CA1319077C - Liquid detergent containing solid peroxygen bleach - Google Patents

Abstract

LIQUID DETERGENT CONTAINING SOLID PEROXYGEN BLEACH

F. de Buzzaccarini J. P. Boutique Abstract Solid peroxygen bleach containing aqueous liquid detergent compositions having a pH of at least 8 are disclosed. The peroxygen bleach is water-soluble.

The liquid detergent composition comprises a solvent system comprising water and a water-miscible solvent. The solvent system provides sufficient solubility of anionic surfactants, while keeping the solubility of the peroxygen bleach compound within defined limits.

Description

~ , CM-249M

~3~77 LIQUID DETERGENT CONT~INING SOLID PEROXYGEN BLE QCH

F. de Buzzaccarini J.P. ~outique The present inuention relates to liquid deterg~nt compositions which contain a solid, water-soluble peroxygen bleach compound. The compositions herein contai~ a sol~ent system comprising water and a water-miscible organic sol~ent. The sol~ent system is designed to keep the amount of auailable oxygen in solution below 0.5%, preferably below 0.1%. The amount of a~ailable oxygen in the liquid phase corresponds to not more than one fifth of the total amount of peroxygen bleach in the composition, preferably to not more than one tenth.

~ 2 ~ 9 ~ ~ 7 ~ack~rou_ So-called hea~y duty liquid detergent compositions cornmercially auailable at present typically comprise organic sur~actants, enzymes, and perfumes. These components are ge;nerally-incompatiblP with peroxygen bleaches. ~s a result, no peroxygen bleach containing liqwid detergent compositions are commercially auailable to date.
European Patent 0,037,184, granted January 23, 1985 to Interox Chemicals Ltd. discloses liquid detergent compo-sitions comprising organic surfactants, a builder system, at least 2% hydrogen p~roxide and a stabilizing system comprising an aminoethylene phosphonate or hydroxyalkyl diphosphonate, a polyhydroxyaliphatic carboxylate, and/or a low melecular weight mono-hydroxy aliphatic alcohol.
European Patent 0,086,511, granted 7uly 2, 1986 to The Procter ~ Gamble Company, discloses aqueous liquid detergent compositions hauing a pH below 9 and comprising organic surfactants, oxygen bleach, fatty acid and a water-soluble calcium salt.
DE-OS 35 11 515, published October 17, 1985, discloses non-aqueous liquid detergent compositions comprising sodiumperborate monohydrate and an acti~ator for the perborate. FR 2.579.615, published October 3, 1986, discloses similar non-aqueous compositions which further comprise catalase inhibitors. The compositions exemplified in these two patents do not contain anionic surfactants.
It is an object of the present in~ention to prouide aqueous liquid detergent compositions containing substantial amounts of a solid, water-soluble p~roxyg~n bleach. It is a further object of the present in~ention to pro~ide such bleach-containing liquid detergent compo-sitions that contain substantial amounts of anionic surfactant.

~ ~ 3 ~ 1319~77 Summary of the In~ention The liquid detergent compositions o~ the present in~ention ha~e a pH of at least 8, which compris~ organic surfactants and which fwrther comprise, by weight of the composition, an amount of a solid water-soluble peroxygen compownd dispersed in a liquid phase which comprises a sol~ent system cornprising water and at least one water-miscibl0 organic soluent, such that the amount of a~ailable oxygen (~0) dissol~ed in the liquid phase is not greater than 0.5%, preferably not greater than 0.1%, by weight of the liquid phase. The amount of available oxygen dissol~ed in the liquid phase corresponds to not more than one fifth of the amount of peroxygen compound of the composition, preferably to not more than one tenth.

Preferred herein are detergent compositions ha~ing a pH of at least 9, more preferably at least 9.5.

The preferred solid, water-solubla peroxygen compounds are the perborates. The preferred water-miscible organic sol~ents are the low molecular weight monohydric alcohols;
the most preferred of these sol~ents is ethanol.

Preferred are also liquid detergent compositions that further comprise detergent enzymes.

Detailed Des~ption of_th _In~ention The present invention addresses the problem of formulating a liqwid detergent composition that contains significant amounts of organic surfactant, including anionic surfartants, and of a solid, water-soluble peroxygen bleach, and that is stable. It has now been disco~ered that this may be achie~ed by the use of a ~3l~a~7 sol~ent system that comprises water and a water-miscible organic sol~ent. This makes it possible to incoporate in the liquid detergent composition a significant amount of the peroxygen compound, while keeping the amount of a~ailable oxygen in solution below 0.5% by weight of the sol~ent system, preferably below 0.1%. Less than 1/5 of the peroxygen co~pound is dissol~ed in the liquid phase, preferably less than 1/10.

