Liquid composition comprises (a) sorbitan monocaprylate, and (b) antimicrobial agents comprising: (b1) organic acids and their salts, comprising e.g. benzoic acid, formic acid and its salts； (b2) formaldehyde donors comprising e.g. imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea； (b3) isothiazolinones comprising a composition of methylisothiazolinone and/or chloromethylisothiazolinone； (b4) paraben esters and their salts comprising e.g. methylparaben and ethyl paraben； and (b5) pyridones and their salts comprising 1-hydroxy-4-methyl-6-(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)-2-pyridone or piroctone olamine. Liquid composition comprises (a) 40-99.9, preferably 55-98 wt.% of sorbitan monocaprylate, and (b) 0.1-60, preferably 2-45 wt.% of one or more antimicrobial agents comprising: (b1) organic acids and their salts, comprising benzoic acid, sorbic acid, 3-acetyl-6-methyl-2 [H]-pyran-2,4 [3H]-dione (dehydroacetic acid), p-methoxybenzoic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, lactic acid, undecenoic acid, salicylic acid, or glycolic acid and its salts； (b2) formaldehyde donors comprising dimethyloldimethyl (DMDM) hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea or sodium hydroxymethylglycinate； (b3) isothiazolinones comprising an aqueous composition of 20-80, preferably 40-60 wt.% of methylisothiazolinone, chloromethylisothiazolinone, or a mixture of methylisothiazolinone and chloromethylisothiazolinone in a ratio of 1:3 and/or benzylisothiazolinone； (b4) paraben ester and their salts comprising methylparaben, sodium methylparaben, ethyl paraben, sodium ethylparaben, propylparaben, sodium propylparaben, isobutylparaben, sodium isobutylparaben, butyl paraben or sodium butylparaben； and (b5) pyridones and their salts comprising 1-hydroxy-4-methyl-6-(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)-2-pyridone or piroctone olamine.
