ES2393529T3 - Laundry compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid detergent composition comprising: (a) from 6 to 40% p of non-ionic surfactant; (b) from 6 to 20% p of anionic surfactant; (c) from 2 to 14% p of fatty acid or salt thereof; (d) 0.2 to 1.5% p polymer based on cationic polysaccharide; wherein the weight ratio of (a) to (b) is 1, 25: 1 to 2, 25: 1; the total level of surfactant present in the composition is at least 25% p; and in which the total level of surfactant is calculated by the total of non-ionic surfactant, anionic surfactant that includes all salts of sulphonates, but not soap and amphoteric surfactants, of hybrid and cationic ions.

Description

Laundry compositions

5 Field of the invention

This invention relates to a laundry composition. More particularly, the invention is directed to a softener in the laundry washing composition.

10 Background of the invention

Textile fabrics, including clothes, have traditionally been cleaned with laundry detergents. After cleaning, the fabrics can often be rough and will wear out and lose color over repeated washing cycles. To avoid the inconvenience of the fabrics being rough after cleaning and

15 experienced by the multiple washing cycles, technologies have been developed to increase the softness of the fabrics, which include conditioning compositions added in the rinse and softening systems added to the detergent composition.

One of these softener systems comprises a cationic polysaccharide and an anionic surfactant. These systems 20 are known from WO 2004/069979, which describes particular combinations of cationic polymers and anionic surfactants.

WO 2008/022838 describes liquid laundry compositions comprising an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a fatty acid and cationic polymers. It is indicated that the compositions 25 provide both effective smoothness and cleaning.

There remains a need for laundry detergent softener compositions that provide improved softness.

WO 2007/107215 A1 describes a process for the preparation of a non-aqueous fabric treatment composition comprising (a) the provision of a pre-mix comprising a cationic cellulose polymer, water and optional solvent; b) mixing of the previous mixture with anionic surfactant and c) subsequent addition of nonionic surfactant.

WO 2008/114171 A1 describes a liquid laundry detergent comprising anionic surfactant, nuclear fabric agent, cationic deposition aid and foaming improver.

Summary of the invention

In a first aspect this invention is directed to a liquid detergent composition comprising:

(a) from 6 to 40% p of nonionic surfactant;

(b) from 6 to 20% p of anionic surfactant; Four. Five

(C)

 from 2 to 14% p of fatty acid or salt thereof;

(d)

 0.2 to 1.5% p polymer based on cationic polysaccharide; and in which the weight ratio of (a) to (b) is of

1.25: 1 to 2.25: 1 and wherein the total level of surfactant present in the composition is at least 25% p and according to claim 1.

In a second aspect, this invention is directed to a method for providing softness to a fabric, comprising the steps:

(A) provision of a liquid detergent composition as defined in the first aspect of the invention;

(b) contacting one or more textile articles with the composition at one or more points during the main wash of a laundry procedure; Y

60 (c) allow textile items to dry or mechanically dry them in a drum.

Detailed description of the invention

As used herein, the term "comprising" means that it includes, is constituted, composed of, consisting and / or consisting essentially of.

All the percentages cited are% p, unless otherwise stated.

Except in the operating and comparative examples, or when explicitly stated otherwise, all numbers in this description that indicate quantities or ratios of material or reaction conditions, physical properties of the materials and / or use should be understood to be modified by the word "approximately."

As used herein, a formula should be considered physically "stable" when after 1 week at 21 ° C it exhibits no evidence of phase separation.

The present invention is directed to laundry compositions containing a fatty acid or salt thereof, a cationic polymer based on polysaccharide, a non-ionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant, in which the ratio of nonionic to anionic surfactant is 1, 25: 1 to 2.25: 1 and wherein the total level of surfactant is at least 25% p and according to claim 1. The composition provides a high level of softness to the fabrics in

15 comparison with the prior art. The composition also shows excellent stability.