The presence of water in the sol~ent system is essential for the solubility of, e.g. anionic surfactants.
The low le~el of a~ailable oxygen in solution has been found to result in a bleach system that is stable upon storage under typical storage conditions.

The liquid detergent compositions are formulated at a pH of at least 8, preferably of at least 9, more prefer-ably at least 9.5. The alkaline pH is conduci~e to a good bleaching action of the peroxygen compound, particularly when the peroxygen compound is a perborate. Ne~ertheless, the stability of the bleach system in an aqueous liquid of alkaline pH is surprising. ~t lleast some of the available oxygen in solution is assumed to be present in the form of hydrogen peroxide. It has been found that hydrogen peroxide is not sufficiently stable in the sol~ent systems of the liquid detergent compositions of the present inuention. Yet, the solid, water-soluble peroxygen bleaches haue been found to be stable therein. ~pparent-ly, the low le~el of a~ailable oxygen in solution is rritical for the stability of the system.

Examples of suitable water-soluble solid peroxygen compounds include the perborates, persulfates, peroxy-disulfates, perphosphates and the crystalline peroxyhydra-tes ~ormed by reacting hydrogen peroxide with sodium carbonate or urea. Preferred peroxygen bleach compounds are sodium perborate monohydrate and sodium perborate tetrahydrate.

The standard iodometric method ~as described for instance in Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Houben Weyl, 1953, ~o. 2, page 562) is suitable to determine the auailable oxyg~n (~O) content of the composition.

In order to ensure complete equilibration between liquid and solid phases, the compositions are to be kept a~ter mixing for three days at room temperature before the ~UO titration. Before measuring the products are thoroughly shaken in order to ensure correct sa~pling.

For the determination of the a~ailable oxygen ~UO) in the liquid phase, samples of the compositions are centrifuged for 10 minutes at 10.000 rpm. The liquid is then separated from the solid and titrated for available oxygen.

It is not necessary that the organic soluent be fully miscible with water, provid~d that enough of the sol~ent mixes with the water of the composition to affect the solubility of the peroxygen compound in the described manner~ Fully water-soluble solvents are preferred for use herein.

The water-miscible organic solvent must, of course, be compatible with the peroxygen bleach compound at the pH
that is used. Therefore, polyalcohols having uicinal hydroxy groups (e.g. 1,2-propanediol and glycerol) are less desirable when the peroxygen bleach compound is perborate.

~ ~3~9~77 Examples of suitable water-miscible organic soluents include the lower aliphatic monoalcohols; ethers of diethylene glycol and lower monoaliphatic monoalcohols;
specifically ethanol, n-propanol, lso-propanol, butanol;
polyethylene glycol (e.g., PE~ 150, 200, 300, 400);
dipropylene glycol; hexylene glycol; methoxyethanol;
ethoxyethanol; butoxyethanol; ethyldiglycolether; benzyl-alcohol; butoxypropanol; butoxypropoxypropanol; and mixtures thereof. Preferred soluents include ethanol;
iso-propanol, 1-methoxy2-propanol and butyldi-glycolether. ~ preferred sol~ent system comprises ethanol, and a co-sol~ent ha~ing a higher flash-point than ethanol.

~ lthough the presence or absence of other ingrediants plays a role, the amount of auailable oxygen in solution is largely determined by the ratio water:organic soluent.
The smaller this ratio ti.e. the more organic sol~ent is used in the sol~ent sytem), the lower the amount of a~ailable oxygen in solution. ~:Lthough this is good for stability of the bleach system, -lt is less desirable for a good solubility of other componellts (e.g. electrolyte, anionic surfactants). In any e~ent, it is not necessary to use more organic soluent than is needed to keep the amount of auailable oxygen in so:lu~ion below 0.5%, preferably below 0.1%.

In practical terms, the ratio water:organic sol~ent is, for most systems, in the range from 8:1 to 1:3, preferably from 5:1 to 1:2.

The liquid detergant compositions herein contain from 5% to 60% of the liquid detergent composition, preferably from 15% to 40% of an organic surface-acti~e agent selacted from nonionic, anionic, and zwitterionic surface-acti~e agents and mixtures thereof.

