WO2001094514A1

WO2001094514A1 - Detergent composition

Info

Publication number: WO2001094514A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/005628
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael K. Dowding; Timothy D. Finch
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc; Hindustan Lever Ltd
Priority date: 2000-06-05
Filing date: 2001-05-16
Publication date: 2001-12-13
Also published as: AU2001267449A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a non-bleaching laundry direct application detergent product providing improved maintenance and/or restoration of colour fidelity during the wash, which product is obtainable by extrusion and which comprises surfactant, builder, optionally other non-bleach detergent ingredients, and from 0.01 to 5.0 wt % of a compound of the formula (I) wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation.

Description

DETERGENT COMPOSITION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a laundry direct application detergent product suitable for washing both white and coloured fabrics. The products of the invention, which contain a sequestrant, iminodisuccinate or hydroxyiminodisuccinate, in controlled amounts, have been found to give improved maintenance and/or restoration of colour fidelity during the wash. The presence of the sequestrant also reduces dye fading due to chlorine in water, and in addition provides improved stain removal.

BACKGROUND

Certain colours used in the textile industry have the tendency to degrade during the laundry process. Coloured articles may become darker or the colour may change as a result of laundering, thus changing the appearance and shortening the useful life of the articles. White articles may also become discoloured, for example, yellowed, with time.

It has now been found that new fabrics may be protected against such colour degradation, and the colour fidelity of previously washed fabrics may be restored (ie the degradation reversed), if the fabrics are laundered using non-bleaching direct application detergent products containing controlled amounts of iminodisuccinic acid or its water-soluble salts.

Fading of coloured fabrics in the wash because of the presence of sodium hypochlorite and other chlorine compounds in water is also a known problem. It has been found that iminodisuccinic acid and its salts are also effective chlorine scavengers and the inclusion of these compounds also mitigates this problem.

Additionally, the inclusion of these compounds also gives improved removal of certain stains.

PRIOR ART

Iminodisuccinate (IDS) is known as a detergency builder and, in bleaching detergent compositions, as a stabiliser for peroxy bleach precursors.

US 3 697 453 (Pfizer) discloses detergent compositions having a pH of from 9 to 12, containing iminodisuccinate as a detergency builder, used together with detergent surfactant in a weight ratio of 0.25:1 to 10:1. IDS as a detergency builder is also disclosed in EP 757 094A (Bayer). IDS and hydroxyiminodisuccinate (HIDS) are disclosed in JP 09 110 813A (Nippon Shokubai) and JP 09 104 897A (Nippon Shokubai).

EP 509 382A (W R Grace & Co/Hamphire Chemical Corporation) discloses a bleaching detergent composition comprising a bleaching agent and a bleach stabiliser of defined formula which includes IDS. The use of IDS as a bleach stabiliser is also disclosed in WO 97 20907A (Procter & Gamble).

JP 09 249 895A (Lion) and JP 09 310 097A (Lion) disclose detergent compositions containing 3 to 20 wt% IDS or HIDS to improve the stability or fabric substantivity or fluorescers (optical brighteners). The use of IDS as a processing aid for detergent powders and detergent powder ingredients is disclosed in JP 09 100 497A (Lion) and JP 09 279 188A (Lion).

WO 98 38276A (Procter & Gamble) discloses laundry detergent compositions containing 0.1-50 wt% of a colour care agent. The colour care agents are amines substituted with, for example, hydroxyalkyl groups. The preferred material is N,N,N^',N- tetrakis-(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine.

WO 91 17234A (Proctor & Gamble) discloses low-pH granular laundry detergent compositions containing chlorine scavengers which minimise the fading of pH-sensitive and chlorine-sensitive fabric dyes during laundering. Preferred chlorine scavengers are ammonium salts, for example, ammonium sulphate.

WO 99 04139A (Unilever) discloses non-bleaching laundry detergent compositions containing 0.05 to 2.5 wt% of a compound of the formula:

Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I) COOX COOX COOX COOX

The compositions in powder form were found to help maintain and/or restore colour fidelity.

DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention accordingly provides a non-bleaching laundry direct application detergent product providing improved maintenance and/or restoration of colour fidelity during the wash, which product is producible by extrusion and which comprises surfactant, builder, optionally other non-bleach detergent ingredients, and from 0.01 to 5.0 wt% of a compound of the formula (I):

Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂ I I | | (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation.

A further aspect of the present invention is a process for producing a direct application detergent product, which process comprises co-extruding a mixture of surfactant, builder and a compound of formula (I) optionally in the presence of other non-bleaching detergent ingredients.

Such a direct application detergent product may especially be in the form of a bar or solid cake of any shape or form.

A further aspect of the invention is a process for laundering white or coloured textile fabrics while maintaining and/or restoring the colour fidelity of the fabrics, which process comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process, using a direct application detergent product as defined previously.

A further aspect of the invention is a method of protecting new white or coloured textile fabrics from colour degradation on laundering, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a direct application detergent product as defined above.

A further aspect of the invention is a method of restoring colour fidelity in white or coloured textile fabrics that have been laundered, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a detergent product as defined above.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of removing stains from textile fabrics, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a detergent product as defined above.

The laundering is typically carried out by hand but may also include using the direct application product of the invention in a pre-treatment step prior to machine laundering.

A further aspect of the invention is the use of the compound of the formula I above in an amount of 0.01 to 5.0 wt% in a composition which is extrudable to form a laundry direct application detergent product to protect new white or coloured textile fabrics from colour degradation on laundering, or to restore colour fidelity in white or coloured textile fabrics that have been laundered.

The term "colour fidelity" is used herein to include both the true colour of coloured fabrics and the whiteness of white fabrics.

A further aspect of the invention is the use of a compound of the formula I above, in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 wt%, in an extruded laundry direct application detergent product which is useful as a chlorine scavenger to prevent the fading of chlorine- sensitive dyes on coloured textile fabrics during laundering.

A further aspect of the invention is the use of a compound of the formula I above, in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 wt%, in an extruded laundry direct application detergent product with good stain removal performance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The compound of formula I

The laundry direct application detergent product of the invention contains, as an essential ingredient, a compound of the formula I:

Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

wherein Y is H or OH, preferably H; and X is H or a solubilising cation, preferably a sodium ion.

If Y is a hydrogen atom, the formula I represents iminodisuccinic acid or a water-soluble salt thereof. Iminodisuccinic acid, also known as N-(1 ,2-carboxyethyl)D,L-aspartic acid, has the formula (la) wherein X = H:

CH₂ - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (la)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

In the following description, the abbreviation "IDS" will be used to denote this material whether in acid or salt form. IDS is commercially available from Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany, and from Nippon Shokubai KK, Japan. If Y is a hydroxyl group, the formula I represents hydroxyiminodisuccinic acid or a water- soluble salt thereof.

Hydroxyiminodisuccinic acid has the formula (lb) wherein X = H:

HO - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (lb)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

In the following description, the abbreviation "HIDS" will be used to denote this material whether in acid or salt form. HIDS is commercially available from Nippon Shokubai KK, Japan.

For the purposes of the present invention, the IDS or HIDS may be, and preferably is, in the form of a salt, ie X in the formula I is a stable solubilising cation, preferably an alkali metal cation, more preferably sodium.

In the preferred laundry direct application detergent products of the invention, IDS or HIDS is present in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 wt%, preferably from 0.1 to 4.0 wt%, more preferably from 0.2 to 2.5 wt% and most preferably from 0.5 to 1.0 wt%. The lower levels appear to provide the greatest benefit and no additional benefit is observed if higher amounts, greater than 5.0 wt%, are used.

The preferred material is IDS, most preferably in sodium salt form.

Detergent compositions

The product of the invention also contains other conventional detergent ingredients, other than bleaching ingredients. In this regard, the product is typically, substantially free of bleaching agents. Essential ingredients are surfactants (detergent-active compounds) and detergency builders, and other non-bleach ingredients may optionally be present.

A preferred direct application detergent product according to the invention comprises:

(a) from 5 to 60 wt% of one or more detergent surfactants,

(b) from 1 to 80 wt% of one or more detergency builders,

(c) from 0.01 to 5.0 wt%, preferably from 0.1 to 4.0 wt%, more preferably from 0.2 to 2.5 wt% and most preferably from 0.5 to 1.0 wt%, of IDS or HIDS.

