GB785655A - Detergent compositions - Google Patents

Abstract

A detergent composition, particularly for use in washing machines where excessive foaming is not required, comprises a water-soluble nonionic detergent of the polyalkylene ether type and a higher aliphatic alcohol having 10-20, preferably 10-18, carbon atoms. The composition preferably contains also a higher alkyl aryl sulphonate, in which the aryl group may be either mono- or poly-nuclear and the alkyl group may contain 8-20 carbon atoms. The non-ionic detergents may be produced by condensing an alkylene oxide, suitably ethylene oxide, with an alkyl phenol, containing preferably at least 6, and usually 8-20 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, or with such organic acids as higher fatty acids, rosin acids, tall oil, or acids from the oxidation of petroleum, or with higher fatty acid amides, ethanolamides, or sulphonamides, or with higher aliphatic alcohols or mercaptans, or with propylene oxidepolymers and condensates. The higher aliphatic alcohol may be derived from naturally occurring wax esters, from animal oils, from reduced fatty acids or aldehydes, or from petroleum oxidized by means of the oxo process. The ratio of non-ionic detergent to higher alcohol should be from 100 : 1 to 1 : 1, preferably 25 : 1 to 4 : 1, by weight. A suitable composition is: polyethylene oxide condensate of an alkyl phenol or a higher aliphatic monohydric alcohol, 5-20 per cent; alkyl aryl sulphonate, 2-10 per cent; higher aliphatic alcohol, 0.5-5.0 per cent; molecularly dehydrate phosphate, 10-70 per cent; sodium carbonate 0-20 per cent; sodium silicate, 0-10 per cent; carboxymethyl cellulose, 0-2 per cent; fluorescent dye, 0-0.1 per cent. Other examples include a high proportion of sodium sulphate.