Washing soiled clothes and linens: Overview
Keeping clothes and bed linens clean can take time, but it's worth the effort. It can help the person you're caring for stay healthy and feel clean. Clothes and bed linens become soiled when they come into contact with things like urine, stool, or vomit. Washing soiled clothes and linens right away can help reduce the chance of infection from germs.
Soiled clothes and linens can spread germs, so be sure to handle them with care and wear gloves. Hold them away from you, and keep them from touching clean surfaces or other clean linens.
If you can't wash dirty clothes or linens right away, store them in a container with a lid and wash them as soon as you can.
How do you wash soiled clothes and linens?
You can clean clothes and linens in a washing machine, using laundry detergent. Always wear disposable gloves when handling soiled clothes or linens. And always wash them separately from other items.
- Using disposable gloves, wipe off any stool with paper towels. Put the used paper towels in a plastic trash bag. Small amounts of easily removed stool can be removed with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
- Put the soiled linens in a large plastic bag. The bag should prevent moisture from leaking through. Take the bag to the washing machine.
- Put the linens in the washing machine. Wash items in a prewash cycle first. Then use a regular wash cycle with detergent. Use the warmest temperature recommended on the labels.
- Take off your gloves and wash your hands right away after you handle the soiled clothes or linens.
- Dry clothes and linens in a clothes dryer. Use the warmest temperature recommended on the labels.
Where can you learn more?
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Overview
Keeping clothes and bed linens clean can take time, but it's worth the effort. It can help the person you're caring for stay healthy and feel clean. Clothes and bed linens become soiled when they come into contact with things like urine, stool, or vomit. Washing soiled clothes and linens right away can help reduce the chance of infection from germs.
Soiled clothes and linens can spread germs, so be sure to handle them with care and wear gloves. Hold them away from you, and keep them from touching clean surfaces or other clean linens.
If you can't wash dirty clothes or linens right away, store them in a container with a lid and wash them as soon as you can.
How to wash soiled clothes and linens
You can clean clothes and linens in a washing machine, using laundry detergent. Always wear disposable gloves when handling soiled clothes or linens. And always wash them separately from other items.
- Using disposable gloves, wipe off any stool with paper towels. Put the used paper towels in a plastic trash bag. Small amounts of easily removed stool can be removed with toilet paper and flushed down the toilet.
- Put the soiled linens in a large plastic bag. The bag should prevent moisture from leaking through. Take the bag to the washing machine.
- Put the linens in the washing machine. Wash items in a pre-wash cycle first. Then use a regular wash cycle with detergent. Use the warmest temperature recommended on the labels.
- Take off your gloves and wash your hands right away after you handle the soiled clothes or linens.
- Dry clothes and linens in a clothes dryer. Use the warmest temperature recommended on the labels.
Credits
Current as of: June 16, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Gayle E. Stauffer, RN - Registered Nurse
Clinical waste is produced from health and social care. Clinical waste can be either hazardous (waste that poses or may pose a risk of infection for example, pads and dressings) or non-hazardous (which is not infectious waste). Waste containers should be handled carefully to avoid contamination. Where appropriate you should use PPE to protect you from contamination and infection. It is placed
in either yellow or orange plastic sacks. It should be kept separate from other waste and disposed of using specialist facilities Disposal of clinical waste is covered by the Environmental Protection Act (1990). Waste, including all personal protective equipment used, should be disposed of using the correct bags, as follows: Don’t forget to wash hands after disposing of any
waste Use to answer question 15.1e of the Care CertificateWhat is ‘Clinical Waste’
Disposal of Clinical Waste
Guidelines for the Safe Disposal of Sharps
The following guidelines in relation to sharps should be followed:
- They must be disposed of at the point of use into an approved container
- All sharps bins should have the name of the person who assembled it and the date of assembly on the label. The same applies for the person closing the bin
- Do not fill bins past the ‘full’ line marked on the bin. Sharps can fall out and cause injury
- Use the temporary closure mechanism on the top of the bin when it is not being used, to prevent spillages if the bin is toppled over
- Always keep bins above floor level to prevent children from reaching them
- Store bins securely out of sight and reach of other people who may be present. If workers are transporting sharps by car, these should be kept in the car boot
- Do not pass sharps from one hand to the other
- Do not handle sharps more than is essential
- Do not put protective covering back on needles
- Do not bend or break needles
- Do not separate needles or syringes before disposal.
Soiled Linen
Linen that comes into contact with workers or individuals can become contaminated with harmful micro-organisms and body fluids. Linen refers to anything that is made of cloth including bedding, towels and clothing. Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn when handling infected linen as it can transfer pathogens to skin and clothing. All infected linen (that is linen that is contaminated with body fluids) must be washed separately to other items.
- Clothing can be decontaminated in a 40°C- 50°C wash followed by tumble-drying or hot ironing
- Bedding and towels should be washed in a hot wash to ensure that bacteria are killed
- Laundry should be moved to the washing area in sealed, colour coded bags
- When supporting an individual in their own home you should ask permission to wash infected linen immediately
Once linen has been decontaminated it must be stored separately from contaminated linen to prevent cross-contamination. You must always follow your agreed ways of working (including dignity code, essence of care and compassion). If you have any questions about these you should consult your line manager.
Use to answer question 15.1e of the Care Certificate
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