A detergent composition comprising a detergent surfactant selected from the group anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and ampholytic compounds and mixtures thereof and a non-phosphate detergent builder containing two or more carboxyl groups and having a pK of the dissociation constant for the calcium complex of between about 3 to about 5, said detergent builder being selected from the group consisting of certain ether carboxylates, oxirane carboxylates, polyhydroxycarboxylates containing at least two hydroxy groups, sulfocarboxylates, polycarboxylates, acetal carboxylates and keto carboxylates, wherein the ratio of surfactant to builder in the composition is from about 0.4:1 to about 3:1 has been found to be particularly efficacious at low use concentrations, on the order of between about 0.15 percent and 0.1 percent.
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