Keeping Patients Safer: Best Practices for Laundry Disinfection

Key Takeaways

• Proper laundry management begins with appropriate collection, sorting, and transportation to prevent cross-contamination.
• Effective washing means using appropriate mechanical actions, disinfectants, and water temperature guidelines to remove microbes thoroughly.
• Cleaning and maintaining laundry equipment routinely helps curb the spread of microbes.
• Staff need continuous training on infection control, PPE use, and compliance.

Healthcare laundry gets exposed to bodily substances during everyday patient care, which means it can carry microbes that spread infections. Sheets, towels, gowns, uniforms, and other textiles require careful disinfection to keep patients and staff safe.

Doing laundry the right way helps prevent cross-contamination and keeps facilities compliant with infection-control standards. Below are laundry best practices that strengthen safety and hygiene in healthcare facilities.

Collecting Soiled Linen Safely

In healthcare facilities, laundry disinfection protocols start with safely collecting soiled laundry from patient rooms, labs, and procedure areas using appropriate containers, such as cloth bags with high tensile strength.

R&B Wire® Leak-Proof Hamper Bags are especially useful for wet or heavily soiled linens that could soak through standard containers. Healthcare hamper accessory lids and labels support proper management of soiled laundry.

Securely tie or close bags to avoid leaks, and avoid shaking, tossing, or other agitation, as this can release contaminated lint aerosols into the air and spread microbes.

Sorting and Transporting Laundry Efficiently

It’s crucial to designate sorting points. Laundry disinfection protocols include separating items by contamination levels, for example, keeping soiled items separate from infectious ones, and, if needed, by color and fabric type for proper washing.

Using clearly labeled, color-coded containers for sorting makes identification simple. R&B Wire® Antimicrobial Vinyl Basket Trucks and Antimicrobial Poly Trucks come in multiple colors for easy separation. They are designed to prevent microbial growth on their surfaces and support safe, efficient transport of soiled linens.

Laundry Transportation

Laundry best practices include transporting soiled items carefully. Using closed bags or carts and keeping bags off floors and clean surfaces prevents cross-contamination. 

Besides vinyl and basket trucks, R&B Wire® antimicrobial wire laundry carts are designed for efficient transportation of soiled linens in healthcare facilities, with various sizes and ergonomic designs. Accessory antimicrobial laundry basket liners and laundry basket covers offer added protection.

Washing Soiled Laundry

Proper washing is critical for eliminating microbes and protecting patients. Healthcare laundry disinfection standards, such as those from OSHA and CDC, typically specify water temperatures, mechanical techniques, and approved detergents or disinfectants. 

It’s important to follow any facility or regulatory guidelines. For delicate and specialty fabrics, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to maintain integrity. 

After washing, laundry best practices call for thorough drying, as damp laundry can harbour microbes and render disinfection ineffective. Once dry, prepare items for transportation, distribution, patient use, or storage.

Packaging and Storing Clean Laundry

Proper storage preserves laundry disinfection results and ensures clean linens remain safe for patient use. Keep them in dry, separate areas away from soiled items during transportation, whether on-site or from an off-site cleaning facility. Handle clean items minimally, with clean hands or gloves.

Using plastic bags for storage, or hampers and carts with appropriate liners or covers, provides added protection for the linens. R&B Wire® shelving units and linen carts paired with wire shelf covers help organize clean laundry in their storage areas and protect linens from dust, mites, and other contaminants.

Equipment Maintenance

Regularly cleaning washers, dryers, carts, storage units, and other laundry equipment helps remove microbes and prevent regrowth. Follow manufacturer instructions or established standards for proper cleaning. Equipment maintenance is also key to ensuring laundry disinfection practices are effective and never delayed.

Training Staff

To uphold laundry best practices, staff need to be trained on:

• Proper infection control measures
  
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, gowns, and masks.
  
• Compliance with applicable standards and facility policies
  

Maximize Facility Hygiene and Safety with R&B Wire®

R&B Wire® laundry carts have been an industry leader since 1946. Hundreds of thousands of customers trust our material handling products to support safe and efficient operations. Contact us today and let our experts help you find the best equipment for your healthcare facility. Take us for a spin!