(d) optionally other non-bleach detergent ingredients to 100 wt%.

The laundry direct application detergent product of the invention is preferably in the form of a bar.

Surfactants (detergent-active compounds)

The detergent products will contain, as essential ingredients, one or more detergent active compounds (surfactants) which may be chosen from soap and non-soap anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic detergent active compounds, and mixtures thereof. Many suitable detergent active compounds are available and are fully described in the literature, for example, in "Surface-Active Agents and Detergents", Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch. The preferred detergent active compounds that can be used are soaps and synthetic non-soap anionic and nonionic compounds.

Anionic surfactants are well-known to those skilled in the art. Examples include alkylbenzene sulphonates, particularly linear alkylbenzene sulphonates having an alkyl chain length of C₈-C₁₅; primary and secondary alkylsulphates, particularly C₈-C₁₅ primary alkyl sulphates; alkyl ether sulphates; olefin sulphonates; alkyl xylene sulphonates; dialkyl sulphosuccinates; and fatty acid ester sulphonates. Sodium salts are generally preferred.

Nonionic surfactants that may be used include the primary and secondary alcohol ethoxylates, especially the C₈-C₂₀ aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and more especially the C₁₀-C₁₅ primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Non-ethoxylated nonionic surfactants include alkylpolyglycosides, glycerol monoethers, ether sulphates and polyhydroxyamides (glucamide).

Cationic surfactants that may be used include quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R₁R₂R₃R₄N⁺ X^" wherein the R groups are long or short hydrocarbyl chains, typically alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or ethoxylated alkyl groups, and X is a solubilising cation (for example, compounds in which R^ is a C₈-C₂₂ alkyl group, preferably a C₈-C₁₀ or C₁₂-C₁₄ alkyl group, R₂ is a methyl group, and R₃ and R₄, which may be the same or different, are methyl or hydroxyethyl groups); and cationic esters (for example, choline esters). In an especially preferred cationic surfactant of the general formula R₁R₂R₃R₄N⁺ X^", R, represents a C₈-C₁₀ or C₁₂-C₁₄ alkyl group, R₂ and R₃ represent methyl groups, and R₄ presents a hydroxyethyl group.

Amphoteric surfactants, for example, amine oxides, and zwitterionic surfactants, for example, betaines, may also be present.

Preferably, the quantity of anionic surfactant is in the range of from 5 to 50% by weight of the total product. More preferably, the quantity of anionic surfactant is in the range of from 8 to 30% by weight.

Nonionic surfactant, if present, is preferably used in an amount within the range of from 0.5 to 20% by weight.

The total amount of surfactant present is preferably within the range of from 5 to 60 wt%.

Detergency builders

The product may suitably contains from 1 to 80%, preferably from 1.5 to 60% by weight, of detergency builder.

Preferably, the quantity of builder is in the range of from 2 to 40% by weight.

The detergent product preferably contain as builder a phosphate builder, especially sodium tripolyphosphate, STPP. This may be used in combination with sodium orthophosphate, and/or sodium pyrophosphate.

Phosphate builders may also have a hydrating function and can act to retain moisture in the bar.

Also preferred according to the present invention are crystalline aluminosilicate, preferably an alkali metal aluminosilicate, more preferably a sodium aluminosilicate (zeolite).

The zeolite used as a builder may be the commercially available zeolite A (zeolite 4A) now widely used in laundry detergent powders. Alternatively, the zeolite may be maximum aluminium zeolite P (zeolite MAP) as described and claimed in EP 384 070B (Unilever), and commercially available as Doucil (Trade Mark) A24 from Crosfield Chemicals Ltd, UK. Zeolite MAP is defined as an alkali metal aluminosilicate of zeolite P type having a silicon to aluminium ratio not exceeding 1.33, preferably within the range of from 0.90 to 1.33, preferably within the range of from 0.90 to 1.20.

Especially preferred is zeolite MAP having a silicon to aluminium ratio not exceeding 1.07, more preferably about 1.00. The particle size of the zeolite is not critical. Zeolite A or zeolite MAP of any suitable particle size may be used.

Other inorganic builders that may be present additionally or alternatively include sodium carbonate, layered silicate, amorphous aluminosilicates.

