WO2017174358A1

WO2017174358A1 - Liquid detergent composition containing dye transfer inhibitors and optical brighteners

Info

Publication number: WO2017174358A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/056808
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sabine SCHÜMANN; Marouane ANTIR; Thorsten Bastigkeit; Simon PLUSZYNSKI; Elisabeth Baumgarten
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2016-04-06
Filing date: 2017-03-22
Publication date: 2017-10-12

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid detergent composition, in particular a heavy duty liquid detergent (HDL) that combines good color maintenance and good whitening effects and thus can be used as a universal laundry detergent for all fabrics, including colored fabrics. The detergent composition comprises an optical brightener, a dye transfer inhibitor, a chlorine scavenger and a surfactant system. The invention further relates to methods for washing of textiles using the detergents of the invention.

Description

..Liquid Detergent Composition containing dye transfer inhibitors and optical brighteners"

Liquid detergent compositions are well-known in the art and widely used. Over recent years, the have become more and more popular with the consumers because they offer a number of advantages over solid compositions, including, for example, the ease of dosing, dispensing and dissolving into a laundering liquor. In addition, they are perceived to be safer and less harsh to the textiles and environment compared to solid compositions. In particular for laundering colored fabrics they have gained popularity ever since their introduction on the market.

Colored fabrics are known to be sensitive and warrant special care during the normal wash cycle. On the one hand, they tend to release dye into the wash solution which can cause fading and, even more problematic, can transfer to other fabrics in the same wash solution or to other differently colored pats of the same fabric. As this dye release and transfer are highly undesired, detergents for colored fabrics typically contain components that inhibit dye transfer between fabrics during the wash. Widely known dye transfer inhibitors that can be used for this purpose include copolymers of N-vinylimidazole and N-vinylpyrrolidone as well as polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Optical brighteners, also called fluorescent whitening agents, are also often used in laundry detergents to provide appearance benefits as they compensate for the undesirable yellowish cast often found in white or light colored fabrics after the wash. However, when used for laundering colored fabrics, they can cause an undesirable color hue shift. Additionally, when used in conjunction with dye transfer inhibitors, they often form complexes, resulting in undesirably cloudy products. The known incompatibility between optical brighteners on the one hand and dye transfer inhibitors on the other hand is the main reason why there still exist separate products for laundering colored fabrics and white fabrics, respectively. International patent publication WO 2004/031335 reports liquid detergents for laundering colored fabrics that include dye transfer inhibitors and additionally chlorine scavengers but are substantially free of optical brighteners.

For the consumers it would be desirable to have a liquid detergent that overcomes the existing problems and can be used for colored as well as white/light colored fabrics without having the known stability and performance issues. Accordingly, there is still need to identify detergent compositions which are effective for laundering all types of fabrics wherein the color-care components do not negatively interact with one another.

It has now been surprisingly discovered that this known problem can be solved by a detergent composition that comprises an optical brightener in combination with a dye transfer inhibiting agent, a chlorine scavenger, and a surfactant system. In a first aspect, the present invention therefore relates to a liquid detergent composition comprising

(a) at least one optical brightener, preferably in an amount of at least 0.02 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition;

(b) at least one polymeric dye transfer inhibitor (DTI), preferably in an amount of at least 0.1 wt.- % relative to the total weight of the composition;

(c) at least one chlorine scavenger, preferably selected from the group of amines and mixtures thereof, preferably in an amount of 3 to 15 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition; and

(d) a surfactant system comprising at least one anionic and at least one nonionic surfactant, preferably in an amount of 25 to 60 wt.-%, more preferably 30 to 50 wt.-%, relative to the total weight of the composition.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to methods for cleaning textiles, wherein a washing liquor containing the liquid detergent composition of the present invention contacts the textile in at least one method step.

"At least one", as used herein, relates to one or more, i.e. 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more. If used in combination with a compound, the term does not relate to the absolute number of molecules but rather to the number of different types of said compound. "At least one alkyl ether sulfate" thus means that at least one type but that also 2 or more different alkyl ether sulfate types can be present.

"About", as used herein, in relation to a numerical value means said numerical value ±10%, preferably ±5%. About 10% thus means 10±1 %, preferably 10±0.5%.

If not indicated otherwise, all viscosities referred to herein are viscosities measured at 20°C by a Brookfield LVT, Spindle No. 2 at 20 rpm.

If not indicated otherwise, all percentages are by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.

