Abstract: Low viscosity and high pH disinfecting and bleaching all purpose cleaning compositions in microemulsion form, suitable in both concentrated and diluted forms for applying to surfaces to be cleaned and disinfected or sanitized, include hypochlorite, higher alcohol sulfate and higher paraffin sulfonate detergents, higher fatty acid soap, alkali metal hydroxide, liquid hydrocarbon, perfume, periodate, branched lower alcohol co-surfactant and water. The compositions are of improved lipophilic soil removing capability when diluted with water, are of about equivalent such capability in neat or concentrated form and are of significantly better hypochlorite stability on aging at room and elevated temperatures, compared to other microemulsion cleaners that contain hypochlorite. Their low viscosities facilitate spraying them from squeeze bottles or pump sprayers onto surfaces to be cleaned and disinfected or sanitized, such as floors and walls.

Abstract: The viscosity of an aqueous alpha-olefin sulfonate detergent composition is reduced by treating such composition, usually at a concentration of 30 to 60%, with a viscosity reducing proportion, usually from 2 to 20%, of a water soluble inorganic halide salt, preferably sodium chloride. By reducing the viscosity, detergent compositions containing the alpha-olefin sulfonate detergent are made more readily pourable, pumpable and sprayable, facilitating their use in liquid detergents and in spray dried particulate form. Because the addition of halide salt may cause separation into different phases it is possible to increase the concentration of the alpha-olefin sulfonate by utilizing the phase richer in content of such detergent material.