Softness advantages

The main conditioning advantage provided by these products is softness. Softness includes, but is not limited to, an improvement in the handling of a garment treated with the compositions of this invention in relation to an article washed under identical conditions but without the use of this invention. Consumers will often describe an article that is softened as "silky" or "fluffy" and generally prefers the texture of treated clothing to those that are not softened.

25 However, the conditioning advantages of these compositions are not limited only to softness. Depending on the particular embodiment of the selected invention, they can also provide an antistatic advantage. In addition to the smoothness, the cationic / anionic polymer surfactant compositions of this invention are believed to lubricate the fibers of the textile articles, which can reduce wear, pellet formation and color loss and provide a retention advantage. Shape. This lubricant layer is also believed to provide a substrate on the fabric to retain fragrances and other advantageous agents.

Invention Form

The present invention may take any of a number of forms that are included as products.

35 of the main wash. It can take the form of a laundry treatment agent for the main wash that can be dilutable or non-dilutable. The laundry treatment agent may be, for example, an isotropic liquid.

or a structured surfactant liquid. Particularly preferred forms of this invention include detergent / softener combination products to provide "gentle washing."

Soft wash

By the expression "softness in washing" is meant a composition that provides an advantage of softness to the fabric while providing cleaning to the washed fabric. This composition can be added as part of the main wash product or as a separate product to be used in combination with another.

However, for the purposes of this description, the composition is intended for use in the main wash cycle. Preferably, the softener in the wash composition of the invention is incorporated as part of a product for use in the main wash.

The pH range of the composition is 7-12, preferably 8.5 to 9.5. It is desirable to buffer the formulation at whatever the target pH of the composition.

Method of use

The liquid detergent composition provides soft advantages to the washed fabrics by a method comprising the steps

(to)

provision of a liquid detergent composition as defined in the first aspect of the invention;

(b)

contacting one or more textile articles with the composition with one or more points during the main wash of a laundry procedure;

(C)

 allow textile items to dry or mechanically dry them in a drum.

Fatty acid or salt thereof

65 Liquid detergent compositions include a fatty acid or salt thereof, an expression used herein interchangeably with the term "soap." Both terms and expressions are defined herein as an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of a natural fatty acid.

or synthetic comprising between 6 and 30 carbon atoms. Preferably, the soap contains between C8-C26, more preferably C8-C24, still more preferably C8-C18 carbon atoms. The level of incorporation of soap

5 is from 2 to 14%, preferably from 2.5 to 10%, more preferably from 3 to 9% by weight of the total composition. Particularly preferred forms of soap are indicated below.

Salts of carboxylic acids

R1COOM

wherein R1 is a primary or secondary alkyl group of 5 to 29 carbon atoms and M is a solubilizing cation. The alkyl group represented by R1 may represent a mixture of chain lengths and may be saturated or unsaturated although it is preferred that at least two thirds of the R1 groups have a chain length between 7

15 and 17 carbon atoms. Non-limiting examples of suitable sources of alkyl groups include fatty acids derived from coconut oil, tallow, resin oil and palm kernel oil. However, for the purpose of minimizing odor, it is often desirable to use mainly saturated carboxylic acid. These materials are well known to those skilled in the art and are available from many commercial sources such as Uniqema (Wilmington, Del.) And Twin Rivers Technologies (Quincy, Mass.). The solubilizing cation M, is an alkali or alkaline earth metal cation. Preferred examples of cations include alkali metals such as sodium and potassium. Although, when used, most of the fatty acids should be incorporated into the formulation in the form of a neutralized salt, it is often preferable to leave a small amount of fatty acid in the formulation, and this can help maintain the viscosity of the product. .

25 Surfactants

The liquid detergent composition comprises a non-ionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant other than soap. For the avoidance of doubt, the soap present in the composition is not included in the calculation of the anionic surfactant for the inclusion of the weight or weight ratios present in the composition. Therefore, the% p of soap present is not included in the total amount of surfactant present.

