the non-ionic surfactant also exhibits a low level of irritability for the eyes. One class of nonionic surfactants are the alkoxylated alcohols. These include the condensation products of a higher alcohol (for example, an alkanol containing about 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight or branched chain configuration) condensed with about 2 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, per example, myristyl alcohol or lauryl condensed with about 16 moles of ethylene oxide, tridecanol condensed with about 6 moles of ethylene oxide, myristyl alcohol condensed with about 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of myristyl alcohol, the product of condensation of ethylene oxide with a fraction of separation or distillation of coconut fatty alcohol containing a mixture of fatty alcohols with alkyl chains ranging from 0 to about 14 carbon atoms in length and wherein the condensate contains either about moles of ethylene oxide per mole of total alcohol or about 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of tallow alcohol ethoxylates containing from 6 ethylene oxides to 11 ethylene oxides per mole of alcohol. A preferred group of the above nonionic surfactants are alcohol ethoxylates Neodol® (Shell Chemicals Co. Houston TX); which are primary, aliphatic, high alcohols containing about 9-15 carbon atoms condensed with ethylene oxide, generally about 6-13 moles of ethylene oxide per molecule.

Additional useful nonionic surfactants include those based on condensates of ethylene oxide and alcohol of a secondary aliphatic alcohol. These alcohols contain from 8 to 18 carbon atoms in a branched or straight chain configuration and are condensed with 5 to 30 moles of an alkylene oxide, especially ethylene oxide. Examples of these include the alcohol ethoxylates Tergitol® (Union Carbide Corp. Danbury CT). Additional useful nonionic surfactants include certain linear alkoxylated aliphatic alcohol surfactants, which are believed to be the condensation products of a C8-C10 hydrophilic residue with alkylene oxides, especially polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide residues. Such alkoxylated linear alcohol surfactants are currently commercially available under the tradename PolyTergent® (Olin Chemical Co. Stamford CT). Of these, those sold as PolyTergent® SL-22 are particularly useful; PolyTergent® SL-42, PolyTergent® SL-62 and PolyTergent® SL-29, of which PolyTergent® SL-62 is particularly advantageous. PolyTergent® SL-62 is described as a moderately foamable, biodegradable, linear alkoxylated alcohol surfactant having an average of 8 moles of oxyethylene groups per molecule. These linear alkoxylated alcohol surfactants provide good detersive action in the removal of many types of seals and fats such as are frequently found in stains on hard surfaces, as well as providing an additional solubilizing effect and can be included in the concentrated compositions according to the present invention with advantage. Preferred alkoxylated linear alcohol surfactants also exhibit low levels of ocular irritation in the concentrated compositions. Additional nonionic useful surfactants include nonyl and alkoxylated octyl phenols and particularly ethoxylated according to the following general structure formula: in which the group C9H10 in the last formula is a mixture of branched chain isomers. In both formulas, x indicates an average number of ethoxy units in the side chain. Suitable nonionic ethoxylated nonyl and octyl phenols include those having from about 7 to about 13 ethoxy units.

