WO2015091164A1

WO2015091164A1 - Disinfectant composition with excellent foam profile and cleaning power

Info

Publication number: WO2015091164A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/077253
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashraf MARZOUK; Shaimaa ALWAKEL; Sahar ZAHER
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2013-12-16
Filing date: 2014-12-10
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: EP3083916A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disinfectant composition with excellent foam profile comprising C_5-11-alkyl oligoglycoside and cationic surfactant. This composition can be used for disinfecting hard surfaces and is also suited for use in cleaning agents. The invention also relates to the use of the disinfectant composition as such or in cleaning agents.

Description

Disinfectant composition with excellent foam profile and cleaning power

The present invention relates to disinfectant compositions with excellent foam profile and cleaning power. This composition can be used for disinfecting hard surfaces and are also suited for use in cleaning agents. The invention also relates to the use of the disinfectant composition as such or in cleaning agents.

Especially for sanitizing hard surfaces in hospitals as well as private households disinfectant- containing cleaning agents are widely used. To meet the growing demand for sustainable and environmental friendly products, it is desirable to have disinfectant compositions comprising a lower dose of active components, such as disinfectants and/or surfactants. At the same time, however, these compositions have to perform equally well or better in cleaning and disinfecting, particularly hard surfaces, than known compositions. Moreover, it is desirable to have compositions, which also show an excellent foam profile to satisfy consumer expectations. This is especially the case, if in the consumer's opinion more foam means superior cleaning and disinfectant capabilities. However, many of the currently used disinfectants still rely on comparably high amounts of actives to achieve satisfactory results in disinfection and cleaning. Alternative active compounds that would allow the use of lower amounts of active ingredients are however generally too expensive for use in cleaning agents.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disinfectant composition with excellent foam profile, which comprises a lower dose of disinfectant/surfactant and is based on easily available and inexpensive active components.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that this object can be met by a disinfectant composition with excellent foam profile that comprises a special alkyl oligoglycoside and a cationic surfactant and has a pH value of 5 to 6.5.

Moreover, it was found that in addition to satisfying the consumer^'s expectations, the excellent foam profile also leads to superior cleaning properties compared to a cleaning composition with lesser foaming.

The inventive composition requires a lower dose of active components to achieve excellent cleaning results and hence saves resources and is more environmentally friendly.

In a first aspect, the present invention is therefore directed to a disinfectant composition with a pH value of 5 to 6.5 comprising

(a) with respect to the total weight of the composition

0.3 to 1 ,5 wt.% of at least one alkyl oligoglucoside of formula (I)

in which

R means C5-11 alkyl,

G is a glycoside unit, which is derived from a sugar containing 5 or 6 carbon

atoms,

p is a number from 1 to 10,

and

(b) at least one cationic surfactant.

It has been demonstrated that the disinfectant composition can advantageously be used in a cleaning agent, in particular a cleaning agent for hard surfaces, which contains other typical ingredients of cleaning agents. In another aspect, the present invention thus also relates to a cleaning agent comprising the disinfectant composition of the invention.

In still another aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the disinfectant composition or the cleaning agent of the invention for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface. The use can comprise applying the composition or cleaning agent to the object and, optionally after a contact time of 1 to 15 minutes, rubbing it with a brush, sponge or cloth against the surface.

In a further aspect, the present invention also encompasses a method for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface, comprising contacting said object with a disinfectant composition or cleaning agent of the invention. The method can also further comprise the step of rubbing the composition or cleaning agent with a brush, sponge or cloth against the surface, optionally after a contact time of 1 to 15 minutes.

In the context of the present invention and if not indicated otherwise, fatty acids or fatty alcohols and their derivatives represent branched or linear carboxylic acids and alcohols and their derivatives, respectively, preferably those with 6 to 22 carbon atoms. The former are particularly preferred due to environmental reasons, but the present invention is not limited to them.

The terms "disinfection", "disinfectant", "sanitation", "antimicrobial effect", "antimicrobial agent", and "biocidal agent" as used herein, have the common meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, as for example described by K. H. Wallhausser in "Praxis der Sterilisation, Desinfektion - Konservierung: Keimidentifizierung - Betriebshygiene" (5. Aufl. - Stuttgart; New York: Thieme, 1995). While disinfection in the narrower sense of medicinal practice means the killing of - theoretically all - pathogenic germs, sanitation means the elimination of essentially all germs including those that are normally not harmful to human beings. The extent of disinfection and sanitation, respectively, is thereby dependent on the antimicrobial efficacy of the used antimicrobial agent, which decreases with decreasing concentrations and increasing dilution, respectively. Generally, as used herein, biocidal agent or antimicrobial compound or disinfectant in the context of this application refers to compounds, which possess an antimicrobial action and reduce the number of microorganisms on objects, in particular surfaces, treated therewith.

