Agglomeration process for making granular detergents

A process for preparing an agglomerated granular detergent composition comprising at least about 15% sodium tripolyphosphate by weight, from about 50% to about 99.5% by weight of inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of alkali metal polyphosphates, orthophosphates, chlorinated orthophosphates, silicates, carbonates, sulfates and mixtures thereof and from 0% to about 20% of a surfactant, in which the agglomerating agent comprises an alkali metal silicate solution having a water content of from about 50% to about 75%, an average SiO.sub.2 :M.sub.2 O weight ratio of from about 1.6 to about 3.3, M being an alkali metal, said process comprising:

• (a) the addition of the agglomerating agent to a first portion of the sodium tripolyphosphate consisting of from about 50% to about 95% of the total sodium tripolyphosphate in the detergent composition, said first portion having a particle size distribution such that at least 30% by weight is retained on a 100 Tyler mesh screen, and
• (b) the addition of a second portion of sodium tripolyphosphate to a mixture of the first portion of sodium tripolyphosphate and the agglomerating agent after at least about 30% of the agglomerating agent has been added to the first portion of sodium tripolyphosphate.