"Free of" or "substantially free of", as used herein in relation to a specific type of component, means that the referenced composition does not contain more than 1 wt.-%, preferably no more than 0.5 wt.-%, more preferably no more than 0.1 wt.-% of said component relative to the total weight of the composition. Most preferably, said component is not purposively added (i.e. involuntarily added in form of impurities contained in other components) or not contained at all. The detergent compositions of the present invention can be used as detergents for textiles, carpets or natural fibers. In preferred embodiments, the detergents disclosed herein are heavy duty liquid (HDL) detergents.

The present invention is based on the inventors' surprising finding, that by use of a combination of an optical brightener, in particular of the diphenyl styrene type, a polymeric dye transfer inhibitor, a chlorine scavenger, such as monoethanolamine, a surfactant system, and optionally a non-aqueous solvent, in particular propylene glycol, in a certain amount liquid detergent compositions may be formed that have the desired viscosity and stability as well as washing performance, in particular with respect to anti-greying properties and color maintenance.

The compositions of the present invention comprise an optical brightener. The optical brighteners useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to the carbocycle class of optical brighteners, in particular the class of diphenyl styrene derivatives. In various embodiments, the optical brightener therefore includes a substituted diphenyl styrene derivative, preferably a sulfonated and/or chlorinated distyrylbiphenyl compound. Preferred are, inter alia, the alkaline metal salt of 4,4'- Bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 4,4'-Bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, or 4-(4-Chlorostyryl)-4'-(2- sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 2,2'-Bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 2,2'-Bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, and 2- (4-Chlorostyryl)-2'-(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, in particular 4,4'-Bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl. Suitable compounds are commercially available under the tradename Tinopal® CBS and CBS-X (BASF SE, Germany).

The optical brightener is contained in the compositions in amounts of at least 0.02 wt.-%, preferably >0.02 wt.-%, for example in an amount of 0.02 to 0.5 wt.-%, preferably 0.02 to 0.15 wt.-%, more preferably at about 0.05 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

The detergent composition further comprises at least one polymeric dye transfer inhibitor. Polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents are known in the art for reducing or preventing dye-transfer during the laundering process. Polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents useful herein include polyvinylpyrrolidone and copolymers thereof. Polyvinylpyrrolidone ("PVP") has an amphiphilic character with a highly polar amide group conferring hydrophilic and polar attracting properties, and also has apolar methylene and methane groups, in the backbone and/or the ring, conferring hydrophobic properties. The rings may also provide planar alignment with the aromatic rings, in the dye molecules. PVP is readily soluble in aqueous and organic solvent systems. PVP is commercially available in either powder or aqueous solutions in several viscosity grades. The detergent compositions of the present invention preferably utilize a copolymer of N- vinylpyrrolidone and N- vinylimidazole (also abbreviated herein as "PVPVI"). It has been found that copolymers of N- vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole can provide excellent dye transfer inhibiting performance when utilized in the compositions of this invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole polymers has an average molecular weight range from 5,000 to 1 ,000, 000, more preferably from 5,000 to 200,000. A highly preferred copolymer for use in detergent compositions according to the present invention has a number average molecular weight range from 5,000 to 50,000, more preferably from 8,000 to 30,000 and, most preferably from 10,000 to 20,000. The number average molecular weight range is determined by light scattering as described in Barth J. H. G. and Mays J. W. Chemical Analysis Vol 1 13. "Modern Methods of Polymer Characterization."

The copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole useful in the present invention can have a molar ratio of N-vinylimidazole to N-vinylpyrrolidone from 1 : 1 to 0.2: 1 , more preferably from 0.8: 1 to 0.3: 1 , most preferably from 0.6:1 to 0.4:1. It should be understood that the copolymer of N- vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole can be either linear or branched.

Copolymers of poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrollidone) and poly (N-vinyl-imidazole) are commercially available from a number of sources including BASF. A preferred DTI is commercially available under the tradename Sokalan® HP 56 K from BASF (BASF SE, Germany).

The compositions contain at least 0.1 wt.-% dye transfer inhibitor relative to the total weight of the composition. Preferably they contain 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, preferably 0.1 to 1 wt.-%, more preferably 0.01 to 0.5 wt.-%, most preferably at about 0.2 wt.-%, by weight of the composition.

Mixtures of more than one polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agent may be used.