Such compounds are commercially available under the tradename Triton® X (Union Carbide, Danbury CT). Exemplary alkoxylated alkyl phenols useful as a nonionic surfactant also include certain compositions currently commercially available from Rhéne-Poulenc Co., Cranbury, NJ) under the general trade name Igepal®, which are described as being octyl and nonyl phenols. These specifically include Igepal® CO730, which is described as an ethoxylated nonyl phenol having an average of 15 ethoxy groups per molecule. An additional useful class of nonionic surfactants are those based on alkyl polyglucosides. Suitable alkyl mono- and polyglycosides are generally prepared by reacting a monosaccharide or a hydrolyzable compound for a monosaccharide with an alcohol such as a fatty alcohol in an acid medium. A preferred group of alkyl glucoside surfactants suitable for use in the practice of this invention can be represented by formula I below: wherein: - R is a monovalent organic radical containing from about 6 to about 30, - - preferably from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms; Rx is a bivalent hydrocarbon radical containing from about 2 to about 4 carbon atoms, especially ethyl and propyl radicals; Or is an oxygen atom; and is a number that has an average value from about 0 to about 1 and is preferably 0; G is a residue derived from a reducing saccharide containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms; and x is a number having an average value from about 1 to 5 (preferably from 1.1 to 2); Z is selected from O ^ 1, O OC-R2 0 (CH2), COjM1, OSO ^ 1 or 0 (CH2) S03M1; R3 is (CH CO ^ 1 or CH = CHC02M1; with the proviso that Z can be OjM1 only if Z is found in place of a primary hydroxyl group, in which the carbon atom regulating the primary hydroxyl, -CH2OH is oxidizes to form a 1 OR (group); b is a number from 0 to 3x + 1, preferably an average of from 0.5 to 2 per glycosal group; p is 1 to 10 M1 is H "or an organic or inorganic cation, such as, for example, an alkali metal, ammonium, monoethanolamine or calcium As defined in Formula I above, R is generally the residue of an alcohol fatty acid having from about 8 to 30 and preferably from 8 to 18 carbon atoms Examples of such alkyl glucosides as described above include, for example, GLUCOSIDE APG ™ 325 CS, which is described as being a C8-C alkyl polyglucoside. ?: 50%, also commonly referred to as D-glucopyranoside, (commercially available from Henkel Corp, Ambler PA) and GLUCOPON ™ 625 CS, which is described as being a 50% C10-C16 alkyl polyglycoside, also commonly referred to as a D-glucopyranoside, (available from Henkel Corp, Ambler PA) These nonionic surfactant compounds described above can be used alone or in mixtures, they comprise 0.01-10% by weight of the compositions of the invention. concentrate, desirably comprise 0.1-7% by weight and more desirably comprise about 2.5-6% by weight and especially about 5% by weight of the concentrated compositions taught herein. The inventive compositions optionally but desirably include an adjuvant. Such an adjuvant constituent may be present in an amount of from 0-3% by weight based on the total weight of the concentrated compositions taught herein. Such include water-soluble inorganic adjuvants which can be used alone, in admixture with other inorganic water-soluble adjuvants, as well as in conjunction with one or more organic alkaline-inhibiting adjuvant salts. Exemplary adjuvants include alkali metal silicates, polyphosphates, phosphates and carbonates, including sodium sesquicarbonate and sodium carbonate. Additional exemplary adjuvants include organic alkaline-inhibiting adjuvant salts such as alkali metal polycarboxylates including water-soluble citrates such as sodium potassium citrate, sodium and potassium tartarate, sodium and potassium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, N- (2-hydroxyethyl) - sodium and potassium ethylene diamine triacetates, sodium and potassium nitrilotriacetates, as well as sodium and potassium tartrate mono- and di-succinates. Also useful are gluconate or glucoheptonate salts, particularly sodium gluconate and sodium glucoheptonate. In particular, di-, tri- and tetrasodium salts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, especially tetrasodium salts thereof, are advantageously used. As noted, these organic adjuvant salts can be used individually, as a combination of two or more organic adjuvant salts, as well as in conjunction with one or more detergent adjuvants, including those indicated above. As noted above, the compositions according to the invention are aqueous in nature. The water is added to the constituents in order to provide 100% by weight of the composition. An optional additional but particularly desirable constituent is a cationic polymeric polyquaternary ammonium salt, especially a halogen salt such as chloride salt. Such a material is one that includes at least one repeating monomer unit wherein such a monomer includes as part of its structure a quaternary ammonium. A particularly useful class of such materials is that sold under the trade name "Mirapo®" and is available from Rhóne-Poulenc Surfactant & Specialty Chemicals Co. (Cranbury, NJ). These materials are highly cationic by nature and are believed to be in accordance with the following general structure: wherein n is an integer or 2 or greater, and desirably is in the range of 2-152, more desirably is about 6. Such material is commercially available as Mirapo® A-15 from Rhéne-Poulenc, identified above . The inventors have found that the inclusion of such material provides a useful benefit that suspends the stain, which is desirable from a cleaning point of view, although it has also been observed by the inventors that the inclusion of such material may have a harmful effect on the disinfectant properties of the compositions. Thus, their inclusion in the compositions and their use is to be chosen carefully and in effective amounts to be determined in view of the inventive teaching presented herein, particularly as demonstrated in one or more of the formulations of the Examples. The constituents that can be used in the compositions according to the invention are known, and are commercially available from a number of sources. The compositions according to the invention are useful in disinfecting and / or cleaning surfaces, especially hard surfaces in need of such treatment. These in particular include surfaces where the presence of gram negative and / or gram positive bacteria is suspected. In accordance with the present inventive process, cleaning and / or disinfecting such surfaces comprises the step of applying a release coloring solution and an effective disinfecting amount of a composition, as taught herein for such stained surface. Thereafter, the compositions optionally but preferably are brushed, scrubbed or otherwise physically contacted with the hard surface, and further optionally, they can subsequently be cleaned of a hard disinfected and clean surface. Such a disinfectant and hard surface cleaning composition according to the invention, can be provided as a user-friendly product that can be applied directly to a hard surface, but desirably is provided in a proposed concentrated form to be diluted in water to form a composition of cleaning from it. The hard surface cleaning composition provided according to the invention can also be provided as an easy to use product in a manually operated spray distribution container. In yet a further embodiment, the compositions according to the invention may be formulated in such a manner that they may be useful in conjunction with an "aerosol" type product, where it is discharged from a pressurized aerosol container. Also, nothing in the specification should be understood to limit the formation of a "super-concentrated" cleaning composition based on the composition described above. Such a superconcentrated composition is essentially the same as the compositions described above, except that they include a smaller amount of water. Although cleaning compositions are more beneficial for use in their form, that is, their shape as described above, they can also be diluted to form a cleaning composition therefrom. such cleaning compositions can be easily prepared, by diluting measured quantities of the compositions in additional amounts of water by the consumer or other end user in certain weight ratios of composition: water and optionally stirring them to still ensure the distribution of the composition in water. Water. The concentrated compositions according to the invention can be used without further dilution, but can also be used with an additional aqueous dilution, that is, in concentrated composition: water concentrations of 1: 0, to dilute extremely dilutions such as 1: 1000. When subjected to further aqueous dilution, such dilution is preferably a ratio of weight or volume amount from 1: 10-1: 64., more preferably it is approximately 1:64. The current dilution selected in part is determined by the degree and amount of litter and dirt to be removed from one surface (s), the amount of mechanical force imparted to remove them, as well as the observed effectiveness of a particular dilution. Generally better results are expected and faster removal at lower relative dilutions of the composition and water. Other conventional additives, although not particularly clarified herein may also be included in the present inventive compositions. Conventional, optional, exemplary additives include but are not limited to: pH adjusting agents and pH regulators including organic and inorganic salts; non-aqueous solvents, perfumes, perfume vehicles, optical brightener, coloring agents such as dyes and pigments, opacifying agents, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, viscosity modifying agents such as thickeners, enzymes and dry spot antiliming agent, antioxidants, agents anti-corrosive as well as others not specifically clarified here. These must be present in minor amounts, preferably in total they comprise less than about 5% by weight of the compositions, and desirably less than about 5% by weight. The following examples below illustrate preferred and exemplary formulations of the concentrated composition according to the present invention. Throughout this specification and the appended claims, the weight percent of any constituent is understood as the weight percent of the active portion of the referred constituent, unless otherwise indicated.