7 ~ 7 ~

Synthetic anionic surfactants can be represented by the general formula R1So3M wherein R1 represents a hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of straight or branGhed alkyl radica-ls containing from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms and alkyl phenyl radicals containing from about 9 to about 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group. M ls a salt forming cation which typically is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, and mixtures thereof.

~ preferred synthetic anionic surfactant is a water-soluble salt of an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid containing from 9 to lS carbon atoms in the alkyl group. ~nother preferred synthetic anionic surfactant is a water-soluble salt of an alkyl sulfate or an alkyl polyethoxylate ether sulfate wherein the alkyl group contains from about 8 to about 24, preferably from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms and there are from about 1 to about 20, preferably from about 1 to about 12 ethoxy groups. Other suitable anionic surfactants are disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,170,565, Flesher et ~1., issued October 9, 1979.

The nonionic surfac~ants are conuentionally produced by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrocarbon hauing a reac~iue hydrogen atom, e.g., a hydroxyl, carboxyl, or amido group, in the presanc~ of an acidic or basic catalyst, and include compounds hauing the general formula R~(CH2CH203nH wherein R represents the hydrophobic moiety, ~ represents the group carrying th,e reactiue hydrogen atom and n represents the auerag@ number of ethylene oxide moieties. R typlcally contains from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms. They can also be formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with a lower molecular weight co~pound. n usually ~aries from about 2 to about 24.

- 8 - ~ 3~ 9 ~ 77 The hydrophobic moiety of the nonionic cornpound is preferably a primary or secondary, straight or branched, aliphatic alcohol hauing from about 8 to about 24, preferably from about 12 to about 20 carbon atoms. ~ more complet~ disclosure of suitable nonionic surfactants can be found in U.S. Patent 4,111,855. Mixtures of nonionic surfactants can be desirable.

~ witterionic surfactants include derivatiues of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, and sulphonium compounds in which the aliphatic moiety can be straight or branched chain and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms and another substituent contains, at least, an anionic water-solubilizing group. Particularly preferred zwitterionic materials are the ethoxylated ammonium sulfonates and sulfates disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,925,262, Laughlin st al., issued December 9, 1~75 and 3,929,678, Laughlin et al., issued December 30, 1975.

Semi-polar nonionic surfactants include water-soluble amine oxides containing one alkyl or hydroxy alkyl moiety of from about 8 to about 28 carbon atsms and two moieties selected from ~he group consisting of alkyl groups and hydro~y alkyl groups, containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms which can optionally be joined into ring structures.

Suitable anionic synthetic surface-active salts are selected from the group of sulfonates and sulfates. The like anionic detergents are well-known in t~e detergent arts and haue found wide-spread application in co~mercial detergents. Preferred anionic synthetic water-soluble sulfonate or sulfate salts have in their molecular structure an alkyl radical containing from about 8 to abo~t 22 carbon atoms.

9 ~3~7 l Examples of such preferred anionic surfactant salts are the reaction products obtained by sulfating C8-C1u fatty alcohols deri~ed from tallow and coconut oil;
.alkylbenzene~su.lfonates wherein the.al.kyl.group contains from about 9 to 15 carbon atoms; sodium alkylglyceryl ether sulfonates; ether swlfates of fatty alcohols deri~ed from tallow and coconut oils; coconut fatty acid monoglyceride sulfates and sulfonates; and water-soluble salts of paraffin sulfonates hauing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Sulfonated olefin surfactants as more fully described in e.g. U.S. Patent Specification 3,332,880 can also be used. The neutrali~ing cation for the anionic synthetic sulfonates andJor sulfates is represented by conuentional cations which are widely used in detergent technology such as sodium and potassium.

~ particularly preferrecl anionic synthetic surfactant component herein is represented by the water-soluble salts of an alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, preferably sodium alkylbenzene sulfonates ha~ing from about 10 to 13 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.

~ preferred class of nonionic ethoxylates is represented by the condensation product of a fatty alcohol ha~ing from 12 to 15 carbon atoms and from about 4 to 10 moles o~ ethylene oxide per mole of ~atty alcohol.
Suitable species of this class of ethoxylates include: the condensatton product of C12-C1S oxo-alcohols and 7 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol; the condensation product of narrow cut C14-C15 oxo-alcohols and 7 or 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty(oxo)alcohol; the condensation product of A narrow cut C12-C13 fatty(oxo) alcohol and 6,5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty alcohol; and the condensation products of a C10-Cl4 cosonut fatty alochol with a degree of ethoxylation (moles EOJmole fatty alcohol~ in the .

