Rinse agent composition and dry finishing method

Abstract

To provide a rinse agent composition which has an excellent drying performance and causes a little remaining mark after drying.SOLUTION: A rinse agent composition contains (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid, (B) an alkanolamine, and (C) a non-ionic surfactant.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel rinse agent composition and a dry finishing method using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] From the perspective of safety and efficiency, used medical instruments are generally washed using automatic washing and drying equipment such as a washer-disinfector. Such automatic washing and drying equipment typically undergoes a preliminary washing process, a main washing process, a rinsing process, a final rinsing process, and a drying process. The final rinsing process involves rinsing the items to be washed with rinse water containing a drying rinse aid to shorten the subsequent drying time. Reducing drying time shortens the working time of workers and also reduces the burden on them, so rinse aids with superior drying performance are in demand.

[0003] Rinse aids are also often used for the purposes of achieving hygienic benefits and a clean appearance, and rinse aids that can reduce the residue left by rinse water after drying have also been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a rinse aid for dishwashers that contains, as an active ingredient, a polyglycerin fatty acid ester obtained by esterifying a mixture of a specific glycerin and polyglycerin with a fatty acid, and that has the effect of reducing stains and white spots known as water spots. However, there is still room for improvement in the drying performance of rinse aids and the reduction of residue left after drying. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-008259 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a rinse agent composition that has excellent drying performance and leaves little residue after drying. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have discovered that, among rinse aid compositions containing a nonionic surfactant, rinse aid compositions containing a combination of an aromatic carboxylic acid and an alkanolamine have excellent drying performance and leave little residue after drying, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0007] [1] A rinse agent composition comprising (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid, (B) an alkanolamine, and (C) a nonionic surfactant. [2] The rinse composition according to [1], wherein the aromatic carboxylic acid is at least one selected from benzoic acid, salicylic acid, and phthalic acid. [3] (B) The rinse composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the alkanolamine is at least one selected from monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, and trishydroxymethylaminomethane. [4] (C) The rinse composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the nonionic surfactant is at least one selected from glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters. [5] The rinse agent composition according to any one of [1] to [4], which contains 0.1 mass % or more in total of (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid and (B) an alkanolamine. [6] The rinse agent composition according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising (D) an alcohol. [7] The rinse composition according to [6], wherein (D) the alcohol is at least one selected from ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin. [8] A dry finishing method, characterized by using the rinse agent composition according to any one of [1] to [7]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a rinse composition that has excellent drying properties and leaves little residue after drying. In particular, since the rinse composition of the present invention has excellent drying properties, it can be suitably used, for example, to promote drying after cleaning of medical instruments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the state of the remaining marks in the remaining mark evaluation test of Example 1 and Comparative Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. The terms used in this specification are to be interpreted in the sense commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified.

[0011] In the present invention, the term "rinse agent composition" refers to a composition containing a nonionic surfactant as a drying-accelerating component and applied to an object to be cleaned (rinsed) before the drying step for the purpose of shortening the drying time when drying the object after washing and rinsing. Therefore, the term "rinse agent composition" does not include compositions intended for use as a detergent. Such rinse agent compositions are typically diluted with rinsing water and used in the final rinsing step of a cleaning and drying device such as a washer-disinfector. As mentioned above, the final rinsing step in a washer-disinfector is a step performed to shorten the subsequent drying time. The rinse agent composition of the present invention, which has excellent drying performance and leaves little residue after drying, is particularly suitable for this step. Here, a washer-disinfector refers to a device designed to clean and disinfect products such as medical devices with hot water at normal pressure.

[0012] <Rinse agent composition> The rinse agent composition of the present invention contains (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid, (B) an alkanolamine, and (C) a nonionic surfactant. By containing the combination of (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid and (B) an alkanolamine, the rinse agent composition of the present invention can improve drying performance due to the (C) nonionic surfactant contained in the rinse agent composition. Furthermore, this combination of components reduces residues left after drying.

[0013] [(A) Aromatic carboxylic acid] In the present invention, the aromatic carboxylic acid (A) can be widely used without any particular limitation, and can be any of those known in the art.Specific examples include benzoic acid, salicylic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, cinnamic acid, toluic acid, phthalic acid, phenylacetic acid, 2-phenylpropionic acid, phenoxyacetic acid, phenylpyruvic acid, t-butylbenzoic acid, 3,5-di-t-butylbenzoic acid, 3,5-di-t-butylsalicylic acid, benzoylbenzoic acid, anthranilic acid, 1-naphthoic acid, 2-naphthoic acid, 1,2-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 2,3-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, mandelic acid, trimellitic acid, pyromellitic acid, 2-methoxyphenylacetic acid, 3-methoxyphenylacetic acid, and 4-methoxyphenylacetic acid.

