As all laundry has the potential to be infectious. Standard precautions should always be applied in the laundry, and the care coordinator should notify the laundry of any additional risks or precautions required.

Soiled linen should be handled safely and carefully to avoid spreading microorganisms into the environment and prevent contact with clothing.

Apply the following principles

Appropriate PPE is to be worn during the handling of soiled linen to prevent skin and mucous membrane exposure to blood and body substances

Used linen is 'bagged' at the location of use in an appropriate laundry receptacle 

Used linen must not be rinsed or sorted in residents' care areas or washed in domestic washing machines

Linen soiled with body substances should be placed into leakproof laundry bags, e.g. alginate bags, for safe transport

Perform hand hygiene after handling used linen

Washing must involve the use of an appropriate detergent and hot water at a temperature of at least 71°C for not less than 3 minutes or 65°C for not less than 10 minutes; this includes both contaminated and non-contaminated linen

Use chemical disinfection if hot water is not available

Clothes dryers should be used for drying

Store clean linen in a clean, dry place that prevents contamination by aerosols, dust, moisture, and vermin and that is separate from used linen

Clean and used linen should be transported separately

Linen Contaminated With Blood or Body Substances

Is to be bagged in a leakproof bag at the point of contamination, tied and transported inside a red linen bag 

Bags must only be 3/4 full

Contaminated linen should not be rinsed or sorted in client care areas