They can be chosen from the surfactants described in "Surface Active Agents" Vol. 1, by Schwartz & Perry, Interscience 1949, Vol. 2 by Schwartz, Perry & Berch, Interscience 1958, in the current edition of "McCutcheon's Emulsifiers and Detergents" published by Manufacturing Confectioners Company or in "Tenside-Taschenbuch", H.

35 Stache, 2nd Edn., Carl Hauser Verlag, 1981. Preferably, the surfactants used are saturated.

Suitable non-ionic detergent compounds that can be used include, in particular, the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example, aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkyl phenols with alkylene oxides , especially ethylene oxide alone or with propylene oxide. Specific non-ionic detergent compounds are condensates of C6 to C22 alkyl-phenol-ethylene oxide, generally with 5 to 25 EO, ie 5 to 25 units of ethylene oxide per molecule, and condensation products of linear or aliphatic alcohols or branched, primary or secondary C8 to C18 with ethylene oxide, usually with 5 to 40 EO.

Suitable suitable anionic detergent compounds that can be used are alkali metal salts usually soluble in water of organic sulfates and sulphonates having alkyl radicals containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, the term alkyl being used to include the alkyl part of higher acyl radicals. Examples of suitable synthetic anionic detergent compounds are sodium and potassium alkyl sulfates, especially those obtained by sulfating higher C8 to C18 alcohols, produced, for example, from tallow or coconut oil, C9 to C20 alkyl benzene sulphonates sodium and potassium, particularly linear secondary alkyl of C10 to C15-sodium benzene sulfonates; and sodium alkyl glyceryl ether sulfates, especially the ethers of the higher alcohols derived from tallow or coconut oil and synthetic alcohols derived from petroleum. Preferred anionic detergent compounds are C11 to C15 alkyl sodium benzenesulfonates and C12 alkyl to C18 sodium sulfates. Sulfonate salts included as hydrotropes can

55 be additionally considered as anionic surfactants as defined herein. Also applicable are those described in EP-A-328,177 (Unilever), which show desalination resistance, the alkyl polyglycoside surfactants described in EP-A-070.074 and alkylmonoglycosides.

The non-ionic detergent is present in amounts of 6 to 40% p, preferably 7.5 to 35% p, more preferably 10 to 25% p.

The anionic surfactant is present in amounts of 6 to 20% p, preferably 6.5 to 17.5% p, more preferably 7.5 to 15% p.

The ratio of nonionic surfactant to anionic surfactant present in the liquid composition is from 1.25: 1 to 2.25: 1, based on weight.

The total amount of surfactant present in the liquid composition is at least 25% p. Preferably, the total amount of surfactant is 25 to 65% p, preferably 25.5 to 50% p.

5 Other surfactants such as amphoteric, hybrid and cationic surfactants may also be present in addition to the aforementioned non-ionic and anionic surfactants.

Cationic polysaccharide based polymer

The term "cationic polymer based on polysaccharide" refers to polymers that have a polysaccharide backbone and a positive overall charge. Polysaccharides are polymers consisting of monomers of monosaccharides together linked by glycosidic bonds.

The cationic polymers based on polysaccharides present in the compositions of the invention can have a modified polysaccharide main chain, modified in that additional chemical groups have been reacted with part of the free hydroxyl groups of the polysaccharide main chain to provide a positive global charge to the modified cellulosic monomer unit.

A preferred class of cationic polysaccharide polymers suitable for this invention are those having a modified polysaccharide backbone to incorporate a quaternary ammonium salt. Preferably, the quaternary ammonium salt is linked to the main chain of the polysaccharide by a hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl group. Preferably, the charged nitrogen of the quaternary ammonium salt has one or more alkyl substituent groups.

The preferred cationic polymers based on polysaccharides have a cellulosic or guar gum based backbone. Cationic polymers based on cellulose are the most preferred.

