Stain removal process using combination of low and high speed spin

Abstract

An improved method for treating textiles such as clothing with a concentrated solutions in an automatic washer by alternating the speed of rotation of the automatic washer wash basket from a low spin speed to a high spin speed and applying the concentrated solution to the textiles when the wash basket is spinning at the low spin speed.

1 . A method for laundering a textile wash load in an automatic washing apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 a. loading a textile wash load into a wash basket of the automatic washing apparatus wherein the wash basket is surrounded by a stationary wash tub;    b. introducing a volume of chemical solution into the wash tub;    c. rotating the washer basked relative to the stationary wash tub at a low spin speed;    d. applying at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution to the textile wash load while the wash basket in rotating at a low spin speed; and    e. rotating the wash tub at a high spin speed.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein steps b-e are repeated at least once.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein steps b-e are repeated a pre-determined number of times.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the volume of chemical solution is introduced into the stationary wash tub without wetting the textile wash load.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein applying step d is accomplished by withdrawing chemical solution from the wash tub, and spraying the withdrawn chemical solution onto the textile wash load.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein essentially all of the chemical solution is withdrawn from the wash tub and sprayed onto the textile wash load during step d.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the low spin speed is a spin speed that applies less than 1 GPa of centrifugal force on the textile load.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the low spin speed is a spin speed wherein there is essentially no extraction of liquids from the textile wash load.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the high spin is a spin speed that applies more than 1 GPa of centrifugal force on the textile wash load.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the high spin speed is a spin speed that is sufficient to extract at least some interstitial chemical solution from the textile wash load.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chemical solution is a concentrated chemical solution including a chemical solution and water.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chemical solution is added directly to the wash tub.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein water is added into the wash tub following step e.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein water is added to the wash to in an amount sufficient to raise the level of chemical solution in the wash tub.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the water raise is added in an amount this is sufficient to the level of chemical solution in the wash tub to a level selected from a predetermined level, a minimum detectable level, and a variable level wherein the variable level is established by adding water to the wash tub for a predetermined period of time.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the application of chemical solution is halted while the wash tub is spinning at a high spin speed in step e.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentrated chemical solution is applied to the textile wash load by spraying  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein application step d is halted and the wash basket is spun at a low spin speed for a period of time sufficient to allow at least some of the concentrated chemical solution to sweep down through the textile wash load.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chemical solution is selected from the group consisting of detergents, textile pre-treatment solutions, bleaches, or fabric softeners.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentrated chemical solution is a detergent and the method of laundering is a textile wash load pretreatment method.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentrated chemical solution is bleach and the method of laundering is a bleach treatment method.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentrated chemical solution is a fabric softener and the method of laundering is a fabric softening method.  
   
   
       23 . A method for laundering a textile wash load in an automatic washing apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 a. loading a textile wash load into a wash basket of the automatic washing apparatus wherein the wash basket is surrounded by a stationary wash tub;    b. introducing a chemical into the wash tub and introducing water into the wash tub to form a concentrated chemical solution having a measurable level;    c. rotating the wash basket relative to the stationary wash tub at speed that applies less than 1 GPa centrifugal force on the textile wash load;    d. applying at least a portion of the concentrated chemical solution to the textile wash load while the wash basket in rotating at a low spin speed;    e. halting the application of the concentrated chemical solution to the textile wash load;    f. rotating the wash basket at a spin speed that applies greater than 1 GPa centrifugal force to the textile wash load;    g. halting the rotation of the wash basket at a speed that applies greater than 1 GPa centrifugal force to the textile wash load;    h. introducing water into the wash tub and admixing the water with the concentrated chemical solution until there is a measurable level of concentrated chemical solution in the wash tub; and    i. repeating steps c-e at least once.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein steps c-g are repeated a predetermined number of times.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein steps c-g are repeat steps until the textile wash load is saturated with concentrated chemical solution  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the textile wash load is saturated with the concentrated chemical solution when essentially no water needs to be added to wash tub in step f to form a detectable level.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the measurable level is a minimum detectable level.  
   
   
       28 . A method for laundering a textile wash load in a washing apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 a. loading a textile wash load into a wash basket of the washing apparatus wherein the wash basket is surrounded by a stationary wash tub;    b. introducing a predetermined volume of concentrated detergent solution into the stationary wash tub without wetting the textile wash load;    c. rotating the wash basket relative to the stationary wash tub at a low spin speed for a predetermined length of time;    d. applying a volume of the concentrated detergent solution to the textile wash load while the wash basket is rotating at a low spin speed by withdrawing concentrated detergent solution from the wash tub and directing the withdrawn concentrated detergent solution into the wash basket and into contact with the textile wash load;    e. interrupting application step d and accelerating the wash basket to a high spin speed; and    f. repeating steps c-e a predetermined number of times.