Eiemplificatory Formulations Preparation of the Eiemplificatory Formulations The exemplary formulations illustrating certain preferred embodiments of the inventive compositions and described in more detail in Table 1 below are generally formulated according to the following procedure. In a suitably sized container, a measured quantity of water was provided, after which the constituents were added in non-specific or uniform sequence, indicating that the order of addition of the constituents was not critical. All constituents were supplied at room temperature, and any remaining amount of water was then added. Certain non-ionic surfactants gelled at room temperature and were first preheated to convert them into castable liquids before addition and mixing. The mixing of the constituents was carried out by the use of a mechanical stirrer with a small diameter impeller at the end of its axis of rotation. The mixture, which generally lasts from 5 minutes to 120 minutes, was maintained until the particular exemplary formulation appeared to be homogeneous. The exemplary compositions were easily cast, and good mixing characteristics (i.e., stable mixtures) were maintained until extended periods, even in excess of 120 days. The exact compositions of the exemplary formulations are listed in Table 1 below, where the weights of the assets provided in the named named constituent are described. t? t ) or ? As indicated, all of the formulations in Table 1 were supplied with sufficient deionized water in "sufficient amount" to provide 100 parts by weight of a particular formulation. The identity of the constituents of Table 1 above is described in more detail in Table 2 below.