„At least one", as used herein, means one or more, e.g.1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more. If not explicitly defined, all numerical ranges given include the upper and lower limit of said range. If not explicitly defined, all amounts given in wt.% are related to the total weight of the composition. The pH value according to this invention is determined at 25°C.

A preferred pH value of the inventive disinfectant composition is from 5.5 to 6.3, most preferably from 5.9 to 6.1.

In the alkyl glycosides corresponding to the general formula (I), the glycoside units G preferably derive from aldoses or ketoses.

Due to their better reactivity, the reducing saccharides, the aldoses, are preferably employed. Among the aldoses, glucose, due to its ease of accessibility and industrial availability, is of particular interest.

The index value p in the general Formula (I) represents the degree of oligomerization, i.e. the distribution of mono and oligoglycosides, and stands for a number between 1 and 10. Whereas in a given compound, p must always be a whole number and here above all can assume the values p = 1 to 6, the value p for a specific alkyl oligoglycoside is an analytically determined, calculated quantity that mostly represents a fractional number. Preferably, alkyl oligoglycosides having an average degree of oligomerization p from 1.1 to 3.0, are used. Those alkyl oligoglycosides with degrees of oligomerization of less than 1.8 and in particular between 1 .1 and 1.6 are particularly preferred.

The alkyl group R is derived from primary alcohols containing 5 to 1 1 , preferably 6 to 1 1 , and in particular 8 to 10, carbon atoms. Preferred examples are caproic alcohol (R = n-hexyl), capryl (R = n-octyl), capric alcohol (R = n-decyl). Also industrial fractions that besides the cited saturated alcohols can also comprise traces of unsaturated alcohols and those which are obtained from natural fats and oils, for example palm oil, palm-kernel oil, coconut oil or beef tallow, are possible sources for R of formula (I).

Besides the cited fatty alcohols, the alkyl glycosides can also derive from synthetic primary alcohols containing 5 to 1 1 carbon atoms, in particular from the "oxo alcohols" that possess a fraction of 5 to 40 wt.% branched isomers related to the total weight of the whole mixture of synthetic primary alcohols.

Mixtures of alkyl groups R often result from a production that starts from natural fats and oils or mineral oils.

Processes for manufacturing these alkyl glycosides are, for example, described in the American patents US 3,547,828 and US 3,839,318 as well as in the German patent application DE-A-37 23 826. For alkyl oligoglycosides themselves, reference can be made to DE-A-100 27 975, DE-A-101 38 094 and DE-A-100 31 014, for example.

While the alkyl oligoglucoside(s) of formula (I) (vide supra) are generally present in a total amount of 0.3 to 1.5 wt.% related to the total weight of the composition, a preferred total amount of alkyl oligoglycoside of formula (I) is in the range of 0.5 to 1.0 wt.%, in particular in the range of 0.6 to 0.8 wt.%.

The disinfectant composition further comprises at least one cationic surfactant. The cationic surfactant may be present in the composition in a quantity of 0.1 wt.% to 1.0 wt.%, preferably 0.2 wt.% to 0.7 wt.%, more preferably 0.25 wt.% to 0.6 wt.% and most preferably 0.25 to 0.35 wt.%. It is particularly preferred from a toxicological and ecological viewpoint for the quantity of cationic surfactant compound to be less than 2.5 wt.%.

In a preferred embodiment the cationic surfactant is a quaternary ammonium compound.

Suitable quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have the general formula (R )(R ²)(R ³)(R ⁴)N⁺X-, wherein each of R , R ², R ³ and R ⁴ is independently linear or branched C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C2-C22 alkynyl or C7-C28 alk(en)ylaryl that can optionally be substituted or any two or three of R , R ², R ³ and R ⁴ combine to form a 5-6-membered, optionally aromatic, heterocyclic ring with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached; and X^" is an anion.

