WASHING MACHINE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set an operation course with improved rinsing performance while controlling the quantity of water used in the course as much as possible in a washing machine. SOLUTION: In a "standard" course, a dewatering rinsing process (S4) and an intermediate spin-drying process (S5) are executed as the first rinsing. On the other hand, in a "skin-care" course for the purpose of improving the rinsing performance, repeated spin-drying and rinsing, in which the spin-drying and rinsing process and the intermediate spin-drying process are repeated four times, is adopted as the first rinsing. The repeated spin-drying and rinsing can reduce the quantity of water used in the course by reducing the time of showering water in one execution of the spin-drying and rinsing process, shorter than in the "standard" course, and can cover the drop in rinsing performance caused by the reduction of time of water feeding by extending the time of spin-drying in the intermediate spin-drying process longer than in the "standard" course. As a result, the rinsing performance in one execution of the spin-drying and rinsing process and the intermediate spin-drying process matches the performance in the first rinsing in the "standard" course, and the rinsing performance can be significantly improved by repeating the processes four times. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI