Patent ID: 7942978

Claim:
A method for cleaning articles within a chamber of a wash machine, the wash machine having a rinse sump for collecting rinse agents dispensed into the chamber and a wash sump for collecting wash agents dispensed into the chamber, wherein the method comprises: dispensing a wash agent into the chamber during a wash phase; controlling a controllable deflector to direct the wash agent to the wash sump during the wash phase; dispensing a rinse agent into the chamber during an auxiliary rinse phase; controlling the controllable deflector to direct the rinse agent to the wash sump for a predetermined period in time after initiation of the auxiliary rinse phase; controlling the controllable deflector to direct the rinse agent to the rinse sump after the predetermined period in time and for the remaining duration of the auxiliary rinse phase; accepting water from a source external to the wash machine and dispensing the water into the chamber during a final rinse phase; controlling the controllable deflector to direct the water dispensed during the final rinse phase to the rinse sump such that the water combines with the rinse agent; and re-using the rinse agent in the rinse sump during at least one subsequent auxiliary rinse phase; wherein the wash sump and the rinse sump are separate sumps.