- - It is noted that the formulations according to Examples 48-53 were substantially the same, but by different dyes and / or fragrances that varied between these formulations. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy Several of the formulations described in more detail in Table 1 above were evaluated in order to evaluate their antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus (pathogenic gram-positive bacteria) (ATCC 6538), Salmonella choleraesuis (pathogenic bacteria). Gram negative type) (ATCC 10708) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442). The test was carried out according to the procedures mentioned in the "Method of Dilution by Use", Procedures 955.14, 955.15 and 964.02 described in Chapter 6 of "Official Methods of Analysis", 16th Edition of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists; "Sanitary Detergent and Germicidal Action", 960.09 described in Chapter 6 of "Official Methods of Analysis", 16th Edition of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists; or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) E 1054-91, the contents of which are incorporated for reference. This test is also commonly referred to as the "AOAC Use Dilution Test Method". As seen by the expert practitioner in the material, the results of the AOAC Dilution Test Method indicate the number of test substrates where the tested organism remains viable after contact for 10 minutes with a test disinfectant composition / total number of tested substrates (cylinders) evaluated according to the AOAC Use Dilution Test. In this way, a result of "0/60" indicates that 60 test substrates regulated the test organism and were contacted for 10 minutes in a test disinfectant composition, or test substrates had viable (living) test organisms in the completion of the test. Such a result is excellent, since it illustrates the excellent disinfectant efficacy of the tested composition. The results of smaller amounts of test substrates such as for, 20, 30 or 40 test substrates provide useful selection results, although insufficient to meet the requirement of 60 test substrates as indicated by the AOAC Use Dilution Test. The results of the antimicrobial test are indicated in Table 3 below. The reported results indicate the number of test cylinders with live test organisms / number of test cylinders tested for each exemplary formulation and tested organism.

The ocular irritation characteristics of the formulations according to the invention were evaluated using the Draize eye test procedure. The evaluation was carried out in various formulations according to the invention and are described more fully in Table 1 above. As is known to those skilled in the art, the measurements of the Draize eye test measures the irritation of the eye by the degree of severity of the eye lesions, measuring three dimensions: scores obtained for the cornea, iris and conjunctiva. The results of the Draize test are reported below. These indicate that an EPA Category "3" classification was appropriate, where irritation or corneal involvement cleared in "21" days or less. These results are in accordance with the guides of the Agency of Environmental Protection (EPA), 40 C.F.R. Chap. 1 6162.10, (1986).

Several formulations among those listed above were evaluated for their cleaning efficacy on tile surfaces using the following procedures. "Standard stained tiles" were prepared for use in the tests. These were prepared according to the procedure described in ASTM 4488-87, Annex 2"Greasy Stains / Laminar Wood Test Method for Painted Masonite Walls", as well as in Annex A45"Oily Stains and Particles / Test Method Tiles of Vinyl ". This stained tile preparation and cleaning procedure was carried out for a number of cleaning compositions formed from the formulations described. The evaluation was carried out using a Gardner apparatus, using standard stained tiles prepared according to the procedure described above in standard sponge and pressure segment establishments in order to determine or quantify the cleaning efficiency of the formulations. These formulations were used formed in a cleaning composition wherein a part of a formulation of Table 1 was diluted with 64 parts of water. For comparative purposes, a 1:64 dilution of a commercially available disinfectant and concentrated cleaning solution, Cleaner, was also prepared and evaluated in the same test.

