Abstract: The present invention provides a water softening device for application in a household appliance comprising a flow-through capacitor for the production of wash amplified water (WAW) from tap water, having less than 5° FH, being suitable for use in said appliance when the device is in operation; the configuration of the device is such that the capacitor can be regenerated, whereby no added substances are used. Said washing machine being suitable for use with low environmental impact detergent products.

Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article stained with particulate soil with a dry cleaning composition wherein the liquor to cloth ratio (w/w) (LCR) is at most 20, and wherein the composition comprises a) a non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent; b) a cleaning effective amount of an acid surfactant.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of washing a laundry fabric in a wash liquor in a washing machine, the wash liquor containing surfactant material, wherein during a single wash cycle no more than 10% by weight of the wash liquor is drained from the washing machine, wherein the concentration of the surfactant material in the wash liquor is substantially constant during the wash cycle, and wherein the method comprises the step of changing the ionic strength of the wash liquor by addition of one or more ionic ingredients thereto during the wash cycle.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of washing a laundry fabric in a wash liquor in a washing machine, wherein during a single wash cycle no more than 10% by weight of the wash liquor is drained from the washing machine, wherein the method comprises the step of varying the ionic strength of the wash liquor over at least 10% of the duration of the wash cycle by addition of one or more ionic ingredients to the wash liquor, and wherein the lowest ionic strength of the wash liquor is from 0.001 to 0.06 M and the highest ionic strength of the wash liquor is from 0.01 to 0.5 M.

Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a low aqueous dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article with a low aqueous dry cleaning composition wherein the liquor to cloth ratio (w/w) (LCR) is at most 20, and wherein said low aqueous composition comprises: a) at least one non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent; b) 0.01 to 0.9 wt. % water and c) a cleaning effective amount of a surfactant wherein said surfactant comprises at least one anionic headgroup.

Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a low-aqueous dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article with a low-aqueous dry cleaning composition, wherein said composition comprises a non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent, water and surfactant, whereby the water to cloth ratio (w/w) is less than 0.45 and the water to surfactant ratio (w/w) is at most 1.5, wherein said organic dry cleaning solvent is selected from hydrofluorocarbon, hydrofluoroether and siloxane solvent.

Abstract: A dry cleaning process for in-home dry cleaning comprising a non-aqueous dry cleaning step of contacting a laundry article with a non-aqueous dry cleaning composition whereby the liquor to cloth ratio (w/w) (LCR) is at most 20, and the composition comprises a) a non-flammable, non-chlorine containing organic dry cleaning solvent; b) from 0 to 0.1 wt. % water by weight of the composition; and c) less than 0.9 wt. % of a surfactant wherein the surfactant comprises at least one anionic headgroup.

Abstract: A process of cleaning a substrate, the process comprising the steps of contacting a substrate with a composition comprising at least two liquids mutually presenting a liquid-liquid interface with an interfacial tension of at least 5 mN/m and agitating the substrate and/or composition whilst they are in mutual contact, wherein the composition and/or the substrate are also subjected to ultrasound before and/or during the agitation step.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-intrusive automatic dosing system for use with existing fabric- and dishwashing machines. The system contains a container house with one ore more containers which can contain a fabric- or dishwashing product or ingredient, said container(s) being connected with a pump, said pump being connected with the water inlet conduit of the machine. The container house also contains means for receiving and transmitting signals. Signals are received from at least one sensor, capable of reading at least one parameter of the washing process or machine when in operation, and cause the transmission of a signal to activate the pump to cause the delivery of the product or ingredient to the water inlet conduit of the machine.

Abstract: A dry cleaning composition comprising:

Abstract: Surfactant blends, processes for preparing them and particulate detergent compositions containing them. Mobile liquid surfactant blends consisting essentially of alkyl polyglycosides and ethoxylated nonionic surfactant are provided, the surfactant blend having a viscosity at 65° C. measured at 50s−1 not exceeding 1 Pas, the weight ratio of alkyl polyglycoside to ethoxylated nonionic surfactant being within the range of from 35.65 to 65.35, there being from 2-25% of water. Various processes for the preparation of such blends are provided. The mobile surfactant blends can be used in the preparation of particulate detergent compositions or components by mixing the blend with a particulate carrier material without requiring a drying step.