GB2185991A - Liquid laundering composition with detergent softening properties - Google Patents

Abstract

Aqueous liquid detergent compositions having softening and detergency properties comprise an an alkyl glycoside, as the sole softening agent, a nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant as three essential ingredients; the nonionic surfactant being in greater amount than the anionic surfactant.

Description

SPECIFICATION Liquid detergent having improved softening properties The present invention relates to novel liquid detergent compositions to be used in the laundering offabrics, comprising anionic and nonionicsurfactants and an alkyl glycoside in an amount effective to improve cleaning efficacy and to provide improved softening properties in the absence of quaternary ammonium softening compounds. Such compositions are also referred to by the term "softergent".

The use of various and diverse chemical materials and particularly cationic quaternary ammonium compounds as softeners fortextile products is very well known in the art. It is also well known to employ such materialsfortheirsoftening effects during the laundering operation and particularly in the rinse cycle ofthe laundering process. This latter technique has been necessitated bythe fact that the aforesaid quaternary compounds heretofore employed, being mainly cationic in nature, were not compatible with the anionic detergents, one ofthe major types of detergents used in the washing cycle. Furthermore, cationic quaternary compounds are relatively ineffective in the presence of nonionic detergents.

It is also well known thatthere is a tendency for laundered articlesto yellow or discolourwhen treatedwith the aforesaid quaternary compounds.

Another disadvantage associated with the use of the said cationic agents in the laundering offabrics therewith is its interference with the deposition on the fabrics of optical brighteners, thereby reducing optical brightener performance of a detergent composition containing the said optical brighteners.

Still another disadvantage of the cationic quaternary ammonium antistatic softener is its interference with the cleaning properties of the detergent by reducing the soil removal effected by the detergent, resulting in decreased washing effectiveness. The presence of the anionic detergent material substantially negates the fabricsoftening properties of the cationic quaternary ammonium compounds.

Accordingly,the aforesaid quaternary agents have been combined with a variety of compounds designed to counteract the adverse detergency properties thereof, or the said quaternary softening agents have been replaced by other softening agents to improve cleaning efficacy.

Higher alkyl mono- and poly-glycosides useful as detergents, textile softeners, surfactants, gelling agents, food emulsifiersand lubricants; and processesfortheirpreparation have been disclosed in US PatentNos.

3,598,865; 3,707,535; 3,839,318; 3,772,269; and 3,219,656.

Higher alkyl polyglycosides have been used as nonionic surfactants in a variety of detergent compositions in conjunction with anionic surfactants as shown in US Patent Nos. 3,721,633 and 4,483,787; European Patent Nos. 0,070,074; 0,070,075; 0,070,076; 0,092,877.

The higher alkyl polyglycosides have also been used to improve the detergency of nonionic surfactants in laundry compositions, as shown in US Patent No.4,483,779, European Patent Nos. 0,075,994; 0,075,995 and 0,075,996.

The prior art also discloses detergent compositions containing an alkyl polyglycoside, a conventional nonionic surfactant and a cationicfabric-softening compound to provide both softening and detergency properties during laundering, as shown in US Patent No.4,493,773; European Patent Nos. 0,094,118 and 0,106,692. However, these patents expressly omit anionic surfactants as being detrimental to the composition.

European Patent No.0,015,556 discloses a liquid dishwashing detergent capable of promoting rapid and relatively complete drainage of rinse water in order to reduce spotting and filming on surfaces such as glass, ceramics and metal, comprising a major amount ofanionicsurfactantand minoramountsofhigheralkyl polyglycoside and nonionic surfactant.

US Patent No.4,488,981 discloses the use of 1-10% C2-C6 alkyl glycosides as a hydrotrope, i.e. to reduce viscosity and prevent phase separation, in detergent compositions containing nonionic and/or anionic and/orcationicsurfactants.

However, none of the cited prior art references discloses a liquid detergent (or softergent) composition for simultaneously cleaning and softening fabrics comprising three essential ingredients, an effective softening amount of an alkyl glycoside which also improves detergency properties and a surfactant system consisting essentially of a major amount of a nonionic surfactant and a lesseramountofan anionicsurfactant.

