Abstract: A process for the pre-treatment of textile surfaces which impart soil release properties, comprising contacting a textile with a dispersion graft copolymer of:(a) a polyalkylene oxide which has a number average molecular weight of from 300 to 100,000, is based on ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide and may be capped at one end through etherification, esterification, amidation or reaction with a isocyanate, and(b) at least one vinyl ester derived from a saturated monocarboxylic acid containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and/or a methyl or ethyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acidin a weight ratio (a):(b) of from 1:0.2 to 1:10 in an aqueous liquor.

Abstract: Narrow range ethoxylate nonionic detergents, in combination with soil release promoting polyethylene terephthalate-polyoxyethylene terephthalate (PET-POET) copolymer (in place of broad range ethoxylate nonionic detergent and PET-POET copolymer) are of significantly and unexpectedly improved soil release promoting activity in built synthetic organic detergent compositions, of either the phosphate-built or non-phosphate-built types. Preferably, there will be present with the PET-POET copolymer a stabilizing proportion of polyacrylate, to stabilize the PET-POET copolymer against deterioration and loss of soil release promoting activity on storage at elevated temperature, especially when in contact with alkaline components of the detergent composition. The improved soil release promoting activity is most pronounced when the laundry to be washed and treated is subjected to repeated launderings with the invented compositions in cold water and when it includes polyester-containing fibrous materials.

Abstract: A fabric softening and detersive article, preferably in the form of a flexible non-woven fabric pouch, is permeable to passage of a contained fabric softening detergent composition into wash water in an automatic washing machine. The presence of a relatively minor proportion of anionic surfactant in the fabric softening detergent composition (which also contains nonionic detergent, cationic fabric softener and builder for the nonionic detergent) promotes passage of all or substantially all of the fabric softening detergent composition and its components through the pouch walls so that little or no residue remains therein after completion of the washing operation even when the wash water is cold, e.g., about 20.degree. C. Thus, efficiencies of washing and fabric softening are improved and no objectionable residue is left in the pouch, which could otherwise lead to consumer rejection of such a product.