CATIONIC-ANIONIC SURFACTANT COMPLEX IN AN AQUEOUS EMULSION AS A FABRIC-SOFTENER

摘要

An emulsion of cationic/anionic surfactant complex is provided, for addition to the wash water in the wash cycle operation of automatic washing machines, to make washed and dried laundry softer to the touch and static-free. Major advantages of the invention are that the cationic/anionic surfactant complex, in emulsion form, is stable during storage, as is the emulsion, and the complex does not deposit on the laundry as greasy stains, such as are obtained when a sufficient antistatic and fabric softening proportion of cationic surfactant is added to a control wash water containing a detersive proportion of synthetic anionic detergent. Also within the invention are processes for manufacturing the described emulsion and for employing it with synthetic anionic detergent in washing laundry and simultaneously treating it to make it softer and static-free.