Organic builders that may be present include polycarboxylate polymers such as polyacrylates and acrylic/maleic copolymers; polyaspartates; monomeric polycarboxylates such as citrates, gluconates, oxydisuccinates, glycerol mono-di- and trisuccinates, carboxymethyloxysuccinates, carboxy-methyloxymalonates, dipicolinates, hydroxyethyliminodiacetates, alkyl- and alkenylmalonates and succinates; and sulphonated fatty acid salts.

Organic builders may be used in minor amounts as supplements to inorganic builders such as phosphates and zeolites. Especially preferred supplementary organic builders are citrates, suitably used in amounts of from 5 to 30 wt%, preferably from 10 to 25 wt%; and acrylic polymers, more especially acrylic/maleic copolymers, suitably used in amounts of from 0.5 to 15 wt%, preferably from 1 to 10 wt%.

Builders, both inorganic and organic, are preferably present in alkali metal salt, especially sodium salt, form.

Other ingredients

Preferably, the direct application detergent product of the present invention additionally contain fillers to add bulk to the product and/or to bind the product components into a bar form.

The fillers are generally mineral materials and may be soluble or insoluble. Typical fillers may include.calcite, kaolin, talc, china clay, sodium sulphate or any other salt.

The direct application detergent product may also contain one or more enzymes. Suitable enzymes include the proteases, amylases, cellulases, oxidases, peroxidases and lipases usable for incorporation in detergent compositions. Preferred proteolytic enzymes (proteases) are catalytically active protein materials which degrade or alter protein types of stains when present as in fabric stains in a hydrolsis reaction. They may be of any suitable origin, such as vegetable, animal, bacterial or yeast origin.

Proteolytic enzymes or proteases of various qualities and origins and having activity in various pH ranges of from 4-12 are available. Proteases of both high and low isoelectric point are suitable.

Other enzymes that may suitably be present include lipases, amylases, and cellulases including high-activity cellulases such as "Carezyme").

Antiredeposition agents, for example cellulose esters and ethers, for example sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, may also be present.

The direct application detergent products may also contain soil release polymers, for example sulphonated and unsulphonated PET/POET polymers, both end-capped and non-end-capped, and polyethylene glycol/poly vinyl alcohol graft copolymers such as Sokolan (Trade Mark) HP22.

Especially preferred soil release polymers are the sulphonated non-end-capped polyesters described and claimed in WO 95 32997A (Rhodia Chimie).

Other ingredients that may be present include solvents, hydrotropes, fluorescers, photobleaches, foam boosters or foam controllers (antifoams) as appropriate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium silicate, sodium sulphate, calcium chloride, other inorganic salts, fabric conditioning compounds, and perfumes.

Product form

As previously indicated, the product of the invention is preferably in the form of a bar.

The product of the invention is formed by extrusion of a detergent composition.

In preferred embodiments, the composition is extruded using a plodder. In especially preferred embodiments, the composition undergoes a refining step in a refiner or pre- plodder prior to a extrusion from the plodder.

In this especially preferred embodiment, the composition is picked up by screws in their refiner/pre-plodder and transported through a refiner plate to form "noodles" which are dropped into a hopper seed of a plodder. Preferably, this is kept under reduced pressure to remove any absorbed gases. In the plodder, material picked up from the hopper is transported by a set of screws to a nose cone section of the plodder where the composition is further compacted and forced, under the pressure built up, through an orifice of the required geometry for the final product.

Conditions for the extrusion of the detergent composition to form the direct application detergent product of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The colour care benefit

The colour benefit associated with the products of the invention is twofold: protection (maintenance) of the colour or whiteness of new fabrics, and restoration (recovery) of the colour or whiteness of previously washed fabrics.

New fabrics, when washed with the products of the invention, show reduced colour degradation as compared with fabrics washed in control formulations without IDS. The fabrics maintain a new appearance even after multiple washing. This protection or maintenance benefit has been found to apply both to white and to coloured fabrics.

Previously washed fabrics which have already undergone colour degradation show significant improvements in colour fidelity when washed using products according to the invention. Thus colour damage that has already occurred can be reversed and the new appearance of the fabrics restored.

