WO2005040321A1

WO2005040321A1 - Synergistic surfactant combination

Info

Publication number: WO2005040321A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/004015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mattia De Dominicis
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser N.V.; Reckitt Benckiser (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2003-10-07
Filing date: 2004-09-22
Publication date: 2005-05-06
Also published as: GB0323392D0; MXPA06003973A; BRPI0415102A; ZA200602900B; GB2406859A; EP1670884A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a combination of alkyl naphthalene sulfonates and oleoyl sarcosinates that provide improved stain removal efficacy for laundry detergent products.

Description

SYNERGISTIC SURFACTANT COMBINATION

The invention relates to a combination of alkyl naphthalene sulfonates and oleoyl sarcosinates that provide improved stain removal efficacy for laundry detergent products .

Greasy stain removal is an important aspect of laundry detergent products. We have found better performance is observed with the two surfactant types of the invention, especially when used in pre-treating products where the composition is applied directly onto the stain. The two surfactant types can be used in combination with other surfactants, such as alcohol ethoxylates and alkyl sulphates . The alkyl naphthalene sulfonates and oleoyl sarcosinate surfactant combination of the present invention can be also used in combination with oxygen bleach actives, such as sodium percarbonate, and bleach activators, such as TAED. Other ingredients that can be used in these cleaning are polymers, chelating agents, fillers, solvents, enzymes, fragrances and other minor components such as preservatives, dyes, thickeners and antifoaming agents. The use of alkyl naphthalene sulfonates in cleaning formulations (WO 94/05759; USP 4,783,283; GB 2279963) as well as the use of oleoyl sarcosinates for cleaning formulations (WO 95/33811; WO 9533033; WO 9533O43; WO 95/33027; WO 95/33029; WO 95/33030; WO 95/33034; WO 95/33038; USP 5,549,842). None of the previous patents describes the combination of the two mentioned surfactants as being very effective when used in combination. It has in fact surprisingly found that alkyl naphthalene sulfonates has a synergistic effect with oleoyl sarcosinates for stain removal and especially for greasy stain removal. The ratio between the two surfactants is in the range 1/30 to 30/1, preferably 1/20 to 20/1, ideally 1/10 to 10/1 or 1/8 to 8/1. The total level of the two surfactants in any cleaning composition ranges between 0.1 and 50% wt, preferably 0.5 to 20% wt, and ideally 1 to 10% wt . The preferred usage of the detergent formulation containing the two surfactants is as pre-treater where the product is directly applied onto the stains prior to the main wash. The detergent composition can be used for in-wash booster on top of the laundry detergent or as a laundry detergent . Preferably, the composition is presented in solid or liquid form. Ideally the solid, formulation is a powder or granulated product. Other actives present in the detergent formulations of this invention include an one or more of the following: a) Additional anionic and nonionic surfactants at an overall level of 0.1 to 30%wt, preferably 0.5 to 20%wt, and ideally 1 to 10%wt. b) Source of active oxygen, such as hydrogen peroxide for liquid formulations or sodium percarbonate for solid formulations at a range of 0.1 to 80%wt, preferably from 10 to 70%wt, and ideally 30 to €0%wt. c) Builder (s) , such as polymers or chelating agents, at a range of 0.1 to 80%wt, preferably from 1 to -60%wt, and ideally from 10 to 50%wt. d) Bleach activator (s) , such as TAED, at a level of 0.1 to 8%wt, preferably from 0.2 to 7%wt. e) Superwetting agent (s) at a level from 0.01 to 10% f) Filler (s), such as water for a liquid formulation or sodium sulfate for solid formulations, to 100% formula composition.

Points of advantage found in this invention' are:

■ Synergistic effect on stain- removal of combining alkyl naphthalene sulfonate and oleoyl sarcosinate surfactants . ■ A performance improvement is evident at low alkyl naphthalene sulfonates and oleoyl sarcosinates concentration . ■ Low fibre/colour damage to the fabric cleaned.

Alkyl naphthalene sulfonate:

Alkyl naphthalene sulfonate anionic surfactants are described in the formula below:

wherein R is a straight chain or branched alkyl chain having from about 1 to about 25 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, and the longest linear portion of the alkyl chain is 15 carbon atoms or less on the average, M is a cation capable of washing the compound more water soluble than the free acid especially preferred is an alkali metal (such as sodium or magnesium) , or ammonium or substituted ammonium preferred cation.

