Detergent compositions

A detergent and cleansing composition wherein the active ingredient consists essentially of from about 1.0 to 20.0 % by weight of the total composition of a compound of the formula ##STR17## wherein A is selected from --O, --OM and --O--Y--R with the proviso that at least one A is --O;

• X is an anion;
• z is an integer from 0 to 3;
• R is an amidoamine moiety of the formula ##STR18## wherein:
• R.sup.1 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, or hydroxyalkyl of from 5 to 22 carbon atoms each, or aryl or alkaryl of up to 20 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.2 is hydrogen or alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or alkenyl of up to 6 carbon atoms each or cycloalkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms or polyoxyalkylene of up to 10 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, which may be the same or different, are selected from alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl or up to 6 carbon atoms in each alkyl moiety, and polyoxyalkylene of up to 10 carbon atoms;
• in addition, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached, may represent an N-heterocycle, in which the Y radical is bonded to a ring atom of said N-heterocycle other than the nitrogen of the R moiety;
• n is an integer from 2 to 12;
• Y is alkylene or alkylene interrupted by up to 3 oxygen atoms, of up to 12 carbon atoms, which alkylene chain may be substituted with lower alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy or hydroxyalkyl, of not more than 10 carbon atoms each;
• M is selected from the group of hydrogen, an organic radical selected from alkyl or hydroxyalkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms, polyhydroxyalkyl of up to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms, aryl or arylalkyl of up to 10 carbon atoms, or a salt radical selected from alkali metals and alkaline earth metals.