The alkyl moieties can comprise 1 to 22 carbon atoms, but preferably are either lower alkyl, comprising 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or Cs-Os alkyl. They are preferably linear. When substituted they can be substituted with any one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of -OR, halo, nitro, -NRR', cyano, -C(0)R, -C(0)OR, -(CO)NRR', -NR'C(0)R, -OC(0)R, C5-C20 aryl, C3-C20 cycloalk(en)yl, 3- to 8-membered heterocycloalk(en)yl, and 5- to 20-membered heteroaryl, wherein R and R' are independently selected from H, C1-C10 alkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, C2-C10 alkynyl, C5-C14 aryl, C3-C8 cycloalk(en)yl, 5- to 14- membered heteroaryl, comprising 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O, and S, and 5- to 14- membered heterocycloalk(en)yl, comprising 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from N, O, and S. The alkenyl and alkynyl moieties comprise one or more carbon-carbon double bonds or triple bonds, respectively, and are otherwise defined as alkyl above. Specifically, they are preferably linear and if substituted they are substituted with a substituent selected from the above list of substituents.

Cycloalkyl refers to a non-aromatic carbocyclic moiety, such as cyclopentanyl, cyclohexanyl and the like. Cycloalkenyl refers to non-aromatic carbocyclic compounds that comprise at least one C-C double bond. Similarly, heterocycloalk(en)yl relates to cycloalk(en)yl groups wherein 1 or more ring carbon atoms are replaced by heteroatoms, preferably selected from N , O and S.

Aryl relates to an aromatic ring that is preferably monocyclic or consists of condensed aromatic rings. Preferred aryl substituents are C6-C12 aryl moieties, such as phenyl, naphthyl, anthracenyl and phenanthrenyl.

Heteroaryl refers to aromatic moieties that correspond to the respective aryl moiety wherein one or more ring carbon atoms have been replaced by heteroatoms, such as N, O and S.

Alkylaryl and alkenylaryl relate to alkyl or alkenyl groups that are substituted with an aryl group, such as benzyl.

In preferred embodiments of the invention R and R ² are unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl, preferably methyl, and/or R ³ and R ⁴ are defined as follows:

(i) R ³ is (Ci-C₄)alkyl(C6-Ci4)aryl, preferably benzyl, and R ⁴ is unsubstituted Cs-Cis alkyl; or (ii) R ³ is unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl, preferably methyl, and R ⁴ is (meth)acryloxy(Ci-C4)alkyl, preferably acryloxyethyl; or (iii) R ³ and R ⁴ are independently unsubstituted Cs-C-is alkyl.

In case any two or three of R -R¹⁴ combine to form a cyclic moiety with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached , this means that for example two or three of R -R¹⁴ together are an alkyl or alkenyl group as defined above that forms a ring with the nitrogen atom. The ring may be an aromatic, monocylic or bicyclic ring .

In various embodiments of the invention, X^" is selected from the group consisting of halide, sulfate, hydroxide, phosphate, preferably halide, more preferably chloride. Halide includes fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide. The anion can be selected such that the QAC is render water- soluble. In specific embodiments, the anion is selected from halide, methosulfate, methophosphate or phosphate and mixtures of these or similar anions. Alternatively, the anion may be a carboxylic acid derived organic anion such as acetate, propionate, citrate, lactate, tartrate and the like

QACs can be produced by reacting tertiary amines with alkylating agents, such as e.g. methyl chloride, benzyl chloride, dimethyl sulfate, dodecyl bromide, but also ethylene oxide. The alkylation of tertiary amines with a long alkyl residue and two methyl groups is achieved particularly readily, and even the quaternization of tertiary amines with two long residues and a methyl group can be carried out under mild conditions with the aid of methyl chloride. Amines having three long alkyl residues or hydroxy-substituted alkyl residues are of low reactivity and are preferably quaternized with dimethyl sulfate.

Suitable QACs are for example benzalkonium chloride (N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylbenzylammonium chloride, CAS No. 8001-54-5), benzalkon B (m,p-dichlorobenzyldimethyl-Ci2-alkylammonium chloride, CAS No. 58390-78-6), benzoxonium chloride (benzyldodecylbis(2- hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride), cetrimonium bromide (N-hexadecyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide, CAS No. 57-09-0), benzethonium chloride (N,N-dimethyl-N-[2-[2-[p-(1 , 1 ,3,3- tetramethylbutyl)phenoxy]ethoxy]ethyl]benzylammonium chloride, CAS No. 121 -54-0), dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides such as di-n-decyldimethyl-ammonium chloride (CAS No. 7173-51-5-5), didecyldimethylammonium bromide (CAS No. 2390-68-3), dioctyldimethylammonium chloride, 1 -cetylpyridinium chloride (CAS No. 123-03-5) and thiazoline iodide (CAS No. 15764-48- 1 ) and mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred QACs are dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides, in particular di-n-decyldimethylammonium chloride, N-octadecyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride, N-hexadecyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride and the benzalkonium chlorides with Cs-C-is alkyl residues, in particular Ci2-Ci4 alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride. Another preferred compound is methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N,N-di(caproyloxyethyl)ammonium methosulfate.