Oleoyl sarcosinate

Oleoyl sarcosinates are described below: 0 I R- CH₂CH₂ -C -N(R¹)-CH₂ -C -OO -M

wherein R and R¹ is a straight chain or branched alkyl chain having from 1, preferably 6, to about 30 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, and the longest average linear portion of the alkyl chain is 15 carbon atoms or less, but more than 8 carbon atoms, M is a cation capable of making the compound more water soluble especially than the free acid, especially preferred is an alkali metal (such as sodium, potassium or magnesium) , or ammonium or substituted ammonium cation, NRx and x is from 0 to about 4.

Additional surfactants:

Preferred total level of surfactant is in the range from 0.01 to 50% wt, ideally 0.1 to 30%wt and preferably 0.5 to 10%wt. Additional nonionic and anionic surfactants can be used.

The nonionic surfactant is preferably a surfactant having a formula RO (CH2CH20) nH wherein R is a mixture of linear, even carbon-number hydrocarbon ohains ranging from C12H25 to C16H33 and n represents the number of repeating units and is a number of from about 1 to about 12. Examples of other non-ionic surfactants include higher aliphatic primary alcohol containing about twelve to about 16 carbon atoms which are condensed with about three to thirteen moles of ethylene oxide .

Other examples of nonionic surfactants include primary alcohol ethoxylates (available under the Neodol tradename from Shell Co.), such as Cll alkanol condensed with 9 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol 1-9) , C12-13 alkanol condensed with 6.5 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 23-6.5), C12-13 alkanol with 9 moles of ethylene oxide (Neodol 23-9) , C12-15 alkanol condensed with 7 or .3 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 25-7 or Neodol 25-3) , C14-15 alkanol condensed with 13 moles ethylene oxide (Neodol 45-13), C9-11 linear ethoxylated alcohol, averaging 2.5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol {Neodol 91- 2.5), and the like.

Other examples of nonionic surfactants suitable for use in the present invention include ethylene oxide condensate products of secondary aliphatic alcohols containing 11 to 18 carbon atoms in a straight or branched chain configuration condensed with 5 to 30 moles of ethylene oxide. Examples of commercially available non-ionic detergents of the foregoing type are Cll-15 secondary alkanol condensed with either 9 moles of ethylene oxide {Tergitol 15-S-9) or 12 moles of ethylene oxide {Tergitol 15-S-12) marketed by Union Carbide, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical . Octylphenoxy polyethoxyethanol type nonionic surfactants, for example, Triton X-100, as well as amine oxides can also be used as a nonionic surfactant in the present invention.

Other examples of linear primary alcohol ethoxylates are available under the Tomadol tradename such as, for example, Tomadol 1-7, a Cll linear primary alcohol ethoxylate with 7 moles EO; Tomadol 25-7, a C12-C1S linear primary alcohol ethoxylate with 7 moles EO;

Tomadol 45-7, a C14-C15 linear primary alcohol ethoxylate with 7 moles EO; and Tomadol 91-6, a C9-C11 linear alcohol ethoxylate with 6 moles EO. Other nonionic surfactants are amine oxides, alkyl amide oxide surfactants .

Preferred anionic surfactants are frequently provided as alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, amine salts, aminoalcohol salts or magnesium -salts .

Contemplated as useful are one or more sul ate or sulfonate compounds including: alkyl benzene sulfates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkylamidoether sulfates, alkylaryl polyether sulfates, monoglyceride sulfates, alkylsulfonates, alkylamide sulfonates, alkylarylsulfonates, olefinsulfonates, paraffin sulfonates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates, alkylamide sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkyl sulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, acyl sarconsinates, acyl isethionates, and N-acyl taurates. Generally, the alkyl or acyl radical in these various compounds comprise a carbon chain containing 12 to 20 carbon atoms.

Superwetting agents:

A super wetting agent is capable of reducing the surface tension in water at values below 25 mN/m, in the ange between 18 and 25 mN/m at concentrations of 0.0001-l%wt, preferably between 0.001 and 0.1%wt.