Guar gum is a galactomannan that has a main chain of β-1,4 linked mannose with dots of

30 branching into galactose units linked at a-1.6. An example of cationic polymer based on guar gum is the guar-2-hydroxy-3- (trimethylammonium) -propyl ether salt.

Cellulose is a polysaccharide with glucose as its monomer, specifically it is a polymer of Dglucopiranose units linked through β-1,4 glycosidic bonds and is a linear, unbranched polymer. Typical examples of

Preferred cationic cellulosic polymers include cocodimethylammonium.hydroxypropyl-oxyethyl-cellulose, lauryldimethylammonium-hydroxypropyl-oxyethyl-cellulose, stearyldimethylammonium-hydroxypropyl-oxyethyl-cellulose and stearyldimethylammonium-hydroxyethyl-cellulose; 2-hydroxyethyl-2-hydroxy-3- (trimethylammonium-propyl ether cellulose, polyquaternium-4, polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-24 and polyquaternium-67 or mixtures thereof) salt.

More preferably, the cationic cellulosic polymer is polyquaternium-10. Commercial cationic cellulosic polymer products suitable for use according to the present invention are marketed by Amerchol Corporation, a branch of The Dow Chemical Company, under the trade name UCARE Polymer LR-400.

The term "cationic cellulosic polymer" may include a single polymer or a mixture of different polymers.

The counterion of the cationic polymer is freely chosen from the halides: chloride, bromide and iodide or from hydroxide, phosphate, sulfate, hydrosulfate, ethyl sulfate, methyl sulfate, formate and acetate.

Although theoretical links are not desired, it is believed that the species responsible for providing a softness advantage in these formulations is a polymer / surfactant complex, especially a cationic polymer / soap complex.

The cationic polysaccharide based polymer is present at a level of 0.2 to 1.5% p, preferably 0.25 to 55 1% p.

Many of the aforementioned cationic polymers can be synthesized and are commercially available in a number of different molecular weights. Preferably, the molecular weight of the cationic polysaccharide based polymer is 10,000 to 850,000 daltons, more preferably 10,000 to 500,000

60 daltons

Optional ingredients

The liquid detergent composition may additionally comprise one or more of the following optional ingredients.

Detergency builders or complexing agents

The composition optionally comprises 1 50% p of a detergency builder. Preferably, the detergency builder is present at a level of 1 to 40% p.

5 Detergency builder materials can be selected from 1) calcium sequestering materials, 2) precipitating materials, 3) calcium ion exchange materials and 4) mixtures thereof.

It is preferred that when using an insoluble inorganic detergency builder, for example, zeolite, the size

10 is in the range of 0.1 to 10 micrometers (measured by The Mastersizer 2000 particle size analyzer using Malvern® laser diffraction).

Examples of detergency builder materials calcium sequestrants include alkali metal polyphosphates, such as sodium tripolyphosphate and organic sequestrants, such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid.

Examples of precipitating detergency builder materials include sodium orthophosphate and sodium carbonate.

Examples of calcium ion exchange detergency builder materials include the various types

20 of water-insoluble crystalline or amorphous aluminosilicates, of which zeolites are the best known representative examples, for example, zeolite A, zeolite B (also known as zeolite P), zeolite C, zeolite X, zeolite Y and also the type of zeolite P described in document EP-A-0.384.070.

The composition may also contain 0-50% p of a detergency builder or complexing agent such as

25 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid, alkyl- or alkenyl-succinic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid and the other detergency builders mentioned below. Many detergency builders are also bleaching stabilizing agents due to their ability to complex metal ions.

Zeolite and carbonates (including bicarbonate and sesquicarbonate) are preferred detergency builders.

