US Patent 11773350 Method of washing textile articles

The present invention relates to a method of washing textile articles that can be carried out, for example, in a continuous batch tunnel washer. Embodiments of the present method can include treating the textile with an aqueous composition including cleaning agent and halogen-containing bleaching agent for a time sufficient to remove soil from the textile and contacting the halogen-treated textile with an aqueous composition including a peroxycarboxylic acid. The concentration of halogen after the sufficient time can be at a level that does not result in adverse interaction between the halogen-containing bleaching agent and the peroxycarboxylic acid. Embodiments of the present method can clean textiles with the results of more effective stain removal and less waste through destruction of the textile article. Further, the present invention can clean a textile contacted soiled by a composition including chlorhexidine gluconate without resulting staining of the textile, which staining could have been permanent.