PURPOSE: To obtain the subject composition for cleaning clothes, having excellent hydrolytic resistance, hard water resistance and dispersibility, highly preventing effect on recontamination and low skin irritation, containing an alkanesulfonic acid derivative of a prescribed structural formula.

CONSTITUTION: The objective composition contains an alkanesulfonic acid derivative of the formula [R1 and R2 are alkyl; R3 and R4 are H or alkyl with the proviso that the total of numbers of carbon atoms of R1 and R2 and that of numbers of carbon atoms of R3 and R4 are 6-20, respectively; M1 and M2 are H, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal corresponding to monovalent or (substituted) ammonium; m and n are 0-2 integer; Z is -O(X)Oor NR5(Y)NR6 (X and Y are monofunctional alcohol residue or polyfunctional amine residue; R5 and R6 are H or lower alky].