Medical Washing Machines Help Control Cross-Contamination During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside the control of patients, healthcare workers and treatment environments, the handling of textiles used in hospitals also received particular attention. Bed sheets, patient clothing, healthcare uniforms, towels and other textiles used in treatment areas need to be collected, transported and processed according to appropriate procedures to help minimize the risk of spreading infectious agents.
For hospitals, field hospitals and isolation facilities handling large volumes of textiles, medical washing machines do more than simply clean textiles. They are also an important part of controlling the flow of soiled and clean textiles.
Healthcare Textiles and the Risk of Cross-Contamination During COVID-19
Used healthcare textiles may be contaminated with blood, body fluids and microorganisms. Therefore, the way textiles are collected and handled directly affects the safety of healthcare workers, laundry personnel and the surrounding environment.
During collection, soiled textiles should be contained and transported appropriately, while unnecessary shaking, handling or agitation should be minimized to reduce the potential spread of lint and infectious agents. Soiled textiles should also not be sorted or pre-washed in patient-care areas.
This became even more important during COVID-19, when infection-control requirements in treatment facilities and isolation areas were placed at the highest priority.
How Do Medical Washing Machines Help Control Textile Flow?
One of the key differences of a medical laundry system is its ability to organize the process according to the principle of separating soiled and clean areas.
With a two-door medical washing machine (barrier washer), textiles are loaded into the machine from the soiled side. Once the washing program is completed, the textiles are unloaded from the clean side. This configuration helps prevent processed textiles from returning to the soiled receiving area, thereby supporting the control of recontamination risks during laundry operations.
In medical laundry design, the receiving and processing area for soiled textiles is normally separated from the clean area. The CDC also recommends maintaining the soiled linen receiving area at a relative negative pressure compared with clean areas to help reduce the risk of recontamination of processed textiles.
Therefore, the value of a medical washing machine lies not only in its cleaning performance, but also in its integration into a one-way textile flow from soiled to clean.
Controlling Washing Time, Temperature and Programs
In healthcare textile processing, washing effectiveness does not depend on a single factor. Time, temperature, mechanical action, water quality, load size and the level of contamination all affect the cleaning process.
This is also why medical washing machines need to provide the ability to set and control washing programs according to different textile groups. Operating with controlled programs helps make the processing cycle more consistent, rather than relying entirely on manual actions by operators.
For hot-water cycles, CDC guidelines provide reference parameters for washing temperature and time. When lower-temperature cycles are used, appropriate laundry chemicals need to be selected and used at the correct concentration. Therefore, actual processing programs should be developed based on the textile type, equipment, chemicals and requirements of each healthcare facility.
The Role of Two-Door Washing Machines During COVID-19
In a situation where healthcare facilities need to process large volumes of textiles within a short period, two-door washing machines provide an important operational advantage: separating the flow of soiled and clean textiles.
- Soiled textiles are loaded from the soiled receiving area.
- The washing cycle is carried out within the enclosed system according to the established program.
- Processed textiles are unloaded from the clean side.
- The need for staff to move clean textiles back into potentially contaminated areas is minimized.
- A one-way workflow can be maintained within the laundry.
This approach is particularly meaningful for hospitals, treatment areas and facilities handling textiles from locations with a high risk of infection. However, the washing machine is only one component of an infection-control system. The overall effectiveness also depends on the proper collection, transportation, sorting, washing, drying, storage and distribution of textiles.
More Than a Washing Machine – Part of an Infection-Control System
COVID-19 demonstrated that infection control in hospitals is not limited to patient rooms or treatment areas. Processes that take place behind the scenes, such as textile collection and processing, also need to be carefully organized.
With an appropriate medical laundry system, particularly a two-door washing machine combined with a laundry layout that separates soiled and clean areas, healthcare facilities can establish a more controlled textile-processing workflow and reduce unnecessary points of contact between soiled and processed textiles.
For this reason, medical laundry systems should be considered part of an overall infection-control solution rather than simply equipment for cleaning healthcare textiles.
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