Mildness additive

Abstract

The degree of skin irritation of detergent compositions is reduced by adding to the detergent compositions small amounts of a hydroxyl derivative of a polymerized fatty acid or a hydroxyl derivative of a hydrogenated (saturated) polymerized fatty acid, e.g. the hydroxy derivative of dimer acid. .Iadd.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A detergent composition consisting essentially of a skin irritating detergent selected from the group consisting of .[.anionic,.]. cationic, non-ionic, and amphoteric organic detergents and .005 to 10 parts by weight based on said skin irritating detergent of a mildness additive comprising (I) the substituted polymerized product of 2 to 4 molecules of a monomeric C 12  to C 26  fatty acid, wherein said product contains a cyclohexene moiety and instead of 2 to 4 carboxyl groups from said fatty acid, hydroxy or hydroxy methyl groups; or   (II) the substituted saturated polymerized product defined in (I); said detergent composition exhibiting reduced skin irritation compared to the same composition absent the mildness additive; the mildness additive and detergent composition being stable and compatible in aqueous media.     
     
     
       2. The detergent composition of claim 1 wherein said mildness additive is selected from the group designated (I). 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mildness .[.additives.]. .Iadd.additive .Iaddend.is defined as (I) and contains hydroxy methyl groups. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mildness additive is selected from the group designated (II). 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said mildness additive is the glycol derivative of the polymerization product of 2 to 4 mols of linoleic acid. 
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said mildness additive is the glycol of the dimer of linoleic acid. 
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of mildness additive to detergent is from 0.33 to 3.  .[.8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the detergent is an anionic detergent..]. .[.9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the anionic detergent is alkyl benzene sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, 
     
     
        alkyl benzene sulfates, or alkyl sulfonate..]. 10. The composition of 
     
     
        claim 1 wherein the detergent is a cationic detergent. 11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cationic detergent is a quaternary ammonium 
     
     
        compound. 12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the detergent is an 
     
     
        amphoteric detergent. 13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the 
     
     
        amphoteric detergent is an alkyl-β-imino propionate. 14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the detergent composition contains from 10 to 80% by weight of the composition of water soluble inorganic detergent builders.