HCW uniforms laundered in domestic setting eliminated bacteria

Lakdawala N. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2011 [published online ahead of print Oct. 3].

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii were eliminated from health care workers’ uniforms when washed with detergent and water temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, followed by 7-seconds of exposure to a hot iron, or washing in 60 degrees Celsius, according to new findings published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

“The results stress the importance of ironing hospital uniforms after washing them in a domestic washing machine that operates at less than 60 degrees Celsius,” John Holton, PhD, FRCPath,of the University of Middlesex in London, said in a press release. “We showed that laundry and ironing in a domestic setting is effective in producing a uniform free of accumulated hospital bacteria safe to wear to work.”

In four related studies, the researchers assessed the bioburden on uniforms before and after laundry, the varying times and temperatures during the laundry process and the effectiveness of low-temperature wash cycles and ironing on removal of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Acinetobacter baumannii.

At 40 degrees Celsius (the temperature at which domestic washing machines normally operate) MRSA was eliminated, but Acinetobacter was still present. Yet, the researchers found that 7-seconds of exposure to a hot domestic iron eradicated Acinetobacter.

“As lower temperatures and lower water use is likely to increase, particular attention should be paid to the organisms colonizing washing machines after laundering hospital uniforms,” the researchers wrote.

Disclosure: This study received financial support from the UK Department of Health.

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