Microbicidal agent containing polymeric quaternary ammonium borate for preserving and disinfecting industrial products and industrial plants

A method of preserving and disinfecting animal hide with a low-foaming microbicidal agent comprising the steps of:

• simultaneously reacting amines of the formulae I or II or mixtures thereof ##STR5## in which R.sup.1 is C.sub.8 -C.sub.22 alkyl, C.sub.8 -C.sub.22 alkenyl C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 -alkyl, --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x H, --(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O).sub.x H, or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2,
• R.sup.3 is hydrogen, --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x H, --(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O.sub.x H, or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.NH.sub.2,
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.6 are C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.x H or --(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O).sub.x H,
• R.sup.5 and R.sup.7 are (C.sub.2 H.sub. O).sub.x H or --(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O).sub.x H,
• A is --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --, --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n -- or --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n --, and
• x represents numbers from 1 to 55 and n is an integer from 1 to 20,
• with boric acid or its esters or salts while concurrently introducing alkylene oxide to form a crude solution of quaternary ammonium borate,
• mixing said crude solution with a solvent to form a stable solution or emulsion with a microbicidally effective amount of the quaternary ammonium borate, and
• introducing said animal hide into said stable solution or emulsion.