[0014] Among these aromatic carboxylic acids, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, and phthalic acid are preferably used, and benzoic acid is particularly preferably used. The rinse composition of the present invention may contain one or more of the aromatic carboxylic acids (A) described above.

[0015] The content of the (A) aromatic carboxylic acid in the rinse composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.01% by mass to 60% by mass. From the viewpoints of accelerating drying and finishing, the lower limit of the (A) aromatic carboxylic acid content is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of stability of the rinse composition, the upper limit of the (A) aromatic carboxylic acid content is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. The numerical range of the (A) aromatic carboxylic acid content is preferably 1% by mass to 40% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass to 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 7% by mass to 20% by mass or less.

[0016] [(B) Alkanolamine] In the present invention, the (B) alkanolamine can be any known alkanolamine in the art, and can be widely used without any particular limitations. Specifically, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, monopropanolamine, isopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine, triisopropanolamine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, and trishydroxymethylaminomethane can be used. Among these, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, and trishydroxymethylaminomethane are preferred, with triethanolamine being particularly preferred. The rinse composition of the present invention may contain one or more of the (B) alkanolamines.

[0017] The content of (B) alkanolamine in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.01% by mass to 60% by mass. From the viewpoints of accelerating drying and finishing, the lower limit of the content of (B) alkanolamine is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 6% by mass or more, and even more preferably 9% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of stability of the rinse agent composition, the upper limit of the content of (B) alkanolamine is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 25% by mass or less. The numerical range of the content of (B) alkanolamine is preferably 1% by mass to 50% by mass or less, more preferably 6% by mass to 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 9% by mass to 25% by mass or less.

[0018] The mass ratio [(A) / (B)] of the aromatic carboxylic acid (A) to the alkanolamine (B) in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is adjusted so that the pH is weakly acidic to weakly alkaline, for example, 0.01 to 100, preferably 0.1 to 10, more preferably 0.3 to 2.0, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 1.0.

[0019] Furthermore, the total content of (A) aromatic carboxylic acid and (B) alkanolamine in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 9% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 15% by mass or more.

[0020] [(C) Nonionic surfactant] The nonionic surfactant (C) in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is a component that contributes to drying performance. In the present invention, the nonionic surfactant (C) can be any nonionic surfactant that is classified as a nonionic surfactant, and is not particularly limited. Examples of the nonionic surfactant that can be used include polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene styrenated phenyl ethers, polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycols, polyoxypropylene polyoxyethylene glycols, ethylenediaminetetrapolyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene, ethylenediaminetetrapolyoxypropylene polyoxyethylene, alkyl alkanolamides, alkyl polyglucosides, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters. Among these, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters can be preferably used, and glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters can be particularly preferably used.

[0021] Examples of glycerin fatty acid esters include monoglyceryl monocaprylate, monoglyceryl monocaprate, monoglyceryl monolaurate, monoglyceryl monomyristate, and monoglyceryl monopalmitate, with monoglyceryl monocaprylate, monoglyceryl monocaprate, and monoglyceryl monolaurate being preferred.

[0022] Examples of polyglycerol fatty acid esters include diglyceryl monocaprylate, diglyceryl monocaprate, diglyceryl monolaurate, diglyceryl monomyristate, hexaglyceryl monocaprylate, hexaglyceryl monocaprate, hexaglyceryl monolaurate, hexaglyceryl monomyristate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, decaglyceryl monocaprate, decaglyceryl monolaurate, and decaglyceryl monomyristate, with hexaglyceryl monocaprylate, decaglyceryl monocaprylate, and diglyceryl monolaurate being preferred.

[0023] Examples of polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters include polyoxyethylene glyceryl caprylate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl caprate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl laurate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl myristate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl palmitate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl isostearate, and polyoxyethylene glyceryl coconut oil fatty acid, with polyoxyethylene glyceryl caprylate, polyoxyethylene glyceryl caprate, polyoxyethylene (caprylic / capric acid) glyceryl, polyoxyethylene glyceryl coconut oil fatty acid, and polyoxyethylene glyceryl isostearate being preferred.

