Like hospitals and schools, care homes can be a potent breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, so effective hygiene control measures are essential to protect residents from infection and reduce transmission between each other and with staff. Laundry bags are an essential measure in maintaining a hygienic environment, particularly when handling, transporting, and washing soiled clothes and linens.
Cold water-soluble and hot water-soluble laundry bags are available and can significantly impact energy consumption, pathogen control, and overall cleanliness. In this article, we’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of both types of laundry bags to help you to make an informed decision on which is most suitable for your care home.
Cold Water-Soluble Laundry Bags
Cold water-soluble laundry bags, the stitching of which dissolves in cooler temperatures - typically below 30°C - offer several important benefits:
- Lower energy bills: By using cold water-soluble laundry bags, you can wash laundry at lower temperatures, significantly conserving energy. As well as reducing your electricity costs, you can also play an important part in sustainability by cutting the carbon footprint of your care home.
- Eliminating bed bugs and stains: Cold water-soluble bags are effective in containing and eliminating bed bugs, and can also be a better choice for removing certain stains from laundry, as hot water can sometimes set stains into the fabric.
- Low-contamination risk: Cold water-soluble bags are ideal for washing items that carry a low risk of contamination, such as general linens and lightly soiled clothing.
However, it is important to bear in mind that washing at lower temperatures may not be sufficient to kill some pathogens, which can be problematic in care homes where residents are often vulnerable to illness. Highly infectious viruses, such as flu, Covid-19, and norovirus, are resistant to low temperature washing but more easily killed at temperatures in excess of 60°C.
Hot Water-Soluble Laundry Bags
Hot water-soluble laundry bags dissolve at higher temperatures, usually above 60°C. These offer different benefits to their cold water-soluble equivalents:
- Lower risk of cross-contamination: These bags are particularly effective in preventing cross-contamination, as the high temperatures required to dissolve them also help to kill harmful pathogens. This is crucial when dealing with potentially contaminated items, such as bed linens and towels, particularly when an infection is present in the building.
- Eco-friendly and residue-free: Hot water-soluble bags do not clog filters or leave residues on clothing, ensuring that both the washing machines and laundry come out clean and free from residues.
- Ideal for hazardous materials: Hot water-soluble bags are designed to handle linens soiled with blood, urine, bodily fluids, and other biohazards. Soiled laundry can be safely stored while it is moved, without the risk of contaminated materials leaking into the care home environment.
The main disadvantage of washing laundry at high temperatures is the elevated energy consumption. Over time, the cost of energy will impact on the care home’s budget, so it is important to balance the cost implications with the need to maintain a hygienic environment that protects staff and vulnerable residents from harm.
Get A Free Quotation Today!
If you would like to discover how cost-efficient laundry bags are for your care home, why not request a free, no-obligation quotation today? Our experts at SliK-PAK will be pleased to provide you with more information about our products so you can make an informed decision about which disintegrating laundry bags are most suited to your care home.
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