The composition may contain as a detergency builder a crystalline aluminosilicate, preferably an alkali metal aluminosilicate, more preferably a sodium aluminosilicate. This is present at a level of less than 15% p. Aluminosilicates are materials that have the general formula:

35 0.8-1.5 M2O. Al2O3. 0.8-6 SiO2

in which M is a monovalent cation, preferably sodium. These materials contain some bound water and they need to have a calcium ion exchange capacity of at least 50 mg of CaO / g. The

40 preferred aluminosilicates contain 1.5-3.5 SiO2 units in the above formula. They can be easily prepared by reaction between sodium silicate and sodium aluminate, as is widely described in the literature. The ratio of surfactants to aluminosilicate (when present) is preferably greater than 5: 2, more preferably greater than 3: 1.

Alternatively or in addition to aluminosilicate detergency builders, phosphate builders can be used. In this state of the art, the term "phosphate" encompasses species of diphosphate, triphosphate and phosphonate. Other forms of detergency builder include silicates such as soluble silicates, metasilicates or layered silicates (for example SKS-6 from Hoechst).

Preferably, the laundry detergent formulation is an improved laundry detergent formulation without phosphates, that is, it contains less than 1% p phosphate.

Obscuring agent

The laundry treatment composition preferably comprises a blue or violet darkening agent in the range of 0.0001 to 0.01% p. Darkening agents reduce the deterioration perfection of many colored clothing and increase the whiteness of the white clothing.

Darkening agents are preferably selected from blue and violet dyes of the solvent type

60 disperse basic, direct and acid in the color index (Society of Dyers and Colors and American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists 2002).

Preferably, direct violet or direct blue dyes are present. Preferably, the dyes are bis-azoic or tris-azoic dyes or a triphenedioxazine dye. Carcinogenic dyes based on

65 benzidene are not preferred.

Fluorescent agents

The composition preferably comprises a fluorescent agent (optical brightener). Fluorescent agents are well known and many of these fluorescent agents are commercially available. Usually these

5 fluorescent agents are supplied and used in the form of their alkali metal salts, for example sodium salts. The total amount of fluorescent agents or agents used in the composition is generally from 0.005 to 2% p, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1 p. Preferred classes of fluorescents are: diestyryl biphenyl compounds, for example, Tinopal (registered trademark) CBS-X, di-amino-stilbene-disulfonic acid compounds, for example, Tinopal DMS pure Xtra and Blankophor (registered trademark) HRH , and Pyrazoline compounds, for example, Blankophor SN. Preferred fluorescents are: 2- (4-stirl-3-sulfophenyl) -2H-naphthol [1,2d] tetrazol sodium, 4,4'-bis {[(4-anilino-6- (N-methyl-N-2 hydroxyethyl) ) amino 1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)] amino} stilbeno-2-2 'disodium disulfonate, 4,4'-bis {[(4-anilino-6-morpholino-1,3,5-triazin- 2-yl)] amino} stilbeno-2-2 'disulfonate of disodium and 4,4'bis (2-sulfoestyl) biphenyl disodium.

15 Perfume

Preferably, the composition comprises a perfume. The perfume is preferably in the range of 0.001 to 3% p, most preferably 0.1 to 1% p. Many suitable examples of perfumes are provided in the entity CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association) 1992 International Buyers Guide, published by CFTA Publications and OPD 1993 Chemicals Buyers Directory 80th Annual Edition, published by Schnell Publishing Co.

It is common for a plurality of perfume components to be present in a formulation. In the compositions of the present invention, it is envisioned that there are four or more, preferably five or more, more preferably six or more, or even seven or more different perfume components.

25 In perfume mixtures, preferably 15 to 25% p are sudden fragrances. Sudden fragrances are defined by Poucher (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists 6 (2): 80 [1955]). Preferred sudden fragrances are selected from citrus oils, linalool, linalyl acetate, lavender, dihydromyrcenol, rose oxide and cis-3hexanol.

Perfume and sudden fragrance can be used to make possible the fabric care advantage of the invention.

It is preferred that the laundry treatment composition does not contain a peroxygen bleach, for example, sodium percarbonate, sodium perborate and peracid.

