A control method of a washing machine includes performing a first drum operation of supplying water by a first set amount together with a detergent into the tub and rotating the drum at a first drum rotation speed, while water is supplied performing a pump speed-change operation of accelerating the pump from a first pump rotation speed to a second pump rotation speed and then decelerating to the first pump rotation speed at least once during the first drum operation and performing a second drum operation of operating a heater to heat the water in the tub in a state in which the first set amount of water is supplied into the tub, rotating the drum at a second drum rotation speed during the operation of the heater, and performing a pump constant-speed operation of operating the pump at a third pump rotation speed during the second drum operation.

A system (10) for washing items (12) with purified water alone, comprising a washing machine (11), a water purification apparatus (19), and a reservoir (20) for storing purified water, wherein the water purification apparatus (19) comprises a reverse osmosis device (26) and first and second deionizing materials. The washing machine (11) comprises a container (13) for receiving the items (12) to be washed, and said container (13) is arranged with an inlet connected to the reservoir (20), so that the items (12) are washable inside the container (13) with the purified water. The system (10) further comprises a tank (24) for collecting used water from the container (13), wherein an inlet of the tank (24) is connected to an outlet of the container (13). The system (10) also comprises a sediment filter (28) for filtering off particulate solids from the used water, wherein the sediment filter (28) is arranged between the tank (24) and the water purification apparatus (19).

Disclosed is a method of controlling a laundry treating apparatus comprising a tub configured to hold wash water, a drum mounted in the tub, a pulsator mounted in the drum, a sub-drum coupled to the drum, the sub-drum being configured to hold wash water, and a drive unit configured to rotate the drum and the pulsator. The method comprises a water current forming step comprising performing a basket motion and a pulsate motion and a cooling step comprising lowering the temperature of the drive unit. The basket motion is configured to form water current in the wash water held in the tub and in the sub-drum simultaneously. The pulsate motion is configured to form water current in wash water held in the drum while the pulsator is driven. A performance timing of the cooling step is preset in at least one of the wash cycle or the rinse cycle.

A method for controlling a laundry washing machine. The method includes: performing a tub loading process comprising operating supply valve(s) to provide a first volume of water through a detergent supply system and into a tub to fill the tub with wash liquid; performing a washing process comprising rotating a drum to agitate laundry in in the presence of the wash liquid; performing a static rinsing process comprising operating a pump to remove any free volume of wash liquid from the tub without rotating the drum; and performing one or more rinsing processes comprising: operating the supply valve(s) to provide a volume of clean rinse water to the tub, operating the pump to remove the rinse water from the drum, and operating the motor to spin the drum at high speed to extract rinse water from the laundry, while continuing to operate the pump.

A washing machine and method for operating a washing machine having a suds container for holding water, a non-ribbed drum rotatably mounted in the suds container for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open or closed loop control device. The method allows the execution of a washing program (Wp) having a washing phase (Wa) and/or at least one rinsing phase (Sp), and includes feeding water into the suds container in a first region of the drum in at least one of these phases (Wa, Sp) up to a predetermined water level (h) that is selected such that the laundry floats in the water, and rotating the drum at a predetermined rotational speed such that water is released from a second region of the drum and falls onto the laundry.

A washing machine and method for operating a washing machine having a suds container for holding washing liquid, a non-ribbed drum rotatably mounted in the suds container for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum, and an open or closed loop control device, wherein the method has a step for rearranging the laundry in the drum. The drum is caused to execute a right-left motion by means of the motor so as to cause a rocking motion of the laundry at a rocking frequency, the predetermined rocking amplitude of which is adjusted such that a laundry fall is implemented in which the laundry falls from a first region of the drum into a second region of the drum.

Disclosed herein are a laundry apparatus for heating a drum by an induction heater and a control method thereof. According to an embodiment, the method of controlling a laundry apparatus including a tub, a drum, an induction heating module mounted on the tub to heat the drum, and a circulation pump configured to pump wash water from the tub to an upper portion of the drum includes supplying wash water into the tub through a water supply valve, circulating the wash water by operating the circulation pump and performing fabrics soaking by driving the drum, performing heating by the induction heating module after termination of the fabrics soaking, and performing washing by driving the drum, wherein a water level of the wash water at the termination of the fabrics soaking is lower than a water level of the wash water at the termination of the water supply.

A method controls a washing machine including a drum rotatably provided in a tub that receives water, at least one nozzle spraying water into the drum, a washing motor rotating the drum, and a circulation pump circulating water within the washing machine. The method includes: controlling a rotation of the drum by operating the washing motor to rotate the drum at a first rotation speed in a first rotation direction, and to maintain a rotation of the drum at the first rotation speed in the first rotation direction so that laundry in the drum maintains contact with an inner circumferential surface of the drum; and controlling a pump speed of the circulation pump by operating a circulation pump motor in the circulation pump to accelerate and decelerate at least once while the washing motor rotates the drum at the first rotation speed in the first rotation direction.

The invention provides a method for the cleaning of a soiled substrate, the method comprising treating the substrate with a solid particulate cleaning material and wash water, the treatment being carried out in an apparatus comprising a drum comprising perforated side walls and having a capacity of between 5 and 50 liters for each kg of fabric in the washload, wherein said solid particulate cleaning material comprises a multiplicity of polymeric particles at a particle to fabric addition level of 0.1:1-10:1 by mass, each particle being substantially cylindrical or spherical in shape and having an average density in the range of 0.5-2.5 g/cm.sup.3 and an average volume in the range of 5-275 mm.sup.3, and wherein said drum comprising perforated side walls is rotated at a speed which generates G forces in the range of from 0.05 to 900 G. The polymeric particles may comprise foamed or unfoamed polymeric materials which may comprise either linear or crosslinked polymers. Preferably, at least one detergent is employed in the cleaning process. The invention provides optimum cleaning performance as a result of improved mechanical interaction between substrate and cleaning media and is preferably used for the cleaning of textile fabrics. The method allows for significant reductions in the consumption of detergents, water and energy when compared with the conventional wet cleaning of textile fabrics, and also facilitates reduced washing-related textile fabric damage. The invention also envisages a cleaning composition comprising a solid particulate cleaning composition and at least one additional cleaning agent. In particular embodiments of the invention, the solid particulate cleaning material is separated and recovered and then re-used in subsequent cleaning processes. Typically, the solid particulate cleaning material is itself cleaned intermittently in order to maintain its efficacy.

The invention provides an apparatus and method for use in the treatment of substrates, whereby the apparatus comprises housing means having mounted therein a rotatably mounted drum (17), access means through which said substrates may be loaded into said drum (17), and a multiplicity of solid particulate material delivery means.