Ultrasonic Method Of Cleaning

1 . An ultrasonic method of cleaning soiled items in a cleaning machine comprising:

preparing a wash liquor from the combination of water with a detergent composition comprising a bleach precursor;

selecting a programmed wash cycle on the cleaning machine;

contacting the soiled items with the wash liquor during the wash cycle; and

applying ultrasonic energy in the cleaning machine;

wherein the ultrasonic energy is not directly applied to the items; and

wherein the ultrasonic energy is used to activate the bleach precursor in the wash liquor.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bleach precursor is an oxygen bleach precursor.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the wash liquor is less than 50° C. for the entire wash cycle.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the wash liquor is less than 45° C. for the entire wash cycle.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detergent composition further comprises a bleach catalyst.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detergent composition further comprises a bleach activator.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detergent composition further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of dye, binder, builder, surfactant, preservative, perfume, phosphonate, and polymer.

8 . An automatic dishwashing machine comprising:

an ultrasound energy emitter; and

a construction such that ultrasound energy emitted from the ultrasound energy emitter cannot encounter the items to be cleaned directly.

9 . The automatic dishwashing machine according to claim 8 , wherein the ultrasound energy emitter is located within a water circulation system of the machine.

10 . The use of ultrasound to activate a bleach precursor in an aqueous cleaning system, wherein the ultrasonic energy is not directly applied to the items to be cleaned.

11 . The use according to claim 10 wherein the aqueous cleaning system comprises an automatic dishwashing machine.

12 . The use according to claim 10 wherein the aqueous cleaning system comprises an automatic laundry cleaning machine.

13 . The use according to claim 10 wherein the aqueous cleaning system comprises a portable device suitable for generating activated bleach for hand cleaning of hard surfaces, hand dish washing and hand washing of laundry.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning machine is an automatic dishwashing machine and the solid items are tableware.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning machine is an automatic laundry cleaning machine and the solid items are clothes.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the bleach precursor is selected from the group consisting of a percarbonate and sodium percarbonate.

17 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the bleach catalyst comprises manganese oxalate.

18 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the bleach activator comprises TAED.