CA1278235C

CA1278235C - Automatic dishwasher detergent composition

Info

Publication number: CA1278235C
Application number: CA000497739A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Frederick A. Hartman; David M. Piatt
Original assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Current assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date: 1984-12-17
Filing date: 1985-12-16
Publication date: 1990-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2007-12-27
Also published as: EP0186234A3; EP0186234A2

Abstract

AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER DETERGENT COMPOSITION
Abstract of the Disclosure Detergent compositions suitable for use in automatic dishwashing machines are disclosed. The compositions contain detergency builder materials, a chlorine bleach component, a low-foaming nonionic surfactant compatible with the bleach, op-tionally an alkyl phosphate ester and a source of bromide ions.

Description

~L~; 7~3~3~i AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER DETERGENT COMPOSITION
Frederick A. Hartman David M. Piatt BACKGROUND C)F THE lNVENTION_ Field of the Invention This invention relates to detergent compositions which are particularly suitable for use in automatic dishwashers. Such compositions are normally alkaline and contain deterg~ncy builder materials, relatively low levels of low sudsing surfactants and a source of available chlorine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is based on modifications in conventional, automatic dishwasher detergent compositions that provide surpris-ingly effective cleaning and lessening of spotting and filming whila requiring little or no pretreatment. While not limited thereto, granular compositions are especiaily preferred. In particular, the invention relates to automatic dishwasher detergent compositions containing a chlorine bleach ingredient, a surfactant compatible with said bleach ingredient and a sourse of bromide ions which comprise:
( 1 ) from about 20% to about 9S~, pre~erabiy from about 40 to about 90~, by weight of a detergency builder materi-al, or mixtures thereof, on an anhydrous basis;

(2) a chlorine bleach ingredient to provide from about 0.1~
to about 5%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 3%, of available chlorine based on the weight of the detergsnt composition;

(3) from about 0.1~ to about 15%, preferably from about 1.5% to about 8% most preferably from about 2% to about 6~, of a low foaming, nonibnic surfactant, preferably a surfactant which is solid at 35C (95F~, preferably one comprising an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant derived from the reaction of a monohydroxy alcohol or alkyl-phenol in which the alkyl group contains from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, excluding cyclic carbon atoms, with from about 6 to about 15 mole~ of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol or alkylphenol on an average basis;

~.

1;~'7~3~35 1~ from about 0~ t~> about 50%, preferably from about 2% to about 20~, based on the weight of the nonionic sur-~actant, of alkyl phosphate ester or mixtures thereof, preferably mono C18 alkyl phosphate e~ters and/or di C~2 alkyl phosphate esters an~
(~) a material capable of generatin~ from alwut 0. t mole to about t 0 moles of bromide ions, preferably from about . 3 to aibout 3 moles per mole of available clllorine in aqueous solution.
lD DETAILED DESCRIP~JON OF THE INVENTION
Detergency Builder Material Compositions of the invention contain from about 20~ to about 95~, preferably from about 40% to about 90~, by weight of deter~
gency builder component, or mixtures thereof, on an anhydrous 1 5 basis.
The detergency builder material can be any of the detergent bui~der materials known in the art which include trisodium phos-phate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium trlpolyphosphate~
sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium silicates having SiO2:Na2O
weight ratios of from about 1:1 to about 3.6:t, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium citrate, bora~, sodium ethylenediamine-tetraacetate~ sod'um nitrilotriacetate, sodium c3rboxymethyloxy-succinats, soc~ium carboxymethyloxymalonate, polyphosphonates, polymeric carboxy'ates such as polyacrylates, and mixtures there-of. Preferably, monomeric or~anic detergency builder materials comprise not more than about 10~6 of the composition by weight.
Preferred detergency builder materials have the ability to remove metal ions other than alkali metal ions from washing so-Iutions by sequestration, which as defined herein includes chelation, or by precip~tation reactions. Sodium tripolyphosphate is a particularly preferred detergency builder material which is a sequestering agent. Sodium carbonate is a preferred precipitation detergency builder, particularly when it is desirable to reduce the total phosphorus level o~ the compositions of the invention.
Chlorinatedl trisodium orthophosphate can act as both a chlorine bleach and a precipitation det~rgency builder material.