It is believed that a cause of the colour degradation resulting from the laundry process may be heavy metal ions, especially iron but also copper, zinc and manganese: these may originate from the water or water pipes, from washing machine parts, from the detergent composition used, or from the soil present on the fabric.

Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the colour care benefit obtained according to the present invention may be attributed to the sequestration by the IDS of any heavy metal ions present during the laundering process. The chlorine scavenging benefit

The incorporation of IDS has also been found to reduce the fading upon laundering of chlorine-sensitive dyes. This fading occurs due to the presence of sodium hypochlorite, which is routinely put into supply water for hygiene purposes: levels of 0.5 ppm are typical. This causes fading of dyes of a wide range of colours. The incorporation of IDS in accordance with the present invention can significantly reduce the amount of fading attributable to chlorine in the wash water.

The stain removal benefit

A further benefit for the incorporation of IDS has been observed: a significant improvement in the removal of certain highly coloured stains.

EXAMPLES

The invention will now be illustrated in further detail by means of the following Examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight in the final product unless otherwise stated. Examples A, B, C and D are comparative examples.

These experiments demonstrate the benefits of IDS in restoring colour-damaged fabrics.

Restoration/recovery of coloured fabrics that have been colour-damaged by exposure to copper ions

Woven cotton was dyed with Direct Red 80 dye and was cut to produce test cloths, each measuring 19x13cm. The reflectance readings for the cloths were measured at R620nm using a Hunteriab Ultrascan XE Spectrophotometer without UV (reading a). The cloths were stained with copper ions as follows:

Copper chloride stock solution (50ppm Cu²+)was diluted to produce a solution containing O.δppm Cu²⁺.

Each test cloth was weighed and the volume of O.δppm Cu²⁺ solution required to provide a liquor : cloth (L:C) ratio of 200:1 was calculated. Two test cloths were placed into each of the six pots in a Tergotometer and the required volume of Cu²⁺ solution added. The Tergotometer was run at 90rpm for 30 minutes at 30°C, after which the colour- degraded test cloths were removed, without wringing, from the solutions and were line dried in a darkened room.

After drying, the reflectance readings for each colour-degraded test cloth were re- measured at R620nm on the Hunteriab Ultrascan XE Spectrophotometer without UV (reading b).

After reading, the stained test cloths were hand-washed using an IDS containing direct application bar and a standard wash protocol as follows:

Four stained test cloths were pinned onto a 65% polyester.35% cotton backing cloth measuring 81x81 cm.

The bar was cut to 5x3.2cm and the surface to be applied to the cloth was flattened and smoothed. The bar was placed into a metal holder and both were weighed. The backing cloth and attached test cloths were weighed and placed into a bowl containing pre-wet water (20°F, 27°C, L:C 7:1). (FH = French Hard = 20 x 10^"4 M of Ca²⁺/ions, L:C = liquorcloth ratio). After 30 seconds the cloths were removed from the water, wrung out and laid out flat on a clean surface. The bar was rubbed a standard number of times, uni-directionally and evenly across the surface of each of the four stained test cloths. The cloths were gathered together, placed in a bowl containing wash water (20°FH, 27°C, L:C 4:1) and left to soak for 30 seconds. The backing cloth and attached test cloths were then removed from the wash liquor and evenly agitated between the hands for 1 minute, after which they were rinsed twice in rinse water (20°FH, 27°C, L:C 7:1), each time for 30 seconds. The test cloths were removed from the backing cloth, wrung out and line dried in a darkened room. The used bar was weighed at the end of the washing process and then after drying to determine the amount of wear.

When dry, the test cloths were re-measured again at R620nm on the Hunteriab Ultrascan XE Spectrophotometer (reading c).

The degree of staining prior to washing was calculated as the difference between the R620 values of the unwashed, stained cloth (reading b) and those of the unstained cloth (reading a).

The degree of staining remaining after washing was calculated as the difference between the R620 values of the washed, stained cloths (reading c) and those of the unstained cloth (reading a).

The amount of stain removed by each product was calculated as the difference between the R620 values of the stained test cloths before and after washing (readings c and b).

