Fabric care compositions

Abstract

There is provided a method for preventing or reducing the fading of colour on fabric by means of a divalent salt. Compositions which provide care to the color of fabrics and comprising a dye fixing agent and the divalent salt are also herein provided.

1 . A colour care composition comprising: 
 i) a dye fixing agent, and    ii) a divalent salt.    
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said dye fixing agent is a cationic dye fixing agent.  
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said dye fixing agent is cellulose reactive dye fixing agent.  
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the cellulose reactive dye fixing agent is a product containing the reactive group of the reactive dye classes selected from halogeno-triazine products, vinyl sulphones compounds, epichlorhydrine derivatives, hydroxyethylene urea derivatives, formaldehyde condensation products, polycarboxylates, glyoxal and glutaraldehyde derivatives and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 4 , wherein said cellulose reactive dye fixing agent is a formaldehyde condensation product selected from the condensation products derived from formaldehyde and a group selected from an amino-group, an imino-group, a phenol group, an urea group, a cyanamide group and an aromatic group.  
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said dye fixing agent is present in an amount of 0.01% to 50% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said divalent salt is made of earth alkaline metal salts.  
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 7 , wherein said divalent salt is made of earth alkaline metal salts selected from magnesium, calcium and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said divalent salt is selected from magnesium sulphate, magnesium bicarbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium borate, magnesium citrate, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  claim 9 , wherein said divalent salt is selected from magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said divalent salt is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 90% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 11 , wherein said divalent salt is present in an amount of from 0.5% to 90% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         13 . A composition according to  claim 12 , wherein said divalent salt is present in an amount of from 1% to 20% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  claim 13 , wherein said divalent salt is present in an amount of from 3% to 10% by weight of the composition.  
     
     
         15 . A method for preventing or reducing the colour fading of fabrics which comprises the steps of contacting the fabric with a divalent salt or composition as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said method is performed in a domestic process.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein said method is performed in a rinse process.