Preferred levels in the solid composition are between 0.01 and 10%wt. Examples of super wetting agents of this invention are silicone glycol copolymers and flurosurfactants . The silicone glycol copolymers are described by the following formula:

(CH₂CH₂0)_m I (CH₂CHO)_n-R' I CH₃

Where X, Y, m and n are each a whole number ranging from 0 to 25, provided that X or Y is at least 1. X is between 0-10 and y, m and n are each preferably between 0-5. R and R' are straight chain or branched alkyl chain having from about 1 to about 25 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, and the longest linear portion of the alkyl chain is 15 carbon atoms or less on the average. The fluorinated surfactant is described in the following formulae : F{CF₂)_n-CH₂CH₂-S-CH₂CH₂-COOM F(CF₂)_n-N(CH₃)(CH₂)₃-(CH₂CH₂0)_x-OS0₂M

Wherein n, m and x are integers having a value from 0 to 15 ; preferred values are between 1 and 12. M is a cation which makes the compound water soluble especially an alkali metal such as sodium or magnesium, ammonium or substituted ammonium cation.

Source of active oxygen

Suitable level of oxygen bleaches is in the range from 5 to 80%wt, preferred level is between 10 and 70%wt, ideally 20 to 65%wt. As used herein active oxygen concentration refers to the percentage concentration of elemental oxygen, with an oxidation number zero, that being reduced to water would be stoichiometrically equivalent to a given percentage concentration of a given peroxide compound, when the peroxide functionality of the peroxide compound is completely reduced to oxides . The active oxygen sources according to the present invention increase the ability of the compositions to remove oxidisable stains, to destroy malodorous molecules and to kill germs. The concentration of available oxygen can be determined by methods known in the art, such as the iodimetric method, the permanganometric method and the cerimetric method. Said methods and the criteria for the choice of the appropriate method are described for example in "Hydrogen Peroxide", W. C. Schumo, C. N. Satterfield and R. L. Wentworth, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1955 and "Organic Peroxides", Daniel Swern, Editor Wiley Int. Science, 1970.

Suitable organic and inorganic peroxides for use in the compositions according to the present invention include diacyl and dialkyl peroxides such as dibenzoyl peroxide, dilauroyl peroxide, dicumyl peroxide, persulphuric acid and mixtures thereof .

Suitable preformed peroxyacids for use in the compositions according to the present invention include diperoxydodecandioic acid DPDA, magnesium perphthalatic acid, perlauric acid, perbenzoic acid, diperoxyazelaic acid and mixtures thereof. Peroxygen bleaching actives useful for this invention are: percarbonates, perborates, peroxides, peroxyhydrates, persulfates. Preferred compound is sodium percarbonate and especially the coated grades that have better stability. The percarbonate can be coated with silicates, borates,. waxes, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate and surfactants solid at room temperature .

Bleach activators :

Optionally, the compositions may additionally comprise from 0% to 30%, preferably from 2% to 20% of peracid precursors, i.e. compounds that upon reaction with hydrogen peroxide product peroxyacids . Examples of peracid precursors suitable for use in the present invention can be found among the classes of anhydrides, amides, imides and esters such as acetyl triethyl citrate (ATC) described for instance in EP 91 87 0207, tetra acetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) , succinic or maleic anhydrides .

Builders: The detergent composition comprises contains at least one builders or a combination of them from 0.01 to 80%wt, preferably from 0.1 to 50%wt.

Examples of builders are -described below: - the parent acids of the monomeric or oligomeric polycarboxylate chelating agents or mixtures therefore with their salts, e.g. citric acid or citrate/citric acid mixtures are also contemplated as useful builder components . - borate builders, as well as builders containing borate-forming materials than can produce borate under detergent storage or wash conditions can also be used. - iminosuccinic acid metal salts - polyaspartic acid metal salts. - ethylene diamino tetra acetic acid and salt forms. - water-soluble phosphonate and phosphate builders are useful for this invention. Examples of phosphate buiders are the alkali metal tripolyphosphates, sodium potassium and ammonium pyrophosphate, sodium and potassium and ammonium pyrophosphate, sodium and potassium orthophosphate sodium polymeta/phosphate in which the degree of polymerisation ranges from 6 to 21, and salts of phytic acid. Specific examples of water- soluble phosphate builders are the alkali metal tripolyphosphates, sodium potassium and ammonium pyrophosphate, sodium and potassium and ammonium pyrophosphate, sodium and potassium orthophosphate, sodium polymeta/phosphate in which the degree of polymerization ranges from 6 to 21, and salts of phytic acid. Such polymers include the polycarboxylates containing two carboxy groups include the water-soluble salts of succinic acid, malonic acid, (ethylenedioxy) diacetic acid, maleic acid, diglycolic acid, tartaric acid, tartronic acid and fumaric acid, as well as the ether carboxylates and the sulfinyl carboxylates.

