Low-foaming, acidic low-temperature cleaner and process for cleaning surfaces

1. A cleaning composition comprising water and:

(A) at least one carboxylic acid;

(B) one or more aromatic, water soluble or dispersible, non-ionic surfactants selected from alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having no alkyl, ring substituents; and alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having one or more alkyl, ring substituents of one to four carbons;

(C) an amount of hydrotrope material sufficient to produce a stable homogeneous solution or dispersion of components (A) through (C) in water, wherein component (C) is selected from at least one ammonium or alkali metal salt of a sulfonate of toluene, xylene, or cumene; and optionally, one or more of the following:

(D) one or more salts of carboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids that are the same as component (A), different from component (A) and mixtures thereof;

(E) a pH adjuster;

(F) one or more polyhydric alcohols; and

(G) one or more preservatives;

wherein said cleaning composition comprises no more than about 1 percent by weight of phosphorus-containing components.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said composition is substantially free from volatile organic solvents.

3. The composition according to claim 1 wherein said composition comprises an amount of component (C) of at least about 25 to about 5000 parts per million.

4. The composition according to claim 3 wherein component (A) comprises molecules of which each contains at least one carboxyl group and, optionally, additional hydroxyl or carboxyl groups.

5. The composition according to claim 2 wherein component (A) is selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyacetic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, potassium acid phthalate, tartaric acid, malonic acid, citric acid and mixtures thereof.

6. The composition according to claim 1 wherein (B) comprises at least one alkoxylated aromatic alcohol having 4 to 6 moles of ethoxylation.

7. The composition according to claim 2 wherein (B) comprises at least one nonionic surfactant selected from a benzyl alcohol ethoxylate and/or a phenol ethoxylate.

8. The composition according to claim 1 wherein component (C) is selected from at least one ammonium or alkali metal salt of a sulfonate of cumene.

9. The composition according to claim 1 further comprising an additional component of one or more water-soluble solvents selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, triethylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, and propylene glycol n-propyl ether.

10. A process for cleaning a soiled surface that comprises:

1) contacting a soiled surface with the cleaning composition according to claim 1 under the following conditions:

a. the composition is at a temperature of at least 35 to about 70° C.

b. the surface is contacted with the composition for a time of contact of from about 20 to about 120 seconds; and

2) thereafter, optionally, rinsing the surface with water.

11. The process according to claim 10 wherein during contacting step 1):

a. the composition is at a temperature of about 42 to about 60° C.; and

b. the surface is contacted with the composition for a time of contact of from about 20 to about 120 seconds.

12. A cleaning composition comprising water and:

(A) about 0.2 g/l to about 6.0 g/l of a component of at least one carboxylic acid wherein said component comprises molecules of which each contains at least one carboxyl group and, optionally, additional hydroxyl or carboxyl groups;

(B) about 50 to about 3000 parts per million of a component of at least one surfactant selected from alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having no alkyl, ring substituents; and alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having one or more alkyl, ring substituents of one to four carbons;

(C) optionally, one or more salts of carboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids that are the same as component (A), different from component (A) and mixtures thereof;

(D) about 25 to about 5000 parts per million of a hydrotrope material;

(E) an amount of pH adjuster such that the pH of said composition is not less than 1.0 and not more than 4.0;

(F) a component of one or more polyhydric alcohols; and

(G) optionally, one or more preservatives.

13. The composition according to claim 12 , comprising:

(B) about 100 to about 1000 parts per million of a component of at least one surfactant;

(D) about 25 to about 5000 parts per million of a hydrotrope material selected from at least one ammonium or alkali metal salt of a sulfonate of toluene, xylene, or cumene; and

(F) about 10 to about 2000 parts per million of a component of one or more polyhydric alcohols.

14. The composition according to claim 12 , produced by diluting an aqueous concentrate with water only, optionally after adjustment of pH by adding acid or base, said aqueous concentrate being present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 5 vol % of the composition.

15. The composition according to claim 12 , wherein:

(A) is selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyacetic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, potassium acid phthalate, tartaric acid, malonic acid, citric acid and mixtures thereof;

(B) is selected from alkoxylated aromatic alcohols containing one or more compounds with an aromatic ring and ethoxylate units of general formula I:

wherein: R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from hydrogen and methyl; R 5 is hydrogen; and n is 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; said units of formula I being attached to the aromatic ring directly or through an ether (oxygen) linkage or an oxymethylene (—CHR 80 —) linkage, wherein R 8 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;

(C) optionally, one or more salts of carboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids that are the same as component (A), different from component (A) and mixtures thereof;

(D) about 25 to about 5000 parts per million of a hydrotrope material;

(E) an amount of pH adjuster such that the pH of said composition is not less than 1.0 and not more than 4.0;

(F) optionally, a component of one or more polyhydric alcohols; and

(G) optionally, one or more preservatives.

16. The composition according to claim 15 , wherein:

(A) comprises citric acid;

(B) comprises at least one alkoxylated benzyl alcohol having 2 to 6 moles of ethoxylation;

(D) comprises at least one ammonium or alkali metal salt of a sulfonate of toluene, xylene, or cumene;

wherein said cleaning composition comprises no more than about 0.5 percent by weight of phosphorus-containing components and no more than about 2 percent by weight of volatile organic solvents.

17. A cleaning composition comprising water and:

(A) at least one carboxylic acid;

(B) one or more aromatic, water soluble or dispersible, non-ionic surfactants selected from alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having no alkyl, ring substituents; and alkoxylated aromatic alcohols having one or more alkyl, ring substituents of one to four carbons;

(C) one or more water-soluble solvents selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, triethylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol methy ether, and propylene glycol n-propyl ether; and

optionally, one or more of the following:

(D) one or more salts of carboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids that are the same as component (A), different from component (A) and mixtures thereof;

(E) an amount of hydrotrope material sufficient to produce a stable homogeneous solution or dispersion of components (A) through (C) in water;

(F) a pH adjuster;

(G) one or more polyhydric alcohols; and

(H) one or more preservatives;

wherein said cleaning composition comprises no more than about 1 percent by weight of phosphorus-containing components.

18. The composition according to claim 17 wherein said composition comprises an amount of component (E) of at least about 25 to about 5000 parts per million.

19. The composition according to claim 17 wherein component (A) comprises molecules of which each contains at least one carboxyl group and, optionally, additional hydroxyl or carboxyl groups.

20. The composition according to claim 17 wherein component (A) is selected from the group consisting of gluconic acid, itaconic acid, hydroxyacetic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, potassium acid phthalate, tartaric acid, malonic acid, citric acid and mixtures thereof.

21. The composition according to claim 17 wherein (B) comprises at least one alkoxylated aromatic alcohol having 4 to 6 moles of ethoxylation.

22. The composition according to claim 17 wherein (B) comprises at least one nonionic surfactant selected from a benzyl alcohol ethoxylate and/or a phenol ethoxylate.

23. The composition according to claim 17 wherein component (E) is selected from at least one ammonium or alkali metal salt of a sulfonate of toluene, xylene, or cumene.

24. A process for cleaning a soiled surface that comprises:

1) contacting a soiled surface with the cleaning composition according to claim 17 under the following conditions:

a. the composition is at a temperature of at least 35 to about 70° C.

b. the surface is contacted with the composition for a time of contact of from about 20 to about 120 seconds; and

2) thereafter, optionally, rinsing the surface with water.

25. The process according to claim 24 wherein during contacting step 1):

a. the composition is at a temperature of about 42 to about 60° C.; and

b. the surface is contacted with the composition for a time of contact of from about 20 to about 120 seconds.