The importance of frequent sanitation and thorough washing of linens couldn’t be more emphasised in hospitals. The sheets used for bedding and other purposes should not only provide comfort but also safety. Eliminating germs, bacteria, and viruses keeps diseases from worsening and further spreading. This is why healthcare laundry is an essential service that aids patient recovery and saves lives.
Laundry for hospital can be outsourced from professional companies. Hiring their expertise ensures that disease-carrying organisms are killed and terminated promptly. It saves you from the worries and hassle of understanding all sorts of sheets and the right hospital linen services to keep them clean. To ensure complete sanitation, it’s first important to know the different types of hospital linen.
General purpose hospital linen - This is the cloth you see in various areas and corners of the hospital, including curtains, drapes, table covers, and other fittings for general purposes.
Patient clothing linen - This is the linen worn by patients and makes direct contact with their body, like hospital gowns, dresses, shirts, coats, and more. Laundry for nursing home also includes these sensitive garments for elderly patients.
Ward linen - The type of linen that’s suited for covering medical beds, cots, and other accessories where patients lie, rest, undergo treatment, and recover.
Mattress cover - It is a zippered cloth that completely wraps the mattress and protects it from waste, spills, and other accidents. It is waterproof and reusable.
Fitted sheet - With gartered or elastic edges, this sheet covers the mattress. Also called the bottom sheet, this linen type provides more comfort to the patient.
Pillowcase - The protective covering of pillows that blocks sweat and oils from damaging the inside. Pillowcases must be changed and washed regularly.
Blanket - Typically made of cotton, polyester, and other fibres, blankets offer warmth and cosiness, especially when it’s cold or the patient has a fever.
Bed pads - This is an added layer of comfort that ensures patients lie in a dry and pleasant bed. The cloth is highly absorbent and reusable.
Surgical linen - Cloth that is specifically designed to facilitate safe and sterile operations, including gowns, coats, shirts, and pyjamas worn by doctors and surgeons in the procedure room.
How hospital linens are washed
Extraction - Laundry for hospital starts with extraction. The linens and sheets are first removed with care from furniture and other fittings to avoid spreading germs and other possible contamination.
Collection - The collected sheets are placed in appropriate containers and sealed securely to prevent leakage. Sorting doesn’t happen in the rooms or laboratories from where they are collected, as it can possibly cause contamination. The same procedure is also performed in laundry for nursing home. They are taken and sealed promptly.
Transport - The bags containing dirty linens are labelled accordingly so transporters and healthcare laundry workers are guided on the type of textile, where it was collected, and the possible contamination it entails. This helps them decide on the kind of treatment and precautionary measures they must follow.
Washing - The laundry process includes several steps to kill as many microorganisms that have clung in the sheet. This involves flushing, main washing, rinsing, and souring. Washing in hot water, around 70°C, is recommended.
Drying - After washing, hospital linen services providers thoroughly dry the sheets, then press them. They are sent back to the facility, freshly cleaned and disinfected for safe use.
Getting professional help for hospital laundry
Hiring the services of professional laundry workers ensures clean, microbe-free, and hygienic hospital sheets for the safe use of patients and medical personnel. Letting them handle the laundry saves you the hassle of going over the entire sanitising procedure as they provide high-grade cleaning and top comfort, just like in laundry for hotel services. Frequent washing of hospital linens avoids the spread of infections and promotes the health of everyone in the hospital.
