Oct. 6, 2011  4  US 2011/0245219 Al  component consists of a mixture of ethanol and 2-propanol,  the content of ethanol advantageously being greater than that  of 2-propanol. The weight ratio of ethanol to 2-propanol  ideally lies in the range from 60: 10 to 80:3.  [0050]  In a likewise preferred variant, the alcoholic main  component consists of a mixture of ethanol and 1-propanol,  the content of ethanol advantageously being greater than that  of 1-propanol. The weight ratio of ethanol to 1-propanol  ideally also lies in the range from 60:10 to 80:3.  [  0051]  In particular, the alcoholic main component can also  consist of a mixture of ethanol and 1-propanol and 2-pro› panol, the content of ethanol advantageously being greater  than that of 1-propanol and 2-propanol together.  [0052]  It  can however also be advantageous if the alcoholic  main component consists exclusively of ethanol. In particu› lar, this simplifies the production of the disinfectant and none› theless ensures high virucidal action of the disinfectant.  Moreover, ethanol is less problematic toxicologically than  many other alcohols.  [0053]  In principle, other monohydric alcohols can also be  used. For example methanol, butanol and/or benzyl alcohol  are possible. However, particularly owing to increased toxic› ity and/or lower virucidal efficacy, these examples are less  advantageous.  It  is also possible to specify poly-hydric alco› hols in the alcoholic main component in addition to or instead  of the monohydric alcohols. As a result, however, the viru› cidal efficacy of the disinfectant may be decreased. The resi› dues from disinfectants with polyhydric alcohols can also  sometimes cause unpleasant skin sensations.  [0054]  Preferably the at least one acidic compound is a  non-sterilizing acidic compound.  It  has been found that ster› ilizing acidic compounds, e.g. peroxyacetic acid or peracetic  acid, are usually only poorly tolerated by the skin. In this  context, non-sterilizing acidic compounds are understood to  be in particular carboxylic acids with a carboxy group  R----COOH as the functional group, phenols, naphthols, enols  (such as for example ascorbic acid), sulfates or sulfuric acid  esters, sulfonic acids, thiols, phosphates or phosphoric acid  esters and/or phosphoric acid.  [0055]  More preferably, the disinfectant is free from per› oxides. This should in particular be understood to mean that  the disinfectant is free from other peroxides, apart from per› oxides that are unavoidable and/or at most formed spontane› ously in the disinfectant. In particular, the disinfectant overall  contains less than 0.1 wt.%, preferably less than 0.01 wt.%,  of peroxides. Peroxides which contain the peroxides group  -0---0- have oxygen atoms in the oxidation state -1.  However, the oxygen-oxygen bond of peroxides is labile in  combination with the other components of the disinfectant  and tends to homolytic cleavage with the formation of reac› tive radicals.  It  has been found that disinfectants containing  peroxides are thus not very storage-stable and are poorly  tolerated by the skin. Hence the addition of peroxides is  advantageously avoided.  [0056]  In particular, it is advisable to develop the disinfec› tant free from peroxycarboxylic acids. In particular, the dis› infectant overall contains less than 0.1 wt.%, preferably less  than 0.01 wt. %, of peroxycarboxylic acids. Peroxycarboxy› lic acids have the peroxycarboxyl group Rl-COO---0-H as  the functional group.  It  has been found that peroxycarboxylic  acids, in particular peroxyacetic acid, have a powerful skin  and eye irritant action in the disinfectants according to the  invention and are moreover extremely labile. Hence peroxy- carboxylic acids in the disinfectants according to the inven› tion are advantageously avoided.  [0057]  In principle, however, for special applications it is  possible, for example to improve the virucidal action, to  specify peroxides or peroxycarboxylic acids in the disinfec› tant. This can for example be appropriate with disinfectants  which are designed for the disinfection of inanimate areas.  [0058]  Advantageously the at least one acidic compound  includes an organic acid, the content of the organic acid  preferably being 0.2-3 wt.%. In this context, organic acids are  understood in particular to mean carboxylic acids which bear  a carboxyl group R----COOH. Carboxylic acids have been  found to be particularly suitable examples of the acidic com› pounds which in combination with the alcoholic main com› ponents and the urea and/or the zinc salt increase the virucidal  action of the disinfectant and at the same time result in good  skin tolerance. Also, the acid strength i.e. the pKa values of  carboxylic acids lie in a range which allows readily control› lable metering.  [0059]  In principle however it is also possible, instead of or  in addition to the carboxylic acids, to specify other com› pounds with an acidic action. Thus in particular phenols,  naphthols, enols (such as for example ascorbic acid), sulfates  or sulfuric acid esters, sulfonic acids, thiols, phosphates or  phosphoric acid esters and/or phosphoric acid can be used as  acidic compounds. However, these acidic compounds some› times do not display adequate virucidal action and/or they are  problematic as regards health.  [0060]  It  is also possible to use mineral acids as acidic  compounds. However, compared with the organic acids, these  are as a rule very strong acids and problematic above all as  regards skin tolerance.  [0061]  In particular, the at least one organic acid includes  lactic acid and/or glycolic acid. Preferably the acidic com› pound of the disinfectant comprises exclusively lactic acid  and/or glycolic acid. The admixture of these two acids has  been found to be very advantageous since these two organic  acids as well as optimal acid strength or an optimal  pKa  value  also contribute a skin-care action. The lactic acid is preferably  L(  +  )-lactic acid, since this occurs for example in human  sweat, blood and muscle serum and is moreover a component  of the natural moisture retention factor of human skin.  [0062]  In interaction with the lactic acid, glycolic acid or  hydroxyacetic acid improves the virucidal action of the dis› infectant and at the same time gives rise to skin care effects. In  particular, through the addition of glycolic acid the appear› ance of the skin can be improved. In a further preferred  embodiment, the at least one organic acid therefore comprises  a mixture oflactic acid and glycolic acid, wherein the weight  ratio of lactic acid to glycolic acid is in particular 1.0: 1.0 to  2.0:0.2, preferably 1.3:0.7 to 1.4:0.6.  [0063]  In another preferred embodiment, the at least one  organic acid contains citric acid. Citric acid with the molecu› lar formula C6H8O7 is a tricarboxylic acid with pKa values  of 3.13, 4.76 and 6.4.  It  has been found that disinfectants  containing citric acid have particularly good skin tolerance  and at the same time display a good virucidal action. The  citric acid here can be present instead of or in addition to  glycolic acid and/or lactic acid.  [0064]  In principle other organic acids are also usable,  which however advantageously have pKa values in the range  from 3-5. However, depending on the carboxylic acid, the  skin tolerance of the disinfectant can sometimes decrease  with other carboxylic acids. 