1~78;~35 The inclusion of water-soluble silicates, esp~cially soclTum silicates having SiO2: Na2O weight ratios of from about 1:1 to about 3.6:t is a particularly preferred embodiment of the in-vention. Such silicates are a source of alkalinity useful in the 5 automatic dishwashing process and also act to inhibit the corro-sion of aluminum, glassware and ceramic glazes.
Particularly preferred compositions of the invention contain from about 15~ to about 50% sodium tripolyphosphate, from about 5% to about 409~ of sodium ~ilicate solids as described hereinbefore lO and from 0% to about 25~ sodium carbonate by weight.
Chlorine Bleach Component The compositions of the invention can contain a chlorine bleach ingredient to provide from about 00196 to about 596, pref-erably from about 0.5% to about 396, of available chlorine based on 15 the weight of the detergent composition.
An inorganic chlorine bleach ingredient such as chlorinatecl trisodium phosphate can be utilized, but organic chlorine bleaches such as the chlorocyanurates are preferred. Water-soluble di-chlorocyanurates such as sodium or potassium dichloroisocyanurate 20 dihydrate are particularly preferred.
Methods of determining "available chlorine" of compositions incorporating chlorine bleach materials such as hypochlorites and chlorocyanurates are well known in the art. Available chlorine is the chlorine which can be liberated by acidification of a solution 25 of hypochlorite ions (or a material that can form hypochlorite ions in solution) and at least a molar equivalent amount of chloride ions. A conventional analytical method of determining available chlorine is addition of an excess of an iodide salt and titration of the liberated free iodine with a reducing agent.
30 The Nonionic Surfactant The compositions of the invention contain from about 0.196 to about 15%, preferably frorn about 1. 5% to about 8~, most pref-erably trom about 2% to about 6%, of a low-foaming nonionis surfactant, preferably one which is solid at 35C (95F), more 35 preferably one which is solid at 25~C (77~F). Reduced surfactant mobiiity is a consideration in stability of the bleaell component.
Preferred surfactan~ cornpositlons with relativcly low solubility can be incorporated in composltions containing alkali metal dichlorocy3nurates or other organic chlorine bleaches without an 5 interaction that results in lO!iS of availabie chlorine. The nature of this problem ls dissloses~ In U.~i. Patent 4,309,29g issued January 5, 1982 to Rapisarda et al and in 13.5. Patent 3,359,207, issued December 19, 1967, to Kaneko et al, ln a preferred embodiment the surfactant ls an ethoxylated surfactant derived from the reaction nf a monohy~roxy alcohol or alkylphenol containing from about 8 to a~ut 20 carbon atDms, excluding cy~lic carbon atoms, with lFrom about 6 to about 15 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol or ~ikylphenol on an 15 average basis .
A particularly preferred ethoxylated nonionic surfactant is derived from a straight chain fatty alcohol containing from about 16 to about 20 carbon atoms (C16 2~ alcohol~ referably a C18 alcohol, condensed with an average of from about 6 to about 15 ~o moles, preferably from about 7 to about t~ moles, and most preferably from about a to about 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Preferably the ethoxylated nonionic sur~artant 50 derived has a narrow ethoxylate distribution relative to the average .
The ethoxylated nonionic surfactant can optionally contain propylene oscide in an amou~t up to about t 5% by weight of the surfactant and retain the advantiages hereina~er described.
Preferred surfactants of the invention can be prepared by the processes described in U.S. Patent 4,223,163, issued September 30 16, 1980, Guilloty9 The most preferred composition contains the ethoxylated monohydroxyalcohol or alkyl ph~nol and a~ditionaily comprises a polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene block polyrneric compound; the ethoxyl;ated monohydroxy alcohol or alkyl phenol nonionic sur-35 factant comprising from about 209~ to about 80%, prefera~Y from about 30% to about 70~, of the tot~ surfactan~ composition by weight .

.