In various embodiments, the weight ratio between the at least one optical brightener and the at least one dye transfer inhibitor is from 1 : 1.5 to 1 :2.5, preferably about 1 :2.

The detergent further comprises at least one chlorine scavenger. As used herein, the term "chlorine scavenger" refers to any compound or material that is capable of de-activating free chlorine (CI2 and/or hypochlorite) in solution or at the fabric/solution interface. De-activation can take place either by direct reduction of chlorine species by the chlorine scavenger, such as to chloride, or by combination of the chlorine scavenger with a chlorine species to yield a less oxidizing species for dyes or chlorine bleach-sensitive textile fibers than free chlorine. Such less oxidizing species include for example chlorine adducts, e. g., chloramines when the chlorine scavenger contains an amino nitrogen moiety. Chlorine scavengers useful herein typically contain either an atom, site or moiety that is readily halogenated, e. g., a trivalent nitrogen, or another non-nitrogen electron-rich site or moiety which is readily susceptible to attack by chlorine or hypochlorite.

Chlorine scavengers useful herein include non-polymeric types which tend to be the most rapidly reacting, and polymeric types, which can be preferred on account of lower tendency to be associated with odors. Also the chlorine scavenger can be nitrogen-containing or nitrogen-free.

For example, an especially preferred non-polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavenger is monoethanolamine. More generally a class of preferred non-polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers to which monoethanolamine belongs are non-polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers selected from hydroxyl-functional primary amines, hydroxyl-functional secondary amines and mixtures thereof wherein such hydroxyl-functional amines comprise from two to eight carbon atoms. These highly preferred chlorine scavenger compounds have the unusual combination of properties of simultaneously having chlorine scavenging properties, polar solvent properties, buffering properties, and the capacity to act as neutralizing agents for the acid form of anionic detersive surfactants or for fatty acids. Other chlorine scavengers in this class include diethanolamine, isopropanolamine, and mixtures of such lower alkanolamines with monoethanolamine or with each other.

Preferably for rapid reaction, the chlorine scavenger is a non-polymeric chlorine scavenger, or, when a polymeric chlorine scavenger is selected, it is selected on the basis of being relatively rapidly reacting with free chlorine as compared with other polymers.

Other non-limiting examples of non-polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers useful herein include: ammonia or ammonium salts such as ammonium nitrate, sulfate or carbonate, nonpolymeric amines, imines, amidines, acrylamides, and mixtures thereof. Suitable amines for example include 2-methyl pentamethylene diamine (MPMD), triethylene tetramine (TETA) and dimethylamidopropylene (bis-DMAPA), diethylene triamine (DETA). Yet other nonpolymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers include aminomethanephosphonic acid or its water soluble salts, such as those described in WO 2004/031335. Still other nonpolymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers include amino acids (whether natural or synthetic) or their water-soluble salts, aminocarboxylic acids or their water-soluble salts, sulfamic acid or its water-soluble salts, and mixtures of any of the foregoing compounds.

When such nitrogen-containing chlorine scavenger can be used as a neutralizer or counter-ion for an anionic species of the composition, such as an anionic surfactant, this provides another salt form in which the chlorine scavenger can be introduced into the composition. In such a situation, for formula accounting purposes, the amino-functional cation of the chlorine scavenger will be accounted as a chlorine scavenger component and the surfactant anion as a surfactant component of the composition. Other less preferred nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers include hydrazine or its derivatives.

It is preferred that the volatility of non-polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavenger compounds be relatively low, e.g., normal boiling points of about 50°C or higher, preferably 80°C or higher. Substitution of an aminofunctional (e.g., trivalent nitrogen containing nonpolymeric) chlorine scavenger with-OH moieties helps reduce odor and volatility as compared to the corresponding unsubstituted amine.

Non-limiting examples of polymeric nitrogen containing chlorine scavengers useful herein include any suitable nitrogen containing polymeric derivatives, such as polyamines, polyimines, polyamidines, polyacrylamides, proteins, polypeptides of natural or synthetic origin, such as hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, derivatives of chitin or chitosan, and mixtures thereof.

Polyamines are addition or condensation products from multivalent aliphatic amines and compounds with several groups capable of reacting, for example, epichlohydrin or alkylene dihalides. Therefore they contain several secondary, tertiary, or even quaternary nitrogen atoms; moreover they may further optionally comprise one or more hydroxyl groups in the molecule.

