Hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition and method for removal of hydrophobic and particulate soil

The invention relates to a hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition and method for removal of hydrophobic and particulate soil from an article. Stubborn hydrophobic greasy or oily soils, including associated organic particulate soils, such as finely divided elemental carbon, are frequently encountered on fabrics including textiles and on hard surfaces including engine parts. The composition is selected to provide enhanced soil renoval, preferably in institutional laundry applications and in industrial parts cleaning applications. A hydrophobic and particulate soil removal composition is provided. The composition can be used for removing organic hydrophobic soils, such as oily or greasy soils, from a laundry item and/or from a hard surface such as an engine part and/or from skin. The composition can be used in a liquid or solid form and can be applied to individual laundry items in the form of a solid stick or liquid spray prior to introduction to the laundry machine. Laundry items can also be contacted in the laundry machine with the pre-spot or pre-treatment composition in the form of an aqueous presoak, preflush, prewash, or other step prior to the cleaning step. The treatment composition can be used as a recirculating liquid stream or bath for the cleaning of hard surfaces. The composition includes an ethoxylate component and a fatty acid ester component.