logic state to the other this causes one of logic and gates 13 and 14 to assume a logic state corresponding to the type of fabrics identified by the present control apparatus in response to which the respective logic gate becomes effective to initiate the execution of the laundering cycle established for the thus identified fabrics under the control of microprocessor program control unit 1 by applying the described criteria it is also possible to automatically detect the presence of other types of fabrics and to correspondingly control the execution of other laundering cycles particularly suitable for these fabrics by the provision in addition to the comparator and logic gates described above by way of example of additional comparators and logic gates of different types without thereby leaving the scope of protection as claimed for the present invention the present control apparatus operates as follows after the laundry has been deposited into the drum and prior to the admission of water and detergents to the tub of the machine microprocessor program control unit 1 starts the rotation of the drum with the resultant agitation of the laundry and at the same time generates an enable signal 27 to be applied to clock signal generator 11 under these conditions while the laundry commences to produce friction generated electrostatic charges which are progressively accumulated on electrodes 3 and 4 of discharge element 2 clock signal generator 11 starts to generate square wave shaped clock signals which are counted by digital counter 10 to thereby.