~.X7~ 35 Suitable block polyoxylethylene-polyoxypropylene polymeric compounds that mee~ the requiremen~s described hereinbe~ore include those based on ~thylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylolpropane and ethylenediamine as the initiator 5 reactive hydrogen compound. Polymeric compounds made from a sequential ~thoxylation and propoxylation of initiator compounds with a single reactive hydrogen atom, such as C12 18 ali,c)hatic alcohols, do not provide satisfactory suds control in the detergent compositions of the invention. Certain of the block polymer lû surf3ctant compounds designated Pluronic~ R and Tetronic~ by the BASF-Wyandotte Corp., Wyandotte, Michigan, ~re suitable in the surfactant compositions of the invention.
Because of the relativeiy high polyoxypropylene content of the block polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene polymeric compounds 15 of the invention and particuiarly because of the terminal position of the polyoxypropylene chains, the compounds suitable for use in the surfactant compositions of the invention have relatively low cloud points. Cloud points of 1% solutions in water are typically beiow about 32C and preferably from about 1 5C to about 30C
20 for optimum control of sudsing throughout a full range of water temperatures and water hardnesses.
The preferred s-;rfactants of the invention in combination with the other components of the composition provide excellent cleaning and outstanding performance from the standpoints of ~5 residual spotting and filming. In these respects, the preferred surfactants of the invention provide generally superior performance relative to ethoxylated nonionic surfactants with hydrophobic groups other than monohydroxy alcohols and alkyl~
phenols, for example, polypropylene oxide or polypropylene oxide 30 in combination with diols, triols and other polyglycols or diamines.
Allcyl Phosphate_ Ester The cornpositions of the invention can optionally contain up to about 50%, preferably from about 296 to about 20%, based on the 3L;~'71~ 3~

welght of ethoxylated nc~nlonlc surfactant of alkyl phosphate ester or mixtures thereof.
Suitable alkyl phosphate esters are dlsc~osed in U. S. Patent 3,314,B91, issued Aprii 18, 1967, ~o Schmolka et al, The preferre~ alkyl phosphate esters contain from 16-20 carbon atoms. Highly pre~rred alkyl phosphate esters are monostearyl acid phosphate and monooleyl acid phosphate, or salts thereof, particularly alkali me~tal salts, or mlxtures thereof.
The alkyl phosphate esters of the invention have been used to reduce the sudsing of detergent compositions suitable for use in automatic dishwashing machines. The esters are particularly effectTve ~or reducing the sudsing of compositTons comprising nonionic surfactants which are heteric ethoxylated-plopoxylated or 15 b~ock polymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.
Bromide Cor~t3in n~ Material The compositions of the invention contain a water-soluble or water-solubilizable material capabl~ of releasing from about 0.1 mole to about 10 moles, preferably from about 0.3 mole to about 3 20 moles, of bromide ions in aqueous solution per mole of available chlorine .
Useful water-soluble bromide containing materials Include alkali metal bromides, alkaline earth metal bromides, organic salts such as bromoacetamide, or bromamine; and inorganic salts such 25 as CuBr or ZnBr2. The alkali metal bromides and alkaline earth metal bromides are preferred; sodium bromide, calcium bromide, and mixtures thereof are especially preferred.
As demonstrated hereinafter, the addition of a source of bromide ions results in an unexpected benefit in the starch 30 removal performance of the compositions of the invention. Such significant improvement in starch removal decreases the amount of pretreatment necessary for effective cleaning.
An additional benefit provided by compositions of the in-vention is improved spotting and filming per~ormance.

7~3~

The prior art has nDt disc~o~d ~ ~tarch removal benef'lt shown by the addition of b~amide in ~n automatic dishwashlng context.
Optional Ingredients China protecting agents includiny soluble zinc and aluminum salts , aluminosilicates , alulminates , etc., can be present in amounts of fr~m about 0.1~, to about 5~, preferably from about 0.5% to about 2~.
Filler materials can ;31so be present including sucrose, sucrose esters, sodium chlor ide, sodium suJfate,, ~tc., in amounts from about 0.001% to about 60%, preferabiy f~m about 5~ to about 30~.
Hydrotrope materials such a~ sodium benzene sulfonate, sodiurn toluene sulfonate, sodium cumene sulfonat~, etc., can be present in minor amounts.
I:~yes, perfumes, crystal modifiers and the lik~ can also be addeci in minor amounts.
The compositions of the invention are not restricted as to manner of preparation. The preferred compositions can be prepared in any manner, includ~ng dry mixing, that results in ~ormation of a granular product ~orm. The process described in U.5. Patent 2,895,916 issued July 21, 1959, to Milenkevich et al, and variations thereof, are particularly suitable. Also particularly suitable is the process described in U . S. Patent 4,427,41~, issued January 24, ~g84 to Porasik.