The dialkyldimethylammonium halides, the benzalkonium halides and/or substituted benzalkonium halides are commercially available, for example as Barquat^® from Lonza, Marquat^® from Mason, Variquat^® from Evonik Industries and Hyamine^® from Lonza.

It is preferred to add alkyl oligoglycoside and cationic surfactant in a weight ratio of 3.5 : 1 to 1 : 2, particularly preferred from 2.5 : 1 to 1 : 1 , most preferred from 2.5 to 1 to 1.5 to 1.

In various embodiments, the cationic surfactant is at least one QAC of formula (R )(R ²)(R ³)(R ⁴)N⁺X- , as defined above, for example a QAC of the given formula wherein R and R ² are unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl, preferably methyl, and (i) R ³ is (Ci-C4)alkyl(C6-Ci4)aryl, preferably benzyl, and R ⁴ is unsubstituted Cs-C-is alkyl; or (ii) R ³ is unsubstituted C1-C4 alkyl, preferably methyl, and R ⁴ is (meth)acryloxy(Ci-C4)alkyl, preferably acryloxyethyl; or (iii) R ³ and R ⁴ are independently unsubstituted Cs-C-is alkyl. It is particularly preferred to combine at least one QAC cationic surfactant of said preferred formula with at least one alkyl oligoglycoside of the formula (I)

in which R means Ce-io alkyl,

G is a glycoside unit, which is derived from a sugar containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms,

(preferably glucose)

p is a number from 1.1 to 3.0.

The above mentioned preferred embodiments of said surfactants and the preferred amounts and weight ratios are also preferred in this embodiments.

In addition, the composition or cleaning agent may in certain embodiments comprise additional non-ionic surfactants, i.e. non-ionic surfactants other than said alkyl oligoglycoside, such as a non- ionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of poly alkoxylates, alkoxylated fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty acids, alkoxylated alkylphenols and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. However, in preferred embodiments, the composition does not contain any non- ionic surfactant other than said alkyl oligoglycosides.

The disinfectant composition of the invention can be comprised in a cleaning agent, as described above, and said cleaning agent or the disinfectant composition itself can additionally comprise one or more components that are commonly used in cleaning agents, for example those selected from the group consisting of additional disinfectants, cellulosic thickeners, viscosity regulators, dyes, perfumes, preservatives, water/stain repellents, stain release agents, refreshing agents, biocidal agents, anti-microbial agents, disinfecting agents, malodor control agents, abrasion resistance and protection agents, solvents such as water or non-aqueous solvents, insect/pet repellents, wetting agents, UV protection agents, enzymes, bleaching systems, antistats and mixtures thereof.

