Wash cycle fabric conditioning composition, process for manufacture of

Abstract

A wash cycle fabric conditioning composition, which makes laundry washed in an automatic washing machine and dried in an automatic laundry dryer resistant to the accumulation of static charges thereon, and which may be in particulate, liquid, or other suitable form, comprises an antistatic N-higher alkyl neoalkanamide or an antistatic N-higher alkenyl neoalkanamide, or a mixture thereof, and a detergent builder, such as a water soluble builder salt or a zeolite, or a mixture thereof, as a carrier, or an aqueous medium containing a nonionic surface active agent. Specifically preferred neoalkanamides of the type described are N-higher alkyl neodecanamides, such as tallowalkyl neodecanamide. In some instances, bentonite may be included in the particulate compositions to soften the fabrics that are washed, and tertiary amines may be formulated into the liquid compositions to increase fabric softening action. Despite the fact that the conditioning composition is added to the was water in the wash cycle of the automatic washing machine, the neoalkanamide thereof does not react adversely with anionic detergents in the wash water, (unlike quaternary ammonium halide antistatic agents) so the cleaning power of the detergent in the wash water is not comprised, even when the detergent employed is an anionic detergent. Also within the invention are a process for manufacturing the particulate fabric conditioning composition and a method of using the compositions described.