Aqueous surfactant compositions

A composition comprising:

• one or more alkyl lactate sulfate (A) of the general formula (I),
• R1(OCOCH(CH3))nOSO3M1 (I)
• in which the radical R1 is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, the index n is a number in the range from 1 to 5, and the radical M1 is selected from the group consisting of H, Li, Na, K, Ca/2, Mg/2, ammonium, and alkanolamine,
• one or more compound (B) selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid and the mono-, di- and tri-salts thereof, wherein a cation of these salts is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Ca, Mg, ammonium, and alkanolamine,
• one or more compound (C) selected from the group consisting of citric acid and the mono-, di- and tri-salts thereof, wherein a cation of these salts is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Ca, Mg, ammonium, and alkanolamine, and
• water;
• where the following provisos apply:
• the weight ratio of the sum total of the compounds (B) and (C) to the sum total of the compound (A) is in a range from 1:5 to 1:10;
• the weight ratio of the sum total of the compound (B) to the sum total of the compound (C) is in a range from 1:1.2 to 1:3;
• and
• the pH of the composition is in the range from 4.5 to 7.5.