Additional biocidal agents, anti-microbial agents and/or disinfecting agents that can be used in the disinfectant compositions described herein include, without being limited thereto, amines, quaternary ammonium compounds, aldehydes, antimicrobial acids and salts thereof, carboxylic acid esters, acid amides, phenols, phenol derivatives, diphenyls, diphenylalkanes, urea derivatives, oxygen acetals, oxygen formals, nitrogen acetals, nitrogen formals, benzamidines, isothiazolines, phthalimide derivatives, pyridine derivatives, guanidines, quinolines, iodine, iodophores, halogen compounds and mixtures thereof. These compounds act effectively against viruses, bacteria, moulds or yeasts. Exemplary biocidal compounds that may be used include, without limitation, 1 ,2- dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane, iodo-2-propylbutyl carbamate, undecylenic acid, salicylic acid, dihydroacetic acid, o-phenylphenol, N-methylmorpholinoacetonitrile (MMA), 2-benzyl-4- chlorophenol, 2,2'-methylenebis(6-bromo-4-chlorophenol), 4,4'-dichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether (diclosan), 2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether (triclosan), chlorhexidine, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N- (3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea, N,N'-(1 ,10-decanediyldi-1-pyridinyl-4-ylidene)-bis(1-octanamine) dihydrochloride, N,N'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-3, 12-diimino-2,4, 1 1 , 13-tetraazatetradecanediimidamide, glucoprotamines, guanidines including the bi- and polyguanidines, such as e.g. 1 ,6-bis(2- ethylhexylbiguanidohexane) dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-phenyldiguanido-N5,Ns')hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-phenyl-Ni ,Ni-methyldiguanido-N5,N5')hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-o-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5, N5 )hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di(Ni ,Ni'-2,6- dichlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5 )hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-[Ni ,Ni'-beta-(p-methoxy- phenyl)diguanido-N5, N5']hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-alpha-methyl-beta.- phenyldiguanido-N5, N5')hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-p-nitrophenyldiguanido- N5,N5')hexane dihydrochloride, omega:omega-di-(Ni ,Ni'-phenyldiguanido-N5, N5')-di-n-propyl ether dihydrochloride, omega:omega'-di-(Ni ,Ni'-p-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5, N5')-di-n-propyl ether tetra- hydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-2,4-dichlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5')hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1 ,6-di- (Ni ,Ni'-p-methylphenyldiguanido-N5,N5')hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-2,4,5- trichlorophenyldiguanido-N5, N5')hexane tetrahydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-[Ni ,Ni'-alpha-(p-chlorophenyl) ethyldiguanido-N5,N5']hexane dihydrochloride, omega:omega-di-(Ni ,Ni'-p-chlorophenyldiguanido- N5,N5')m-xylyl dihydrochloride, 1 ,12-di-(Ni ,Ni'-p-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5')dodecane dihydrochloride, 1 , 10-di-(Ni ,Ni'-phenyldiguanido-N5,N5')decane tetrahydrochloride, 1 , 12-di-(Ni ,Ni'- phenyldiguanido-N5, N5')dodecane tetrahydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-o-chlorophenyldiguanido- N5,N5')hexane dihydrochloride, 1 ,6-di-(Ni ,Ni'-o-chlorophenyldiguanido-N5,N5')hexane tetrahydrochloride, ethylenebis(l-tolylbiguanide), ethylenebis(p-tolylbiguanide), ethylenebis(3,5- dimethylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(p-tert-amylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(nonyl- phenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(phenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(N-butylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(2,5-diethoxyphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(2,4-dimethylphenylbiguanide), ethylenebis(o-diphenylbiguanide), N-butyl ethylene-bis(phenylbiguanide), trimethylenebis(o- tolylbiguanide), N-butyl trimethylene-bis(phenylbiguanide) and the corresponding salts such as acetates, gluconates, hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, citrates, bisulfites, fluorides, polymaleates, N-cocoalkyl sarcosinates, phosphites, hypophosphites, perfluorooctanoates, silicates, sorbates, salicylates, maleates, tartrates, fumarates, ethylenediamine tetraacetates, imino diacetates, cinnamates, thiocyanates, arginates, pyromellitates, tetracarboxybutyrates, benzoates, glutarates, monofluorophosphates and perfluoropropionates as well as any mixtures thereof. Also suitable are halogenated xylene and cresol derivatives, such as p-chlorometacresol or p-chlorometaxylene.

However, in a preferred embodiment of the inventive disinfectant solution, the at least one cationic surfactant is a quaternary ammonium compound and this quaternary ammonium compound at the same time also represents the disinfecting agent, i.e. the active disinfectant. Preferably the additional disinfecting agents are present in an amount of 0 to 0.5 wt.%.

In various embodiments of the present invention, the cellulosic thickener is selected from the group consisting of cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose or the sodium salt thereof, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate and mixtures thereof. Preferred thickeners include hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, in particular hydroxyethyl cellulose. Suitable cellulosic thickeners are commercially available from a variety of sources, for example as Cellosize QP 100 MH from Dow Chemicals, as Benecel MP 333 C, Culminal MC 2000 S and Culminal MHPC 3000 from Hercules, and MHEC 5000 PR and MHPC 600 R from Henkel. The inventive disinfectant composition may be a liquid disinfectant composition.

The disinfectant composition of the invention can be an aqueous composition and can, in various embodiments, comprise at least 50 wt.% water, preferably at least 70 wt.% water or more.

In another embodiment, the composition additionally contains non-aqueous solvents for example selected from the group of monohydric or polyhydric alcohols, alkanolamines or glycol ethers, provided that they are miscible with water in the concentration range given. The solvents are preferably selected from ethanol, n- or i-propanol, butanols, glycol, propanediol or butanediol, glycerol, diglycol, propyl or butyl diglycol, hexylene glycol, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl, ethyl or propyl ether, dipropylene glycol monomethyl or ethyl ether, di-isopropylene glycol monomethyl or ethyl ether, methoxy, ethoxy or butoxy triglycol, 1-butoxyethoxy-2-propanol, 3-methyl-3-methoxybutanol, propylene glycol t-butyl ether and mixtures of these solvents. Non-aqueous solvents can be used in quantities of between 0.5 and 15 wt.%, but preferably less than 9 wt.% and in particular less than 5 wt.%.

