Liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition

1. A liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition consisting of:

from about 4% to about 21% by weight of the total composition of an acid system, wherein the acid system consists of formic acid and acetic acid;

from about 75% to about 95% by weight of the total composition of water;

from about 0.05% to about 3% by weight of the total composition of a polymer selected from the group consisting of vinylpyrrolidone homopolymer, vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, and mixtures thereof;

and optionally;

a chelating agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonates, alkylene poly(alkylene phosphonate), aminotri(methylene phosphonic acid), nitrilo trimethylene phosphonates, ethylene diamine tetra methylene phosphonates, diethylene triamine Penta methylene phosphonates, and mixtures thereof;

a surfactant;

an alkaline material selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof;

xanthan gum;

perfumes;

dyes; and mixtures thereof.

2. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition has a pH between about 3 and about 4.

3. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said formic acid is present in an amount from about 1% to about 6%, by weight of the total composition.

4. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said acetic acid is present in an amount from about 3% to about 15%, by weight of the total composition.

5. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein said acetic acid is present in an amount from about 3% to about 10%, by weight of the total composition of.

6. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the chelating agent is present in the composition.

7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein the chelating agent is alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonate.

8. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant, said nonionic surfactant is a condensation product of ethylene and/or propylene oxide and an alcohol having a straight alkyl chain, wherein the alkyl chain is from about 6 carbon atoms to about 22 carbon atoms, and wherein the degree of ethoxylation/propoxylation is from about 5 to about 12.

9. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants; cationic surfactants; amphoteric surfactants; zwitterionic surfactants; and mixtures thereof.

10. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline material is present in the composition.

11. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the alkaline material is potassium hydroxide.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the xanthan gum is present in the composition.

13. A process of safely removing limescale from a hard surface comprising the steps of:

a. applying a liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition, according to claim 1 , onto said hard-surface or said object;

b. leaving said composition on said hard-surface to act; and

c. optionally wiping said hard-surface.

14. A process according to claim 13 , wherein said hard surface is located in a room selected from the group consisting of a bathroom, and a kitchen.

15. A process of cleaning or removing limescale from an object comprising the steps of:

d. immersing said object in a bath comprising a composition according to claim 1 ;

e. leaving said object in said bath for said composition to act;

f. rinsing said object.

16. A liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition consisting of:

from about 4% to about 21% by weight of the total composition of an acid system, wherein the acid system consists of formic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid;

from about 75% to about 95% by weight of the total composition of water;

xanthan gum;

from about 0.05% to about 3% by weight of the total composition of a polymer selected from the group consisting of vinylpyrrolidone homopolymer, vinylpyrrolidone copolymer, and mixtures thereof;

and optionally:

a chelating agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonates, alkylene poly(alkylene phosphonate), aminotri(methylene phosphonic acid), nitrilo trimethylene phosphonates, ethylene diamine tetra methylene phosphonates, diethylene triamine penta methylene phosphonates, and mixtures thereof;

a surfactant;

an alkaline material selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof;

perfumes;

dyes; and mixtures thereof.

17. A composition according to claim 16 wherein the alkaline material is present in the composition.

18. A composition according to claim 17 wherein the alkaline material is potassium hydroxide.