Method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry

Abstract

The invention makes provision for the final wash liquid from the washing device to be separated from the items of laundry in a water-removal device, specifically together with a large portion of the final wash liquid bound in the items of laundry. The items of laundry are then rinsed in the water-removal device. Following this, the rinse liquid is routed away from the items of laundry. The final wash liquid and the rinse liquid are temporarily stored in separate storage tanks and returned to the subsequent wash process in a deliberate manner. A mixture of at least a portion of the final wash liquid and the rinse liquid is fed particularly to the prewash zone in order to prewash the next batch of items of laundry.

1 . A method for the wet-treatment of items of laundry, with the items of laundry being washed in a washing device and having water removed from them and being rinsed in at least one downstream water-removal device, wherein a mixture of final wash liquid, which is removed from the items of laundry by the at least one water-removal device, and rinse liquid is returned to the washing device. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture of final wash liquid, which is removed from the items of laundry in the water-removal device, and rinse liquid is used to prewash a next batch of items of laundry. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein all the final wash liquid, which is removed from the items of laundry in the region of the water-removal device, and rinse liquid are returned to a final wash zone ( 17 ) and to a prewash zone ( 16 ) of the washing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the temporarily stored final wash liquid and the rinse liquid, which is separately temporarily stored, is returned to the prewash zone ( 16 ) of the washing device. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the final wash liquid which is removed from the items of laundry in the water-removal device is returned to the final wash zone ( 17 ). 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein such a portion of the final wash liquid which is removed from the items of laundry in the water-removal device and has not been fed to the prewash zone ( 16 ) is returned to the final wash zone ( 17 ). 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein fresh water is fed only to the water-removal device. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein fresh water is fed to the water-removal device only before rinsing of the items of laundry in the water-removal device, after the free liquor in the final wash liquid and a large portion of the bound liquor in the final wash liquid have been removed from the items of laundry in the water-removal device.