In one embodiment, the disinfectant composition comprises 0.5 to 5 wt.%, preferably 0.5 to 2.5 wt.% ethanol and/or isopropanol. Ethanol and isopropanol also possess an antimicrobial activity and thus extend the spectrum of action of the disinfectant composition.

In a preferred embodiment, the disinfectant composition comprises a perfume composition in a quantity of usually up to 2 wt.%, preferably 0.01 to 1 wt.%, particularly 0.02 to 0.75 wt.% and particularly preferably 0.04 to 0.4 wt.%.

The perfume composition can contain individual fragrance compounds, for example the synthetic products of the type of the esters, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and hydrocarbons. Preferably, however, mixtures of various fragrances are used which together produce an attractive scent. The perfume composition can also contain natural fragrance compounds as may be obtained from plant sources.

In order to bring the pH of the composition into the desired range, the use of pH adjusters may be indicated. All known acids or lyes may be used here, provided that their use is not prohibited for reasons of application technology or on ecological grounds, or for reasons of consumer protection.

To improve the aesthetic impression of the compositions, they can be colored using suitable dyes. Preferred dyes, the selection of which offers no problem to the person skilled in the art, possess high storage stability and are not sensitive to the other ingredients of the composition and to light. As already stated above, the disinfectant composition may be part of a cleaning agent, the cleaning agent also being encompassed by the present invention. Thus, all embodiments described above in relation to the disinfectant composition similarly apply to the cleaning agents of the invention and vice versa.

The invention also relates to the use of the disinfectant composition or cleaning agent according to the invention for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface. The cleaning and/or sanitizing includes reducing the number of microorganisms on the object or hard surface treated therewith. Alternatively, the composition or agent according to the invention may be used to reduce the number of microorganisms in a washing or rinsing solution.

Also encompassed by the present invention is a method for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface, the method comprising contacting said object with a disinfectant composition or a cleaning agent according to the invention. The contacting may be done by pouring, spraying or otherwise wetting the object, preferably a hard surface, with the composition or agent of the invention. The composition may for example be applied to an object by rubbing it with a brush, sponge or cloth wetted with the composition.

E x a m p l e s

The following compositions according to table 1 were prepared by mixing the components in water and adjusting the final pH value with citric acid. All amounts given in table 1 are wt.% if not otherwise noted.

Table 1 :

1 Cocoalkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (50 wt.% active matter in water) (Thor)

2 Ethoxylated C6-fatty alcohol with 5 moles of ethyleneoxide (95 wt.% active matter; 5 wt.% Ethylenglykolmonohexylether) (BASF SE)

3 Ethoxylated Ci2-is-fatty alcohol with 7 moles of ethyleneoxide (Galaxy Surfactants Ltd.)

4 Ce-10 Alkylpolyglucoside (64 wt. % active matter in water) (BASF SE)

The following dirt removal test was performed with each composition.

This method involved wiping a white dirt carrier treated with test dirt with a sponge soaked in the test specimen under defined conditions. The cleaning capacity is measured photoelectrically against the untreated white dirt carrier (= 100% degree of whiteness). The main features of the test method were published in 1986 as IPP quality standards in the journal "Seifen-Ole-Fette-Wachse" (Soaps-oils-greases-waxes), 1 12th volume, number 10, pages 371 -372.

Production of the test dirt:

Reagents:

Oil V. Myritol® 318 (BASF)

Oil 2: Nytex® 801 (Nynas)

Gasoline 80/1 10® (Roth)

Soot: Special black 4® (EVONIK) The production of 600 g of test dirt was performed as follows:

102 g Myritol 318 (= 17%), 240 g Nytex 801 (= 40%) and 216 g gasoline 80/1 10 (=

36%) were placed in a 1000 ml wide-mouth screw-top jar and stirred for 1 min. Slowly 42 g soot (=7%) (within 3 min) was added. Then the dirt was stirred for 60 min at 2000 rpm, and topped up with the missing gasoline. Finally, the solution was stirred thoroughly for 15 s.