Laboratory Scale Manufactured Bars

The following formulations were made on a 1kg Laboratory Scale Winkworth mixer under standard conditions and extruded using a Small Scale Plodder. Two types of formulation were manufactured, those containing excess sodium carbonate and those not containing excess sodium carbonate and all bars contained 20% active detergent (linear alkylbenzene sulphonate - LAS). The IDS was incorporated at 1% and 2%.

No reflectance measurements were taken for these laboratory scale bars as these were 5 formulated for method development to establish the required formulations for larger scale production and to assess the implications of IDS presence on bar manufacturing processes.

Pilot Plant Manufactured Bars

Two further sets (excess sodium carbonate containing and no excess sodium carbonate containing sets) of bars were made on a 40kg scale on a pilot plant. Each set included bars containing 0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% IDS. Manufacturing was carried out using a 30%o IDS solution in order to avoid potential manufacturing and formulation control difficulties on the plant caused by the use of the hygroscopic powder form. An additional 1% IDS variant was also made for each set using 70% IDS powder to enable standardised comparison of laboratory scale and pilot plant scale production of the bars. It was necessary to increase the standardised total water content of the bars in the soda ash containing series to compensate for the additional water introduced via the IDS solution.

The formulations manufactured were as follows:

Excess Sodium Carbonate Containing Formulations

Excess Sodium Carbonate Containing Formulations

Results

where * corresponds to c - b 0-5

D 5-10 O) 10+

The higher the value of (c)-(b) the better the Cu2+ stain removal. The results demonstrate a clear, encouraging trend for direct application products containing IDS to improve the removal of copper ion staining from the Direct Red 80 test cloth and thus restore colour fidelity.

Claims

Claims:

1. A non-bleaching laundry direct application detergent product providing improved 5 maintenance and/or restoration of colour fidelity during the wash, which product is obtainable by extrusion and which comprises surfactant, builder, optionally other non-bleach detergent ingredients, and from 0.01 to 5.0 wt% of a compound of the formula (I):

Y-CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂ o I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation.

5 2. A product according to claim 1 wherein said product is in the form of a bar.

3. A product according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said compound of formula (I) is iminodisuccinic acid (IDS) or a water soluble salt thereof.

4. A product according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said compound of formula (I) is o hydroxyiminodisuccinic acid or a water soluble salt thereof.

5. A product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said compound of formula (I) is present in an amount from 0.5 to 1.0% by weight.

6. A product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said product comprises from 5 to 60% by weight of total surfactant. 5

7. A product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said product comprises from 2 to 40% by weight of builder.

8. A product according to claim 7 wherein said builder is a phosphate builder.

9. A product according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said product further comprises a filler.

10. A method for producing a direct application detergent product, which method comprises co-extruding a mixture of surfactant, builder, optionally other non- bleach detergent ingredients, and a compound of the formula (I): Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation, to provide a direct application detergent product containing from 0.01 to 5.0 wt% of the compound of formula (I).

11. A method for laundering white or coloured textile fabrics while maintaining and/or restoring the colour fidelity of the fabrics, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process, using a direct application detergent product according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A method for protecting new white or coloured textile fabrics from colour degradation on laundering, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a direct application detergent product according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A method for restoring colour fidelity in white or coloured textile fabrics that have been laundered, which method comprise laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a direct application detergent product according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

14. A method for removing stains from textile fabrics, which method comprises laundering the fabrics in a direct application wash process using a direct application detergent product according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

15. Use of a compound of formula I: Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation, in a composition which is extrudable to form a laundry direct application detergent product which contains the compound of formula (I) in an amount from 0.01 to 5.0 wt% to protect new white or coloured textile fabrics from colour degradation on laundering, or to restore colour fidelity in white or coloured textile fabrics that have been laundered.

16. Use of a compound of the formula I:

Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation, in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 wt%, in an extruded laundry direct application detergent product which is useful as a chlorine scavenger to prevent the fading of chlorine- sensitive dyes on coloured textile fabrics during laundering.

17. Use of a compound of the formula I:

Y - CH - CH - NH - CH - CH₂

I I I I (I)

COOX COOX COOX COOX

wherein Y is H or OH and X is H or a solubilising cation, in an amount of from

0.01 to 5.0 wt%, in an extruded laundry direct application detergent product with good stain removal performance.