We have now discovered that the addition of an alkyl polyglycoside surfactantto a stable liquid detergent formula imparts fabric softening properties in the absence of any other known softening agent, and boosts detergency of a nonionic-anionic surfactant system.

Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a liquid detergent composition having fabric softening properties and cleaning efficacy even in the absence ofcationic quaternary ammonium softening compounds.

The invention also aims to provide a liquid detergent composition, that simultaneously cleanses and softens fabrics during the laundering process comprising an alkyl glycoside, a nonionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant as the three essential ingredients.

The invention further aims to provide a liquid detergent formulation having improved cleaning and softening properties, due to the presence of an alkyl glycoside in a detergent composition containing a mixture of nonionic and anionic surfactants.

According to the present invention, a liquid detergent composition for laundering fabrics comprises three essential ingredients, namely an effective fabric softening amount of an alkyl glycoside in the absence of a quaternary ammonium softening compound, a first amount of a nonionicsurfactantand a second amount of an anionic surfactant, the said second amount being a lesser amount than the said first amount, in an aqueous carrier, the composition preferably being free of orsubstantiallyfree of quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound.The invention also extends two a method of simultaneously cleansing and softening fabrics without reducing brightener and detergency performance which comprises treating fabrics with a composition in accordance with the present invention during the wash cycle of the laundering operation.

More specifically, the present invention relates two a stable liquid detergent composition free of quaternary ammonium softening compounds, comprising a fabric softening amount of a C1-C30 alkyl mono-or polyglycoside in an amountofat leastabout6% and upto about30% by weight, a major amount of a nonionic surfactantofabout 15-30%, and a iesseramount of an anionicsurfactantof about4-12% by weight, in an aqueous carrier.

The alkyl glycosidesfunction as fabric softening agents as well as boosting detergency in a nonionic-anionic surfactant system. It is believed that the alkyl glycosides coat the surface of the fabric and/or alterthefabric structure, thereby imparting softening benefits. It is believed that the alkyl glycosides may disrupt hydrogen-bonding and make it more substantive to fabrics than the quaternary ammonium softening compounds, thereby affording superior softening properties to fabrics in the absence of quaternary softening agents. The alkyl glycosides do not interfere with detergency and /or brighter deposition which is a common problem of softergents. Problems with regard to grease spotting and water proofing have not been observed to occur.

The alkyl glycosides, utilized in the compositions of the present invention may be defined as having one or more hydrophobic groups containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms per hydrophobic group, and a hydrophilic glycoside group containing 1 to about 10, and preferablyfrom about 1 to 3 saccharide radicals. The alkyl glycosides may be represented by the following formula: RO(R'O)xZn, wherein R represents a C1-C30 alkyl radical, (R'O) represents an ethoxy, propoxy or glyceryl group, X has a numerical value of 0-10 and preferably 0, Z is a reducing saccharide containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, and an has a numerical value of 1-10 and preferably 1.0 to 3.The hydrophobic alkyl group may be saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain, preferably saturated and linear, containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably 8 to 23, carbon atoms. Suitable alkyl polyglycosides include methyl, ethyl, propyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl,tridecyl,tetradecyi, hexadecyl, heptadecyl, octadecyl and mixtures thereof, and monog lycosides, diglycosides, trig lycosides.

The glycoside units may be glucose, gaiactose, mannose, lactose and/or fructose. Methods of preparing the aforesaid glycosides are disclosed in US Patent Nos. 3,598,865; 3,707,535; 3,839,318; 3,772,269; 3,219,656, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The addition of the alkyi glycoside to the detergent provides fabric softening properties as well as improving the cleaning efficacy thereof. The amount of glycoside shou Id be sufficient to soften fabrics in the absence of known softening agents such as the cationic quaternary ammonium softening agents, and constitutes at least about 6% up to 30% by weight ofthe composition.