Polycarboxylates containing three carboxy groups include, in particular, water-soluble citrates, aconitrates and citraconates as well as succinate derivates such as the carboxymethloxysuccinates described in GB-A-1, 379,241, lactoxysuccinates described in GB-A- 1,389,732, and aminosuccinates described in NL-A-7205873 , and the oxypolycarboxylate materials such as 2-oxa-l,l,3- propane tricarboxylates described in GB-A-1, 387, 447.

Polycarboxylate containing four carboxy groups include oxydisuccinates disclosed in GB-A-1, 261, 829, 1, 1,2, 2-ethane tetracarboxylates, 1 , 1 , 3 , 3-propane tetracarboxylates and 1 , 1, 2 , 3-propane tetracarobyxlates . Polycarboxylates contining sulfo substituents include the sulfosuccinate derivatives disclosed in GB-A-1, 398, 421, GB-A-1, 398,422 and US-A-3 , 936448, and the sulfonated pyrolsed citrates described in GB-A-1, 439, 000. Alicylic and heterocyclic polycarboxylates include cyclopentane-cis,cis,cis-tetracarboxylates, cyclopentadienide pentacarboxylates, 2, 3 , 4, 5,6-hexane - hexacarboxylates and carboxyethyl derivates of polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. Aromatic polycarboxylates include mellitic acid, pyromellitic acid and the phthalic acid derivatives disclosed in GB-A-1, 425, 343. Of the above, the preferred polycarboxylates are hydroxycarboxylates containing up to three carboxy groups per molecule, more particularly citrates.

Suitable polymer water-soluble compounds include the water soluble monomeric polycarboxylates, or their acid forms, homo or copolymeric polycarboxylic acids or their salts in which the polycarboxylic acid comprises at least two caroxylic radicals separated from each other by not more than two carbon atoms, carbonates, bicarbonates, borates, phosphates, and mixtures of any of thereof. The carboxylate or polycarboxylate builder can be monomeric or oligoraeric in type although monomeric polycarboxylates are generally preferred for reasons of cost and performance .

Suitable carboxylates containing one carboxy group include the water soluble salts of lactic acid, glycolic acid and ether derivatives thereof. Polycarboxylates containing two carboxy groups include the water-soluble salts of succinic acid, malonic acid, (ethylenedioxy) diacetic acid, maleic acid, diglycolic acid, tartaric acid, tartronic acid and fumaric acid, as well as the ether carboxylates and the sulfinyl carboxylates. Polycarboxylates containing three carboxy groups include, in particular, water-soluble citrates, aconitrates and citraconates as well as succinate derivates such as the carboxymethloxysuccinates described in GB-A-1, 379, 241, lactoxysuccinates described in GB-A-1, 389, 732 , and aminosuccinates -described in NL-A-7205873 , and the oxypolycarboxylate materials such as 2-oxa-l, 1, 3-propane tricarboxylates described in GB-A-1, 387,447. Polycarboxylate containing four carboxy groups include oxydisuccinates disclosed in GB-A-1, 261, 829, 1,1,2,2- ethane tetracarboxylates, 1,1,3,3-propane tetracarboxylates and 1 , 1 , 2 , 3-propane tetracarobyxlates . Polycarboxylates contining sulfo suibstituents include the sulfosuccinate derivatives disclosed in GB-A-

1,398,421, GB-A-1, 398, 422 and US-A-3 , 936448, and the sulfonated pyrolsed citrates described in GB-A-1, 439,000. Alicylic and heterocyclic polycarboxylates include cyclopentane-cis, cis, cis-tetracarboxylates, cyclopentadienide pentacarboxylates, 2, 3 , 4,5,-6-hexane - hexacarboxylates and carboxymethyl derivates of polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. Aromatic polycarboxylates include mellitic acid, pyromellitic acid and the phthalic acid derivatives disclosed in GB-A-1, 425 , 343.