Production of the dirt carriers

Reagents:

Adhesive Adhesin J1626-21 (Henkel)

Devices:

white PVC-foil BENOVA, 50 x 1.30 m; supplier Benecke GmbH, P.O. Box 709, Hanover, Order number 221 1 18,

Cardboard strips (554 x 39 mm), the lengths must run in the direction of the fiber: Only hansa board 400 g/m2, smooth on one side, white, without barrier layer; Stora (formerly Feldmuhle AG), Dusseldorf, Work surface e.g. PVC, 1000 x 500 x 5 mm,

To improve the brushability, the adhesive was diluted with 30 g of demineralized water per 1000 g adhesive. The cut foil sheets were used with approximate dimensions of 650 x 300 to 400mm. This measurement resulted from the roll width of 1300 mm and the width for 7 x 39 mm wide strips plus seam allowance. Halve the roll width so that a 554 mm long cardboard strip fit onto a half roll width of 650 mm.

The foil was was laid on the work surface with the smooth side down (this smooth side was later be soiled). The smooth side was determined by turning down a lying foil strip (approx. 30 x 10 cm) so that one third of its bottom side faces upward. A line was made with a red felt-tip marker lengthwise across the foil beginning at the double layer and ending at the single layer. On one piece a weaker coloration on which elevations are clearly recognizable were noted (= coarse). The ink was richly applied on the other piece (= smooth).

By means of a paint roller for radiators an even thin coating of adhesive was applied. Then seven cardboard strips with approx. 1 mm clearance were laid between them (the smooth white side facing the foil). Most of the air bubbles were pressed out by wiping vigorously with a fist-sized pulp bale in the lengthwise direction of the strips; the remaining bubbles were receded within the 24 hours time period of drying the adhesive.

The foil was cleanly cut off by protruding beyond the edges of the plate with a foil cutter. The plates prepared in this way were stacked for storage - and always with foil-on-foil and cardboard-on-cardboard - with the whole surface weighted, so that they stayed flat.

Soiling of the dirt carriers: Reagents:

Test dirt: Homogenize for approx. 15 min with a magnetic stirrer before applying.

Devices:

Flat lacquer brush with natural bristles, approx. 55 mm wide, glued in the holes of the twist-off caps (see below),

370 ml jars fitting the twist-off caps,

Watch glasses (80 mm 0) for weighing the respective test dirt,

125 ml wide-mouth screw-lid jars containing the respective test dirt,

Foil cutter,

Template of 3 mm thick PVC, 550 x 400 mm with interior cutout of 260 x 300 mm, Scale (sensitivity 0.01 g), e.g. Sartorius

The dirt carrier plate (foil facing upwards) was covered with the template, making soiling possible in the lengthwise direction of 260 mm and of the entire 280 mm width. A quantity of 2.0 g of test dirt was weighed on a watch glass. If a new brush was used, it was saturated in the test dirt for 24 hours, subsequently squeezed and brushed onto the foil until no more dirt dripped off. Then the soiled brush was stored in a screw-top jar until usage.

Priming

The corresponding amount of soiling was coarsely spread on the dirt carrier. 1st step:

After coarse distribution over the entire surface within the template, the dirt was spread in the lengthwise direction of the strips from the upper left to the upper right. The brush was moved to the left side and drawed a second track overlapping the first. This procedure was continued until the lower right corner was reached in this way.

2nd step:

The dirt was further worked in by guiding the brush from the upper left to the lower left and back again along the same track. It was proceeded track-by-track with overlapping until the brush stroke ended in the upper right. 3rd step:

Performed as described in "1st step". 4th step:

The dirt was worked in from top to bottom. The brush was guided in single tracks overlapping from left to right. After soiling, the foil was separated between the individual strips using a foil cutter. The stripes were then hung on a frame to be air-dried. The drying time was 1 h.

Three strips for every cleaning agent to be tested were soiled.

Cleaning process

Reagents:

soiled cardboard strips, prepared test solutions.

Devices:

Polyester sponge BULPREN S28/190 black (Euroform) length: 90 mm (± 3.0 mm); Width: 45 mm (± 1 .5 mm); Height: 30 mm (± 1.0 mm)

washability and abrasion tester 494 from Erichsen GmbH, D-58675 Hemer-Sundwig. Brass guide rail for the sponge cart, 554 mm in length, milled. Closed sponge cart which picks up the sponge from below, with weight attachment (820 g). The weight ensures even rolling of the sponge cart during wiping.

Disposable syringe for viscous products.

Preparation of the cleaning sponges

The dimensions and the water holding capacity checks after sgueezing the sponge were made on a random basis for each new sponge delivery. A new order from Euroform made by Purchasing comprises around 9000 sponges. The sponges were soaked in tap water shortly before the start of the test.

