Cleaner and scratch remover composition

A multifunctional cleaner, scratch remover, conditioner and finisher composition for treating imaged and developed lithographic plates, said composition comprising a water-in-oil emulsion including, in admixture:

• an oil phase including between about 13 and 17 weight percent of mineral spirits, between about 5 and 10 weight percent of oleic acid, and between about 5 and 15 weight percent of an alkyl substituted benzene sulfonate surfactant;
• and
• an aqueous phase including between about 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent of a modified polyacrylamide hydrophilic synthetic resin desensitizer, between about 12 and 25 weight percent of a natural gum desensitizer, between about 0.2 and 2 weight percent of phosphoric acid, between about 0.5 and 5 weight percent of an alkaline nitrate salt, and between about 32 and 45 weight percent of water, all percentages being based on the total weight of the emulsion composition.

A method of providing a composition for cleaning, removing scratches and conditioning imaged, developed and inked lithographic plates while simultaneously providing a composition for finishing and conditioning imaged and developed lithographic plates, comprising a water-in-oil emulsion including:

• preparing an oil phase including between about 13 and 17 weight percent of a highly penetrating solvent selected from the group consisting of mineral spirits, kerosene and lithotene, between about 5 and 10 weight percent of an oleophilic acid, and between about 4 and 20 weight percent of an emulsifying surfactant, all based on the total weight of the composition;
• preparing an aqueous phase including between about 0.05 and 0.5 weight percent of a hydrophilic synthetic resin desensitizer, between about 10 and 28 weight percent of a gum desensitizer, between about 0.1 and 2.5 weight percent of a desensitizing agent of phosphoric acid or derivatives thereof, between about 0.2 and 7 weight percent of an alkaline nitrate salt, and between about 32 and 45 weight percent water, all based on the total weight of the composition;
• and forming a water-in-oil emulsion composition from said oil phase and said aqueous phase.