Guidelines for Washing Medical Linens

Linens in a hospital can be a major potential source of infection since they are likely to be contaminated by patients in hospital beds. Proper procedures should be followed at all times to ensure that linens in medical facilities are handled and cleaned properly to prevent the spread of microorganisms that cause disease.

Used Linen Transport

• When a patient has been on linens in a hospital bed and it is time for them to be changed, it is important they reach the washing facility in a way that will minimize the potential spread of any infection.
  Gather all used linen in an enclosed bag as soon as they are stripped from the bed, according to South Tees Hospitals in Middlesbrough, U.K. The bag should be of a type that is impermeable to microbes.
  Handle the bag using a minimal amount of shaking or movement to minimize the dispersal of infectious material.
  Wear gloves when dealing with hazardous items and always wash hands thoroughly before and after handling linens.

How Often To Change Linens

• Change medical linens between patients and change them each day for the same patient, depending on the circumstances of the individual case.
  A patient with an infectious disease may require regular change of linens, while a patient recovering from gallbladder-removal surgery may not need it every day.
  In the event that blood, urine or fecal matter contaminates linens, linens should be changed immediately.

Washing Linens

• Wash all used linens before reuse and decontaminate heavily soiled linens by hand before placing in the machine wash, according to Johns Hopkins University.
  When hand washing a heavily soiled linen, wash it separately from other linens and use warm water and liquid soap to remove all possible contamination prior to putting it in the machine. Add bleach to the water if desired and always wash item clean with new water.
  Use hot water above 160 degrees F and soap when machine-washing linens. Add bleach and “sour” (a mild acidic agent to prevent yellowing) and start the machine cycle according to manufacturer’s instructions.
  Check the linens for visible soil or stains when the cycle is finished. Repeat the cycle if necessary. Air-dry the linens in direct sunlight if possible. Otherwise use a dryer on high heat until thoroughly dry.

Ironing, Folding and Storage

• All medical linens should be ironed, folded and stored as needed, according to Johns Hopkins University.
  Keep linen in a clean, closed storage area and make sure barriers are in place to separate clean and soiled linen storage areas. Keep the shelves where linens will be stored clean and do not handle the linens any more than is absolutely necessary to avoid cross-contamination.