DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS

Abstract

Detergent compositions comprising a surfactant system which is 10 wt % to 70 wt % soap. Detergent compositions which are easily rinsed. Laundry methods using such compositions.

Claims

1. A detergent composition comprising a surfactant system which is 10 wt % to 70 wt % soap.

2. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the detergent composition is a liquid composition.

3. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant system accounts for 5 wt % to 20 wt % of the composition.

4. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the soap is greater than 50 wt % mono unsaturated fatty acid carboxylate salt.

5. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the soap is greater than 50 wt % oleate salt.

6. The detergent composition of claim 5, wherein the soap is greater than 95 wt % oleate salt.

7. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant system is 30 wt % to 50 wt % soap.

8. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant system comprises one or more surfactants selected from linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS), alcohol sulphate, alkyl ether sulphate (AES), and amine oxide (AO).

9. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant system comprises linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) and alcohol sulphate.

10. The detergent composition of claim 1, wherein the surfactant system comprises alkyl ether sulphate (AES) and amino oxide (AO).

11. A method of laundering articles, the method comprising: forming a wash liquor by diluting the composition of claim 1 in water; then agitating articles immersed in said wash liquor; then draining the wash liquor from said articles; then rinsing said articles in one or more rinse steps.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method comprises three or fewer rinse steps.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the method of laundering articles is not in an automatic washing machine.

14. The detergent composition of claim 5, wherein the oleate salt is potassium oleate.

15. The detergent composition of claim 6, wherein the oleate salt is potassium oleate.

16. The detergent composition of claim 9, wherein the surfactant system comprises linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LAS) and primary alcohol sulphate (PAS).

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the method comprises two rinse steps only.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0040] A composition according to the present invention comprises:

TABLE-US-00001 Potassium linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (K-LAS) 7.5 wt % Potassium oletate (K-oleate) 6.75 wt % Potassium primary alkyl sulfonates 0.75 wt %

[0041] The surfactant content of the composition is 15 wt %.

[0042] This was compared to a currently marketed laundry liquid detergent having the following active composition: Na-LAS, nonionic 7EO, sodium alkyl ether sulphate (2EO), sodium salt of hardened lauric acid.

[0043] A wash solution was prepared by adding the composition to water to yield a concentration of 5 grams per litre. The water contained calcium ions at a concentration of 0.8 mmolar and magnesium ions at a concentration of 0.04 mmolar.

[0044] A rinse solution was prepared in the same way but the compositions were added at a concentration of 0.25 grams per litre.

[0045] 20 ml of each solution was added to a 100 ml stoppered measuring cylinder. The cylinders were shaken by hand 10 times in a vertical plane. The volume of foam in the cylinder was recorded after standing for 10 seconds.

[0046] The composition of the invention gives similar foaming in the wash steps, but reduced foaming at lower concentrations (i.e. in rinse steps), meaning that the laundry may be more easily rinsed.