Concentrated stable, translucent or clear fabric softening compositions including chelants

Abstract

Clear or translucent fabric softening compositions having a biodegradable fabric softening active and an added chelating agent are disclosed. The biodegradable fabric softening active preferably has the formula:[(R)—N—[(CH)—Y—R]]X  (1)wherein each R substituent is hydrogen or a short chain C-C, preferably C-Calkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, benzyl, or mixtures thereof; each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, preferably 2; each Y is —O—(O)C—, —(R)N—(O)C—, —C(O)—N(R)—, or —C(O)—O—, preferably —O—(O)C—; the sum of carbons in each R, plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —(R)N—O)C—, is C-C, preferably C, more preferably C-C, but no more than one Ror YRsum being less than about 12 and then the other Ror YRsum is at least about 16, with each Rbeing a long chain C-C(or C-C), preferably C-C(or C-C), most preferably C-C(or C-C), straight, branched, unsaturated or polyunsatruated alkyl, the average Iodine Value of the parent fatty acid of the Rbeing from about 20 to about 140. The chelating agent is preferably diaminetriaminepentaacetic acid. The compositions display excellant clarity with a percentage haze in the transmission mode of a Hunter Color analysis of less than 90%, preferably less than 50%.