Polymers

The composition may comprise one or more polymers. Examples are carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polycarboxylates such as polyacrylates, maleic / acrylic acid copolymers and lauryl methacrylate / acrylic acid copolymers.

Hydrotrope

The liquid detergent composition may optionally include a hydrotrope, which can prevent the formation of liquid crystals. The addition of the hydrotrope therefore helps the clarity / transparency of the composition. Suitable hydrotropes include, but are not limited to, propylene glycol, ethanol, urea, benzene sulphonate salts, toluenesulfonate, xylene sulphonate or cumene sulphonate. Suitable salts include, but are not limited to, those of sodium, potassium, ammonium, monoethanolamine or triethanolamine. Sulfonate salts can also be considered as anionic surfactants as defined herein. Preferably, the hydrotrope is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, xylene sulphonate, ethanol and urea to provide optimum performance. The amount of hydrotrope is generally in the range of 0 to 30%, preferably 0.5 to 30%, more preferably 0.5 to 30%, most preferably 1 to 15%.

55 Examples

Method of production

Water, fluorescent and hydrotropes are mixed together at room temperature (approximately 21 ° C) for 2-3 minutes at a shear rate of 130 rpm using a Janke & Kunkel IKA RW20 high head mixer. Salts and alkalis are added and mixed for 5 minutes before the addition of the surfactants and fatty acid. The temperature of the mixture rises to approximately 50-60 ° C at this time. After allowing to cool <30 ° C, the solution of LR 400, PVP or PVP / PVI and the remaining components such as perfume, preservatives, opacity agent and dyes are added.

65 Example formulations

Table 1

Ingredient

1 p 2 P 3% p 4% p

LAS acid (surfactant)

10 10 10 10

NEODOL 25-7E (surfactant)

twenty twenty twenty twenty

PRIFAC 5908 (fatty acid)

6 10 6 6

PROPYLENE GLYCOL (hydrotrope)

9 9 9 9

GLICEROL (hydrotrope)

5 5 5 5

SODIUM HYDROXIDE (alkali)

2.2 2.2 2.2 2.2

TRIETHANOLAMINE (alkali)

6 6 6 6

TINOPAL CBS-X (fluorescent)

0.1 0.1 - -

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K15)

0.35 0.35 0.35 -

PVP / PVI (polyvinylpyrrolidone-co-polyvinylimidazole)

- - - 0.65

LR400 (cationic polymer)

0.45 0.43 0.43 0.43

PROXEL GXL (preservative)

0.04 0.04 0.01 0.01

SODIUM CHLORIDE (salt)

0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5

ACUSOL OP31 (opacity agent)

0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05

PATENT BLUE V85 (coloring)

0.00068 0.00068 0.00068 0.00068

ACID YELLOW 23 (dye)

0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001

FRAGRANCE

 1-1.3 1.1 1.39 1.39

WATER

up to 100 up to 100 up to 100 up to 100

Softness data

5 The formulations in Table 2 were prepared according to the above-mentioned production method. The formulations were used to wash fabrics, which were then assessed for softness with a level of softness attributed to the washed fabrics. The softness test took place in real tests on washing machines performed on typical European front-loading automatic machines. The washings lasted

10 of ~ two hours and included two rinses. Equal volumes of product (35 ml) were tested.

The wash load consists of a "ballast" part consisting of cotton and poly-cotton sheets to achieve a "standard" wash load weight of 2.5 kg. The clothes actually used to check the softness are pieces of terry towels, previously made rough, that measure ~ 20 x 20 cm. Subsequently the

15 clothes were dried on string. Four repeated washes were carried out to allow the softness effect to be constituted, after which the towel samples are assessed for softness. The softness assessment was carried out through a set of voluntary assessors. They were asked to rate the towels in order to assess the softness or roughness, using a 7-point scale (1 = softer, 7 = rougher). The scores for a given product were added and the average value was calculated.

