Detergent pellets that are transparent, water-soluble, non-tacky and essentially not hygroscopic, together with a process for their preparation

The invention relates to transparent dimensionally stable water-soluble non-tacky free-flowing and essentially non- hygroscopic detergent pellets, together with a process for their preparation. These pellets consist of a matrix that comprises A) a soap component, B) a synthetic detergent component, C) a solvent component and D) a water component. The soap component A) accounts for 15-50 wt-% of the matrix and comprises salts formed by C6-C22 fatty acids and alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, ammonium or amines. The synthetic detergent component B) accounts for 10-65 wt-% of the matrix and comprises at least one water-soluble anionic surfactant chosen from a group comprising anionic organic sulphonates, anionic alcohol sulphates, anionic ether sulphates, anionic ether phosphates and anionic aliphatic surfactants. The solvent component C) accounts for 10-45 wt-% of the matrix and comprise a non-volatile organic solvent with a boiling point of at least 100 degrees C, at least 10% of which consists of a water-soluble dihydric alcohol. The water component D) accounts for 1-35 parts of every 100 parts of the said matrix. The pellets in question are prepared by heating the composition to a temperature that is above its solidification point in order to convert the material into droplets, which are then made to solidify during their free fall at least to a substantial extent.