[0024] Examples of sorbitan fatty acid esters include sorbitan caprylate, sorbitan caprate, sorbitan laurate, sorbitan palmitate, sorbitan oleate, and sorbitan stearate, with sorbitan caprylate being preferred.

[0025] Examples of polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters include polyoxyethylene sorbitan coconut oil fatty acid, polyoxyethylene sorbitan laurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan myristate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan palmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan isostearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan stearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan oleate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan behenate, with polyoxyethylene sorbitan laurate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan oleate being preferred.

[0026] Examples of sucrose fatty acid esters include sucrose monolaurate, sucrose monomyristate, sucrose monopalmitate, sucrose monostearate, sucrose monooleate, sucrose dilaurate, sucrose dimyristate, sucrose dipalmitate, sucrose distearate, and sucrose dioleate, with sucrose monolaurate being preferred.

[0027] Examples of propylene glycol fatty acid esters include propylene glycol monocaprylate, propylene glycol monocaprate, propylene glycol monolaurate, propylene glycol monomyristate, propylene glycol monopalmitate, propylene glycol monooleate, propylene glycol monostearate, and propylene glycol monobehenate, with propylene glycol monocaprylate being preferred.

[0028] The rinse agent composition of the present invention may contain one or more types of the nonionic surfactant (C) above.

[0029] The content of the (C) nonionic surfactant in the rinse aid composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.1% by mass to 70% by mass. From the viewpoints of accelerating drying and finishing, the lower limit of the content of the (C) nonionic surfactant is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of stability of the rinse aid composition, the upper limit of the content of the (C) nonionic surfactant is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. The numerical range of the content of the (C) nonionic surfactant is preferably 1% by mass to 50% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass to 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass to 20% by mass or less.

[0030] [(D) Alcohols] The rinse composition of the present invention may contain (D) an alcohol in addition to the above components. The (D) alcohol in the rinse composition of the present invention is included from the viewpoint of storage stability. (D) Alcohols known in the art can be used without particular limitation. Not only monohydric alcohols but also dihydric and trihydric polyhydric alcohols can be used. Specific examples include methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, hexylene glycol, glycerin, polyglycerin, and sorbitol. Among these, ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin are preferred. The rinse composition of the present invention may contain one or more of the above (D) alcohols.

[0031] Furthermore, in the rinse agent composition of the present invention, (D) an alcohol is not an essential component, and the rinse agent composition may not contain an alcohol. If the rinse agent composition of the present invention does not contain an alcohol, this is advantageous in that it can avoid the possibility of being classified as a hazardous material under the Fire Service Act.

[0032] The content of (D) alcohols in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, in the range of 0.1% by mass to 70% by mass. From the viewpoint of storage stability, the lower limit of the content of (D) alcohols is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of avoiding the possibility of (D) alcohols becoming hazardous, the upper limit of the content of (D) alcohols is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. The numerical range of the content of (D) alcohols is preferably 1% by mass to 50% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass to 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass to 20% by mass or less.

[0033] In addition to the above components (A) to (D), the rinse agent composition of the present invention may contain water, preservatives, antioxidants, chelating agents, rust inhibitors, pH adjusters, anti-fading agents, thickeners, dispersants, stabilizers, colorants, fragrances, and the like, as needed.

[0034] The water contained in the rinse agent composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include tap water, ion-exchanged water, purified water, distilled water, pure water, soft water, and the like.

[0035] The pH of the rinse composition of the present invention is preferably set in the range of 3 to 11 at 25°C, and from the viewpoint of storage stability, it is more preferably set in the range of 4 or higher, even more preferably set in the range of 5 or higher, and particularly preferably set in the range of 6 or higher. It is also more preferably set in the range of 10 or lower, even more preferably set in the range of 9 or lower, and particularly preferably set in the range of 8 or lower. The pH of the rinse composition is more preferably set in the range of 3 to 11, even more preferably set in the range of 4 to 10, particularly preferably set in the range of 5 to 9, and most preferably set in the range of 6 to 8.

[0036] The rinse agent composition of the present invention can be produced by mixing the above-mentioned components in a conventional manner.