Of the above, the preferred polycarboxylates are hydroxycarboxylates containing up to three carboxy groups per molecule, more particularly citrates.

More preferred polymers are homo-polymers, copolymers and multiple polymers of acrylic, flourinated acrylic, sulfonated styrene, maleic anhydride, metacrylic, iso-butylene, styrene and ester monomers. Examples of these polymers are Acusol supplied from Rohm & Haas, Syntran supplied from Interpolymer and Versa and 5 Alcosperse series supplied from Alco Chemical, a National Starch & Chemical Company.

- The parent acids of the monomeric or oligomeric polycarboxylate chela-ting agents or mixtures therefore 10 with their salts, e.g. citric acid or citrate/citric acid ■ mixtures are also contemplated as useful builder components .

Examples of bicarbonate and carbonate builders are 15_. the alkaline earth and the alkali metal carbonates, including sodium and calcium carbonate and sesqui- carbonate and mixtures thereof . Other examples of carbonate type buil-ders are the metal carboxy glycine and metal glycine carbonate.0 Chelating Agent

In the context of the present application it will be appreciate that builders are compounds that sequester5 metal ions associated with the hardness of water, e.g. calcium and magnesium, whereas chelating agents are compounds that sequester transition metal ions capable of catalysing the degradtaion of oxygen bleach systems. However, certain compounds may have the ability to do0 perform both functions.

Suitable chelating agents to be used herein include chelating agents selected from the group of phosphonate chelating agents, amino carboxylate chelating agents, polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents, and further chelating agents like glycine, salicylic acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, malonic acid, or mixtures thereof. Chelating agents when used, are typically present herein in amounts ranging from 0.01% to 50%wt of the total composition and preferably from 0.05% to 10%wt.

Suitable phosphonate chelating agents to be used herein may include ethydronic acid as well as amino phosphonate compounds, including amino alkylene poly (alkylene phosphonate) , alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonates, nitrilo trimethylene phosphonates, ethylene diamine tetra methylene phosphonates, and diethylene triamine penta methylene phosphonates . The phosphonate compounds may be present either in their acid form or as salts of different cations on some or all of their acid functionalities. Preferred phosphonate chelating agents to be used herein are diethylene triamine penta methylene phosphonates . Such phosphonate chelating agents are commercially available from Monsanto under the trade name DEOUEST TM.

Polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents may also be useful in the compositions herein. See U.S. patent 3,812,044, issued May 21, 1974, to Connor et al . Preferred compounds of this type in acid form are dihydroxydisulfobenzenes such as 1, 2-dihydroxy -3,5- disulfobenzene . A preferred biodegradable chelating agent for use herein is ethylene diamine N,N' -disuccinic acid, or alkali metal, or alkaline earth, ammonium or substitutes ammonium salts thereof or mixtures thereof . Ethylenediamine N,N' -disuccinic acids, especially the (S,S) isomer have been extensively described in US patent 4, 704, 233, November 3, 1987, to Hartman and Perkins. Ethylenediamine N,N' -disuccinic acids is, for instance, commercially available under the tradename ssEDDS TM from Palmer Research Laboratories .

Suitable amino carboxylates to be used herein include ethylene diamine tetra acetates, diethylene triamine pentaacetates, diethylene triamine pentaacetate (DTPA) ,N- hydroxyethylethylenediamine triacetates, nitrilotri- acetates, ethylenediamine tetrapropionates, triethylenetetraaminehexa-acetates, ethanol-diglycines, propylene diamine tetracetic acid (PDTA) and methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) , both in their acid form, or in their alkali metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium salt forms. Particularly suitable amino carboxylates to be used herein are diethylene -triamine penta acetic acid, propylene diamine tetracetic acid (PDTA) which is, for instance, commercially available from BASF under the trade name Trilon FS TM and methyl glycine di-acetic acid (MGDA) .

Fillers : Fillers useful for the present invention are sodium chloride , -bentonite , zeolites , citrates , talc and metal sulfate salts as sodium, calcium and aluminium sulfates . They can be used at a level from 0.01 to 60%wt, preferably between 0.1 to 30%wt.

