Laundry detergent compositions having enhanced particulate soil removal and antiredeposition performance

Claim 1

A detergent composition, which contains from 0 to about 20% phosphate materials, consisting essentially of from about 5% to about 100% of a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of (a) a biodegradable nonionic surfactant having the formula R(OC 2 H 4 ) n OH wherein R is a primary or secondary alkyl chain of from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms and n is an average of from about 2 to about 12, having an HLB of from about 5 to about 17; (b) a cationic surfactant having the formula R m 1 R x 2 Y L Z wherein each R 1 is an organic group containing a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl group optionally substituted with up to three phenyl or hydroxy groups and optionally interrupted by up to four structures selected from the group consisting of ##STR43## and mixtures thereof, each R 1 containing from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms, and which may additionally contain up to about 12 ethylene oxide groups, m is a number from 1 to 3, each R 2 is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group with no more than one R 2 in a molecule being benzyl, x is a number from 0 to 11, the remainder of any carbon atom positions being filled by hydrogens, Y is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR44## ##STR45## wherein p is from 1 to 12, ##STR46## wherein p is from 1 to 12, ##STR47## and (9) mixtures thereof; L is 1 or 2, the Y groups being separated by a moiety selected from the group consisting of R 1 and R 2 analogs having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms and two free carbon single bonds, where L is 2; Z is an anion in a number to give electrical neutrality, and said cationic surfactant being at least water-dispersible in admixture with said nonionic surfactant; and (c) a fatty amide surfactant; said composition having a pH of at least about 6.5 in the aqueous laundry solution, the ratio of said nonionic to said cationic surfactant being in the range of from about 1:1 to about 100:1, and the ratio of the combined nonionic and cationic surfactants to said amide surfactant being in the range of from about 5:1 to about 50:1 and the balance being selected from the group consisting of: up to about 15% of an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of perborates, phosphates, polyphosphonates, carbonates, and sulfates; sources of alkalinity selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, monoethanolamine and sodium silicate; up to 15% of a suds suppressor selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty acids, silicone suds controlling agents, microcrystalline waxes, and alkyl phosphate esters; water; ethanol; sodium chloride; up to about 40% by weight of sodium toluene sulfonate by weight of the cationic surfactant; up to 10% by weight of sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate by weight of the cationic surfactant; and mixtures thereof.