[0037] As described above, the rinse agent composition of the present invention is used for the purpose of shortening the drying time, and can also be called, for example, a rinse agent composition for accelerating drying. It can also be called, for example, a finishing agent composition, a rinse agent composition, a drying accelerator composition, or a drying finishing agent composition.

[0038] Furthermore, since the rinse composition of the present invention is a rinse agent that has excellent drying properties and leaves little residue after drying, it can be suitably used for rinsing tableware, containers, medical instruments, etc. In particular, it is suitably used for rinsing containers and medical instruments after washing and rinsing, and is particularly suitably used as a rinse solution for washer-disinfectors. Here, examples of medical instruments include tweezers, forceps, scissors, pus trays, suction tubes, endoscopes, catheters, syringe needles, etc., and examples of containers include sterilized containers for storing medical instruments, etc.

[0039] The mode of use of the rinse agent composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it can be used, for example, as an aqueous solution diluted with water or the like at a ratio of, for example, 50 to 100,000 times, preferably 70 to 10,000 times, more preferably 100 to 10,000 times, and most preferably 200 to 1,000 times, for rinsing medical instruments, etc. Therefore, the concentrations of each component at the time of use (dilution) can be specifically exemplified as follows.

[0040] The concentration of the (A) aromatic carboxylic acid during use can be, for example, in the range of 0.00001% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.0005% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.007% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 0.3% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.025% by mass or less. The numerical range of the concentration during use is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more and 0.3% by mass or less, more preferably 0.0005% by mass or more and 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.007% by mass or more and 0.025% by mass or less.

[0041] The concentration of (B) alkanolamine during use can be, for example, in the range of 0.00001% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.0006% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.009% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 0.4% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.03% by mass or less. The numerical range of the concentration during use is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more and 0.4% by mass or less, more preferably 0.0006% by mass or more and 0.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.009% by mass or more and 0.03% by mass or less.

[0042] The concentration of the (C) nonionic surfactant during use can be, for example, in the range of 0.00001% by mass or more and 0.8% by mass or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 0.6% by mass or less, more preferably 0.3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.045% by mass or less. The numerical range of the concentration during use is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more and 0.6% by mass or less, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more and 0.3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 0.045% by mass or less.

[0043] The concentration of (D) alcohols during use can be, for example, in the range of 0.00001% by mass or more and 1.0% by mass or less. The lower limit is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.045% by mass or less. The numerical range of the concentration during use is preferably 0.0001% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more and 0.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 0.045% by mass or less.

[0044] <Drying and finishing method> The dry finishing method of the present invention is characterized by using the rinse agent composition of the present invention. According to this method, the use of the rinse agent composition of the present invention is expected to shorten the drying time and suppress the residue of residue after drying. More specifically, the dry finishing method of the present invention can be carried out, for example, as described below. Note that the above description of the rinse agent composition of the present invention can be used to explain this dry finishing method.

[0045] The drying and finishing method of the present invention can be applied to a wide range of objects including, for example, tableware, containers, medical instruments, etc., but preferably applies to containers and medical instruments.

[0046] The drying and finishing method of the present invention typically includes a step of rinsing an object with the rinse agent composition of the present invention and a step of drying the object after rinsing. For example, the drying and finishing method of the present invention is carried out in the final rinse and drying steps using the washer-dryer function of a typical washer-disinfector. However, the drying and finishing method of the present invention can be widely carried out even when not using the washer-dryer function of a washer-disinfector.

[0047] In the rinsing step, the object is rinsed with the rinse agent composition of the present invention. Typically, the rinse agent composition of the present invention is diluted with water to a predetermined ratio, and the object is treated with the diluted aqueous solution. More specifically, this treatment is carried out by spraying the diluted aqueous solution onto the object in the final rinsing step using a spray cleaner such as a washer-disinfector. The dilution ratio here may be the same as that described for the rinse agent composition, and this treatment is carried out, for example, at a temperature of 70°C or higher.

[0048] In the drying step, the object after rinsing is dried. The drying method is not particularly limited, but typically, the object after rinsing is dried using a dryer. For example, in the case of using a washer-disinfector, the object is dried using the dryer function of the washer-disinfector in the drying step after the final rinse.

[0049] The dry finishing method of the present invention may further include, for example, a step of cleaning the object with a detergent as a pre-rinsing step, and a rinsing step of rinsing the cleaned object with water. For example, a typical washer-disinfector typically goes through a preliminary cleaning step (cleaning with water only), a main cleaning step (cleaning with a detergent), a rinsing step, a final rinsing step (the rinsing step in the present invention), and a drying step, and the dry finishing method of the present invention may also include similar steps.

