Aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning substrates and method of using same

A non-aqueous, active-ingredient composition capable of being combined with an aqueous medium to form an aqueous cleaning composition for cleaning a substrate contaminated with industrial-type soil contaminants, said non-aqueous, active-ingredient composition comprising:

• (A) an alkalinity-providing agent selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, and mixtures thereof in an amount sufficient to provide said aqueous cleaning composition with an alkaline pH;
• (B) a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of:
• (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C12-14 alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12;
• and
• (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula:
• R—N(H)—R′ (I)
• wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to render said aqueous cleaning composition capable of removing at least a substantial portion of said contaminants from said substrate wherein said active concentration of said surfactant (a) and said active concentration of said surfactant (b) are such as to provide an active-concentration ratio of said surfactant (a) to said surfactant (b) of from about 2.5:1 to about 1:1;
• wherein said composition provides improved grease and mixed lube removal properties.

A surfactant mixture capable of being combined with an alkaline, aqueous cleaning composition comprising an alkalinity-providing agent, said surfactant mixture consisting essentially of:

• (a) an active concentration of an ethoxylated C12-14 alkanol surfactant having an HLB value at 25° C. of from 8 to 12;
• and
• (b) an active concentration of at least one aminocarboxylic acid surfactant of the general formula:
• R—N(H)—R′ (I)
• wherein R is a straight or branched chain aliphatic organic group having from 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′ is a straight or branched chain carboxylic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
• wherein a ratio of said active concentration of said surfactant (a) to said active concentration of surfactant (b) is such as to render said aqueous cleaning composition capable of removing at least a substantial portion of industrial-type soil contaminants from a metal substrate contaminated therewith wherein said active-concentration ratio of said surfactant (a) to said surfactant (b) is from about 2.5:1 to about 1:1;
• wherein said composition provides improved grease and mixed lube removal properties.