| abstract |
Liquid or gel dishwashing detergent compositions containing anionic surfactant, polyhydroxy fatty acid amide, calcium ions and alkyl polyethoxypol ycarboxylate for improved stability are described. A preferred embodiment comprises: (a) from about 3% to about 40% of polyhydroxy fatty acid amide having the formula: <IMAGE> wherein R1 is hydrogen, C1-4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, or mixtures thereof; R2 is C5-C31 hydrocarbyl; mid Z is a polyhydroxy-hydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least three hydroxyl groups directly connected to the chain, or an alkoxylated derivative thereof; (b) from about 0.1% to about 4% of calcium ions; (c) from about 0.001% to about 15% of alkylpolyethoxypolycarboxylate surfactant having the general formula: <IMAGE> wherein R is a C6 to C18 alkyl group, x is from about 1 to about 25, R1 and R2 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl acid radical, succinic acid radical, hydroxysuccinic acid radical, and mixtures thereof, wherein at least one R1 or R2 is a succinic acid radical, hydroxysuccinic acid radical, and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon having between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof; and (d) from about 3 to about 95% of an anionic surfactant; wherein said composition has a pH in a 10% solution in water of between about 7 and about 9. |