[0050] As mentioned above, the dry finishing method of the present invention can be suitably carried out using a washer disinfector, and therefore may be, for example, a dry finishing method using a washer disinfector or a dry finishing method in a washer disinfector.

[0051] <Drying method> The drying method of the present invention is characterized by using the rinse composition of the present invention. According to this method, the use of the rinse composition of the present invention is expected to shorten the drying time and suppress the residue of drying residue. Specifically, this drying method can be carried out using the same steps as the above-mentioned drying finish method, and the description of the above-mentioned drying finish method is incorporated herein by reference. [Example]

[0052] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0053] Rinse agent compositions having the compositions shown in Table 1 below were prepared and subjected to the following tests. The values ​​in Table 1 are in mass %.

[0054] [Scar evaluation test] For each rinse aid composition in Table 1, a 0.5% diluted solution was prepared using demineralized water, and 100 mL of each diluted solution was applied to the surface of a stainless steel plate (SUS430). The stainless steel plate was then placed in a dryer set at 110°C to completely dry the diluted solution on the stainless steel plate. After drying, the state of any remaining marks on the stainless steel plate was visually observed, and the marks remaining for each rinse aid composition were evaluated. The evaluation criteria were as follows: 〇: No or almost no white marks were observed ×: White marks were clearly observed

[0055] [Wettability evaluation test] A stainless steel plate (SUS430) was heated by placing it on a hot plate set to 100°C. For each rinse aid composition in Table 1, a 0.1% diluted solution was prepared using tap water, and 20 μL of each diluted solution was dropped onto the surface of the stainless steel plate (SUS430) and allowed to dry completely. After drying, the area of ​​the remaining marks on the stainless steel plate surface was measured using a microscope. The wettability of each rinse aid composition was evaluated based on the measured area of ​​the remaining marks. The evaluation criteria are as follows: ◎: Area is 27.5mm 2 End ○: Area is 25mm 2 Over 27.5mm 2 less than ×: Area is 25mm 2 less than

[0056] [Table 1-1]

[0057] [Table 1-2]

[0058] [Table 1-3]

[0059] [Table 1-4]

[0060] The results of the residue evaluation test and the wettability evaluation test are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, the rinse compositions of Examples 1 to 27, which contained aromatic carboxylic acids and alkanolamines in addition to nonionic surfactants, left almost no residue and also had excellent wettability. In particular, the rinse compositions (Examples 1 to 24) containing one of glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters were found to have better wettability and particularly high drying performance. On the other hand, the rinse composition of Comparative Example 1, which did not contain aromatic carboxylic acids and alkanolamines, left almost no residue but had poor wettability. Furthermore, the rinse composition of Comparative Example 2, which contained sodium benzoate instead of aromatic carboxylic acids and alkanolamines, had excellent wettability but noticeable residue.

[0061] As described above, it has been revealed that the rinse agent composition of the present invention leaves almost no residue after drying, has excellent wetting properties, and is therefore an excellent rinse agent. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] The rinse agent composition of the present invention has excellent drying properties and leaves little residue after drying, and therefore can be suitably used, for example, as a rinse solution when cleaning medical instruments and the like with a washer-disinfector.

Claims

1. (A) an aromatic carboxylic acid, (B) an alkanolamine, and (C) a nonionic surfactant; (A) the aromatic carboxylic acid is at least one selected from benzoic acid, salicylic acid, and phthalic acid; (B) the alkanolamine is at least one selected from monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, and trishydroxymethylaminomethane; (C) the nonionic surfactant is at least one selected from glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and propylene glycol fatty acid esters; (A) the content of the aromatic carboxylic acid is 4.05 to 20 mass %, (B) the alkanolamine content is 5.65 to 30% by mass, (C) the content of the nonionic surfactant is 1 to 55 mass%; Rinse agent composition.

2. Further, (D) an alcohol is contained, 2. The rinse composition according to claim 1, wherein the alcohol (D) is at least one selected from methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, hexylene glycol, glycerin, polyglycerin, and sorbitol.

3. The rinse agent composition according to claim 2, wherein the alcohol (D) is at least one selected from ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerin.

4. A dry finishing method, characterized by using the rinse agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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