1 3 1 9 0 7 rl range from 5 to 8. The fatty oxo alcohols while mainly linear can ha~e, depending upon the processin~ conditions and raw material olefins, a certain degree of branching, particularly short chain such as methyl branching.

~degree of branching in the range from 15% to 50%
(weight %) is frequently found in commercial oxo alcohols.

Preferred nonionic ethoxylated components can also be represented by a mixture of 2 separatel~ ethoxylated nonionic surfactants having a different degree of ethoxylation. For example, the nonionic ethoxylate surfactant containing from 3 to 7 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of hydrophobic moiety and a second ethoxylated species havlng from 8 to 14 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of hydrophobic moiety. ~ preferr~d nonionic ethoxylated mixtwre contains a lower ethoxylate which is the condensation product of a Cl~-C15 oxo-alcohol, with up to 50% (wt) branching, and from about 3 to 7 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty oxo-alcohol, and a higher ethoxylate which is the condensation product of a Cl6-C19 oxo-alcohol with more than 50% (wt) branching and from about 8 to 14 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of branched oxo-alcohol.

The liquid detergent compositions herein optionally contain a cationic surfactant, preferably from 0.1% to 4 by weight of the composition.

E~amples of suitable cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula Rl R2 R3 R4 N+X , wherein Rl is C12-C20 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl; R2 is Cl-C4 alkyl or 3 ~

C12-C20 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl or C1-C4 hydroxy-alkyl: R3 and R4 are each C1-C4 alkyl or hydro-xyalkyl, or C6-C8 aryl or alkylaryl ; and X is halogen. Preferred are mono-long chain quaternary arnmonium compounds (i.e., compounds of the aboue formula wherein R2 is C1-C4 alkyl or hyclroxyalkyl).
The liquid detergent compositions herein optionally contain, as a builcler, a fatty acid component.
Preferably, howeuer, the amount of fatty acid is less than 5% by weight of the composition, more preferably less than 4%. Preferred saturated fatty acids ha~e from 10 t~ 16, more preferably 12 or 14 carbon atoms. Preferred unsaturated fatty acids are oleic acid and palmitoleic acid.
Detergent enzymes can be used in the liquid detergent compositions of this in~ention. In fact, one of the desirable features of the present compositions is that they are compatible with such detergent enzymes. Suitable enzymes include the cletergent proteases, amylases, 3.ipases and cellulases. Enzymatic stabilizing agents for u~e in aqueous liquid detergents are well known. Preferred herein is a salt of formic acid, e.g., sodium formate. The amount of this stabilizing agent typica~Lly ranges from 0.5~ to 2%.
Preferred compositions contain an inorganic or organic builder. Examples of inorganic builders include the phosphorous-based builders, e.g., sociium tripolyphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, and aluminosilicates (zeolites).
Examples of organic builders are represented by polyacids such as citric acid, nitrilotriacetic aci~, and mixtures of tartrate monosuccinate with tartrate disuccinate. Preferred builders for use herein are citric acid and alk(en~yl-substitu~ed succinic acid compounds, wherein alk(en)yl contains from 10 to 16 carbon atoms. ~n example of this group of compounds is dodecenyl succinic - 12 . ~ 3 ~ '7 7 acid. Polymeric carboxylate builders inclusiue of polyacrylates, polyhydroxy acrylate~ and polyacrylates/
polymaleates copolymers can also be used.

The compositions herein can contain a series of further optional .ingr~dients which are mostly.used in additi~e le~els, wsually below about 5%. Exampl~s o~ the like additi~es include: polyacids, enzymes and enzymatic stabilizing ag~nts, suds regulants, opaciFi0rs, agents to improue the machine compatibility in relation to enamel-coated surfaces, bactericides, dyes, perfumes, brighteners and the like.

The liquid compositions herein'~can contain further additi~es of a leuel from 0.05 to 2%.

