Waterless self-emulsifiable chemical softening composition useful in

Abstract

Substantially waterless self-emulsifiable chemical softening compositions are provided comprising a mixture of a quaternary ammonium compound and a polyhydroxy compound. Preferred quaternary ammonium compounds include dialkyl dimethyl ammonium salts such as di(hydrogenated)tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, di(hydrogenated)tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate. Preferred polyhydroxy compounds are selected from the group consisting of glycerol, polyglycerols having a weight average molecular weight of from about 150 to about 800 and polyoxyethylene glycols and polyoxypropylene glycols having a weight average molecular weight from about 200 to 4000. The substantially waterless self-emulsifiable chemical softening compositions are prepared by mixing the quaternary ammonium compound with the polyhydroxy compound at a specific temperature range wherein the polyhydroxy compound is miscible with the quaternary ammonium compound. The resulting stable solid or concentrated fluid mixture can then be economically shipped to the consumer or ultimate user. The ultimate users of the chemical softening composition simply dilute the mixture with a liquid carder (e.g., water) to form an aqueous dispersion suitable for treating fibrous cellulosic materials. The substantially waterless self-emulsifiable chemical softening compositions disclosed herein are primarily intended for softening disposable paper products such as tissues and towels.