Rather than rigid rules and regulation, hygienic and common-sense storage and processing of clean and soiled linen are recommended. Control Measures Soiled linen can be transported in the hospital by cart or chute. Sorting before washing protects both machinery and linen from the effects of objects in the linen and reduces the potential for recontamination of clean linen that sorting after washing requires. Although dilution is not a microbicidal mechanism, it is responsible for the removal of significant quantities of microorganisms. Soaps or detergents loosen soil and also have some microbicidal properties.
Chlorine bleach provides an extra margin of safety.
A total available chlorine residual of 50-150ppm is usually achieved during the bleach cycle. The last action performed during the washing process is the addition of a mild acid to neutralize any alkalinity in the water supply, soap, or detergent. The rapid shift in Ph from approximately 12 to 5 also may tend to inactivate some microorganisms. Instead of the microbicidal action of hot water, low-temperature laundry cycles rely heavily on the presence of bleach to reduce levels of microbial contamination. Regardless of whether hot or cold water is used for washing, the temperatures reached in drying and especially during ironing provide additional significant microbicidal action.