18562 Online Quaterly Newsletter V5 SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 17
16
“We believe that, just as has
been proven with bacteria,
an industrial laundry is likely
to be at least 1000 times
more effective*…”
David Stevens, CEO of the Textiles
Services Association.
*at killing the SARS-CoV-2 virus than a domestic washing machine.
The hygiene risks
of domestic laundry
Household washing machines are not designed to
operate at the same level as professional quality
management systems, and energy saving measures
mean that the required 60°C is often not reached 2
or maintained for long enough. This, combined with
other variables – such as how long the garments
sit in water, detergent concentration and water to
wash load ratio – makes it impossible to achieve the
same consistent results that a controlled commercial
laundry environment can provide.
Two aspects of home washing impact on the
removal of bacteria in textiles: the increased
use of liquid, bleach-free detergents and the
trend towards washing at lower temperatures.
As evidenced by HTM 01-04 guidelines, below
60°C bacteria are not effectively inactivated, and
the risk of recontamination remains. Even without
bleach, bacteria can be reduced during washing
thanks to the detergent chemical agents, but
cross-contamination of textiles is still possible.
Therefore, where there is an infection in a household
or a person at risk e.g. with a low immune system,
the washing process must ensure that microorganisms are reduced to a non-infectious level,
managing temperature and detergent to obtain
a hygienic and risk-free result.
1
2
The importance of hygiene
control management
in commercial laundries
Hygiene management systems in commercial
laundries are necessary to guarantee the appropriate
hygiene of the textiles they process. This is particularly
important for textiles used in the healthcare or food
sectors, both of which have strict requirements.
Two quality management systems are used in
industrial laundering that provide this assurance
of hygiene: the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) hygiene
requirements and the Risk Analysis and BioContamination Control (RABC) system, which is
based on EN 14065.
Industrial laundries that have implemented a
hygiene system based on the RKI or RABC systems
can guarantee the microbiological quality of the
textiles they process. This is not the case with home
washing, which generally focuses solely on an
effective washing process.
Looking ahead, there is certainly the need for
greater debate around the issues surrounding home
laundering and the benefits of industrial laundering
as a viable, more controlled and more hygienic
solution, particularly following the Covid outbreak.
The thermal disinfection of workwear and uniforms in
a controlled environment is the safest possible way
to minimise cross-contamination, placing the NHS
on a strong footing to minimise risk in the event of
future pandemic threats.
NHS England & NHS Improvement (2020) Uniforms and workwear: guidance for NHS employers
“Hygieneaspekte bei Haushaltswaschverfahren” EN translation available on Members’ Area:
“Hygiene aspects in domestic laundry ” Dirk Bockmühl, 10.10.2018
