Patent ID: 7893014

Claim:
A method of treating fabrics in a washing machine to provide first fabric protective properties and subsequent second fabric protective properties to a fabric, comprising the steps of: (1) depositing a first composition onto the fabric in a first treatment liquor, wherein the first composition comprises: a) a hydrophobic agent that does not cause any significant color change, nor impart any discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C.; b) a fluoropolymer; and c) an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier; such that the first treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; (2) first curing said fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.; (3) depositing a second composition onto the fabric in a second treatment liquor, wherein the second composition comprises: d) a hydrophobic agent that does not cause any significant color change, nor impart any discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C.; and e) an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier; f) and does not comprise a fluoropolymer; such that the second treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and (4) subsequently curing said fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.; wherein: i) said first fabric protective properties comprise: increased water repellency; increased oil repellency; soil and stain release; improved handfeel; improved softness; improved resistance to damage; and any combination thereof; ii) said second fabric protective properties comprise at least one of said first fabric protective properties; iii) said hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer; iv) said zeta potential modifier comprises a cationic or cationically modified material; and v) the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is at least 1:3.