Washing machine appliance fill duct and air passage therein

A method of washing in a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a wash tub positioned within a cabinet and defining a wash chamber, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub, the wash basket accessible through an opening in the cabinet and configured for receiving of a load of articles for washing, a door pivotably mounted to the cabinet whereby the door is pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the door permits access to the wash basket through the opening when in the open position and encloses the wash basket within the cabinet when in the closed position, a detergent drawer slidably mounted within the cabinet, an aperture defined through the cabinet, the aperture open to an ambient environment external to the cabinet when the door is in the closed position, a fill duct fluidly coupled to each of the detergent drawer, the aperture, and the wash chamber, the fill duct providing fluid communication between the ambient environment and the wash chamber for providing a flow of fresh air into the wash chamber, and the fill duct providing fluid communication between the detergent drawer and the wash basket for providing detergent to the load of articles for washing, and a controller operable to perform a wash cycle, the method comprising:

• dispensing, from the detergent drawer, additive through the fill duct to the load of articles for washing;
• rinsing the load of articles;
• and
• rotating the wash basket for an ON period, whereby ambient air is drawn into the aperture from the ambient environment, through the fill duct, and is urged into the wash basket, whereby the wash basket is downstream of the aperture with respect to the flow of ambient air from the ambient environment external to the cabinet through the aperture.