A method for treating laundry in a laundry washing machine (1; 201; 301; 401) of the type comprising: - a rotatable perforated washing drum provided with holes and adapted to receive laundry; - a washing tub external to said washing drum; - a water supply circuit comprising at least one supply valve to supply water into said washing tub; - a detergent supplier to supply detergent into said washing tub; - a rinse additive supplier to supply at least one rinse additive into said washing tub; - a first recirculation circuit suitable for withdrawing liquid from a bottom region of said washing tub and for re-admitting such a liquid into said washing tub such that at least a portion of the re-admitted liquid reaches said bottom region of said washing tub without entering said washing drum; the method comprising at least one washing phase during which said laundry is washed with introduction of water and said detergent into said washing tub and tumbled by rotation of said washing drum, at least one successive draining phase for draining liquid from said washing tub and following said draining phase at least one rinsing cycle (130a, 130b,..., 130n; 130'n; 230a, 230b,..., 230n) during which said laundry is treated by means of said at least one rinse additive; characterized in that said rinsing cycle (130n; 130'n; 230n) comprises the steps of: - introducing (140; 140'; 240) a quantity (Qs) of said rinse additive into said washing tub; - introducing (140; 140'; 240) a first quantity (Q1w) of water into said washing tub by activating said supply valve; - activating (141; 141'; 241) said first recirculation circuit for withdrawing liquid from said washing tub and re-admitting said liquid into said washing tub in such a way that a diluted rinse additive is obtained by mixing said quantity (Qs) of said rinse additive with said first quantity (Q1w) of water at said bottom region of said washing tub; - introducing (142; 142') said diluted rinse additive into said washing drum in order to be absorbed by said laundry. - a rotatable perforated washing drum provided with holes and adapted to receive laundry; - a washing tub external to said washing drum; - a water supply circuit comprising at least one supply valve to supply water into said washing tub; - a detergent supplier to supply detergent into said washing tub; - a rinse additive supplier to supply at least one rinse additive into said washing tub; - a first recirculation circuit suitable for withdrawing liquid from a bottom region of said washing tub and for re-admitting such a liquid into said washing tub such that at least a portion of the re-admitted liquid reaches said bottom region of said washing tub without entering said washing drum; - introducing (140; 140'; 240) a quantity (Qs) of said rinse additive into said washing tub; - introducing (140; 140'; 240) a first quantity (Q1w) of water into said washing tub by activating said supply valve; - activating (141; 141'; 241) said first recirculation circuit for withdrawing liquid from said washing tub and re-admitting said liquid into said washing tub in such a way that a diluted rinse additive is obtained by mixing said quantity (Qs) of said rinse additive with said first quantity (Q1w) of water at said bottom region of said washing tub; - introducing (142; 142') said diluted rinse additive into said washing drum in order to be absorbed by said laundry.