Where soiled linen is heat sensitive and can’t be thermically disinfected, chemical disinfection
can be used to get the job done.
Chemical disinfection happens when chemical products are introduced into
the wash. For these products to work properly, they’re often balanced with
a certain temperature and pH and, just like thermal disinfection, they’ll need
to be applied for a certain amount of time. Chemical disinfection methods
can include the use of chlorinated products, hydrogen peroxide and ozone
systems, and each will come with its own supplier guidelines.
Chemical disinfection is also similar to thermal disinfection in the sense that
it needs to be validated, with chemical validation including an identification
of the chemical, the concentration at which it’s supplied and used, and the
way it’s tested to achieve the same level of effectiveness as thermal
disinfection.
