Use Of An Ethoxylated Alkanolamide As A Hydrotrope For An Alkylene Oxide Adduct Of An Alcohol

1 . A hard surface cleaner comprising: water, an alkanolamide ethoxylate, and an alkylene oxide adduct, wherein the weight ratio between alkanolamide ethoxylate and alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol is from 1:20 to 3:1.

2 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the alkanolamide ethoxylate is of formula (I)

RCONX(EO) b1 Y  (I)

wherein RCO is an acyl group having 8-16, preferably 8-12, and most preferably 8-10 carbon atoms;

EO is an ethyleneoxy unit;

X is H or a group -(EO) b2 Y;

the sum b1+b2 being 7-50; and

Y is H, —R 1 or —C(O)R 1 , where R 1 is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group.

3 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol has an HLB value according to Davies of below 8.0.

4 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol has the formula (II)

R 2 O-(AO) x (EO) y (AO) z Y  (II)

wherein R 2 is a C 8 to C 12 hydrocarbyl group, AO is C3-C10 alkyleneoxy unit, EO is an ethyleneoxy unit, x=0-4, y=1-9; z=0-4, and Y is H, —R 1 or —C(O)R 1 , where R 1 is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group.

5 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises a chelating agent.

6 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 5 wherein the chelating agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate and the corresponding potassium salts, organic phosphates, aminocarboxylates, aminopolyphosphonates, polyphosphonic acids, polycarboxylates, alkali salts of gluconic acid, alkali salts of glucoheptonic acid and mixtures thereof.

7 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio between alkanolamide ethoxylate and alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol is from 1:5 to 1:1.

8 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 5 wherein the weight ratio between alkanolamide ethoxylate and chelating agent is from 1:50 to 20:1.

9 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 5 wherein the composition comprises

a) 0.02-60 wt % of the alkanolamide ethoxylate;

ii) 0.05-60 wt % of the alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol; and

iii) 0-20 wt % of a chelating agent.

10 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 2 wherein X is H and b1 is 11-50.

11 . (canceled)

12 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 10 wherein the alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol has the formula (II)

R 2 O-(AO) x (EO) y (AO) z Y  (II)

wherein R 2 is a C 8 to C 12 hydrocarbyl group, AO is C 3 -C 10 alkyleneoxy unit, EO is an ethyleneoxy unit, x=0-4, y=1-9; z=0-4, and Y is H, —R 1 or —C(O)R 1 , where R 1 is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, preferably H.

13 . A method of enhancing the solubility of an alkylene oxide adduct in aqueous solutions with a hydrotrope which comprises combining an alkanolamide ethoxylate with an alkylene oxide adduct, in aqueous solutions, wherein said alkanolamide ethoxylate is of formula (I)

RCONX(EO) b1 Y  (I)

wherein RCO is an acyl group having 8-16; EO is an ethyleneoxy unit; X is H or a group -(EO) b2 Y; the sum b1+b2 being 7-50; and Y is H, —R 1 or —C(O)R 1 , where R 1 is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group; and

wherein said alkyleneoxide adduct is of formula

R 2 O-(AO) x (EO) y (AO) z Y  (II)

wherein R 2 is a C 8 to C 12 hydrocarbyl group, AO is C 3 -C 10 alkyleneoxy unit, EO is an ethyleneoxy unit, x=0-4, y=1-9; z=0-4, and Y is H, —R 1 or —C(O)R 1 , where R 1 is a C 1 -C 4 alkyl group.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein in formula (I) X is H and the sum b1+b2 is 11-50.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein in formula (I) RCO is an acyl group having 8-10 carbon atoms.

16 . A method of cleaning a hard surface comprising adding an effective amount of the hard surface cleaner of claim 1 to the hard surface.

17 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 2 wherein the alkylene oxide adduct of an alcohol has an HLB value according to Davies of below 7.5

18 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 4 wherein in formula (II) AO is a C 3 -C 10 propyleneoxy unit.

19 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 8 wherein the weight ratio between the alkanolamide ethoxylate and the chelating agent is from 1:10 to 10:1.

20 . The hard surface cleaner of claim 2 wherein the sum b1+b2 is 12-50.