Soap-nonionic detergent compositions containing a cellulose ether anti-redeposition agent

A detergent composition for washing soiled fabrices without undue redeposition of soil and without the use of substantial amounts of phosphate builders, said composition comprising:

• (i) from 20 to 50% by weight of a soap selected from water-soluble alkali metal salts of C.sub.8 -C.sub.26 fatty acids;
• (ii) from 5 to 25% by weight of a nonionic detergent active compound selected from ethoxylated C.sub.7 -C.sub.22 primary and secondary alcohols, the weight ratio of said soap to said nonionic detergent active compound being from 1:1 to 10:1;
• (iii) from 0.05 to 5% by weight of a cellulose ether selected from alkyl/hydroxyalkyl cellulose dervicatives in which the average number of substituent groups per anhydroglucose unit is from 1.5 to 3.0, the alkyl substituent groups containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the hydroxyalkyl groups containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms wherein the degree of substitutiton of alkyl groups is from about 0.8 to about 1.9 and the degree of substititution of hydroxyalkyl groups is from about 0.1 to about 1.0 per anhydroglucose unit;
• and
• (iv) from 0 to 10% by weight of a phosphate builder selected from water-soluble alkali metal pyrophosphates, polyphosphates and phosphonates,
• said percentages being by weight of the overall composition, and said composition being free of other synthetic surfactants.