Laundry detergent compositions having enhanced particulate soil removal performance

A detergent composition, having a pH of at least about 6.5 in the aqueous laundry solution, being substantially free of oily hydrocarbon materials, fatty acid polyglycol ether diester materials, and cationic materials containing about 13 or more ethylene oxide groups, and containing from 0 to about 20% phosphate materials, consisting essentially of about 10% to about 95% of a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of:

• (a) a biodegradable nonionic surfactant having the formula R(OC.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.n OH, wherein R is a primary or secondary alkyl chain of from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms and n is an average of from about 2 to about 12, having an HLB of from about 5 to about 17;
• (b) a cationic surfactant, free of hydrazinium groups, having the formula R.sub.m.sup.1 R.sub.x.sup.2 Y.sub.L Z wherein each R.sup.1 is an organic group containing a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl group optionally substituted with up to three phenyl or hydroxy groups and optionally interrupted by up to four structures selected from the group consisting of ##STR40## and mixtures thereof, said R.sup.1 containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, and may additionally contain up to 12 ethylene oxide groups;
• m is a number from 1 to 3, with no more than one R.sup.1 group in a molecule having a total of 16 or more carbon atoms when m is 2, or more than 12 carbon atoms when m is 3;
• each R.sup.2 is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group, with no more than one R.sup.2 in a molecule being benzyl;
• x is from 0 to 11, the remainder of any carbon, atom positions being filled by hydrogens;
• Y is selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR41## (9) mixtures thereof;
• L is 1 or 2, the Y groups being separated by a moiety selected from the group consisting of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 analogs having from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms and two free carbon single bonds when L is 2;
• Z is an anion in a number sufficient to give electrical neutrality to the molecule;
• said cationic surfactant being at least water-dispersible in admixture with said nonionic surfactant;
• the ratio of said nonionic surfactant to said cationic surfactant being in the range of from about 1:1 to 5:1 and the balance of the composition being selected from the group consisting of:
• up to about 15% of an electrolyte selected from the group consisting of perborates, phosphates, polyphosphonates, carbonates and sulfates;
• sources of alkalinity selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, monoethanolamine, and sodium silicates;
• up to 15% of a suds suppressor selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty acids, silicone suds controlling agents, microcrystalline waxes, and alkyl phosphate esters;
• water;
• ethanol;
• sodium chloride;
• up to about 40% by weight of sodium toluene sulfonate by weight of the cationic surfactant;
• up to 10% by weight of sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate by weight of the cationic surfactant;
• and mixtures thereof.