AMBIENT MOISTURE-ACTIVATED HARD SURFACE TREATMENT POWDER

1 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A method of treating a hard surface, the method comprising applying an ambient moisture-activated hard surface treatment powder to the hard surface, wherein the treatment powder comprises by weight percentage of the hard surface treatment powder:

(a) from about 5% to less than about 50% persalt, by weight of the hard surface treatment powder;

(b) a phase-transfer agent selected from one or both of a sulfonium salt and a phosphonium salt; and

(c) an alkaline buffering agent,

wherein:

the hard surface treatment powder comprises particles, wherein at least about 65% of the particles range in size of from about 125 microns to about 250 microns; and

the alkaline buffering agent comprises from about 5% to about 10% sodium carbonate by weight of the hard surface treatment powder; and from about 20.5% to about 90% of sodium bicarbonate by weight percentage of the hard surface treatment powder.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the surface is in an environment in which a white powder other than the hard surface treatment powder is present.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the white powder is selected from flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and combinations thereof.

30 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the surface to be treated is footwear, the method further comprising placing the ambient moisture-activated hard surface treatment powder in a foot pan.

31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising replacing the powder in the foot pan from about every four to about every 12 weeks.

32 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the hard surface treatment powder is substantially free of bleach activator.

33 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the hard surface treatment powder is substantially free of anionic surfactant.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the hard surface treatment powder comprises from about 5% to about 40% of persalt by weight percentage of the hard surface treatment powder.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the hard surface is in a setting characterized by dry conditions.

36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the hard surface is in a food processing facility.

37 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the hard surface is a floor.

38 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising increasing traction on the hard surface.

39 . An ambient moisture-activatable hard surface treatment powder comprising, by weight percentage of the surface treatment powder:

(a) from about 5% to about 10% sodium carbonate;

(b) from about 15% to about 90% sodium bicarbonate;

(c) from about 10% to about 40% sodium percarbonate;

(d) from about 1% to about 10% a phase-transfer agent selected from one or both of a sulfonium salt and a phosphonium salt;

(e) from about 2% to about 5% EDTA; and

(f) from about 0.1% to about 4% polyethylene glycol.

40 . The ambient moisture-activatable had surface treatment powder of claim 39 , wherein the powder is substantially free of bleach activator.

41 . The ambient moisture-activatable had surface treatment powder of claim 39 , further comprising a colorant.

42 . The ambient moisture-activatable had surface treatment powder of claim 39 , wherein the ambient moisture is a relative humidity of at least about 5%.

43 . A method of treating a hard surface, the method comprising applying to the hard surface an ambient moisture-activatable surface treatment powder comprising, by weight percentage of the surface treatment powder:

(a) from about 5% to about 49% percarbonate salt;

(b) from about 0.5% to about 30% phase-transfer agent selected from one or both of a sulfonium salt and a phosphonium salt;

(c) from about 15% to less than about 90% monocationic carbonate salt;

(d) from about 0.5% to about 15% chelating agent;

(e) from about 0.1% to about 10% glycol; and

(f) a colorant.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising a step selected from: cleaning the surface, sanitizing the surface, disinfecting the surface, sterilizing the surface, disrupting biofilm on the surface, removing biofilm from the surface and combinations thereof.

45 . The method of claim 43 , excluding a step selected from: adding liquid to the ambient moisture-activatable surface treatment powder, adding liquid to the surface prior to applying the ambient moisture-activatable surface treatment powder to the surface, adding liquid to the surface after applying the ambient moisture-activatable surface treatment powder to the surface and combinations thereof.

46 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the surface is in a food processing facility, in an animal or human health care facility, in a dairy, on a poultry farm, or on a swine farm.

47 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the surface to be treated is footwear, the method further comprising placing the ambient moisture-activated surface treatment powder in a foot pan.