Patents

Is Appliance Maker Haier’s New Patent a Solution for Malodor in Washing Machines?

“Vacation mode" is triggered to address stagnant water.

Photo: Shitterstock/Pixel-Shot

US 12,729,474 B2 (David Scott Dunn and Jivko Ognianov Djerekarov); Haier US Appliance Solutions Inc., Wilmington, DE, has patented a method of operating a washing machine in “vacation” mode—a setting triggered automatically when the appliance has been nonoperational/idle for a set length of time, rather than requiring manual activation.

Upon detecting the idle condition, the appliance locks its door, activates a heating element at a predetermined power level, and directs a fan for a set time before deactivating the heater.

Haier’s method addresses stagnant water that can remain in an appliance’s sump during extended non-use, such as in vacation homes, by automatically initiating a heat-and-circulate cycle without requiring user intervention.

Formulating solutions for odor in washing machines? Check out this Enzymatic Washing Machine Cleaner in our Formulary vault.

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