As used herein, all percentages, parts and ratios are by - weight unless otherwise stated.
The following Examples iliustrate the invention and facilitat~
3û its understanding.
EXAMPLE I
A. 33.1 Parts by weight of powdered anhydrous sodium tripoly phosphate and 8. 0 parts by weight of hydrous sodium silicate (8296 solids, SiO;!:Na20 weight ratio o~ 2.4) were added eo a ribbon mixer. With the mixer in operation the ~ollowing ingredi-ents wsre added during a cycle time of 180 seconds.
(a) from 0 seconds to 165 seconds , ~ ~

: r~r ~

~8~3~

A blend of 13. 8 parts of an aqueous sodium sillcate so-lution containing 47.3~ silicate solids with a SiO2:Na20 weight ratio of 2.0 and 4.7 parts of an aqueous sodium silicate solution containlng 37.5~ silicate solids with a SiO2: Na20 weight ratio of 3. 2 was added as a spray.
This blend also contained minor am~unts of perfume and dye.
~b) at 60 seconds 19.4 Parts of sodium sulfate and 10.0 parts of sodium lû carbonate were added dry.
(c) from 60 seconds to 165 seconds 4.0 Parts of a polyoxyalkylene nonionic surfactant (con-densation product of Cl 8 alcohol with average of 8. 25 moles ethylene oxide~ and 002 parts of monostearyl acid phosphate were added as a spray.
(d ) at 145 seconds 5.0 Parts of sodium chloride having a particle size such that at least 80~6 passed through a 100 Tyler mesh screen were added dry.
(e) after 180 seconds Produet was discharged from mixer.
~f~ 2.5 Parts of sodium dichlorocyanurate dihydrate was added an~ mixed in after product discharged from the mixer at step e) was dried to a water content of about 10 per cent and aged for about 24 hours.
B. The process of A is repeated with the addition of 2.5 parts NaBr admixed dry after step (f).
Water lost during processing accounts for any excess over 100 parts in the Compositions A and B, EXAMPLE l l A, 33 . 2 Parts sodium tripolyphosphate is metered in~o a Schugi blender-agglomerator and wetted with a metered atomized feed of 10 parts water, 4. 2 parts of a mix consisting of 2 parts polyoxyalkylene nonionic surfactant (condensation product of C18 alcohol with average of 7. 9 moles ethylene oxide), 2 parts ~L2'~8~3~
g polyether polyol nonionic surfactant, and 0. 2 parts monostearyl acid phosphate, forming small particle size agglornerates which are discharged into a closed container and contlnuously stirred for 15 minutes residence to effect hydration of the hydratable 5 salts. The hydrated agglomerates are discharged through a grinder and then fed to a second Schugi blender-agglomerator concurrently wit3- 20 parts ol sodium carbonate, 17,2 parts sodium sulfate and 22 . 46 parts of an aqueous sodium sTlTcate solution containing 47.3% s~lids and a SiO2:Na20 weight ratio of 2.4 added 10 as an atomi~ed spray. Minor amounts of perfume and dye are also added to the silicate solution. The agglomerates of perfume and dye are also added to the silicate soiution. The agglomerates formed in the second blender-agglomerator are ~ed into a fluid-bed dryer and 2.5 parts sodium dichloroisocyanurate 15 dihydrate is added. The agglomerates are then contacted wi~h heated ai r from blowers and held for 10 minutes residence to accomplish drying. The dried agglomerates are discharged from the fluid bed and sized.
B. The process of A is repeated with the addition of 2 . 5 parts 0 NaBr admixed with the sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate.