Solvents: Solvents can be used at levels of 0.01 to 50%wt, preferred level is between 0.1-5%wt. The solvent constituent may include one or more alcohol, glycol, acetate, ether acetate, glycerol, polyethylene glycol with molecular weight ranging from 200 to 1O00O, silicones or glycol ethers. Exemplary alcohols useful in the compositions of the invention include C2-C8 primary and secondary alcohols which may be straight chained or branched, preferably pentanol and hexanol . Preferred solvents for the invention are glycol ethers and examples include those glycol ethers having the general structure. Preferred solvents for the invention are glycol ethers and examples include those glycol ethers having the general structure R_a-0- [CH₂- CH(R) - (CH₂) -0] _n-H, wherein Ra is Cι_₂o alkyl or alkenyl, or a cyclic alkane group of at least 6 carbon atoms, which may be fully or partially unsaturated or aromatic; n is an integer from 1 to 10, preferably from 1 to 5; each R is selected from H or CH_3; and a is the integer 0 or 1. Specific and preferred solvents are selected from propylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, isopropanol, ethanol, methanol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, and particularly useful are, propylene glycol phenyl ether, ethylene glycol hexyl ether and diethylene glycol hexyl ether.

Additional, optional, ingredients, selected from a list consisting fragrance, anticaking agent as sodium xylene sulfonate and magnesium sulfate, dye, enzyme are present at levels of up to 5%wt, preferably less then l%wt. RESULTS :

The detergent formulations of this invention have been prepared by easily mixing in a suitable container the ingredients. The detergent formulations of this invention have been tested in terms of stain removal.

STAIN REMOVAL TEST:

The evaluation of stain removal of standard soils has been done by considering the reflectance value Y. The X Y Z scale has been used with a spectrophotometer with the UV-filter at 460nm.

Y = 100 means a complete stain removal

Standard prepared stains have been used for the test ,

Standard stains {aged stain)

*Empa Test Materials in Switzerland WFK Testgewebe GmbH in Germany C.F.T. -Center For Test materials B.V. in The Netherlands

The cleaning procedure is done by applying the cleaning solution to the stain, leave the solution for 10 minutes, then scrub the stain swatches from top to bottom 10 times. The last step is proceed with tergotometer wash cycle done at 40°C, 50 rpm and 25 °F water hardness.

EXAMPLES :

The formulations are typically prepared by mixing each ingredient together in a suitable container. Examples of compositions forming a part of the present invention are set below in Tab 1 and 2 with the various components identified in Tab 3.

-EXAMPLE RESULTS:

The stain removal performance has been compared with Neutrex Accion Oxigeno powder from Henkel and as references of detergent, Persil Megaperls again from Henkel .

Results for stain removal :

Persil Megaperls has been used as detergent reference (Ref 1) . The tegotometer dosage used is 4.68 g/1, the same suggested as per label directions. Neutrex Accion Oxigeno has been considered as a fabric multipurpose stain remover reference (Ref 2) . The product has been used by dissolving 12.5 g of the powder in 500 ml of warm water and applying 2 ml of the solution onto each stain. The formulation of present invention have been used by dissolving 8 g in 500 ml of water and applying 2 ml of the solution onto each stains. As previously described also a scrubbing action as been done before proceeding with tergotometer cycle with detergent . After the pretreatment action with Ref 2 or with the formulations of this invention a wash with detergent in tergotometer is done. Per each product/stain 4 replicates have been considered 5 and the values reported in the table below are averaged.

* Ref 1 = Persil Megaperls ; R f 2 = Pretreatment w th Neutrex followed by in wash with Persil Megaperls,

Claims

A composition comprising, (a) an alkyl naphthalene sulfonate surfactant; (b) an oleoyl sarcosinate surfactant; wherein the ratio between the two surfactants <a) and (b) is 30/1 to 1/30 and the total amount of the two surfactants {a) and (b) does not exceed 50%wt of the composition.

A composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the total amount of the two surfactants (a) and (b) does not exceed 30%wt, preferably 10%wt, of the composition.

A composition as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 additionally comprising a source of active oxygen at a level below 80%wt, preferably below 60%wt.

4. A cleaning composition as claimed in any preceding claim which additionally comprises a bleach activator, builder, filler, anticaking agent and solvent .

5. A cleaning composition as claimed in claim 4 which additionally comprises a dye, fragrance, and an enzyme .