Acidic hard-surface antimicrobial cleaner

A low residue antimicrobial aqueous cleaning composition, comprising:

• from about 0.01 to about 0.4 weight percent of at least one organocarboxylic acid having an ionization constant of between about 1×10−2 to about 1×10−5 in water at 25° C.;
• from about 0.25 to about 5 weight percent of a sparingly soluble monohydric solvent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols and glycol ethers, said solvent having less than about 10 percent by weight solubility in water at 25° C.;
• and
• from about 0.05 to about 1 percent by weight of an alkanediol having a molecular weight of less than 200 atomic mass units, selected from the group consisting of 1,2-alkanediols, 1,3-alkanediols, 2,3-alkanediols, and 2,4-alkanediols;
• wherein said at least one organocarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and mixtures thereof, and said monohydric solvent is a glycol ether selected from the group consisting of R—O—CH2CH2—OH, where R is n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• R′—O—(CH2CH2—O)2OH, where R″ is n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• R″—O—CH2CH—(CH3)OH, where R″ is n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• and R″—O—(CH2CH—(CH3)O)2H, where R″ is n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl:
• and
• wherein the pH of the composition is from about 2 to about 4 at 25° C.

A method of sanitizing a hard surface comprising:

• exposing the surface to an aqueous cleaning composition comprising from about 0.05 to about 0.3 weight percent of at least one organocarboxylic acid having an ionization constant of from about 1×10−2 to about 1×10−5 in water at 25° C., wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid and glycolic acid, wherein the pH of the composition is from about 2 to about 4 at 25° C., and said composition further comprises less than 0.3% by weight of anionic surfactant if anionic surfactant is present, and from about 0.25 to about 5 weight percent of a sparingly soluble monohydric solvent selected from the group consisting of n-butanol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, and glycol ethers, wherein said glycol ethers are selected from the group consisting of R—O—CH2CH2—OH, where R is n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• R′—O—CH2CH2—O)2OH, where R′ is n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• R″—O—CH2CH—(CH3)OH, where R″ is n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• and R″—O—(CH2CH—(CH3)O)2H, where R″ is n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl, said solvent having less than about 10 percent by weight solubility in water at 25° C., and wherein an oxidizing agent is not used in the cleaning composition, and wherein a quaternary ammonium compound is not used in the cleaning composition;
• then allowing the surface to dry;
• the method not including a rinsing step between the exposing step and the drying step;
• whereby the surface is sanitized.

An aqueous cleaning solution, comprising:

• from about 0.05 to about 0.2 weight percent of at least one organocarboxylic acid having an ionization constant of from about 1×10−2 to about 1×10−5 in water at 25° C.;
• wherein said at least one organocarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and mixtures thereof, and said monohydric solvent is a glycol ether selected from the group consisting of R—O—CH2CH2—OH, R′—O—(CH2CH2O)2OH, R″—O—CH2CH—(CH3)OH, and R″—O(CH2CH—(CH3)O)2H, wherein R is n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl, R′ is n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl, and R″ is n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, phenyl, or benzyl;
• from about 0.25 to about 5 weight percent of a sparingly soluble monohydric solvent selected from the group consisting of n-butanol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, and glycol ethers, said solvent having less than about 10 percent by weight solubility in water at 25° C.;
• and
• from about 0.05 to about 1 percent by weight of an alkanediol having a molecular weight of less than 200 atomic mass units, selected from the group consisting of 1,2-alkanediols, 1,3-alkanediols, 2,3-alkanediols;
• and 2,4-alkanediols;
• wherein the pH of the composition is from about 2 to about 4 at 25° C.

An aqueous solution, comprising:

• from 0.17 to 0.21 weight percent lactic acid;
• from 0.60 to 0.85 weight percent of ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether;
• from 0.75 to 1.30 weight percent diethylene glycol ethyl ether;
• from 0.08 to 0.09 weight percent sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate;
• less than 5 weight percent isopropanol, and in any event about 3.5 weight percent isopropanol;
• and
• from 0.25 to 0.325 weight percent hexylene glycol;
• said solution having a pH of from 2 to 4 at 25° C.

A premoistened wipe comprising a fabric moistened with a liquid cleaning composition, the liquid cleaning composition comprising:

• from 0.17 to 0.21 weight percent lactic acid;
• from 0.60 to 0.78 weight percent of ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether;
• from 0.75 to 1.30 weight percent diethylene glycol ethyl ether;
• from 0.08 to 0.09 weight percent sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate;
• less than 5 weight percent isopropanol, and in any event about 3.5 weight percent isopropanol;
• from 0.25 to 0.325 weight percent hexylene glycol;
• and
• from 0.05 to 1 percent by weight of an alkanediol having a molecular weight of less than 200 atomic mass units;
• said composition having a pH of from 2 to 4 at 25° C.

A premoistened wiping cloth, comprising

• a fabric substrate impregnated with a liquid loading of from 100 to 500 percent by weight of liquid cleaner per unit weight of cloth, said cleaner comprising an aqueous solution comprising:
• about 0.21 weight percent lactic acid;
• about 0.85 weight percent ethylene glycol n-hexyl ether;
• about 0.75 weight percent diethylene glycol n-butyl ether;
• about 3.5 weight percent isopropanol;
• about 0.30 weight percent hexylene glycol;
• about 0.08 weight percent dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid;
• and
• the balance water;
• wherein the pH of the composition is from 2 to 4 at 25° C.