Safe Management of Linen in Hospitals

Recommendations

Ensure that laundry areas have handwashing facilities and products and appropriate PPE available for workers (Conditional recommendation)

Use and maintain laundry equipment according to manufacturers’ instructions. (Good practice statement)

Do not leave damp textiles or fabrics in machines overnight. (Good practice statement)

Bag or otherwise contain contaminated textiles and fabrics at the point of use. (Strong recommendation)

Do not sort or pre rinse contaminated textiles or fabrics in patient-care areas(Strong recommendation)

Use leak-resistant containment for textiles and fabrics contaminated with blood or body substances. (Strong recommendation)

Identify bags or containers for contaminated textiles with labels, color coding, or other alternative means of communication as appropriate (Conditional recommendation)

Establish a facility policy to determine when textiles or fabrics should be sorted in the laundry facility (i.e., before or after washing). (Good practice statement)

If hot-water laundry cycles are used, wash with detergent in water ≥160°F (≥71°C) for ≥25 minutes. (Strong recommendation)

Choose chemicals suitable for low-temperature washing at proper use concentration if low- temperature (<160°F [<71°C]) laundry cycles are used. (Good practice statement)

Package, transport, and store clean textiles and fabrics by methods that will ensure their cleanliness and protect them from dust and soil during interfacility loading, transport, and unloading. (Good practice statement)

Do not conduct routine microbiological sampling of clean textiles (Strong recommendation)

Use microbiological sampling during outbreak investigations if epidemiologic evidence suggests a role for health-care textiles and clothing in disease transmission. (Strong recommendation)

Use sterilized textiles, surgical drapes, and gowns for situations requiring sterility in patient care. (Strong recommendation)

Use hygienically clean textiles (i.e., laundered, but not sterilized) in neonatal intensive care units. (Strong recommendation)

Follow manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning fabric products including those with coated or laminated surfaces. (Good practice statement)

Keep mattresses dry; discard them if they become and remain wet or stained, particularly in burn units. (Strong recommendation)

Clean and disinfect mattress covers using EDA or MoHP-registered disinfectants, that are compatible with the cover materials to prevent the development of tears, cracks, or holes in the cover. (Strong recommendation)

Maintain the integrity of mattress and pillow covers. (Good practice statement)

Replace mattress and pillow covers if they become torn (Good practice statement)

Clean and disinfect moisture-resistant mattress covers between patients using an EDA or MoHP registered product. (Strong recommendation)

If using a mattress cover completely made of fabric, change these covers and launder between patients. (Strong recommendation)

Launder pillow covers and washable pillows in the hot-water cycle between patients or when they become contaminated with body substances. (Strong recommendation)

Handle used textiles and fabrics with minimum agitation to avoid contamination of air, surfaces and persons. (Strong recommendation)

Maintain the receiving area for contaminated textiles at negative pressure compared with the clean areas of the laundry during the time of facility construction. (Conditional recommendation)