Lever Brothers Company

John B Tune

James F Davies

David E Clarke

Raymond J Wilde

Colin Smart

A detergent-containing water-insoluble closed bag is so constructed as to open and discharge its contents under mechanical action in a washing machine in use. The seams of the bag may be heat-sealed or cold pressure sealed such that at least one seam will burst open in use. The bag material may be porous with a pore size selected to minimize dusting of the detergent. The bag material may include a thermoplastic component to enable heat-sealing. The bag may contain conventional detergent compositions and/or other fabric treatment materials. These products give consumer benefits both by way of improved efficiency in the use of the detergent compositions and in greater convenience in use.

Detergents products

A fabric treatment product is in the form of a bag having at least two compartments containing particulate fabric treatment compositions. The bag has a first outer wall and an intermediate wall of water-insoluble but water-permeable material such as paper or nonwoven fabric, and a second outer wall of water-impermeable water-insoluble plastics sheet. In the washing machine the wash water first enters the compartment bounded by the first outer wall, which is water-permeable, and dissolves or disperses out its contents, for example, a detergent composition. The water subsequently penetrates the intermediate wall to enter the second compartment and dissolve or disperse out its contents, for example, a fabric conditioner.

Product for treating fabrics in a washing machine

Fabric, particularly soiled fabrics containing calcium carbonate crystal growth poisons, may be washed in hard water to which has been added a detergent active material and an alkali metal carbonate if a secondary detergency builder is added after a defined critical state of the system is reached. The secondary builder may be a precipitating, sequestering or ion exchange builder, and is added in such an amount which would be insufficient, in the absence of the carbonate, to reduce the free calcium ion concentration to less than 10.sup.-5 molar. The delayed addition can be achieved by separate dosing, coating the secondary builder, dosing the composition in the form of a two-compartment sachet or forming the secondary builder material in situ. The composition may include a material, such as calcite, to promote the occurrance of the critical state.

Fabric washing process and detergent composition for use therein

A fabric treatment product for use in washing machines consists of a bag formed of water-insoluble, water-impermeable synthetic plastics sheet material containing a fabric treatment composition comprising a liquid, the bag having a weak seal that will be opened by the mechanical action of a washing machine.

Fabric treatment products

Water-insoluble, water-permeable bag having a water-soluble or

Particulate detergent compositions comprising a detergent active compound, an alkali metal carbonate and finely divided calcium carbonate, are made by contacting the alkali metal carbonate in particulate form with a liquid or pasty detergent active compound or mixture thereof and admixing the calcium carbonate in powder form with the alkali metal carbonate particles so that the calcium carbonate adheres thereto.

Production of detergent compositions

A detergent product comprises a particulate detergent composition contained within a closed water-insoluble bag which has a water-sensitive seal, whereby the contents of the bag are discharged on contact of the bag with water. Use of such detergent products improves detergent dosage control and hence cost-effectiveness, and is particularly beneficial for detergent compositions of higher density than customary or which contain water-insoluble ingredients.

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Higher Bebington, United Kingdom

John B Tune