Abstract: An antistatic and fabric softening laundry wash cycle additive article includes an antistatic and fabric softening composition in a filtering container, from which a complex of cationic surfactant and anionic surfactant is released into the wash water through the filtering walls of the container. The particles of the released complex, the size of which are controlled by the sizes of the filtering openings in the container walls, are small enough so that they do not form objectionable greasy deposits on the laundry, such as often results when antistatic and fabric softening cationic surfactant is present with anionic surfactant in a detergent composition, or is added to the wash water with such detergent composition. The cationic surfactant may be present in the filtering container as a complex with anionic surfactant or in mixture with anionic surfactant, in particulate form.

Abstract: A particulate agglomerate of cationic/anionic surfactant complex and bentonite 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, after rinsing and automatic tumble drying. Among the various advantages of the invention are increased stability of the cationic/anionic surfactant complex in such agglomerate from and during storage before use, the fabric softening effect of the bentonite, and the ready dispersion of the complex in the wash water, so that it does not deposit on the laundry as greasy stains of the type that are obtained when a sufficient antistatic and fabric softening proportion of cationic surfactant or an antistatic and fabric softening proportion of an essentially pure cationic/anionic surfactant complex is added to a control wash in which the wash water contains a detersive proportion of synthetic organic anionic detergent.

Abstract: A particulate agglomerate of cationic/anionic surfactant complex and bentonite 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, after rinsing and automatic tumble drying. Among the various advantages of the invention are increased stability of the cationic/anionic surfactant complex in such agglomerate form and during storage before use, the fabric softening effect of the betonite, and the ready dispersion of the complex in the wash water, so that it does not deposit on the laundry as greasy stains of the type that are obtained when a sufficient antistatic and fabric softening proportion of cationic surfactant or an antistatic and fabric softening proportion of an essentially pure cationic/anionic surfactant complex is added to a control wash in which the wash water contains a detersive proportion of synthetic organic anionic detergent.