Why the laundry room should be part of the tour when choosing a care home

Why are good laundry services important?

Choosing a care home is never a simple decision. From room size to specialist healthcare, even down to the lunch menus, there are so many areas that have to be well considered. But, when you’re thinking about the major ongoing operations, it’s easy to overlook the day-to-day tasks that happen in the background, such as how the laundry room operates. 

While it might be lower on your list of priorities when presenting your home, a good laundry service can be an important tell-tale sign that a resident has made the right choice. With that in mind, we’ve put together a helpful guide on what benefits laundry services can bring for residents and families, plus everything you’ll need to look out for when designing a laundry room.

Health and wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of residents is paramount to any care home. When it comes to laundry, there are specific guidelines to consider, for example, the government guidance on laundry cross-contamination. This gives key guidance on ensuring laundry stays contamination-free so that residents can be assured in the knowledge that their health is of utmost importance to the care home. But, it’s the little things that matter too – because the laundry team do more than just laundry. During the tour, you can highlight how the right detergent is used for those with sensitive skin or how resident clothes are mended and repaired when needed.

Efficient services

With new bedding, clean linens and a fresh outfit needed each day, laundry is a task that seems to never end. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that laundry services are not just working well but are efficient with how quickly they can be completed. This will create a smooth process for washing, drying and returning to residents.

Resident’s happiness

When your laundry is being carried out by someone other than yourself, it’s easy to feel anxious about whether you’ll get things back the way you expect or if the staff will be thorough in cleaning. The most important relief that a good laundry room can bring is knowing that the resident will be healthy and clean, with all their belongings managed and returned to them as expected. That means showcasing how each item is cared for according to its type of fabric, how cross-contamination protocols are followed and the upkeep of infection prevention standards through segregation and PPE usage.

Family reassurance

A clean, organised laundry room that adheres to best practices and legal guidelines isn’t just helpful to the resident, it also gives the family reassurance. Knowing that a loved one will be housed in a place that takes its hygiene and safety standards seriously while providing a caring environment is the best peace of mind you can give. 

Care home reputation

Whether it’s the quality of education at school or the credibility of a workplace, inspections can tell you a lot about a service – and this is no different for care homes. We will go into further detail on this later however regulators such as the CQC are key indicators of safety and reputation. By receiving signoff from independent bodies, this shows to prospective residents that these care homes have been legally approved and are fit for purpose.

What to look for in a laundry room

Prospective residents and their families might view several homes before making a final decision, so making sure you score high on their preference list is a key priority.

We’ve created a useful checklist of the main things you should highlight during a tour to showcase the high standards provided by your laundry services, in terms of hygiene and efficiency.

Laundry segregation

The most important consideration to look out for is how well the clean, dirty, and soiled items are kept separate. As care homes house residents with various stages or types of illnesses, laundry segregation is essential to prevent cross-contamination and even a potential outbreak. Laundry should always be separated according to known infections and machines should be disinfected regularly.

CQC for laundry services

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an independent regulator of health and adult social care in England, ensuring that services meet the fundamental standards. Care homes registered with the CQC receive regular checkups and monitoring to make sure they are in line with the laundry guidelines by presenting a safe and sanitary environment for all workers and residents.

Labelling and storage

Clear signage and proper labelling of laundry bags and baskets are key to preventing any mistakes during laundry. This includes colouring bags by type and placing key guides around the room for where to sort laundry and the order of the laundry process. You’ll also want to pay close attention to how laundry is put away. Clean laundry should always be stored off the floor in a clean, well sanitised area.

Protective gear for staff

Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE is a crucial part of handling laundry while protecting against infection risks. Disposable gloves and aprons should be in regular use by laundry staff and all members should be well trained on how to dispose of these after use. Any staff uniforms that are soiled by laundry should be changed immediately and correct hand hygiene should also be followed throughout.

Laundry room design

The layout of the laundry room might not be immediately obvious as a consideration, but it can reveal how efficient the laundry process is. For example, a room with access to good ventilation from having an outside wall will be better equipped for drying clothes quickly. The placement of machines in relation to each other can affect how much time is spent moving laundry from one stage to another.

Productive and efficient staff

Care home staff should be able to use each machine with full knowledge of what it does, know how to segregate items well and how to stay safe throughout the process. This means taking time to give each staff member proper training, but also ensuring that they stay up-to-date with any new advancements or procedures that might be introduced.

Improving laundry rooms to exceed standards

Looking to improve your laundry room? Before you make any changes, we recommend checking in with your staff to find out what is working currently, which parts of the process are slowing them down and if there is any training that would help them be more efficient.

From small updates to major changes, there are a number of ways you can improve a laundry room to exceed standards. This includes reevaluating your laundry room layout and design, assessing the efficiency of your machines and equipment, looking into new detergent alternatives and enhancing your segregation methods. We strongly recommend speaking to a specialist to discuss your options and discover what will work best for your care home.

WASHCO can help with all your laundry room needs

As specialists in commercial laundry equipment, our team at WASHCO can help you find the right solution for your care or nursing home. We’ll help you plan the layout of your room, aid with any improvements that can be made and help you choose from a wide range of commercial washers, dryers and ironers across a range of budgets. 

Get in touch with us today to get a quote on your laundry needs.