They are hydrophilic, polar compounds that behave as polyelectrolytes and are water soluble, inasmuch as they do not contain large hydrophobic groups in the molecule. The amines and polyamines exhibit basic reaction in aqueous solution. Suitable compounds, for example, are described in U.S. Patent 2,969,302 to Nalco Chemical, issued January 01 , 1961.

Polyimines, especially polyethyleneimines, may have desirable reactivity and physical attributes. Polyethyleneimines are obtained by acid-catalyzed polymerization of ethyleneimine and can be modified by urea and epichlorhydrin or dichloretheane. Polyimines and polyethyleneimines can contain primary, secondary, or tertiary amino groups as well as quarternary ammonium groups. Aqueous solutions of imines or polyimines show basic reaction.

Polyamidines and polyamineamides contain amino and amido groups in the molecule at the same time. They are made, for example, by condensation of multibasic acids, for example, dibasic, saturated, aliphatic C3 to C8 acids and polyamines as well as with compounds that contain several groups capable of reacting, such as for example epichlorhydrin. These compounds also demonstrate basic reaction in aqueous solution. Suitable compounds, for example, are described in U.S. Patent 2,926, 154 to Hercules Powder Company, issued February 23, 1960.

Polyacrylamides having amino groups and molecular weights up to several million are also suitable for use herein. By building in carboxyl groups, which are formed, for example, by partial hydrolysis, anionic polyacrylamides are obtained in addition to amido groups, while polyacrylamides containing amino groups exhibit basic reaction in aqueous solution.

Other non-amino-functional chlorine scavengers useful herein include anions of reducing materials such as sulfite, bisulfite, thiosulfite, thiosulfate, iodide, nitrite, etc and antioxidants such as carbamate, ascorbate, etc. and mixtures thereof. Additionally, conventional non-chlorine scavenging anions like sulfite, bisulfite, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, acetate, benzoate, citrate, formate, lactate, salicylate, etc. and mixtures thereof can be used with any water-soluble counter- ions. Yet other non-amino-functional chlorine scavengers include 2,2-oxydisuccinate, sodium perborate, inorganic peroxo-compounds, nitric acid and 4-hydroxy benzoic acid; alkyl benzoic acids and alkyl benzene sulfonic acids having a short chain alkyl substituent such that they are not appreciably active as surfactants, e.g., methyl.

Salts of phosphorous acid and sodium hypophosphite are also useful herein as chlorine scavengers. In addition, chlorine scavengers such as the hydroxysulfinate adducts of aliphatic, aromatic, or heterocyclic mono-or dialdehyde or ammonia adduct thereof, disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,786,434, to Gunter, et al. Issued Nov. 22,1988, may also be used herein.

The compositions contain from about 3 wt.-% to about 15 wt.-%, more preferably from about 5 wt.- % to about 10 wt.-%, more preferably from about 7 wt.-% to about 9 wt.-%, most preferably about 8.5 wt.-%, relative to the total weight of the composition, of the chlorine scavenger, preferably monoethanolamine. The level selected is preferably that which adequately eliminates (or nearly eliminates) ambient chlorine levels in the water supply for both the wash cycle and the rinse cycle of a typical washing machine. The actual amount of chlorine scavenger needed will vary based on the molecule selected, the extent of the wash water carryover to the rinse, product dosage, and level of residual chlorine in the rinse water.

Mixtures of more than one chlorine scavenger may be used. In order to suppress any malodor associated with the use of certain amino-functional chlorine scavengers, packages and perfumes as known in the art may be used in conjunction with compositions according to the present invention.

The detergent compositions of the invention further comprise a surfactant system, wherein said surfactant system comprises at least one anionic surfactant and at least one nonionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant may include an alkyi ether sulfate. Preferred alkyi ether sulfates are those of formula (I)

R -0-(AO)n-S0₃- X⁺ (I).

In formula (I) R represents a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted alkyi group, preferably a linear, unsubstituted alkyi group, more preferably a fatty alcohol moiety. Preferred R moieties are selected from the group consisting of decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, tridecyl, tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, heptadecyl, octadecyl, nonadecyl, eicosyl moieties and mixtures thereof, wherein those groups with an even number of carbon atoms are preferred. Particularly preferred R moieties are derived from C10-C18 fatty alcohols, such as those derived from coconut oil alcohols, tallow fatty alcohols, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or from Cio-C2o oxoalcohols.