These additi~es include polyaminocarboxylates such as ethylenediaminotetracetic acid, diethylenetriamino-pentacetic acid, ethylenediamino tiisuccinic acid or the water~soluble alkali metals thereof. Other additi~es include organo-phosphani~ acids; particularly preferred are ethylenediamino tetramethylenephosphonic acid, hexamethylenediamino tetramethylenephosphonic acid, diçthyl~netriamino pentamethylenephosphonic acid and amino-trimethylenephosphonic acid.
aleach stabilizers such as ascorbic acid, dipicolinic acid, sodium stannates and 8-hydroxyquinoline can also be includ~d in these compositions, at le~els between 0.01 and 1% .
The benefi ial utilization of the claimed compositions under uarious usage conditions can require the utilization of a suds regulant. While generally all detergent suds regulants can be utilized preferred for use herein are alkylated polysiloxanes such as dimethylpolysiloxane also frequently termed silicones. The silicones are frequently - 13 - ~3~9~77 used in a le~el not exceeding 1.5%, most preferably between 0.1X and 1.0X.
It can also be desirable to utilize opacifiers inasmuch as they contribute to create a uniform appearance of the conc~ntrated liquid detergent compositlons. Examples of suitable opacifiers include: polystyrene commercially known as LYTRON 621 manufactured by MONS~TO CHEMIC~L
CORPOR~TION. The opacifiers are freguently used in an amount from 0.3% to 1.5%.
The liquid detergent compositions of this inuention further can comprise an agent to improve the washing machlne compatibility, particularly in relation to enamel-coated surfaces.
It can further be desirable to add from 0.1% to 5~ of known antiredeposition and/or compatibili~ing agents.
Examples of the like additives include : sodium carboxy-methylc~llulose; hydroxy-C1 6-alkylcellulose; poly-carboxylic homo- or copolymeric ingredients, such as :
polymaleic acid; a copolymer of maleic anhydride and methyluinylether in a molar ratio of 2:1 to 1:2; and a copolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acid monomer, hauing not more than 5, preferably 3 or 4 carbon atoms, for example~meth)acrylic acid, and an ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid monomer hauing not more th~n 6, preferably 4 carbon atoms, whereby the molar ratio of the monomers is in the r~nge from 1:4 to 4:1, said cop~lymer being described in more detail in EUROPE~N P~tent ~pplication 0 066 915, ~iled May ~7, 1982.
The physical stability of the liquld detergent compositions is enhanced by the addition of small amounts of C18-C22 saturated fatty acid soaps or deriuatiues of such fatty acids, like esters or amides. Preferred are alkali metal soaps of C18-C~2 fatty acids, typically from 0.1% to 2%. ~ suitable example is sodium stearate.
The following examples illustrate the inuention and facllitates its understanding.

A- * Trade-mark ~3~9~7 Liquid deterg~nt compo6ition6 are prepared by ~ixing the li~te~ ingr~dients in the stated proportion~:

Insre~ients Corposition (~eight O
II III IV V
~bter 33 32 26 23 34 Ethanol 14 15 18 22 11 Linear dbcecylben2ene sulfoniç ac~d 12 10 8 B 12 Condensation product oF 1 mole of C13~15 oxo alcohol and 7 moles of ethylene oxide 7 9 10 8 7 Sodium cocoyl sulfate 2 3 4 2 2 Dodecenyl s~ccinic acid 13 10 12 15 13 Citric ~cid 0.8 1 1 0.8 0.8 Oleic acid 8.3 4 3 2 3.3 Pr~tease 0.3 0.5 - O.S
Diethylen~tri~n;ne pen~a~ethylene phosphonic ~cid 0.05 0.85 0.05 0.05 0.05 Sodiun formate 0.9 1 - 1 -SDdiun p~rborate mDnohydrate 10 10 12 10 lOd~
Sodiun bydroxide (to adjust to) pH 9 10 9 11 8.2 Perfume, minors ~ balance * ~ ~odiu~ perbora~a tetrahydrate 1 3 1 ~

