How Modern Laundry Equipment Parts Technology Helps Keep People Safe

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With the outbreak of COVID-19, governments in most areas of the United States have declared laundromats essential businesses and allowed them to remain open. Additionally, hospitals, nursing homes, military facilities, and fire stations rely more heavily on laundry facilities to combat the spread of the virus. As communities fight to remain safe through increased disinfection and sterilization, the need and demand for safe laundry equipment parts have never been more vital.

As a result of this increased demand, laundromat owners and managers of these essential service facilities have had to meet two unique challenges:

1. How to keep their customers and employees safe
2. How to feel confident when reassuring either party that their commercial laundry equipment parts and facilities are safe to use

Keeping Employees and Customers Safe

Laundromat owners and facilities where staff use commercial laundry equipment should be ensuring that this equipment is modern and up-to-date with the latest infection-control technology.

Additionally, understanding and communicating how your equipment is keeping people safe will go a long way in helping to reduce anxiety.

How Are COVID-19 Germs Deactivated in the Laundry Process?

Viruses like COVID-19 are made harmless in the laundry process in two primary ways:

1. When the water temperature reaches a certain high level and remains there for a certain amount of time, viruses and bacteria are made inert.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that most germs become inert at 140°F and that almost all harmful pathogens disappear in under a minute at 158°F. Additionally, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends that to disinfect clothes, wash laundry at 140°F. They also note that germs can multiply when you leave clothes in a washer for a long time.

2. Soap detergents, disinfecting bleach, or other laundry disinfecting chemicals sterilize linens.

The CDC’s guidelines on laundry care for healthcare facilities note that the use of chlorine bleach adds an extra margin of safety. In addition, they note that this bleach becomes activated when water reaches 135°F–145°F.

What Roles Do Laundry Equipment Parts Play in Providing Safety?

Commercial laundry equipment parts that meet specific criteria are highly effective at infection control. Therefore, business owners and managers need to look for equipment that meets the following criteria, so they know what laundry equipment to provide to keep their customers and employees safe.

1. Look for washers and dryers using commercial laundry equipment parts—including industrial dryer parts—that are certified as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Plans (HACCP) as these have been tested and certified for infection control.
2. Look for washers that reach very high water temperatures, such as 158°F, as the heat will make 99.99% of bacteria and viruses inert.
3. Look for washers that provide custom programs like an anti-virus wash or a pre-wash sanitizing disinfectant rinse to clean the drum before washing.
4. Provide high-heat dryers to ensure all viruses are inert and complete sanitation has been achieved.

Contact CLM today to learn more about our virus-fighting laundry equipment parts. CLM understands the many challenges of keeping your commercial laundry equipment parts up-to-date and optimized for infection control. Our laundry experts can guide you every step of the way.