AO represents an ethyleneoxide (EO) or propyleneoxide (PO) group, preferably an ethyleneoxide group. The index n represents an integer from 1 to 50, preferably from 1 to 20 and more preferably from 1 to 10. Particularly preferably, n is 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. X represents a monovalent cation or the n-th part of an n-valent cation, preferred are alkali metal cations, specifically Na⁺ and K⁺, most preferably Na⁺. Further cations X⁺ may be selected from NH₄ ⁺, ½ Zn²⁺,½ Mg²⁺,½ Ca²⁺,½ Mn²⁺, and combinations thereof.

In various preferred embodiments, the detergent compositions comprise an alkyi ether sulfate selected from fatty alcohol ether sulfates of formula (II)

wherein k = 9 to 19, and n = 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. Preferred are C10-16 fatty alcohol ether sulfates with 1-7, more preferably 1 -3 EO (k = 9-15, n = 1-7, 1-3), even more preferred the C12-14 fatty alcohol ether sulfates with 1-3, particularly 2 EO (k = 1 1-13, n = 1 -3 or 2), more particularly the sodium salts thereof. Particularly preferred is lauryl ether sulfate sodium salt with 2 EO. The level of ethoxylation is an average value and can, for a specific compound, be an integer or fractional number.

The alkyi ether sulfate is contained in the compositions of the invention in an amount of 3.0 to 15.0 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition, preferably 5.0 to 10.0 wt.-%, more preferably 5.0 to 7.0 wt.-%, most preferably 5.0 to 6.0 wt.-%.

In various embodiments, the surfactant system further comprises at least one additional anionic surfactant, preferably an alkyi benzene sulfonate.

Exemplary alkyi benzene sulfonates include, but are not limited to linear and branched alkyi benzene sulfonates, preferably linear alkyi benzene sulfonates. Exemplary compounds are those of formula (Hi)

wherein R^' and R^" are independently H or alkyl and combined comprise 9 to 19, preferably 9 to 15 and more preferably 9 to 13 carbon atoms. Particularly preferred are dodecyl and tridecyl benzene sulfonates, in particular the sodium salts thereof. Preferred contents range from 5 to 25.0 wt.-%, preferably 10.0 to 20.0 wt.-%, more preferably 12.0 to 17.0 wt.-%, most preferably about 15.5 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

In addition, the compositions of the invention comprise one or more nonionic surfactants. Preferred nonionic surfactants are those of formula (IV)

wherein R² represents a linear or branched substituted or unsubstituted alkyl moiety, AO represents an ethylene oxide (EO) or propylene oxide (PO) group and m is an integer from 1 to 50.

In formula (IV) R² preferably represents a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstited alkyl group, preferably a linear, unsubstituted alkyl group, particularly preferred a fatty alcohol group. Preferred groups are R² are selected from decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, tridecyl, tetradecyl, pentadecyl, hexadecyl, heptadecyl, octadecyl, nonadecyl, eicosyl groups and combinations thereof, wherein those groups with an even number of carbon atoms are preferred. Particularly preferred are R² groups derived from C12-C18 fatty alcohols, such as coconut oil alcohol, tallow oil alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or from C10-C20 oxoalcohols.

AO represents an ethyleneoxide (EO) or propyleneoxide (PO) group, preferably an ethyleneoxide group. The index m represents an integer from 1 to 50, preferably from 1 to 20 and more preferably from 1 to 10. Particularly preferably, m is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, most preferably 3-7.

In various preferred embodiments, the detergent compositions comprise an alkyl ether selected from fatty alcohol ethers of formula (V)

wherein k = 1 1 to 19, m = 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8. Preferred are C12-18 fatty alcohols with 1-8 EO (k = 1 1-17, m = 1-8 in formula (V)). More preferred are C12-18 alcohols having 3-7 EO, most preferred are C12-18 alkyl ethers with 3-7 EO, in particular C12-18 alkyl ethers with 7 EO.

Such nonionic alkyl ethers may be contained in the formulation in amounts of 10.0 to 25.0 wt.-%, preferably 12.0 to 22.0 wt.-%, more preferably 15.0 to 20.0 wt.-%, most preferably about 16 wt.-%. The detergents may further include other nonionic surfactants, such as alkyi glucosides of the general formula RO(G)x, where R is a primary linear or 2-methyl-branched aliphatic radical containing 8 to 22 and preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms and G stands for a glucose unit. The degree of oligomerization x, which indicates the distribution of monoglucosides and oligoglucosides, is a number of 1 to 10 and preferably a number of 1.2 to 1.4. However, in preferred embodiments, the compositions do not include such alkyi glucosides.

