Importance of the Whole Process in Hospital Laundries
There are several steps throughout the treatment of hospital linen care. For that reason, it is necessary that there is a comprehensive supervision in order to be able to control the points between the dirty zones and the clean zones, in order to avoid contaminations. Hospital laundries are units that, in addition to treating clothes, are also responsible for all collection, separation, classification, processing, final finishing and transport.
In the hospital sector, a large part of the processed clothing includes sheets, blankets, gowns, pillows, among others. Different types of clothing generate different types of dirt and, for this reason, it is important to be prepared for the most adverse situations. In a hospital environment, all clothing is susceptible to the transmission of diseases, which is why it is extremely important to carry out an evaluation of the entire clothing processing circuit.
All stages that make up the processing of hospital linen must be carried out with the highest possible standards. However, it is possible to divide the whole process into two different categories: dirty phase and clean phase.
The dirty phase includes the collection and transport of clothes, reception, characterization and separation of dirty clothes. This phase requires professionals to be very strict, as the risks of contamination are very high. The use of professional personal protective equipment, such as gloves, gowns, goggles, is mandatory and, in addition, materials for the personal disinfection of all operators must be made available.
The process of washing and disinfecting clothes is the step in which dirty clothes are converted into clean clothes. In this phase, the transition from a dirty phase to a clean zone is carried out. At this point, it is important that there is a sanitary barrier, to ensure that dirt is not transmitted from the dirty area to the clean area.
In the case of washing clothes, the sanitary barrier is carried out by the machine itself. However, it is necessary to create control points to develop a sanitary barrier in which operators, carts for transporting clothes, among other equipment that travel through the clean and dirty areas are restricted. Sanitary barriers are physical disinfection points to ensure a disinfected passage from the dirty area to the clean area.
After this step, we are in the clean phase, in which the clothes are ready to be used in hospital environments. Before the clothes are sent into the hospital, there must be a microbiological control, in order to prevent poorly disinfected clothes from entering the hospital facilities. If poorly processed clothing enters the hospital area, this can be a source of disease transmission for all patients.
Clothes Washing and Disinfection
The process of washing and disinfecting clothes is the most important in the control of microorganisms. In order to achieve maximum efficiency in the treatment of hospital linen, it is necessary to take into account 3 important factors: the chemicals used, the temperature of the washing process and the washing times. These factors are directly related to the operation of the machine and the product dosing system used.
These three factors are directly related to each other. That is, by increasing, for example, the amount of chemical product (detergent) it is possible to slightly reduce the washing temperature and still obtain excellent results in the process of disinfecting clothes.
There is no standard European standard for the treatment and disinfection of hospital linen. The best strategy should be developed by the hospital’s technical team or by the technical manager. These must be informed about all disinfection processes and implement the one that is most adaptable taking into account the particularities of the hospital centre.
Glow Professional Laundry Solutions
At Glow Professional we have developed several solutions for cleaning and treating clothes. Our range of Laundry Care products is made up of different detergents, whiteners, fabric softeners and also washing aids. There are already several organizations that trust us and our products to carry out the cleaning and treatment processes for clothes.
If you are interested in learning more about our Laundry Care Range, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our commercial team is prepared to answer all your questions.