Deodorant Lysol® variety "country smell". In the determination of the cleaning efficiency of each of the formulations, the reflectance values were determined using a Minolta chromameter, where each tile was measured three times and the mean reflectance value is reported below in Table 5. For each of these tiles, there were at least four replicates, each of which was evaluated and used to determine the mean reflectance value of Table 5. The test was carried out for each of the following: a tile without clean spots, a tile with spots and a tile with spots that follows the washing of the Gardner washability device. Such reflectance values were then used to calculate the cleaning efficiency according to the following formula: Lt-Ls Cleaning Efficiency = Lo-Ls where Lt = average reflectance after washing the stained tile; Ls = average reflectance before cleaning the stained tile; Lo = reflectance average of the original tile before staining. The evaluation procedure observed above was carried out in groups of test tiles, where the cleaning compositions formed from formulations according to Table 1 were compared with tiles treated with the cleaning composition formed using the Lysol Deodorizing Cleaner. ® formulation "country smell". These results of the cleaning efficiency are shown in Table 5, which follows: As shown, the measurement of the cleaning effectiveness of the test samples included the ability of the cleaning composition to remove the test spots from the test substrate. This is expressed by the Cleaning Efficiency; as numerical values for an increase in Cleaning Efficiency, the highest cleaning effectiveness for the tested cleaning composition is achieved. As the results show, the inventive composition showed excellent cleaning characteristics, which compare favorably with commercially available products.

Claims (10)

1. 4
2. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and therefore the property described in the following claims is claimed as property. A concentrated cleaning and aqueous disinfectant composition comprising, by 100% by weight, an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties; 0.01-10% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer; 0.01-10% by weight of an additional non-ionic surfactant; 0-3% by weight of an adjuvant, 0-0.5% of one or more conventional additives; and water up to 100% by weight. 2. The concentrated composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties is present in an amount of from about 0.001-5% by weight.
3. 3. The concentrated cleaning and aqueous disinfectant composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the nonionic surfactant compound based on a block polymeric alkylene oxide block is present in an amount of from about 0.1% -4% by weight .
4. 4. The concentrated cleaning composition and aqueous disinfectant according to claim 3, characterized in that the nonionic surfactant compound based on a block of polymeric alkylene oxide block is a compound according to the formula: H0- (E0) x (P0) and (E0) zH (A) wherein EO represents ethylene oxide, PO represents propylene oxide, and is equivalent to at least 15, (EO) xz equals from 20 to 50% of the total weight of said compounds and the total molecular weight it is preferably in the range of about 2000 to 15,000.
5. 5. The concentrated cleaning composition and aqueous disinfectant according to claim 1, characterized in that the polymeric cationic surfactant compound based on a quaternary ammonium salt is a compound according to the formula: wherein 1 is an integer having a value of at least 2.
6. 6. A concentrated cleaning and aqueous disinfectant composition consisting essentially of, by 100% by weight, an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound which has germicidal properties; 0.01-10% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound which is based on a polymeric alkylene oxide block copolymer; 0.01-10% by weight of an additional non-ionic surfactant; 0-3% by weight of an adjuvant, 0-5% of one or more conventional additives; and water up to 100% by weight. A concentrated cleaning and aqueous disinfectant composition according to claim 6 which by 100% by weight consists essentially of an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties; 1-6% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound which includes as a major portion of the molecule the block polymeric alkylene oxide block; 1-8% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound based on an alkoxylated alcohol; 0.001-1% by weight of an adjuvant; 0 to about 0.5% of one or more conventional additives selected from the group including coloring agents, fragrances and fragrance solubilizers, viscosity modifying agents such as thickeners, pH adjusting agents and pH regulators including organic and inorganic salts; and water up to 100% by weight. A concentrated cleaning and aqueous disinfectant composition according to claim 7 which by 100% by weight consists essentially of an effective disinfecting amount of a quaternary ammonium compound having germicidal properties; 1-6% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound which includes as a major portion of the molecule the block polymeric alkylene oxide block; 1-8% by weight of a nonionic surfactant compound based on an alkoxylated alcohol; 0.1-2% by weight of a polymeric cationic surfactant compound based on a quaternary ammonium salt; 0.001-1% by weight of an adjuvant; optionally up to about 5% by weight of one or more conventional additives selected from the group including coloring agents, fragrances and fragrance solubilizers, viscosity modifying agents such as thickeners, pH adjusting agents and pH regulators including organic and inorganic salts; and water to form 100% by weight. 9. An aqueous composition comprising a portion of the concentrated cleaning composition and aqueous disinfectant for 10 to 64 parts of water. A process for cleaning and / or disinfecting hard surfaces comprising the step of: applying to the surface an effective amount of a composition according to claim 1.