A washing machine and control method thereof is provided, by which a
bleaching agent and a fabric softener are supplied to the washing machine
using a single water supply valve. The washing machine includes a first
water supply valve for supplying water to a tub upon input of a wash
command; and a second water supply valve for supplying water to the tub
upon input of the wash command and upon a determination of a final rinse
step; a detergent reservoir, coupled to the first water supply valve, for
receiving a detergent for a wash step; a bleaching agent reservoir,
coupled to the second water supply valve, for receiving a bleaching agent
for the wash step; and a fabric softener reservoir, coupled to the
bleaching agent reservoir, for receiving a fabric softener for a final
rinse step, wherein the first water supply valve is used as a dedicated
valve for the detergent and said second water supply valve is used as a
common input valve for the bleaching agent and fabric softener, to
introduce the detergent and bleaching agent to the water in the tub for
the wash step and to introduce the fabric softener to the water in the
tub for the final rinse step only. The method includes steps of
determining a water level; supplying water to a tub according to the
determined water level, by turning on the first and second water supply
valves simultaneously and turning off the second water supply valve after
a first predetermined time; performing a wash step and at least one rinse
step according to a selected wash course based on the determined water
level; determining a final rinse step among the at least one rinse step;
and performing the final rinse step according to the determined water
level, by turning on the first and second water supply valves
simultaneously and turning off the second water supply valve after a
second predetermined time. The final rinse performing step makes use of a
siphonic effect applied to the fabric softener reservoir after performing
the wash step.