Microemulsion liquid cleaning compositions with insect repellent

Abstract

A stable oil-in-water microemulsion cleaning composition is provided which is essentially effective for the removal of oily and greasy soil from a hard surface and for repelling insects therefrom. The aqueous phase of said microemulsion comprises by weight of the total composition: (A) from about 0.1 to about 25% of a surfactant mixture of (i) an anionic surfactant; (ii) a nonionic surfactant; the weight ratio of (i) and (ii) being from about 1:1 to about 5:1; and (iii) a salt of a multivalent metal cation in an amount sufficient to provide from 0.1 to 1.5 equivalents of cation per equivalent of (i); the anionic surfactant, the nonionic surfactant and amount of multivalent metal cation being selected so as to provide a cloud point of at least about 45.degree. C. in the finished microemulsion composition; (B) from about 0.1% to about 30% of a water-soluble cosurfactant having substantially no ability to dissolve oily or greasy soil; and (C) the balance water. The oil phase of said microemulsion is comprised essentially of an effective amount of an insect repellent compound, and optionally a perfume or water insoluble hydrocarbon, said microemulsion composition being effective for removing oily and greasy soils from a hard surface and repelling insects therefrom by solubilizing such soils in the microemulsion while concomitantly depositing the insect repellent compound upon the hard surface to be cleaned to provide insect repelling properties thereto.