In accordance with the present invention, the nonionic surfactantsfor use as the fabric detergent are commercially well known and include the primary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates and the alcohol ethylene oxide-propylene oxide consensates such as Plurafacs (Wyandotte), and mixtures thereof. The nonionicsynthetic organic detergents are generally the condensation product of an organic aliphatic or alkyl aromatic hydrophobic compound and hydrophilic ethylene oxide groups.Practically any hydrophobic compound having a carboxy, hydroxy, amido, or amino group with a free hydrogen attached to the nitrogen can be condensed with ethylene oxide orwith the polyhydration product thereof, polyethylene glycol, to form a nonionicdetergent Further, the length of the polyethenoxy chain can be adjusted to achieve the desired balance between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements.

The nonionic detergents include the polyethylene oxide condensate of one mole of alkyl phenol containing from about 6 to 12 carbon atoms in a straight- or branched-chain configuration with about 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, for example, nonyl phenol condensed with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, dodecyl phenol condensed with 15 moles of ethylene oxide. Condensation products ofthe corresponding alkyl thiophenols with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide are also suitable.

Also included in the nonionic detergent class arethe condensation products of a higher alcohol (e.g. an alkanol containing about8to 18 carbon atoms in a straightor branched-chain configuration) condensed with about 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide, for example, lauryl-myristyl alcohol condensed with about 16 moles of ethylene oxide.

A preferred group of nonionic surfactants are the Neodol ethoxylates (Shell Co.), which are higher aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates having about 5to 20 ethyleneoxy groups per mole of aliphatic alcohol containing about 10-18 carbon atoms, such as C12-Ca3 alkanol condensed with 6.5 moles ethylene oxide, C12-C15 alkanol condensed with 12 moles ethylene oxide, C14-C15 alkanol condensed with 13 moles ethylene oxide, and the like. Ethoxamers having a HLB (hydrophobic iipophilic balance) value of about 1-15 give good O/W (oil in water) emulsification,whereas ethoxamers with low HLB values (below8) contain less than 5 ethylenoxy groups, and are poor emulsifiers and poornonionic detergents. This nonionic surfactant is present in the detergent composition in accordance with the present invention in an amount greaterthan the anionic surfactant content, and preferably about 15-130% by weight. The nonionic surfactant, e.g. the nonionic alcohol ethoxylates defined above, constitutes the major detergent component in this composition.

The anionic surfactants utilized in the detergent compositions of the present invention are commercially well known and include alkylbenzene-sulphonicacid and its salts, e.g. compounds oftheformula alkyl-phenyl-SO3-M, wherein alkyl is an alkyl radical of C8to C22 and preferably Canto C18 and M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, which compounds comprise awell-known class of anionic detergents and include sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate, potassium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, sodium laurylbenzenesulphonate, and sodium cetylbenzene sulphonate.Others include paraffin sulphonates, alkyl sulphonates, alcohol ether sulphonates, olefin sulphonates and the alkylphenolethoxylate sulphates (e.g. sodium dinonylphenoxynonaethoxyethanol sulphate), and other equivalantwater-soluble salts, particularly of the alkali metal series.

Among the above-noted alkylbenzene-sulphonic acids and salts thereof, the preferred compounds include those which are biodegradable and which are particularly characterised by a linear alkyl substituent offrom Cioto C22 and preferably from C12 to C15. It is, of course, understood that the carbon chain length represents, in general, an average chain length since methods for producing such products usually employsalkylating reagents of mixed chain length. It is clear, however, that substantially pure olefins as well asalkylating compounds used in other techniques can and do give alkylated benzene sulphonates wherein the alkyl moiety is substantially (i.e. at least 99%) of one chain length, i.e.C12, C13, C14, or C15. The linear alkyl benzene sulphonates are further characterized by the position ofthe benzene ring in the linear alkyl chain with any of the position isomers (i.e. alpha to omega) being operable and contemplated.

In addition to the benzene sulphonates one may also employ the lower alkyl (C1 to C4) analogs of benzene such astoluene, xylene,the trimethyl benzenes, ethyl benzene, isopropyl benzene and the like. The sulphonates are generally employed in the water soluble salt forum which include as the cation, the alkali metals, ammonium and lower amine, and alkanolamine cations.

