Cleaning Composition And Method Of Forming The Same

A cleaning composition comprising:

• (A) a first surfactant of the general formula
• R1-O-(A)mH
• wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 12 to 14 carbon atoms and is linear with an average degree of branching of about 0, A is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript m is a positive number;
• and
• (B) a second surfactant of the general formula
• R2-O-(B)nH
• wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 13 to 15 carbon atoms and is branched with an average degree of branching of from about 3 to about 5, B is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript n is a positive number;
• said cleaning composition having an average degree of alkoxylation of from about 5 to about 7 moles and an excess of said first surfactant relative to said second surfactant.

A method of forming a cleaning composition comprising (A) a first surfactant of the general formula R1-O-(A)mH wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript m is a positive number, and (B) a second surfactant of the general formula R2-O-(B)nH wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 12 to 15 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript n is a positive number, the cleaning composition having an average degree of alkoxylation of from about 3 to about 8 moles, said method comprising the steps of:

• i) alkoxylating a first aliphatic alcohol having on average from 10 to 16 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst to form the first surfactant;
• ii) alkoxylating a second aliphatic alcohol having on average from 12 to 15 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst to form the second surfactant;
• and
• iii) combining an excess of the first surfactant relative to and with the second surfactant to form the cleaning composition.

A detergent composition comprising:

• (I) a nonionic surfactant present in an amount of from about 1 to about 9 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said detergent composition and comprising
• (A) a first surfactant of the general formula
• R1-O-(A)mH
• wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript m is a positive number, and
• (B) a second surfactant of the general formula
• R2-O-(B)nH
• wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having on average from 12 to 15 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript n is a positive number,
• said nonionic surfactant having an average degree of alkoxylation of from about 3 to about 8 moles and an excess of said first surfactant relative to said second surfactant;
• (II) an anionic surfactant present in an amount of from about 1 to about 9 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said detergent composition;
• (III) an additive;
• and
• (IV) water.