Abstract: A method for washing shrinkable textiles in a program-controlled washing machine consisting in washing textiles in a rotatably mounted washing drum according to a process corresponding to textile requirements with a water flow and possibly washing agents, wherein a starting and operating time of a drum driving motor are predefined. A washing machine for carrying out said method is also disclosed. At the beginning of the washing process, the motor operates with a staring time rate which is greater than a possible staring time and which decreases step by step or continuously during the process in order to reduce a mechanical energy applied to the textile according to the shrinkability thereof which strongly increases along with the increase of the washing process time. In such a way, the textile is pre-wetted with an optimal water quantity or soapy solution without producing the excessive textile shrinkage.

Abstract: To optimize the completeness, uniformity and reproducibility of a wetting process in a program-controlled washing machine, which can be adjusted according to the amount of laundry in a washing drum, which is rotationally mounted in a lye container about a non-vertical axis by means of a water supply system and by means a control device, said process being temporally controlled by the supply of water into the lye container. According to the invention, the wetting process is divided up into a series of phases corresponding to the various amounts (small, medium, large) of laundry that is to be treated. As a result, it is possible to adapt the wetting process according to the number and formation of individual phases in relation to the amount of laundry that is to be treated.