Built nonionic detergent composition containing stabilized polyethylene

Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate-polyoxyethylene terephthalate soil release promoting polymers, which have been found to be subject to losses of soil release promoting properties on storage in contact with alkaline materials, such as builder salts for synthetic organic detergents, are stabilized by melting them together with a water soluble polyacrylate and subsequently converting the melt to solid particles which contain the PET-POET polymer and polyacrylate in intimate contact. The stabilized PET-POET polymer may then be added to a synthetic organic detergent composition, very preferably one based on nonionic detergent, the builder(s) for which may be polyphosphate, non-phosphate or a mixture. After normal or elevated temperature aging the detergent compositions resulting are superior in soil releasing action to control compositions containing unstabilized PET-POET polymer, and are superior to control detergent compositions in which the PET-POET polymer is incorporated in a crutcher mix (for spray drying) or is sprayed onto the surfaces of detergent composition particles.