In various embodiments, the surfactant system comprises at least two anionic surfactants, namely the at least one alkyi ether sulfate and preferably at least one alkyi benzene sulfonate, and at least one alkyi ether.

The compositions may comprise, for example, 25.0 to 60.0, preferably 30.0 to 50.0 wt.-% of the surfactant system. Preferred are compositions that comprise more than 30 wt.-% surfactants. Said surfactant system may comprise or consist of anionic surfactants, preferably (1 ) 5.0 to 10.0 wt.-%, preferably 5.0 to 6.0 wt.-% C10-16 alkyi ether sulfates with 1 to 7 EO, preferably C12-14 fatty alcohol ether sulfates with 1-3 EO, more preferably lauryl ether sulfate with 2 EO, (2) 10.0 to 20.0, preferably 15.5 wt.-% of a linear alkyi benzene sulfonate, preferably dodecyl or tridecyl benzene sulfonate, and (3) 15.0 to 20.0 wt.-%, preferably 16.0 to 18.0 wt.-%, more preferably 16.0 wt.-% C12-18 alkyi ethers with 1-8 EO, preferably C12-18 alkyi ethers having 3-7 EO, most preferably C12-18 alkyi ethers with 7 EO. All afore-mentioned percentages relate to the total weight of the composition.

In various embodiments, the weight ratio between the at least one alkyi ether sulfate and the at least one alkyi benzene sulfonate is between 1 :2 and 1 :4, preferably between 1 :2.3 and 1 :3, more preferably at about 1 :2.7.

In various embodiments, the detergent composition further comprises a non-aqueous solvent. Said solvent may be selected from ethanol, 1 ,2-propanediol, glycerol, di-propyleneglycol, hexyleneglycol, PEG 400, preferably 1 ,2-propanediol, glycerol, and ethanol. Such solvent may be used in an amount of 2 to 20 wt.-%, more preferably 5 to 15 wt.-%, most preferably at about 10 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

It has been found that the compositions described herein are stable and not prone to a viscosity decrease over extended periods of storage. Accordingly, "stable" or "stability" in the sense of the present invention refers to the property of a detergent composition to substantially maintain its viscosity, i.e. a viscosity decrease of no more than 10%, over extended periods of storage, for example more than 60 days at temperatures of about 20°C. In addition, said term means that the composition remains homogeneous, i.e. without any visible phase separation over the same period. The detergent compositions of the invention may further comprise one or more enzymes. In various embodiments where the composition further comprises at least one enzyme, said at least one enzyme may be selected from the group consisting of proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases, mannanases, pectinases and combinations thereof. In such embodiments, the composition may comprise 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.5 to 3 wt.-%, enzymes relative to the total weight of the composition.

In various embodiments, the detergent composition comprises at least one cellulase, preferably in an amount of 0.01 to 0.3 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition; and/or at least one amylase, preferably in an amount of 0.2 to 1.0 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

The compositions of the invention may further comprise a builder system. The builder system may be a phosphate-free builder system. However, the composition may comprise phosphonates. Accordingly, the term "phosphate-free", as used herein does not refer to phosphonates.

If the compositions comprise phosphonates, the phosphonates are preferably hydroxyalkane and/or amino alkane phosphonates, such as 1-hydroxyethane-1 ,1 -diphosphonate (HEDP), ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate (EDTMP), diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonate (DTPMP), and lysine tetramethylene phosphonate (LTMP). If present, phosphonates are used in amounts of 0.1 to 10.0 wt.-%, preferably 0.5 to 8.0 Gew.-%, more preferably 0.1 to 1 .5 wt.-%. The total phosphorus content of the detergents is preferably less than 0.5% by weight.

Suitable builders include, without limitation, inorganic builders, such as silicates, aluminosilicates (particularly zeolite), and carbonates, as well as organic builders, such as organic di- and polycarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids and combinations thereof. Preferred in the liquid compositions of the invention are carbonates, di- and polycarboxylic acids and aminocarboxylic acids. Also suitable are alkali metal hydroxides, in particular sodium hydroxide, but these are, besides their use for pH control, not preferred.

Suitable carbonates include alkali metal carbonates, hydrogen carbonates and sesquicarbonates, with alkali metal carbonates, in particular sodium carbonate being preferred.