The following granular detergent compositions were prepared by the process of Example 11.
Composition ~%) Control A B C
Nonionic surfactant 1 Na salts) 4 4 4 4 Sodium tripolyphosphate 33 33 33 33 Sodium carbonate 20 20 20 20 Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate (1.4~ avail-able chlorine) 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Sodium sulfate 16 16 16 16 Sodium silicate (2.11r) 10 10 10 10 Monostearyl acid phospha~e 0 . 2 0 . 20. 2 0 . 2 Sodium bromide 0 1.25 2.5 5 Minors and water ----------Remainder------------~.~7~3~3S

Standard Testin~ Conditions The compositions were evaluated at a eoncentratlon ~f 0.3% in a Tergotome~er with city water lCinclnnati - 6.5 gra3ns hardness/gallon) at a temperature of 120F t48.9C). The s0il5 5 were baked onto stainless steel coupons except ~or the spaghetti starch which was baked onto a Pyrex coupon. The coupons were agitated at 65 rpm for 10 minutes and soil remoYal efficiency was then measured gravimetrically.
Cheese Spaghetti Cake Sauce Starrh Mix Control 79 . 2% 49 . 3~ 60. 0%
A 85.9 58.4 61.6 B 90.9 62.7 70.2 C 89.3 71 7 67.1 As can be seen the compositions of the invention consistent-ly out perforrned the control on all soils.
EXAMPLE IV
The compositions of Example l l l were evaluai:ed on spaghetti starch under the standard testing conditions. The temperature was varied. Soil rernoval efficiency was measured after 10 minutes .
% Removal Material 1 00F 11 1 20F
Control 63 . 2 45. 6 5û. 3 A 65.1 47.3 64.4 B 68.8 54.1 66.0 C 69.8 60.3 72.3 EXAMPLE V
The following ~ranular detergent compositions were prepared 30 by the process of Example ll:
Composition ( ~) Control A B C
_ _ _ Nonionic surfactant lNa salts) 4 4 4 4 Sodium tripolyphosphate 33 33 33 33 Sodium carbonate 20 20 20 20 ~L~78~3~;~

NaDCC'2H2O 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 a2SO4 16 16 Y 6 16 Sodium silicate 12.4r) 10 10 10 10 Monostearyl acld phosphate 0. 2 0. 2 0 . 2 0 . 2 Sodlum bromide 0 û,25 û.5 Minors and water ~ Remainder~
The compositions were evalu~ted f~r soil removal ~f~iciency in a Tergotometer at a concentratioll of 0. 3~ in city water (Cincinnatt - 6.5 gralns hardness/gallon) at a temperature of ~o 150F (65.5C). The soil l[spagheeti starch) was baked onto a Pyrex~ coupon and agitated for 8 minutes at 65 rpm.
Material 9~ Removal Control 78 . 8 80.7 B ~3 0 ~: 89.9 EXAMPLE Vl The Pollowing detergent compositions were tested for spot-tinglfilming. The tests were run a~ 130~ ~54.4C) with 28.720 grains of product added to a ~Kenmor~ ~ishwash~r. Water hard-ness was 7 grams p~r gallon. Eighteen grams of a cornbination ~Crisc~milk soil was added to the prewash. Four glasses were used for testlng, glas~es two and ~our were milk coated for each of th~ three cycles. Ther~ was a ~ninimum cool down of two hours between cycles.
Composition AComposition B
Nonionic surfactant 0.35 0.35 Sodium tripolyphosphate41.9 41.9 Sodium carbonate 30. 5 30. 5 Sodium dichlorocyanurate1.0 1.0 dihyclrate Sodiurn bromide 0 5.0 Sodium si I icate ( 2 . 4r 1 13 . S 13 . 5 Sulfate, minors and water ~alance balance 3~

* Trademark ** Trademark 8~;~5 Spottin~
Cycie 1 Cycle 2Cycle 3 A-1 8 6.0 6.5 A-2 8 6.5 6.5 A-3 7.5 6.5 6.0 A-4 7.5 5.1D 5.5 B-l 8.5 6.5 6.5 E~-2 8.5 7. 0 6.0 B-3 8.5 6.5 6.0 B~4 8.0 6.5 6.0 Averages A - ~.6 E~ - 7.0 Filmin~3 - Cycle 1 ycle 2Cycle 3 A-l 7,5 7,5 7,0 A-2 7.5 7.0 7.0 A-3 7.5 7.0 7.0 A-4 7.5 7.0 7.0 B-l 7,5 7.5 7.0 B-2 7,5 7.0 7.5 B-3 7.5 7.0 7.0 B-4 7,5 7.D 7.0 Averages A - 7.2 B - 7.2 As c3n be seen above, the composition with the source of bromide ions outperformed an equiva3ent cumposition without 25 bromide on spotting while per~orming equally on filming.
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

