0002] Generally, the compositions used for washing laundry depend on the applied washing process. Said processes can vary roughly and can be divided into the following users: private households, semi-professional customers and com- mercial laundries. All of the aforementioned washing processes have one purpose in common namely that the textiles should be cleaned sufficiently. Very often bleaches are used to enhance the cleaning properties of the composition used. In addition thereto, the washed laundry has to be disinfected by the composition used, since otherwise the textiles could be contaminated with pathogenic microor- ganisms which might cause an illness.

(0003j Commercial laundries and semi-professional laundries (if dosing pumps are available) often use the so called 2-shot products. 2-shot products are compositions comprising at least two substances having specific properties which are mixed prior to the washing process in the washing machine by means of dos- ing pumps. These substances are detergents, bleaches, disinfectants and further additives. This procedure is due to the reactivity of the aforementioned compounds with each other. The shelve life of such a mixture of compounds used in 2-shot products is low but on the other hand, very reactive compounds provide the best washing and disinfecting performance. Therefore the washing machines in com- mercial laundries are equipped with a system allowing the person operating the washing machine to handle the reactive compounds. Generally, the detergent in- gredients are stored and dosed in closed cycles prior to the washing process.

[0004] For semi-professional customers with manual dosing and for those using the detergents in private households the sophisticated washing machines

used in the commercial laundries are not suitable because of safety reasons (cor- rosive products). The washing machines for semi-professional customers do not have a dosage system allowing the use of 2-shot products. Normally, 1-shot pow- der products are used containing a detergent and a disinfectant in one composi- tion. Further additives may be present in said 1-shot powder products. The com- position has to be non-corrosive since it can't be avoided that the operator running a washing-machine comes into direct contact with the detergent, especially, if the product is dosed manually.

(0005) Furthermore, the composition has to be stable during storage. In case the composition separates into 2 or more phases it can not be assured that the desired properties of the composition maintain.

(0006j Normally, compositions having an improved capability of cleaning and disinfecting laundry are more prone to a phase separation while being stored.

Thus, there is an increasing demand for stable compositions while being stored, which on one hand have a good cleaning ability and on the other side secure the disinfecting of the laundry during the washing process.

[0007] Very often compositions comprising detergents and disinfectants are used for cleaning surfaces. Since the cleaning of surfaces is often done manually, for the same reason as for the compositions used for washing laundry the cleaning compositions have to be non-corrosive, too.

[0008j There are a lot of compositions for use as detergent and disinfectant known in the prior art.

[0009] GB-A-2338242 discloses a germicidal laundry detergent, comprising a specific major anionic surfactant, a cationic germicidal surfactant, a nonionic sur- factant and a compatible optical brightening constituent.

[0010] The United States patent 5,798, 329 discloses a further germicidal liquid laundry detergent composition. An anionic surfactant, a quaternary ammo- nium surfactant and a nonionic surfactant are used in combination with an anionic co-surfactant.

00011] The aforementioned compositions of the prior art have in common that a cationic substance is used having germicidal properties.

[00121 In WO 98/10049 a paste-like washing and cleaning agent is dis- closed. The agent contains nonionic surfactants, organic and/or inorganic builders, alkalizing agents and further additives, if necessary. The composition disclosed does not contain a synthetic anionic surfactant of the alkyl benzene sulphonate type. The washing and cleaning agent comprises a specific mixture of specific ethoxylated alcohols in combination with a further ethoxylated alcohol or alkyl ether. roo13] WO 01/80907 discloses antimicrobial and virucidal active surfactants.

