Non-aqueous washing apparatus and method

A method of laundering fabrics comprising the steps of:

• disposing a fabric load in a wash chamber of an automatic laundering apparatus;
• delivering a non-aqueous wash liquor and a hydrophilic solvent to the wash chamber;
• applying mechanical energy to provide movement of the fabric load during a wash cycle;
• draining the non-aqueous wash liquor;
• and the hydrophilic solvent from the wash chamber after applying the mechanical energy;
• delivering a hydrophobic solvent to the fabric load in the wash chamber after draining the non-aqueous wash liquor and the hydrophilic solvent from the wash chamber;
• and
• drying the fabric load.

A method of laundering fabrics comprising the steps of:

• disposing a fabric load in a wash chamber of an automatic laundering apparatus;
• delivering a non-aqueous wash liquor and hydrophobic solvent to the wash chamber;
• applying mechanical energy to provide movement of the fabric load during a wash cycle;
• draining the non-aqueous wash liquor and the hydrophobic solvent from the wash chamber;
• delivering a hydrophilic solvent to the fabric load in the wash chamber after draining the non-aqueous wash liquor and the hydrophobic solvent from the wash chamber;
• and
• drying the fabric load.

A method of laundering fabrics comprising the steps of:

• disposing a fabric load in a wash chamber;
• delivering a non-aqueous wash liquor to the wash chamber, the non-aqueous wash liquor comprising a non-aqueous working fluid;
• and
• heating the wash chamber to change the non-aqueous working fluid from a liquid to a vapor and contacting the fabric load with the vapor of the non-aqueous working fluid.