Defoamer granules and processes for producing the same

Detergents for domestic laundry and for industrial laundry, but also dishwashing detergents and cleaners, generally contain organic surfactants, builders and numerous organic and inorganic additives. The surfactants used for washing normally tend to foam in use which has an adverse effect on the cleaning result. Accordingly, there is a practical need to control foaming in use. Silicones have proven to be particularly suitable defoamers. They are generally applied to support materials and are optionally coated with other organic defoaming substances for use in solid laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents and cleaners. Defoamer granules containing support materials and silicones for solid laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent and cleaning compositions, obtainable by applying silicones in the form of aqueous emulsions to an added intermediate product of support materials and simultaneously drying and granulating the products in a fluidized bed, with the proviso that at least 85% by weight of the particles have a mean diameter below 1.5 mm, are described.