The specific nonionic surfactants used have disinfecting properties. The experi- mental part of the application shows the effect of the specific compositions against the bacteria Enterococcus faecium (ATCC 6057). The efficiency of the composi- tion for disinfecting laundry is specified by the reduction of Enterococcus faecium in logarithmic RF values, which is the reduction of the number of bacteria in loga- rithmic steps during the washing process. The efficiency of a liquid composition of the specific nonionic surfactants is of from less than 0,93 to 3.11 after having for one minute contact with the laundry and of from less than 0.99 to more than 4.76 log steps after 5 minutes contact. A paste-like composition shows a better disin- fecting performance. The laundry was contacted with the paste-like composition in a washing-machine for 15 minutes at a temperature of 60 °C. The disinfecting effi- ciency of the paste-like composition was 7.77 or 7.57 log steps. The drawback of the disclosed paste-like composition is the difficult handling for an operator. Thus, a paste-like composition leads to dosage problems. Furthermore, WO 01/80907 discloses that the paste-like composition is preferably thixotropic which means that

the viscosity of the composition depends on the applied shear. When sheared the viscosity of the paste-like composition decreases. Such a behavior of a detergent is not suitable for a semi-professional customer or a private household since the washing machines used by said customers have no means for shearing a deter- gent. WO 01/80907 is completely silent on the storage durability of the composi- tions disclosed.

00141 The technical problem of the present invention is to provide a com- position without hazardous classification and having improved disinfecting and cleaning properties, whereby the detergent has an improved storage durability and can be handled easily by an operator of a washing machine. A further object of the present invention is to provide a composition for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces without corrosive classification, whereby surfaces can be superiorly disinfected and cleaned, and the composition has an improved storage durability and can eas- ily be handled.

[0015] The technical problem underlying the present invention is solved by a concentrate for use as a disinfectant and/or detergent comprising: a) 5 to 90 percent by weight of at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the aa) general formula (1) R1~ (OC2H4) n- (0C3H6) m~0H (1) whereby R'is an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue having 5 to 17 carbon atoms, and the sum of the median degree of ethoxylation n and the median degree of propoxylation m is of from 0, 3 to 10, ab) general formula (2) R2- (OC2H4) o-OH (2) whereby R2 is an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue

having 5 to 17 carbon atoms, and o is of from 0 to 10, ac) general formula (3) R3-(oC3H6) p-oH (3) whereby R3 is an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue having 5 to 17 carbon atoms, and p is of from 0 to 10, and mixtures thereof, and b) 5 to 90 percent by weight of at least one amphoteric and/or anionic surfac- tant, whereby optionally the balance is water, the sum of all compounds present in the concentrate is 100 percent by weight, and the concentrate has a viscosity of from 100 to 20.000 mPa s (23°C, Brookfield vis- cosity, spindle 2) at 20 revolutions per minute of the spindle.

(O016] The residue R'of general formula (1) is preferably an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue having 5,6, 7,8, 9,10, 11,12, 13,14, 15,16 or 17 carbon atoms. The sum of the median degree of ethoxylation n and the median degree of propoxylation m is preferably of from 0,5 to 10, even more preferred of from 0,8 to 8, and most preferred of from 1 to 6.

[0017] The residue R2 of general formula (2) is preferably an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue having 5,6, 7,8, 9,10, 11,12, 13,14, 15,16 or 17 carbon atoms, whereby o is preferably of from 0,3 to 10, more preferred of from 0,5 to 7, even more preferred of from 0,8 to 5, and most preferred of from 1 to 3.

100181 The residue R3 of general formula (3) is preferably an unbranched or branched alkyl or alkenyl residue having 5, 6, 7,8, 9,10, 11,12, 13,14, 15,16 or 17 carbon atoms, whereby p is preferably of from 0,3 to 10, more preferred of from 0,5 to 7, even more preferred of from 0,8 to 5, and most preferred of from 1 to 3.

100191 The concentrate has preferably a viscosity of from 300 to 15.000 mPa s, even more preferred of from 300 to 12.000 mPa s, more preferred of from 400 to 10. 000 mPa s, even more preferred of from 500 to 10.000 mPa s and most preferred of from 800 to 10.000 mPa s.

O020] The concentrate preferably contains 5 to 70 % by weight of water, and even more preferred of from 10 to 50 % by weight of water.

(0021] Preferably, the concentrate comprises of from 10 to 40 % by weight of the nonionic surfactant.