Suitable organic builders include polycarboxylic acids which can be used as free acids or in form of their salts, including, but not limited to, citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, malic acid, tartric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, and sugar acids. In addition to their builder properties, the free acids can also be used for pH control. Preferred are citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid and gluconic acid, and combinations thereof. Particularly preferred is citric acid. In addition or alternatively to the afore-mentioned builders, the compositions may also include aminocarboxylic acids or salts thereof, i.e. aminocarboxylates. In various embodiments, suitable aminocarboxylic acids/aminocarboxylates are selected from the group consisting of L-glutamic acid Ν,Ν-diacetic acid (GLDA), methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA), imino disuccinic acid (IDS), ethylenediamine Ν,Ν'-disuccinic acid (EDDS), diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), beta- alanine Ν,Ν-diacetic acid, hydroxyethylenediamine triacetic acid (HEDTA), and alkali metal salts thereof as well as combinations of any one of more of the afore-mentioned.

In various embodiments, the detergent compositions comprise a builder system comprising relative to the total weight of the composition 2.0 to 10.0 wt.-%, preferably 3.0 to 4.0 wt.-% citric acid or citrate, such as sodium citrate. Additionally, the builder system may comprise phosphonates in amounts of 0.1 to 1.5 wt.-%, in particular DTPMP or a sodium salt thereof.

Further organic builders include polymeric polycarboxylates, polyacetals, dextrins and others. In various embodiments, the builder system is comprised in the compositions in an amount of 3.0 to 15.0 wt.-%, preferably 4.0 to 10.0 wt.-%.

The detergent compositions of the invention can be aqueous liquid compositions and as such comprise significant quantities of water, typically 10.0 to 50.0 wt.-%, preferably 15.0 to 30.0 wt.-%.

The pH value of the detergents according to the invention is generally in the range of from 7 to 12, preferably in the range from 7 to 10.5. Relatively high pH values, for example above 9, may be adjusted by the use of small quantities of sodium hydroxide or alkaline salts, such as sodium carbonate. The liquid detergents are typically transparent, translucent, or opaque, are flowable, and may be poured under the sole effect of gravity without any need for other shear forces to be applied. Their viscosity is generally in the range of 100-1000 mPas (Brookfield viscosimeter, spindle 2, 20 rpm, 20° C), preferably in the range of between 150 and 400 mPas.

In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, however, the detergents may commonly contain at least one, preferably two or more other substances selected from the group consisting of pH adjusting agents, perfumes, dyes, colorants, antimicrobial active substances, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, and softening compounds.

Further possible ingredients include silicone oils, anti-redeposition agents, anti-greying agents, shrinkage preventers, wrinkle protection agents, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bittering agents, ironing adjuvants, proofing and impregnation agents, swelling and anti-slip agents, complexing agents and UV absorbers. Also included may be bleaching agents, bleach activators, and bleach catalysts, however, in various embodiments, the compositions are free of those.

For cold wash properties, it can be beneficial to additionally include soaps. However, in preferred embodiments, the detergent compositions are substantially free of soaps, i.e. comprises relative to the total composition less than 1 wt.-%, more preferably less than 0.5 wt.-% soaps, most preferably less than 0.1 wt.-% soaps.

Further ingredients that are commonly used include colorants, perfumes as well as pH adjusting agents. All of these ingredients are well-known in the art and readily available.

The present invention further relates to methods for cleaning textiles, wherein a washing liquor containing the liquid detergent composition of the present invention contacts the textile in at least one method step. The methods are preferably carried out in an automatic washing machine.

Methods for cleaning of textiles are generally characterized by the fact that in several different process steps various cleaning-active substances are applied to the textiles and after the contact time said cleaning-active substances are washed off, or that the textiles are treated in any other way with a detergent or a solution of said substance.

All embodiments described herein in relation to the compositions of the invention are similarly applicable to the methods of the invention and vice versa.

Table 1 : 50ml dose formulation

For the formulation, components 1-4 were mixed, stirred for 5 minutes and heated to 55°C, then components 5-7 were added and stirring continued for 5 minutes, then components 8 and 9 were added and the mixture stirred for additional 5 minutes. Then component 10 was added for saponification and the mixture stirred for 20 minutes and cooled down to 30°C. Then components 1 1-13 were added and stirring continued for 5-10 minutes. Finally, the enzymes 14-19 were added.

