06.02.14
US Patent No. 8,703,689 B2; KIK Custom Products Inc., Concord, CA, has been awarded a US patent for a method of reducing damage to metal parts of a washing machine during a laundry cycle using a hypochlorite-containing bleach. The method entails adding to the laundry cycle an aqueous liquid bleaching composition consisting essentially of alkali metal hypochlorite, alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal silicate or mixtures of alkali metal silicates; alkali metal periodate, water and, optionally, a fragrance wherein the fragrance either is added directly to the composition or is added as an emulsified solution wherein the emulsified solution optionally contains a surfactant that is compatible with hypochlorite. The presence of the bleaching composition during said laundry cycle does not cause damage to metal parts of the washing machine with which it comes into contact.