Abstract: There are provided cleaning compositions for removing soils from a substrate. These compositions comprise(a) at least one C.sub.10 or higher terpene hydrocarbon solvent,(b) at least one surfactant,(c) at least one metal corrosion inhibiting agent,(d) at least one hard surface stress crazing inhibiting agent, and(e) water,wherein, if the soil comprises oil, the composition forms an oil-removing oil and water emulsion with said oil for a time sufficient to remove the oil from the substrate, the oil removing emulsion releasing free water within twenty-four hours after formation, the composition having a pH of less than about 10.

Abstract: Compositions are provided for removing grease or for cleaning substrates. The compositions include a lower (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) alkyl ester of a C.sub.11 -C.sub.13 fatty acid, a non-cationic surfactant, and optionally, a coupling agent. Methods for removing grease or for cleaning are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed are emulsions made by simple agitation of about 99.9-20% water and about 0.1-80% progenitor solutions, the latter containing at least one surfactant, at least one solvent, and at least one emulsifier, the solvent being of selected polarity and all the ingredients being of selected refractive index. Also disclosed are methods of obtaining emulsions of a desired cleaning ability (which may be targeted to a specific cleaning task) and cost using a correlation (polarity/refractive index function) between cleaning ability, polarity of the solvent and refractive index of the solvent and other additives.

Abstract: D-Limonene-based aqueous cleaning compositions for hard and/or flexible substrates are provided wherein the normally water-immiscible d-limonene is stabilized in clear aqueous solution by the combined effect of carefully selected and proportioned surface active agents, and a coupling agent, suitably in the form of a glycol or a lower alkyl glycol ether. One or more surfactants can be employed with a glycol or glycol ether as the coupling agent. Preferred formulations contain selected anionic, nonionic, or mixed anionic-nonionic surfactants. The compositions can also contain small amounts of additives adapting the compositions to particular uses. The new cleaning compositions contain by weight, 78 to 96 parts of a d-limonene/surfactant/water mixture containing 10-60% d-limonene, 10-30% surfactant, and 20-70% water, coupling agent in the amount of 2-10 parts by weight, and 2-12 parts of additives adapting the compositions to particular uses.