Patent ID: 6858572

Claim:
A process for preparing a detergent particle comprising the steps of: a) providing a surfactant material which is an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl sulfates, alkyl alkoxy sulfates, and mixtures thereof with nonionic surfactants, said surfactant material being in the form of a paste or liquid; b) blending said surfactant material and dry starting detergent materials to form a particle core as an agglomerate; c) passing said particle core to a coating mixer; d) providing an aqueous coating solution or slurry comprising water and a water soluble, non-hydrating inorganic material which is the double salt Na 2 SO 4 :Na 2 CO 3 in a weight ratio of Na 2 SO 4 to Na 2 CO 3 of from about 80:20 to about 20:80 to said coating mixer; e) at least partially coating said particle core with said solution or slurry (d) in said coating mixer to form a detergent particle; and f) removing said water from said detergent particle, whereby the surface area of said detergent particle of step (f) is at least 10% less than that of the particle core of step (e).