Abstract: A clothes washing machine includes a container within which a spin tub is rotatably mounted, an agitator mounted within that spin tub, driving means including a reversible electric motor to drive the spin tub and agitator, and controls are provided to cause the spin tub to commence a spinning phase of the clothes washing cycle, to cause the spin tub and its contents to accelerate through the critical speed (lateral resonance speed) to a holding speed not greatly above that critical speed, and to cause that holding speed to be maintained for a sufficient length of time as to prevent or substantially reduce the creation of suds or foam caused by cleaning additives such as detergents in the washing liquid until conditions for suds forming have been substantially eliminated.