Concentrated, stable, translucent or clear, fabric softening compositions including chelants

Abstract

Clear or translucent fabric softening compositions having a biodegradable fabric softening active and an added chelating agent are disclosed. The biodegradable fabric softening active preferably has the formula: wherein each R substituent is hydrogen or a short chain C 1 -C 6 , preferably C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, benzyl, or mixtures thereof; each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, preferably 2; each Y is —O—(O)C—, —(R)N—(O)C—, —C(O)—N(R)—, or —C(O)—O—, preferably —O—(O)C—; the sum of carbons in each R 1 , plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —(R)N—(O)—, is C 6 -C 22 , preferably C 12-22 , more preferably C 14 -C 20 , but no more than one R 1 or YR 1 sum being less than about 12 and then the other R 1 or YR 1 sum is at least about 16, with each R 1 being a long chain C 5 -C 21 (or C 6 -C 22 ), preferably C 9 -C 19 (or C 9 -C 20 ), most preferably C 11 -C 17 (or C 12 -C 18 ), straight, branched, unsaturated or polyunsatruated alkyl, the average Iodine Value of the parent fatty acid of the R 1 being from about 20 to about 140. The chelating agent is preferably diaminetriaminepentaacetic acid. The compositions display excellant clarity with a percentage haze in the transmission mode of a Hunter Color analysis of less than 90%, preferably less than 50%.

1 . A fabric softening composition comprising: 
 A. from about 2% to about 80%, by weight of the composition, of a fabric softener active;    B. from about 0.001% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a chelating material, wherein the chelating material comprises diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA):    C. wherein the composition has a percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis of less than about 90.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis is less than about 50%.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis is less than about 25%.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the DTPA is at least 0.75% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the wherein the DTPA is at least 0.75% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the DTPA is at least 0.75% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         7 . A fabric softening composition comprising: 
 A. from about 2% to about 80%, by weight of the composition, of a fabric softener active;    B. from about 2.5% to about 10% by weight of the composition of a chelating material, wherein the chelating material is chosen from at least one of the following: diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinnic acid, diethylenetriamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentakis(methane phosphonic acid), nitrilotriacetic acid, or a mixture thereof;    C. wherein the composition has a percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis of less than about 90.    
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis is less than about 50%.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein said percentage haze in transmision mode of a Hunter Color analysis is less than about 25%.  
     
     
         10 . A method of softening fabric comprising the step of contacting fabric with the composition according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A method of softening fabric comprising the step of contacting fabric with the composition according to  claim 7 .  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of the composition of a cellulase enzyme.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 7 , further comprising from about 0.001% to about 5% by weight of the composition of a cellulase enzyme.  
     
     
         14 . A clear or translucent composition comprising a fabric softening active and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14  further comprising a perfume.