Examples of suitable linear alkyl benzene sulphonates include: sodium n-decyl benzene sulphonate sodium n-dodecyl benzene sulphonate sodium n-tetradecyl benzenesulphonate sodium n-pentadecyl benzenesulphonate sodium n-hexadecyl benzenesulphonate and the corresponding lower alkyl substituted homologues of benzene as well as the salts of the cations previously referred to. Mixtures ofthese sulphonates may, of course, also be used with mixtures which may include compounds wherein the linear alkyl chain is smalleror largerthan indicated herein provided thatthe average chain length in the mixture conforms to the specific requirements of C10 to C22.

The linear paraffin sulphonates are also a well-known group of compounds and include water-soluble salts (alkali metal, amine, alkanolamine, and ammonium) of: 1-decanesulphonicacid 1-dodecane suiphonicacid 1-tridecane sulphonicacid 1 -tetradecane sulphonic acid 1-pentadecanesulphonicacid 1-hexadecane sulphonic acid aswell asthe other position isomers of the sulphonic acid group.

In additon to the paraffin sulphonates illustrated above, others with the general range of C1O to C22 alkyls may be used, with the most preferable range being from C12 to C20.

The linear alkyl sulphates which are contemplated for use in compositions in accordance with the present invention comprise the range of C10 to C20. Specific examples include sodium n-decyl sulphate; sodium n-dodecyl sulphate; sodium n-hexadecyl sulphate, sodium n-heptadecyl sulphate; sodium n-octadecyl sulphate; and the ethoxylated (1 to 100 moles ethylene oxide) derivatives such as the ethoxylated alcohol sulphates, and, of course, the otherwater-soluble salt-forming cations mentioned above.

Included in the group of anionic detergents, which have been described above as suitable for use in the present invention, are the olefin sulphonates, including long chain alkene sulphonates, long chain hydroxyalkane sulphonates, as well as disulphonates. Examples of suitable olefin sulphonates, which are merely illustrative ofthe general class, are sodium dodecenyl-1 sulphonate, sodium tetradecenyl-1 sulphonate, sodium hexadecenyl-1 sulphonate, and sodium octadecencyl-1 sulphonate. The amount of anionic su rfactant utilized in the compositions of the present invention is considerably less than the nonionic (ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol) surfactant content by weight, and preferably lessthan 50% by weight ofthe nonionic surfactant content, and preferably constitutes about 4-12% by weight, ofthe composition.

The detergent compositions of the present invention may also include conventional laundering additives such as optical brighteners, germicides, soil suspending agents, antiredisposition agents, antioxidants, colouring materials (dyes and pigments), perfumes, water-soluble alcohols, foam boosters, hydrotropes such as sodium and potassium xylene sulphonates, sodium and potassium toluene sulphonates, cumene sulphonates, ethylene benzene sulphonate and the like, enzymes and enzyme stabilizers, and builders such as tripolyphosphate, bicarbonate etc., provided they do not interfere with the detergency and softening activity of the composition.

The invention may be put into practice in various ways and a numberof specific embodiments will be described to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying examples.

Example 1 Acomposition is made up having the ingredients and proportions given in Table 1 below.

Table 1 C12- 15:7 M ethoxylated alcohol 20.0% (Shell Neodol 25-7) Dodecyl benzene sulphonate 4.0 /O Methyl glycoside 6.0% Ethanol 4.0% Sodium xylene sulphonate 4.0% Triethanolamine 1.0 Perfume 0.4 Colour 0.5 Water Q.S.

The liquid detergent is prepared by mixing the above ingredients untii homogeneous to form a stable liquid composition.

Examples2A to2E A detergent composition having the ingredients and proportions given in Table 2 is made up.

Table2 21% Neodol 25-7 4% Sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate 6% Methyl glycoside 0.4% Brightener 8% Ethanol 5% Sodium xylene sulphonate 0.5% Colour Q.S. Water This formulation was tested in a5 cycle, 61bs. clean load softness test using Solo as the control having the greatest softness (10). The softness rating of this formulation, which is 7.2 (the average of these readings afterthe 1 sot, 3rd and 5th cycle) compares favourably to a control (Solo), as shown in Table 3. The softness rating is within a range of 1 (the harshest) to 10 (the softest). The absence of the glycoside in Products 1 and 2 (Examples 2B and 2C) containing a quaternary softening agent yields a composition having lower softening properties (5.9 and 5.8 respectively).Example 2B is 6% dodecylbenzene sulphonate (DBS) and 6% tallow trimethyl quat (quat). Example 2C is 5% DBS and 5%quatand 6%tallowamine 15 ethylene oxide (TAEO).The conjoint use of the quaternary softening agents and the glycoside yields improved softeness ratings of 6 and 6.8 (Products3 and 4) (Examples2D and 2E). Examples 2D is4% DBS and 4% quatand 3%TAEO and 2% methyl glycoside (MG). Example 2E is 4% DBS and 4% quat and 2% MG. However, superior softening properties are effected bythe sole use of the alkyl glycoside (Product 5) (Example 2A) over the conventional quaternary softening agents.

