FABRIC SOFTENING BUILT DETERGENT COMPOSITION

A fabric softening built detergent composition, often preferably in the form of a stable and pourable liquid, includes a detersive proportion of a synthetic organic detergent, such as anionic and/or nonionic detergent(s), a building proportion of polyacetal carboxylate builder for the detergent(s) and a fabric softening proportion of bentonite. The presence of the polyacetal carboxylate builder in the described compositions increases the fabric softening action of the bentonite during washing of laundry. In preferred liquid detergent compositions the bentonite helps to stabilize such liquids and inhibits separation of tile polyacetal carboxylate builder particles, which are dispersed in the aqueous liquid medium. Also within the invention are methods of simultaneously washing and softening fabric materials by washing them in wash waters containing the components of the described compositions, and then rinsing and drying. In further aspects of the invention an antistatic agent, such as dimethyl distearyl ammonium chloride, is present in a fabric softening composition and in the wash water to inhibit the development of electrostatic charges on the washed material and the resulting objectionable clinging of such materials together after drying.