Polycarboxylates for automatic dishwashing detergents

A phosphorus-free automatic dishwashing detergent composition which comprises (a) from 1 to 20 weight percent of a copolymer comprising from 40 to 85 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 monocarboxylic acids, from 5 to 50 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.6 dicarboxylic acids, and from 10 to 40 mol percent polymerized units of one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 esters of (meth)acrylic acid, at least one alkyl group of said esters of (meth)acrylic acid being substituted with a hydroxyl group, the copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 1000 to 30,000, and the copolymer being polymerized at pH 2 or less, and (b) one or more low-foaming, water-soluble surfactants present at a level of from 0.1 to 4 weight percent as the total level of surfactant present in the said composition.

A method for reducing film formation on tableware washed in an automatic dishwasher which comprises washing the tableware in the automatic dishwasher with an aqueous mixture of a phosphorus-free automatic-dishwashing detergent containing a copolymer comprising from 40 to 85 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 monocarboxylic acids, from 5 to 50 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.6 dicarboxylic acids, and from 10 to 40 mol percent polymerized units of one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 esters of (meth)acrylic acid, the alkyl groups of said esters of (meth)acrylic acid being unsubstituted and the copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 1000 to 30,000.

A method for reducing film formation on tableware washed in an automatic dishwasher which comprises washing the tableware in the automatic dishwasher with an aqueous mixture of a phosphorus-free automatic-dishwashing detergent containing a copolymer comprising from 40 to 85 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 to C.sub.6 monocarboxylic acids, from 5 to 50 mol percent polymerized units of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.4 to C.sub.6 dicarboxylic acids, and from 10 to 40 mol percent polymerized units of one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 esters of (meth)acrylic acid, at least one alkyl group of said esters of (meth)acrylic acid being substituted with a hydroxyl group, the copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 1000 to 30,000, and the copolymer being polymerized at pH 2 or less.