Thickened aqueous detergent compositions with improved cleaning performance

A detergent composition having a viscosity of from 215 cps to 4000 cps comprising;

• from 1 to 5% of a viscosity decreasing short chain surfactant, said surfactant comprising a hydrophobic portion and a hydrophilic portion, wherein the chain length of said hydrophobic portion is C.sub.6 to C.sub.10, said short chain surfactants being selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl succinates, alkyl carboxylates, alkyl sarcosinates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, amine oxides and betaines, and
• a viscosity restoring long chain surfactant mixture, said mixture comprising:
• from 1 to 5% of an amine oxide according to the formula R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 NO, wherein R.sub.1 is a linear C.sub.12 to C.sub.16 alkyl group and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 alkyl groups, and
• from 1 to 4% of an alkali metal alkyl sulphate according to the formula R.sub.4 OSO.sub.3 M, wherein R.sub.4 is a C.sub.12 to C.sub.14 alkyl group and M is an alkali metal, and wherein the ratio of said C.sub.12 to C.sub.16 amine oxide to the total amount of said C.sub.12 to C.sub.14 alkyl sulfate is less than 2:3.