Infection Prevention, and Control Guidelines for Primary Care Physicians
Laundry and Linen
All patient care linens and linens that have been soiled with blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions should be handled using appropriate precautions. When appropriate precautions are followed by care givers for the handling, collecting, transporting, of used linen, the risk of cross infection can be virtually eliminated.
Microbial counts on soiled linens are significantly reduced during the entire laundering process. The key elements of this process include water temperature, type of detergents, chlorine bleach, rinsing, and drying.
Collection and Handling:
- All soiled laundry, linen and textiles should be handled in the same way for all patients. Laundry, linen and textiles from persons with a diagnosis of rare viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g. Lassa, Ebola, and Marburg) requires special handling. For detailed handling instructions contact the Health Unit.
- Laundry, linen and textiles should be handled with a minimum of agitation and shaking
- Ensure there are no extraneous items among soiled laundry, linen and textiles prior to placing in collection bags
- Staff need to be aware of sharps when placing soiled laundry, linen and textiles in bags
- Heavily soiled laundry, linen and textiles should be rolled or folded to contain heaviest soil in the center of the bundle. Large amounts of solid soil, feces or blood clots should be removed from laundry, linen and textiles with a gloved hand and placed into toilet for flushing.
- Hand hygiene should be preformed after handling linen
Bagging and Containment:
Protection of Laundry Workers:
APIC (2005), Text of Infection Control and Epidemiology, 2nd ed., 103(1-8).
Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance (2007) Infection Prevention and Control Best Practices for Long Term Care, Home and Community Care including Health Care offices and Ambulatory Clinics
CDC (2003), Guidelines for environmental infection control in healthcare facilities, MMWR, Vol. 52, No. RR10.
Health Canada (1998), Hand washing, cleaning and sterilization in health care. CCDR, Vol. 24S8.