Immediately before the respective cleaning process, the individual sponge was sgueezed out under a stamp. This stamp was clamped in a drill stand and eased the sgueezing. Each sponge was used no more than only once. Cleaning process:

The soiled cardboard strips were laid into the guide rails of the wiping device. The moist squeezed sponge was laid into the sponge cart of the cart which lied on the top side. 6 mL of test detergent solution was applied via a syringe to the non-soiled area of the cardboard strip.

The cart was turned around so that the sponge rested on the strip in the guide rail and weighed it down. When turning around, it was ensured that possible dripping liquid lands on the strip. Then the wiping process was started. The sponge was wiped back and forth 10 times. Then the strip was removed from the rail and rinsed thoroughly at 20 °C with flowing tap water (before rinsing, the water should run for at least 10 min). The strip was guided diagonally downwards (angle approx. 45 °) under the water jet, so that the jet rinsed the dirt from top to bottom. The strips were hung to dry on a suitable frame for 1 hour.

Degree of whiteness measurement

Devices:

Konica-Minolta Chroma Meter CR-400 Measuring parameters: Color system: Y Standard illuminant: D65 without UV

The degree of whiteness was measured with the Konica-Minolta Chroma Meter CR-400. The measurement was taken against a white standard: Clean, untreated dirt carrier strips correspond to 100% RV (cleaning capacity). 7 measured values were determined from each of the 3 cleaned strips of a test specimen (corresponded to 21 measuring points per detergent) and the corresponding mean average values were calculated.

The experimental results of the cleansing power determination are as follows:

E V1 V2

% dirt removal 48, 1 32,6 31 ,9

Claims

C l a i m s

1. Disinfectant composition comprising:

(a) with respect to the total weight of the composition

0.3 to 1 ,5 wt.% of at least one alkyl oligoglucoside of formula (I)

in which

R means C5-11 alkyl,

p is a number from 1 to 10,

and

(b) at least one cationic surfactant,

wherein the composition has a pH value of 5 to 6.5.

2. The disinfectant composition of claim 1 , wherein the group G of formula (I) is selected from aldoses.

3. The disinfectant composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the alkyl oligoglycosides of formula (I) have an average degree of oligomerization p from 1.1 to 3.0.

4. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the alkyl group R of formula (I) is derived from primary alcohols containing 8 to 10 carbon atoms.

5. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein it comprises the alkyl

glycoside of formula (I) in a total amount of 0.5 to 1.0 wt.%, in particular in the range of 0.6 to 0.8 wt.%.

6. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cationic surfactant is at least one quaternary ammonium compound (QAC), preferably a QAC of the general formula (R )(R ²)(R ³)(R ⁴)N⁺X-, wherein each of R , R ², R ³ and R ⁴ is independently linear or branched C1-C22 alkyl, C2-C22 alkenyl, C2-C22 alkynyl or C7-C28 alk(en)ylaryl that can optionally be substituted or any two or three of R , R ², R ³ and R ⁴ combine to form a 5-6-membered, optionally aromatic, heterocyclic ring with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached; and X^" is an anion.

7. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the composition comprises 0.1 wt.% to 1.0 wt.%, preferably 0.2 wt.% to 0.7 wt.%, more preferably 0.25 wt.% to 0.6 wt.% and most preferably 0.25 to 0.35 wt.%., relative to the complete composition of the at least one cationic surfactant, preferably QAC.

8. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition further comprises one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of further disinfectants, cellulosic thickeners, viscosity regulators, dyes, perfumes, preservatives, water/stain repellents, stain release agents, refreshing agents, biocidal agents, anti-microbial agents, disinfecting agents, malodor control agents, abrasion resistance and protection agents, solvents, insect/pet repellents, wetting agents, UV protection agents , enzymes, bleaching systems, antistats and mixtures thereof.

9. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein it contains said alkyl oligoglycoside of formula (I) and said cationic surfactant in a weight ratio of 3.5 : 1 to 1 : 2, particularly preferred from 2.5 : 1 to 1 : 1 , most preferred from 2.5 to 1 to 1 .5 to 1.

10. The disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the pH value ranges from 5.5 to 6.2, preferably from 5.8 to 6.1 .

1 1. Liquid cleaning agent comprising the disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. Use of the disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 10 or the cleaning agent of claim 1 1 for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface.

13. Method for cleaning and/or sanitizing an object, preferably a hard surface, comprising contacting said object with a disinfectant composition of any one of claims 1 to 10 or the cleaning agent of claim 1 1.