Detergent compositions and washing methods including and utilizing separate tablets of components

A packaged detergent composition consisting essentially of a container and, packed in the container, a first plurality of units each comprising a water-soluble synthetic organic detergent component of the composition, and at least one other plurality of units different from those of the first plurality and comprising at least one other component of the composition selected from the group consisting of detergent builders and detergent adjuvants each unit being in tablet, envelope, packet, capsule or other container form and having a weight of 5 to 30 grams and a volume of 4 to 20 milliliters.