Soil release promoting liquid detergent composition containing a

Abstract

Soil release promoting liquid detergent compositions, suitable for washing laundry and depositing soil release promoting copolymer on such laundry, are disclosed, which include a narrow range ethoxylate nonionic detergent (NRE), a soil release promoting compound which is a copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate and polyoxyethylene terephthalate (PET-POET copolymer), and water. Other desirable components of such compositions include fluorescent brightener, anionic detergent, enzyme, enzyme stabilizer or stabilizer system, co-solvent, water and adjuvants. The liquid detergent is of a pH in the range of 7.3 to 8.1, of a viscosity in the range of 65 to 115 centipoises at 25.degree. C., and is stable on storage, so that the soil release promoting activity due to the presence of the PET-POET copolymer therein is usefully maintained during storage. Also, in soil release promoting activity, the invented liquid detergent composition is unexpectedly better in removing oily soils from the polyester fabrics during low temperature washing than is an identical composition, except for the replacement of the NRE with broad range ethoxylated nonionic detergent (BRE), under the same washing conditions. Such result is highly beneficial and unexpected, and is especially significant with respect to polyester, polyester/cotton blends and nylon fabrics, such as those of mechanics' clothing, that has been stained by dirty motor oil, and similar soils containing particulate carbon in a lipophilic base. Significantly, the improvements in soil release promotion by the invented liquid detergents, compared to controls, are greater for those that have been aged before use.