Ingredients ComDosition ~eight ~
VI VII YIII IX X XI XII

Water ~1 28 27 32 23 2~ 22 Ethanol 6.5 - 7 5 6 7 a l-~bthoxy-2-propanol - 14 3.5 - - 7 7 Isopropanol 6.5 - - - 6 8utyl di 91 ycol ether - - 4 . 0 5 - _ _ Linear dbdecylben2ene sulfonic acid 11.4 12 7 13 12 10 9 Honionic surfactant 7.~ 7 11 3.5 6 ~ ~
Sodiun cocoylsulfate 3.1 2.5 2.5 3.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 ~IS/TDS * - - - - - 6.5 3.5 D4decenyl succinic acid 1~.4 9 - - 7 8.5 9.5 Tetradeeenylsuccinic acid - 4 - - - - 1.0 Coconut faSty acid - - 16 1.0 1.0 Oleic acid 3.6 3.G 4.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.5 C~tric acid 0.~ 0.9 0.5 - ~.5 - 0.5 DTP~PA ** O.g 8.!j 0.5 - 0~4 0.8 1.5 Ethylene di~mine tetraace~ic acld - - - 1.0 0.4 - -Sod~un tripolyphosphate - - - 15.0 - - -Sodlun perborate ~etrahydr~te - - - - 17 Sodiun perborate n~nonydrate 9.0 10.4 9 13 - 13 19 Sodiun foRnate 0.9 0.~ 1.01.0 1.5 0.51.0 Protease 0.7 0.6 0.80.5 1.0 ~.~0.6 Sodiun hydroxide to pH 9 10 11 11 9.S 10.510.5 P~rfune, mlr,ors - - - - - - b a 1 a n c e - - - -~ 80:20 mlxture of tarera~e ~onosuccinate and tart~ate di~uccinate ** Diethylenetriamino pentamethylene phosphonic acid ~3~7~
In~redients G~osition (~ei~ht %) XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII

~ater 27 2~ 27 24 23. 5 25 ethanol 13 8 10 13 1~ 10 co-solvent 1) _ 5 3 _ _ 3 line~r dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid 9 9 9 9 9 9 condensation product of 1 mole of C13-C15 oxo alcohol and 7 mDles 7 7 7 7 7 7 of ethylene oxide sodium cocoyl sulfate dodecenyl succinic acid 13 13 13 13 13 13 citric acid 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 O.B 0.8 oleic acid 3 3 3 3 3 3 proeease 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 diethylene trîamine p~ntamethylene phosphonic acid0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 sodium stearate - - 0.3 1.0 1.5 0.6 sodium fonmate 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.~ 1.0 1.0 sodium perhorate ~onohydrate 14.0 14.014.0 14.014.0 14.0 C~2~14 trimethyl dnnoniun chloride - - - 2.0 C12~14 (2-hydroxyethyl) dime~hyl 2mnoniun chloride - - - - 2.0 clBt2~ydroxyethYl ) dimethyl amr~niun chlor~de - - - - - 2.0 Sod~u~ hydroxidb (to adjust to) pH 10 10 10 10 10 10 Perfumæ, m~nors - balance 1) selecto~ from 3 P~G 150, 200, 300, 400/~ipropylen~glycol, hexyleneglycol, n-propanol, iso-propanol, Hethoxyethanol, ~thoxy~thanol, Butoxyethanol, Ethyldiglycol, Butyldiglycolether, Bsnzylalcohol, Butoxypropanol, ButoxyPropoxypropanol.

Claims (10)

1. A liquid, bleach-containing detergent composition comprising anionic surfactants and having 8 pH of at least 8, said composition comprising, by weight of the composition, an amount of a solid, water-soluble peroxygen compound, suspended in a liquid phase which comprises a solvent system comprising water and at least one water-miscible organic solvent, wherein the ratio of water to water-miscible organic solvent is from 8:1 to 1:3, characterized in that an amount of available oxygen is dissolved in the liquid phase which is not greater than 0.5% by weight of the liquid phase and corresponds to not more than one fifth of the amount of peroxygen compound of the composition.

2. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 1, wherein the amount of available oxygen in the liquid phase is not greater than 0.1% by weight of the liquid phase.

3. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the amount of available oxygen dissolved in the liquid phase corresponds to not more than one tenth of the amount of peroxygen compound.

4. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 1, wherein the water-miscible organic solvent is an aliphatic monoalcohol.

5. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 4, wherein the water-miscible organic solvent is ethanol.

6. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 5, wherein the water:ethanol ratio is from 5:1 to 1:2.

7. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 1, wherein the solid, water-soluble peroxygen compound is a perborate.

8. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 8 having a pH of at least

9.5.

9. A liquid detergent composition according to Claim 1 containing less than 4%
fatty acid.

10. A liquid detergent according to Claim 1 composition comprising from 5% to 40% of a builder selected from dodecenyl succinic acid; tetradecenyl succinic acid;
dodecyl succinic acid; an 80:20 mixture of tartrate monosuccinate and tartrate disuccinate; citric acid; and mixtures thereof.