GB943353A - Liquid detergent composition - Google Patents

Abstract

An aqueous detergent composition comprises, by weight, (a) 2-20%, preferably at least 5%, of an amine oxide of formula R1R2R3N-->O where R1 is a C10-16-alkyl, radical and R2 and R3 are methyl or ethyl, and (b) 10-45%, preferably not more than 32% of a water-soluble aminopolycarboxylate. Favoured amine oxides (a) are those in which at least 50% of radicals R1 contain 12 carbon atoms and in which R2 and R3 are both methyl. Suitable aminopolycarboxylates (b) are sodium, potassium, and mono-, di-, or tri-ethanolammonium ethylendiaminetetracetates, N - (2 - hydroxyethyl) - ethylenediaminetriacetates, nitrilotriacetates, and N - (2 - hydroxyethyl) - nitrilodiacetates. Generally the total amount of (a) and (b) is less than 55% of the composition, and less than 32% if silicate is present. The composition may also include up to 12%, preferferably not more than 5%, of sodium or potassium benzene, toluene or xylene sulphonate as hydrotrope, and as a corrosion inhibitor 3-6% of a water-soluble sodium or potassium silicate in which the ratio SiO2 : M2O is 1-2.8 and preferably 1.6, or 1-6% of either an alkyl ethylene glycol phosphate of formula R(OC2H4)+OPO3MN where R is a C14-22-alkyl radical, X is 1-7, and M and N are each hydrogen, sodium, potassium, or mono-, di-, or tri-ethanolammonium, or a C14-18-alkyl glyceryl ether phosphate containing a similar cation and having at least one phosphorus atom for alkylglyceryl ether unit. Up to 6% of a supplementary anionic detergent e.g. sodium, potassium, mono-, di-, or triethanol-ammonium alkylbenzene sulphonate, alkyl sulphate, alkyl glyceryl ether sulphonate, alkyl polyglycol ether sulphate, or nonylphenol polyglycol ether sulphate; up to 2% sodium carboxymethylcellulose; up to 2% benzotriazole or ethylene thiourea; up to 2% sodium or potassium hydroxide (to adjust pH in absence of silicate); less than 1% of fluorescers, perfume, and colour; and ethanol may also be incorporated. Generally the composition contains 40-80% water, but usually 60-80% water if silicate is present. Specifications 814,858 and 846,499 are referred to.