00221 Furthermore, the concentrate preferably comprises of from 10 to 40 % by weight of the amphoteric surfactant. In an even more preferred embodiment the amphoteric surfactant is in an amount of from 1 to 20 % by weight, and even more preferred of from 1. 5 to 15 % by weight present in the concentrate.

[0023] In case an anionic surfactant is present in the concentrate, the con- centrate preferably comprises of from 1 to 40 % by weight of the anionic surfac- tant. Preferably are 1 to 30 % by weight, and even more preferred of from 1,5 to 20 % by weight of the anionic surfactant present in the concentrate.

/The amphoteric surfactant is preferably selected from the group con- sisting of ampholyte, betaine, glycinate, amphoacetate, amphodiacetate, hydroxy- sultane, amine oxide, lecithine, carboxylic acid, sphingomyceline, amino alkene acid, sodium alkyl iminopropionate and mixtures thereof.

[00251 The anionic surfactant is preferably selected from the group consist- ing of alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, alkali alkyl benzene sulfonate, alkyl sulfonic acid, alkali alkyl sulfonate, alkali alkyl sulfate, alkali alkenyl sulfate, fatty acid ether sulfate, fatty alcohol sulfonate and mixtures thereof.

[00261 The concentrate may comprise further additives. The additives can be every additive which is customary to a person skilled in the art. The additive is preferably selected from the group consisting of thickeners, solutizers, bleaching agents, bleach activators, bleach stabilizers, enzymes, builders/water softeners, optical brighteners, anti-foaming agents, greying inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, perfume oils, alkaline substances and mixtures thereof. The alkaline substances are preferably NaOH, KOH, soda, K2CQ3 and silicates.

[0027j The concentrate may further comprise at least one antimicrobial and virucidal compound which is not a nonionic, amphoteric or anionic surfactant as defined above. The antimicrobial and virucidal compound is preferably selected from to the group consisting of alcohols, aldehydes, antimicrobial acids, carboxy- clic acid esters, acid amides, phenols, phenol derivatives, diphenylen, diphenyl alkanes, urea derivatives, oxygen acetals, nitrogen acetales, oxygen formaldehyde acetales, nitrogen formaldehyde acetales, benzamidines, isothiazolines, phthalim- ide derivatives, antimicrobial surFace-active compounds, antimicrobial amphoteric compounds, quinolines, 1,2-dibromo-2, 4-dicyano butane, iodo-2-propynyl-butyl- carbamate. iodine, iodophorene, peroxides and mixtures thereof.

[0028] The antimicrobial and virucidial compound is preferably of from 0. 1 to 20 parts per weight present in the concentrate. Preferably 0.5 to 15 and even more preferred 0,1 to 10 % by weight of the antimicrobial and virucidial compound is present in the concentrate.

/0029/The present invention further comprises a composition comprising the concentrate as defined above and a suitable diluent.

[0030l The diluent can be every diluent which is customary to a person skilled in the art and is preferably water. The degree of dilution of the concentrate with water in order to obtain the composition is preferably of from 1: 1 to 1: 10.000, even more preferred 1: 40 to 1: 1.000 and most preferred 1: 66 to 1: 1.000.

[0038 The concentrate or composition according to the present invention can be used for washing and/or disinfecting laundry. Furthermore, the concentrate or composition can be used for cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces.

[0032] In case the laundry or surface is washed and disinfected with the concentrate or composition as defined above, the temperature for washing and/or disinfecting is preferably of from 0 to 100 °C, more preferred of from 40 to 90 °C and most preferred of from 40 to 70 °C.

[0033j In case the concentrate of the composition of the present invention is used for cleaning surfaces, it is possible to immerse the surface to be cleaned in the concentrate or composition, and/or to fill the concentrate and/or the composi- tion in an article having an inner surface which has to be disinfected and/or cleaned, and/or applying the concentrate or composition to the surface by means of an applying aid, and/or bringing the surface of an article which is to be cleanedlor disinfected in contact with the concentrate or composition.

