Solidifying liquid anionic surfactants

A method of preparing a solidified surfactant composition comprising:

• adding to a drying device:
• a liquid anionic surfactant comprising a sulfate surfactant, a sulfonate surfactant, or a combination thereof;
• and one or more of
• a solid binder comprising a natural polymer, a urea derivative, a polyacrylate, a polyethylene glycol (PEG), or a combination thereof;
• wherein the solid binder is dissolved with the liquid surfactant in a ratio of between about 4:1 to about 1:60 by actives, and
• a solid carrier comprising an alpha olefin sulfonate, linear alkyl sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium alkyl sulfate, sodium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium acetate, magnesium acetate, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, or combination thereof, wherein the carrier and the liquid surfactant are in a ratio of between about 5:1 to about 1:30 by actives, and wherein the carrier is a solid component when added to the drying device;
• drying the liquid surfactant and one or more of binder and solid carrier to form a solidified surfactant composition;
• wherein the drying device comprises a spray dryer;
• wherein the spray dryer has an inlet and an outlet wherein the inlet temperature is between about 20° C. and about 250° C.;
• and wherein the outlet temperature is less than about 150° C.;
• and
• wherein the liquid surfactant is solidified in the solidified surfactant composition, and wherein the solidified surfactant composition has less than about 5 wt-% water.