The anionic surfactant used was LAS acid. This is neutralized in formulation to provide linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (Na-LAS). The actual weight of anionic surfactant used is based on this neutralized form and, therefore, is slightly greater than the weight of the LAS acid formulation. LAS acid has an average molecular weight of 326.5 based on the formula (CH3 (CH2) 11C6H4SO3H). NaLAS has a molecular weight of

34,358 based on the formula (CH3 (CH2) 11C6H4SO3Na). An example value of 10 g of LAS acid would have a total anionic surfactant weight of 10.7 g (based on the calculation (10 g / 326.5 x 348.5).

A comparative example (comparative A) was prepared according to WO 2008/022838, examples 1-3. According to the definitions of the present specification, this example comprises a 12% p nonionic surfactant, 10.5% p anionic surfactant (consisting of 7.5 g of NaLAS (rounded from 10.47 g), that is, the neutralized form of the acid + 3 g of sodium xylenesulfonate, which is classified herein as a surfactant and as a hydrotrope), 10 g of fatty acid and 0.5 g of cationic polymer. The total level of surfactant is 22.5 g, the level of surfactant being defined herein without the inclusion of the fatty acid or salt thereof. Comparative B was similar to A, but with the non-ionic and anionic surfactant on a scale up to 35 ~ 30% in total. Comparative examples C and D are additional examples. The formulations were compared with

a control formulation (control) that did not contain any cationic polymer. Table 2

Formula Code

NI ratio: An % p of nonionic % p fatty acid % p of An % p of cationic polymer Total surfactant% p Average softness score

Witness

0.96: 1 20.1 4.8 twenty-one 0 41.1 6.7

Comparative A

1.15: 1 12 10 10.5 0.45 22.5 5.1

Comparative B

1.2: 1 16 10 13.4 0.45 29.4 6.2

Comparative C

0.94: 1 fifteen 10 16 0.45 31 3.7

Comparative D

0.47: 1 10 10 21.3 0.45 31.3 3.3

Invention 1

1.41: 1 18 10 12.8 0.45 30.8 1.7

Invention 2

1.87: 1 twenty 10 10.7 0.45 30.7 1.3

Softness scores are presented as a lower score = a better level of softness. As is clear from the Table, formulations with a weight ratio of nonionic surfactant to anionic surfactant (NI: An ratio) in the range of 1.25: 1 to 2.25: 1 are shown to have an effect superior on the softness of the fabric when used in washing conditions.

Claims (6)

1. A liquid detergent composition comprising: 5 (a) from 6 to 40% p of nonionic surfactant; (b) from 6 to 20% p of anionic surfactant; (c) from 2 to 14% p of fatty acid or salt thereof; 10 (d) 0.2 to 1.5% p of cationic polysaccharide based polymer; wherein the weight ratio of (a) to (b) is 1.25: 1 to 2.25: 1; the total level of surfactant present in the composition is at least 25% p; and in which the total level of surfactant is calculated by the total non-ionic surfactant, anionic surfactant that includes all salts of sulphonates, but not soap and amphoteric surfactants, of hybrid and cationic ions. 2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is present at a level of 7.5 to 35% p, preferably 10 to 25% p. twenty 3. A composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the anionic surfactant is present at a level of 6.5 to 17.5% p, preferably 7.5 to 15% p. 4. A composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the polymer based on cationic polysaccharide is present at a level of 0.25 to 1% p. 5. A composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fatty acid or salt thereof is present at a level of 2.5 to 10% p, preferably 3 to 9% p. A composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cationic polysaccharide based polymer is a cationic cellulose based polymer. 7. A method for the provision of softness to a textile material, comprising the steps: (a) provision of a liquid detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6; (b) contacting one or more textile articles with the composition at one or more points during the main wash of a laundry procedure; Y 40 (c) allow textile items to dry or mechanically dry them in a drum.