[0034] Unexpectedly, the concentrate or the composition according to the present invention has a similar effectiveness compared with the 2-shot product used in commercial laundries. The concentrate or composition of the present in- vention does not comprise substances which would lead to a corrosive classifica- tion. In case the composition or concentrate comes into contact with human skin no reaction of the skin occurs.

/The storage durability of the concentrate of the present invention is superior compared with compositions of the prior art. The storage durability can be determined by storing the concentrate at a temperature of i. e. 5 °C or 40 °C for a certain time. The concentrate according to the present invention does not separate while being stored for one year and it is expected that the concentrate will also not separate into phases after storing for a period of time longer than one year. Thus, a secure dosage of the concentrate can be guarantied to a customer for a suffi- cient long period of time.

/0056/The disinfecting properties of the concentrate and the composition according to the present invention are superior compared with the compositions known in the prior art. The disinfecting properties can be determined according to the DGHM-method (J. Bornef et al.-Richtlinien fur die Prüfung und Bewertung chemischer Desinfektionsverfahren, ZblBakti Abt, B172 (1981), 504-562).

/The fibers of the textiles and laundry when washed with the concen- trate or composition according to the present invention maintain their shape. The color of the textiles and laundry is not detrimentally affected, because no aggres- sive bleaching agents and/or disinfecting agents have been used.

0038] Protective textiles which are worn by i. e. firemen, policemen or am- bulance staff have applied reflective beads in order to assure that they can be seen better by i. e. a car driver when it is dark. Thus, laundering said textiles is very critical. Normally, detergents comprising aggressive substances which assure a good laundering result detrimentally affect the reflective beads. Unexpectedly, such critical textiles can be washed sufficiently with the concentrate or composition according to the present invention whereby the reflective beads maintain their abil- ity to reflect entering light. l0039] Handling risks of the antimicrobial and virucidal concentrates and compositions are reduced or excluded because no hazardous and/or corrosive products like peracetic acid products are necessary for achieving a sufficient washing, cleaning and/or disinfecting result.

(0040j Another aspect of the present invention is that unexpectedly working procedures which are comparable or identical with the working procedures dis- closed in the prior art can be used.

[00411 It was furthermore unexpected that compared with thermal disinfect- ing processes a significant energy saving occurred due to the disinfection and cleaning at lower temperatures.

[0042] Moreover, the concentrate or composition of the present invention is not harmful to the environment.

[00431 The present invention is exemplified by the following examples : Examples 1. Preparation of the concentrates: The concentrate 1 and the comparative concentrate 2 are manufactured according to methods known to a person skilled in the art.

The composition of concentrate 1 can be seen from table 1. Concentrate 1 is in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. The viscosity of concentrate 1 is 500 mPa s (23°C, Brookfield viscosity, spindle 2,20 revolutions per minute of the spindle) and the pH-value of the concentrate is 13,4.

Comparative concentrate 2 has a viscosity of 200 mPa s (23°C, Brookfield viscos- ity, spindle 2,20 revolutions per minute of the spindle) and the pH-value of the concentrate is 13.

Table 1 : comparative concentrate 1 compound concentrate 2 fwto/ol Water 17, 9 17, 9 anionic surfactant ; linear sodium alkyl ben- 774 7, 74 zene suphonate Ethanol (96%) 3, 94 3, 94 Nitrilotriacetate 3, 08 3, 08 1, 2-hydroxy ethane-1, 1- diphosphonate so- 0, 77 0, 77 dium salt sec. sodium alkane sulfonate, 13-17 27, 63 27, 63 didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride 0, 77 0, 77 nonionic surfactant ; propoxylated C10 12 alco-6, 96 6, 96 hol (1 PO unit) nonionic surfactant ; ethoxylated iso- 11, 61 tridecylalcohol (3 EO units) disodium octyl-b-iminodipropionate 8, 17 8, 17 Table 1, continued comparative concentrate 1 compound concentrate 2 fwt% I [wt%] amphoteric surfactant ; dimethyl-C8 18- '4, 07 4, 07 acylamindoproyl ; acetobetain potash lye (47%) 7, 35 7, 35 ethoxylated cetearylalcohol ; Ci6 and C18 al- 18, 57 cohol ethoxylated with 14 EO units

