Enzyme-containing automatic dishwashing detergent composition

Claim 1

A cleaning composition, particularly suitable for use in automatic dishwashers, consisting essentially of: (a) from about 0.5% to about 20% of an alkoxylated nonionic surface-active agent selected from the group consisting of: (i) the condensation product of one mole of a carboxylic acid having from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms with from about 5 to about 50 moles of ethylene oxide; (ii) the condensation product of an alcohol having from about 10 to about 24 carbon atoms with from about 5 to about 50 mols of ethylene oxide; (iii) polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight of from about 1400 to about 30,000; (iv) the condensation product of one mole of alkyl phenol wherein the alkyl chain contains from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms with from about 4 to about 50 moles of ethylene oxide; (v) the condensation product of benzyl chloride and an ethoxylated alkyl phenol wherein the alkyl group has from about 6 to about 12 carbon atoms and wherein from about 12 to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide have been condensed per mole of alkyl phenol; (vi) polyetheresters of the formula (ClC.sub.6 H.sub.4).sub.2 CHCO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2.CH.sub.2.O).sub.x R wherein x is from 4 to 20 and R is an alkyl group with from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; (vii) polyoxyalkylene compounds of the formula Y[(C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O).sub.n (C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.m H].sub.x wherein Y is an organic radical having from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms and containing x reactive hydrogen atoms and the values of n and m are such that the (C 2 H 4 O) content is from about 10% to about 90% by weight (viii) the alkoxylated nonionic surface-active agents having the formula (i) through (vii) in which the terminal hydroxyl of the alkoxy group is acylated with a monobasic acid; and (ix) mixtures thereof (b) from about 0.001% to about 5% of an enzyme mixture which consists essentially of: (i) a proteolytic enzyme having a proteolytic activity of 80% to 100% of maximum activity when measured at pH 12 using the Anson Hemoglobin method carried out in the presence of urea; and (ii) an amylolytic enzyme which exhibits an amylolytic activity of greater than 50% of maximum when measured at pH 8 by the SKB method at 37° C., wherein said enzymes are present in a ratio of from about 4:1 to about 1:4 by weight, and wherein said enzyme mixture is present in such an amount that the final cleaning composition has an amylolytic activity of at least 150 Kilo Novo units per kilogram and a proteolytic activity of at least 6.0 Anson units per kilogram; (c) from 0% to about 5% of a suds-regulating agent selected from the group consisting of: (i) a siloxane having the formula: ##STR2## wherein x is from about 20 to about 2,000 and R and R' are each alkyl or aryl groups selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and phenyl; (ii) A microcrystalline wax having a melting point in the range from about 35° C. to about 115° C. and a saponification value of less than 100; (iii) an alkyl phosphate ester component selected from the group consisting of stearyl acid phosphate and oleyl acid phosphate; (iv) a siloxane/glycol copolymer self-emulsifying suds suppressor; and (v) mixtures thereof; (d) from 0% to about 60% of a detergent builder selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium polyphosphates, carbonates, bicarbonates, alkali silicates, polyacetates, carboxylates, polycarboxylates, polyhydroxysulfonates and mixtures thereof; and (e) from 0% to about 20% water.