The following Table 3 summarisesthe brightening and static results of the 5-cycle softening/static/- brightenertests of 5 test products and 2 controls. Fluorescence of the cotton swatches is read as a measure of brightener effectiveness (Rb).

Table 3A Products: CONTROL Product 1.

DYNAMO SOLO LlQ.DET.6/6 Static Moderate Light Very Control to Heavy v. Light Light Brightening 1 stash 188.5 102.9 214.7 3rd wash 223.1 95.9 240.4 5th wash 209.7 90.5 222.4 Softness 1 10 5.9 SRI = 171.5 186.1 Table 38 Products: Product2. Pro duct 3.

Liq. Det 5/5/6E Soft. 4/4/3E/2MG Static control Lightviight very light Brightening 1stash 211.1 216.3 3rd wash 228.2 241.9 5th wash 228.9 237.4 Softness 5.8 6.0 SRI 190.2 186.6 Table Products: Product 4. Pro duct 5.

Soft. 4/42MG Soft. 4/0/6MG Ex. 2 Static control Light vlight Moderate heavy Brightening 1stwash 227.1 228.5 3rd wash 253.2 254.2 5th wash 251.4 257.0 Softness 6.8 7.2 SRI 193.4 184.1 The above results indicate that methyl glycoside imparts superior softening benefitsto fabric. The labtests also indicatethatthe glycoside imparts superior brightening benefits in liquid formulations. However, inthe absence of quat. (Example 2B), no static control is achieved.

The precise composition of Examples 2B to 2E is set out in Table 4 below.

Table4 Example 2B 2C 2D 2E Parts % Ingredients Neodol 21 21 21 21 'DBS' 6 5 4 4 quat2 6 5 4 4 TAEO3 - 6 3 MG4 - - 2 2 Brightener 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 Ethanol 8 8 8 8 SXS5 5 5 5 5 Colour 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Water QS QS QS QS Notes on Table4 1 Sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate 2 Taliowtrimethyl quaternary ammonium chloride 3 Tallow amine 15 ethylene oxide 4 Methyl glycoside 5 Sodium xylene sulphonate The detergents containing an effective fabric softening amount of an alkyl glycoside have been unexpectedly found to improve the detergency and the softening properties of the detergent composition, in the absence of conventional softening agents, such as quaternary ammonium compounds. This is clearly shown in Table 3 by Product 5 (Example 2A) containing 6% methyl glycoside.Likewise, Product 5 (Example 2A) exhibits a greater brightness after the 1st, 3rd and tth wash cycle, than Products 1,2,3 and 4 (Examples2B two 28).

Examples 3-8 Liquid detergents are made up having the ingredients and proportions given in Table 5 below.

Table5 Examples 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ingredients Neodol 25-7 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 21 Dodecyl benzene 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5 6 sulphonate Sodiumxylene 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 5 sulphonate C12-13 glycoside 22.6 Cg-11 glycoside 23.5 C12-13 triglycoside 26.1 Cg-11 triglycoside 21.1 Methyl glucoside 12.0 Tallowtrimethyl 6 ammonium sulphate Water Q.S. Q.S. Q.S. Q.S. Q.S. Q.S.

The above compositions were subjected to a three cycle 1.5 Ibs. ( kgs) clean fabric load test to ascertain the softening properties of the alkyl glycosides using a commercial product, Solo = 10 as control ranging fromthe softest (10) to the harshest (1). The results are given in Table 6 below. Example 8 is a comparison example and contains a quaternary ammonium softening agent in lieu of the alkyl glycoside.