Concentrate 1 and comparative concentrate 2 have been stored at a temperature of 20 °C for one year. The storage durability of concentrate 1 was excellent. No phase separation occurred while stored and the viscosity of concentrate 1 had not altered significantly. On the contrary, comparative concentrate 2 was not stable while stored at a temperature of 20 °C for one year. Comparative concentrate 2 separated into two phases. Due to the occurred phase separation the viscosity of comparative concentrate 2 changed significantly. Furthermore, it was not possible to obtain a homogeneous mixture of the two phases when stirred again. Thus, comparative example 2 was not suitable to be used as detergent anymore.

2. Use of the concentrates for washing laundry The concentrates were tested to evaluate their microbial effectiveness against En- terococcus faecium.

It is referred to the procedures described by the Desinfektionsmittelkommission der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Hygiene und Mikrobiologie in the periodical Hyg.

Med. 23. volume 1998, issue 4, page 127.

The test conditions are as follows : test 1: 4 ml (4,44 g) concentrate 1 and 2,25 g defoamer (com- prising 7 wt-% paraffin wax, 3 wt-% silicon oil and 90 wt-% soda) test 2: 4 1 (4,44 g) comparative concentrate 2 and 2,25 g de- foamer (comprising 7 wt-% paraffin wax, 3 wt-% silicon oil and 90 wt-% soda) washing bath: 37, 51 laundry : 7,5 kg pre-washed and disinfected kitchen-towel (dry) solvent : water, 13° german hardness test temperatures: 5 min at 30°C and subsequent 15 min at 60°C load : 12, 5 mi defibrinated blood of a sheep per kg laundry (dry) drying time: the laundry was contaminated with the test germ 16 h prior to the washing test and was prior to washing dried at 37°C test germ: Enterococcus faecium DSM 2146 (K3330) washing machine: Frista washing machine agent for deactivation: sodium thiosulfate

Findings The test demands for a suitable process of disinfecting laundry are: a) RF-value : the number of test germs on the laundry must be reduced for at least 7 log steps (107-fold decrease of the number of germs), and addi- tionally, b) disinfected laundry, which was sterile prior to the washing test and which was washed in addition to the contaminated laundry in the washing ma- chine as well as the wash liquor must be sterile after washing (no test germ should be detectable on said laundry after washing).

The findings for concentrate 1 (test 1) can be seen in table 2.

Table 2: Test germ Number of Control value Single RF Median RF germs on for determing values value laundry RF-values Enterococcus 1, 73 x 109 9,24 7,80 7,94 faecium 7,46 DSM 2146 7,95 7,97 8,08 8,09 7,68 8,13 7,98 7,72

Enterococcus faecium could not be detected in the washing bath after washing the disinfected laundry with concentrate 1. The disinfected laundry which was washed with the contaminated laundry was incubated after washing for 21 days at 37 °C.

No germ could be detected after incubation. Due to the median RF-value of 7,94 concentrate 1 is a suitable composition for washing and disinfecting laundry.

The findings for comparative concentrate 2 (test 2) can be seen in table 3.

Table 3 : Test germ Number of Control value Single RF Median RF germs on for determing values value laundry RF-values Enterococcus 1, 78 x 10$ 8, 25 6,00 5,80 faecium 5,80 DSM 2146 7,25 6, 21 6, 44 6,34 5,29 5,72 5,59 5, 83

Enterococcus faecium could not be detected in the washing bath after washing the disinfected laundry with comparative concentrate 2. The disinfected laundry which was washed with the contaminated laundry was incubated after washing for 21 days at 37 °C. No germ could be detected after incubation. Since the obtained median RF-value of the laundry when washed with comparative concentrate 2 is 5,80 which is less than the desired RF value of at least 7, comparative concentrate 2. is not suitable as composition for washing and disinfecting laundry or other sur- faces.