The effects of five selected nonphosphate detergents on color change and dye transfer on 54 dyed fabrics were compared with those of three phosphate built detergents and AATCC Standard Detergent 124. The new nonphosphate detergents have a higher alkalinity in solution than traditional phosphate laundry detergents, and their carbonate and silicate builders combine with water hardness minerals to form insoluble pre-cipitates. Such precipitates tend to deposit and mask the odor. The in-creased alkalinity was not found to be a major problem in either color washdown or dye transfer. The same work was repeated with the use of five products in the presence of soiled filler. It was shown that soil does not stop formation of the insoluble precipitate or its deposition on the fabrics. Two methods for removing the carbonate deposition were explored. Neither was totally successful. -- AATA