Claims

1. A low sudsing detergent composition suitable for use in an automatic dishwashing machine comprising on an anhydrous basis:
(a) from about 20% to about 95% by weight of a detergency builder material or mixtures thereof;
(b) a chlorine bleach ingredient to provide from about 0.1%
to about 5% of available chlorine based on the weight of the detergent composition;
(c) from about 0.1% to about 15% of a low-foaming nonionic surfactant;
(d) up to about 50%, based on the weight of the low foam-ing nonionic surfactant of an alkyl phosphate ester or mixtures thereof; and (e) a material capable of generating from about 0.1 mole to about 10 moles of bromide ions per mole of the available chlorine in aqueous solution.

2. The composition of Claim 1 in granular form.

3. The composition of Claim 1 wherein said material capable of generating bromide ions is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal bromides, alkaline earth metal bromides, CuBr, ZnBr2, n-bromoacetamide and mixtures thereof.

4. The composition of Claim 3 wherein said bromide containing material is sodium bromide, calcium bromide, or mixtures thereof.

5. The composition of Claim 4 wherein the said bromide is present in about a 1:1 molar ratio with the available chlorine.

6. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the low foaming nonionic surfactant is a solid at 35°C (95°F).

7. The composition of Claim 6 wherein the low-foaming nonionic surfactant comprises:
(a) from about 20% to about 80%, based on the weight of the surfactant composition ,of the reaction product of a monohydroxy alcohol or alkyl phenol containing from about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, excluding cyclic carbon atoms, with from about 6 to about 15 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol or alkyl phenol on an average basis; and (b) from about 20% to about 80%, based on the weight of the surfactant composition, of a block polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene polymeric compound containing in its structure the nucleus of a relatively low molecular weight reactive hydrogen compound having from 2 to about 6 reactive hydrogen atoms, the structure being such that at least about 80% of the oxyethylene groups are present in chains attached to the reactive hydrogen compound and at least about 80% of the oxypropylene groups are present in chains attached to the predomi-nantly oxyethylene chains, the average molecular weight being from about 2000 to about 12,000 , and ethylene oxide constituting from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the block polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene polymeric compound

8. A low-sudsing granular detergent composition suitable for use in an automatic dishwashing machine comprising:
(a) from about 40% to about 90% by weight of a detergency builder material, or mixtures thereof (b) an organic chlorine bleach component to provide from about .5% to about 3% of available chlorine based on the weight of the detergent composition;

(c) from about 1.5 to about 8% of an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant comprising a surfactant derived from a straight chain alcohol which contains from about 16 to about 20 carbon atoms exclusive of cyclic carbon atoms condensed with an average of from about 7 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of said alcohol;
(d) from about 0% to about 20%, based on the weight of the ethoxylated nonionic surfactant of an alkyl phosphate ester or diester containing from about 16 to about 20 carbon atoms or the monovalent salts thereof, or mix-tures thereof; and (e) from about 0.3 mole to about 3 moles of an alkali metal bromide, alkaline earth metal bromide or mixtures thereof per mole of available chlorine.

9. The composition of Claim 8 wherein the said ethoxylated nonionic surfactant comprises from about 2% to about 6% of a surfactant derived from a straight chain C18 alcohol condensed with an average from about 7 to about 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of said alcohol.

10. The composition of Claim 9 wherein the surfactant addition-ally comprises from about 20% to about 80%,based on the weight of the surfactant composition, of a block polyoxyethylene-polyoxy-propylene polymeric compound containing in its structure the nucleus of a relatively low molecular weight reactive hydrogen compound having from 2 to about 6 reactive hydrogen atoms, the structure being such that at least about 80% of the oxyethylene groups are present in chains attached to the reactive hydrogen compound and at least about 80% of the oxypropylene groups are present in chains attached to the predominantly oxyethylene chains, the average molecular weight being from about 2000 to about 12,000, and ethylene oxide constituting from about 5% to about 30%, by weight of the block polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene polymeric compound.