Example 2: Anti-grey Effect

The anti-greying effect of the inventive formulation shown in Table 1 was tested and compared to commercially available universal and color-sensitive liquid detergents (Persil Universal Gel, Persil Color Gel). For the tests, 25 wash cycles at 40°C with 5 SBL 2004 per cycle were carried out and the greying determined photometrically by determining the ΔΥ values (the closer the values are to zero the better). The results are shown in Table 2 (New universal = formulation according to Table 1 ).

Example 3: Color maintenance

Color maintenance was compared via GSc values (grey scale rating), with 5 being the best value and 1 being the worst value and differences of 0.5 being visible. The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

The detergent formulation shows a performance that is as good as that of a color detergent formulation (Persil Color Gel).

Table 4 shows an overall comparison of washing performance. Table 4

= better than Persil Universal Gel -= as good as Persil Universal Gel worse than Persil Universal Gel

Claims

1. Liquid detergent composition, comprising

2. The detergent composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical brightener is

(i) a substituted diphenyl styrene derivative, preferably an alkaline metal salt of 4,4'-Bis(2- sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 4,4'-Bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, or 4-(4-Chlorostyryl)-4'-(2- sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 2,2'-Bis(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, 2,2'-Bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)biphenyl, or 2-(4-Chlorostyryl)-2'-(2-sulfostyryl)biphenyl; and/or

(ii) contained in the composition in an amount of 0.02 to 0.5 wt.-%, preferably 0.02 to 0.15 wt.-%, more preferably at about 0.05 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

3. The detergent composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one polymeric dye transfer inhibitor is

(i) a copolymer of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrolidone) and poly(N-vinyl-imidazole); and/or

(ii) contained in the composition in an amount of 0.1 to 1 wt.-%, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 wt.-%, more preferably at about 0,2 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

4. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the weight ratio between the at least one optical brightener and the at least one dye transfer inhibitor is from 1 :1.5 to 1 :2.5, preferably about 1 :2.

5. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one chlorine scavenger

(i) comprises monoethanolamine; and/or

(ii) is contained in the composition in an amount of between 5 and 10 wt.-%, preferably about 8.5 wt.-%.

6. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the surfactant system comprises

(i) at least one alkyl ether sulfate, preferably a C10-16 alkyl ether sulfate with 2 to 7 EO, more preferably sodium lauryl ether sulfate with 2 EO; and/or

(ii) at least one alkyl benzene sulfonate, preferably a linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS), more preferably a C9-13 alkyl benzene sulfonate, most preferably a linear C12-13 alkyl benzene sulfonate; and/or

(iii) at least one nonionic alkyl ether surfactant, preferably a C12-18 alkyl ether with 1-10 EO, more preferably a C12-18 alkyl ether with 7 EO.

7. The detergent composition according to claim 6, wherein the surfactant system

(i) is contained in the composition in amounts of >30 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition; and/or

(ii) the weight ratio between the at least one alkyl ether sulfate and the at least one alkyl benzene sulfonate is between 1 :2 and 1 :4, preferably between 1 :2.3 and 1 :3, more preferably at about 1 :2.7.

8. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition further comprises a non-aqueous solvent, preferably selected from 1 ,2-propanediol and glycerol, preferably in an amount of 2 to 20 wt.-%, more preferably 5 to 15 wt.-%, most preferably at about 10 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

9. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition further comprises at least one enzyme, preferably selected from the group consisting of proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases, mannanases, pectinases and combinations thereof, and wherein the composition preferably comprises 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.5 to 3 wt.-%, enzymes relative to the total weight of the composition.

10. The detergent composition according to claim 9, wherein the composition comprises

(i) at least one cellulase, preferably in an amount of 0.01 to 0.3 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition; and/or

(ii) at least one amylase, preferably in an amount of 0.2 to 1.0 wt.-% relative to the total weight of the composition.

1 1. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the composition has a viscosity in the range of between 100 mPas and 1000 mPas, preferably 150 to 400 mPas.

12. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one, preferably two or more other substances selected from the group consisting of builders, pH adjusting agents, perfumes, dyes, colorants, antimicrobial active substances, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, and softening compounds.

13. The detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the composition is substantially free of soaps, preferably comprises relative to the total composition less than 1 wt.-%, more preferably less than 0.5 wt.-% soaps, most preferably less than 0.1 wt.-% soaps.

14. Method for cleaning textiles, wherein a washing liquor containing the detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13 contacts the textile in at least one method step.