Care Home Laundry Guidelines

There are strict guidelines that surround the laundry process for care homes because cleanliness needs to be a top priority in such environments. The Government has set out a standard and all care homes must follow this in order to remain compliant and of course, meet the expectations of residents and their families.

Who Monitors Care Homes & Their Processes?

The Care Quality Commission is an independent body which was established by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. The independent body monitors regulations for care, including best practices when it comes to laundry.

The Department of Health stipulates the process by which laundry must be disinfected in care homes, under the HTM (Health Technical Memorandum) 01-04. The two accepted methods are as follows:

Thermal Disinfection

The method of thermal disinfection states that the water in a laundry cycle must reach the temperature of 65º for 18 minutes or more. Alternatively, the water temperature must reach 71º for at least 11 minutes, including mixing time.

Chemical Disinfection

The type of method of chemical disinfection used must be as effective as thermal disinfection to help prevent the spread of micro-organisms such as MRSA and C.Diff.

What Happens to Care Homes That Are Not Compliant?

If a care home is found not to be meeting the HTM 01-04 regulations, it may be placed into special measures. If a resident or member of staff has been harmed due to the regulation not being met, the care home may be closed down.

All care homes must follow best practices when it comes to sorting, separating, transporting, storing, washing, finishing and drying linens.

Care Home Laundry Specialists, Queens Drive Laundry

If you require a laundry provider to manage the laundry needed for your care home, get in touch with our team at Queens Drive Laundry. We ensure that all of our washing processes meet the latest guidelines and deliver fresh laundry items to you at intervals specified.

For more information on our reliable care home laundry service, please call 01234 854 888 or send your enquiry through to our online contact form.