Laundry is a necessary component to running a medical facility. It’s important for workers to come in contact with only safe and sterilized health care products, and it’s equally important that patients are only exposed to clean and fresh linens and textiles. Unfortunately, ensuring that these practices are steadfast takes a lot of work and it typically carries a hefty price tag. Not only can you lessen your energy bills a bit by using more eco-friendly practices, but you can also contribute to preserving water usage. There are a few ways you can better promote eco-friendly laundry practices while keeping everything safe and sterile.
1. Use Reusable Products
One of the best ways that you can make your practice more eco-friendly is to use chiefly reusable products. In other words, you want to cut down on the number of paper and other disposable products you are using (think gowns, towels, etc.). Obviously, some of the products that you use in the health care services industry will need to be disposable. The best way to make your practice more eco-friendly in this case is to use only products that can be recycled – and have a process in place by which to recycle them. Opt for cardboard, glass, and metal when it comes to your products.
2. Restrict Water Usage
This may sound counterproductive if you’re trying to keep linens sanitary and clean, however, there are a few practices you can implement to help save water. Installing flow control fixtures on your faucets, for example, can reduce water consumption up to 55% after implemented. Low flow fixtures for toilets and urinals also severely cut water costs. When it comes to your laundry, having a water management plan in place can cut costs up to 22%.
3. Use Greener Chemicals
When it comes to disinfecting laundry, you may be putting workers at risk by using strong sanitizers and cleaners. To be more eco-friendly and to help promote healthiness in your workers, switch to “greener” cleaners when it comes to laundry. Also using pre-diluted chemicals helps to promote worker safety. When it comes to the workers that come in contact with laundry chemicals, it’s a good idea to conduct routine safety classes to ensure that they’re always using chemicals correctly and with precaution.
4. Switch to an Outside Eco-Friendly Laundry Service
Using an outside laundry service helps you with water conservation and also prevents your staff from coming into contact with harsh laundry chemicals. Look for an outside service that you can trust, who uses safe, sanitized practices and is very familiar with the healthcare system (many outside laundry companies concentrate on restaurants). Using an outside service also helps with energy costs, as you are not consistently running washers or dryers.
Wilkins Linen Promotes Green
When you need eco-friendly linen management in the Houston area, contact Wilkins Linen for all of your cleaning and rental needs. In the laundry business for many years, we specialize in all areas of commercial laundry, including hospitality and healthcare.