TableG Softness ratings: Cycle 1 Cycle3 Example 3 6.8 4.4 Example4 5.2 3.8 Example 5 5.6 4.0 Example6 5.2 6.2 Example 7 3.6 3.0 Example8 (comparison) 3.6 6.4 Solo (Control) 9.8 10.0 These results illustrate the fabric softening properties exhibited by detergent compositions containing alkyl glycosides in a nonionic-anionic surfactant system wherein the nonionic surfactant is the primary detergent supplemented by minor amounts of anionic surfactant, in the absence of quaternary ammonium softening agents.

Amounts as low as 6% alkyl glycosides is effective in improving both the detergency and softening properties of a detergent composition used in the laundering of fabrics. In addition, the formulations in accordance with the present invention exhibit better cleaning and softening efficacy than other surfactant and/or softener combinations presently on the market, as shown by the comparative results in Table 3.

A3-cycle clean load softening test was conducted using glucose with a C12-C13 carbon chain attached to the anomeric carbon (AGP-23-1 ). The controls used were Solo = 10 and DAP = 1. Anotherformulation using a monotallow-trimethylammonium sulphate (M Quat 620) was included in the test. All softening agents were added to a 6% level. Five panelists evaluated the products.

1st Wash cycle Average Std. Dev.

APG 23-1 6.8 1.8 MQuat620 4.6 1.0 3rd Wash cycle APG 23-1 7.6 1.4 M Quat620 6.4 2.4 The unexpected superiority of the alkyl glycoside as a softening agent overthe prior artquaternarysoftener exhibited above, avoids the inherent problems associated with the use of the said quaternary compounds in detergent compositions. It is now possible to formulate a composition wherein neither detergency nor softening is compromised.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The "Abstract" given above is merelyforthe convenience oftechnical searchers and is not to be given any weight with respectto the scope ofthe invention.

Claims (17)

1. A liquid detergent composition for simultaneously cleaning and softening fabrics comprising three essential ingredients, an effective fabric softening amount of an alkyl glycoside in the absence of a quaternary ammonium softening compound, a firstamountofa nonionic surfactant and a second amount of an anionic surfactant, the said second amount being a lesser amount than the said first amount, in an aqueous carrier.

2. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 which is free or substantially free of quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound.

3. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the amount of alkyl glycoside is at leastabout 6% and up to about 30% by weight.

4. A composition as claimed in Claim 1,2 or 3 in which the alkyl g lycoside has one or more hydrophobic groups containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms per hydrophobic group, and a hydrophilic glycoside group containing 1 to 10 reducing saccharide radicals.

5. Acomposition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to4 in which the alkyl glycoside is a C1-C30alkyl monoglycoside or polyglycoside.

6. A composition as claimed in Claim 5 in which the alkyl glycoside is C12-C13 alkyl glycoside.

7. A composition as claimed in Claim 5, in which the glycoside is methyl glycoside.

8. A composition as claimed in Claim 5 in which the glycoside is C12-C13 alkyl triglycoside.

9. Acomposition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to8 in which the nonionicsurfactant is selected from the group consisting of primary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates, secondary aliphatic alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, alcohol ethylene oxidepropylene oxide condensates, and mixtures thereof.

10. Acomposition as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims in which the nonionicsurfactant constitutes about 15-30% by weight of the composition.

11. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 in which the nonionicsurfactantis a C12-C18aliphatic alcohol having 7 ethylene-oxy groups per mole of alcohol.

12. Acomposition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkylbenzene sulphonates, alcohol ether sulphates, olefin sulphonates, paraffin sulphonates, alkyl sulphates, and ethoxylated alcohol sulphates.

13. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the anionic surfactant content is less than 50% by weight of the nonionic surfactant content.

14. Acomposition as claimed in Claim 12 in which the anionic surfactant constitutes about4-12% by weight of the composition.

15. Acomposition as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims in which the anionic surfactant is sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate.

16. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as specifically described herein with reference to Examples 1, 2A, or3, 4,5,6 or7.

17. A method of simultaneously cleansing and softening fabrics without reducing brightener and detergency performance which comprises treating fabrics with a composition as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims in the wash cycle of the laundering operation.