Abstract: A process and apparatus for the enzymatic degradation of a cellulosic substrate is disclosed. The process comprises agitating a composition with milling particles, wherein the milling particles are or comprise a lignocellulosic material and wherein the composition comprises: a. the cellulosic substrate; b. a cellulase enzyme; and c. a liquid medium.

Abstract: A formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid polymer particles, wherein said polymer is selected from polyamide and polyester, wherein a polyalkylene glycol is covalently attached to said polymer at the surface of said polymer particles; and a method for treating a substrate comprising agitating the substrate with said formulation and a liquid medium, particularly wherein the method of treating is a laundry method.

Abstract: The invention provides a cleaning formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles, wherein the solid cleaning particles comprise polymeric particles and at least one cleaning agent, wherein the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles. Typically the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles by means of chemical bonds, typically ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds, polar bonds, or bonds formed by virtue of unequal charge distributions between polymeric particles and immobilised materials. The invention also provides a method for the cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with a formulation according to the invention, and a method for the preparation of the cleaning formulation of the invention which comprises treating a multiplicity of polymeric particles with at least one cleaning agent.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning at least one soiled substrate in a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum of a cleaning apparatus with a multiplicity of solid particles are provided. One method includes the steps of: agitating the at least one soiled substrate in the drum with wash liquor and the multiplicity of solid particles for a first cleaning cycle wherein the wash liquor includes at least one cleaning agent; draining the wash liquor from the cleaning apparatus; and introducing an aqueous non-detergent medium into the cleaning apparatus and agitating the at least one soiled substrate with the multiplicity of solid particles in the drum for a second cleaning cycle. Another method includes rotating the drum such that the at least one soiled substrate moves about a generally circular path and introducing the multiplicity of solid particles into the drum through an annulus defined by the generally circular path as the drum rotates.

Abstract: The invention provides a cleaning formulation comprising a multiplicity of solid cleaning particles, wherein the solid cleaning particles comprise polymeric particles and at least one cleaning agent, wherein the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles. Typically the at least one cleaning agent is immobilised on the surface of the polymeric particles by means of chemical bonds, typically ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, covalent bonds, polar bonds, or bonds formed by virtue of unequal charge distributions between polymeric particles and immobilised materials. The invention also provides a method for the cleaning of a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the substrate with a formulation according to the invention, and a method for the preparation of the cleaning formulation of the invention which comprises treating a multiplicity of polymeric particles with at least one cleaning agent.

Abstract: A method for cleaning at least one soiled substrate in a rotatably mounted cylindrical drum of a cleaning apparatus with a multiplicity of solid particles comprising the steps of: a) agitating said at least one soiled substrate in said drum with wash liquor and said multiplicity of solid particles for a first cleaning cycle wherein said wash liquor comprises at least one cleaning agent; b) draining said wash liquor from said cleaning apparatus; and c) introducing an aqueous non-detergent medium into said cleaning apparatus and agitating said at least one soiled substrate with said multiplicity of solid particles in said drum for a second cleaning cycle.