July 2023

Helen Buchan
Infection control expert

During continuous day-to-day use in commercial settings, mops are put through the wringer. Collecting dirt, grime, and bacteria from a range of surfaces, they can easily contribute to the spread of germs themselves if they’re not cleaned regularly.

But, of course, anyone who’s ever attempted to clean a mop will know just how tricky this can be. Commercial mops are specifically designed to trap dirt, so freeing all particles and bacteria from mop fibres can be a challenge in and of itself.

If you’re struggling to maintain peak hygiene standards due to unclean mop heads, this guide can help. We’ll look at the types of mops typically found in professional cleaning settings, before offering a few tips on how to ensure that they’re kept clean and germ-free.

What are the most common types of commercial mops?

Mops are used by cleaning professionals in almost every industry sector. They require specialist cleaning to guarantee sparkling results with no threat of germ spread and bacterial contamination.

Typically in most commercial settings, cleaning personnel will use two types of mops to achieve peak hygiene standards within as efficient a timeframe as possible. These include:

Dry commercial mops

Dry mops are used to collect loose dirt, dust, and debris on hard surfaces prior to cleaning the floor with a wet mop. Flat in shape, they typically feature a removable microfibre mop head that captures dust and dirt, ensuring that when wet mopping begins, you aren’t simply pushing loose debris around the room.

Since the microfibre layer of a dry mop can usually be removed, it is possible to wash this in a standard washing machine or by hand. This makes dry commercial mops significantly easier to keep clean than their wet mop counterparts, which we’ll come on to next.

Wet commercial mops

Wet commercial mops are what most people will be familiar with when thinking about a standard mop. These are used alongside water, cleaning chemicals and a mop bucket to clean up spillages, disinfect floors, and ensure a deep clean on heavily soiled surfaces.

Like dry mops, it’s possible to clean wet mop brush heads in a standard commercial washing machine. And that’s important, as wet mops can certainly hold on to a lot of dirt and bacteria if they’re not cleaned thoroughly after each use.

How to clean a commercial mop in 4 simple steps

Provided you have the right equipment and use the correct process, it’s easy to clean a commercial mop effectively and ensure that the microfibre surface is free from bacteria and ready to be used again. When using the correct cycle on a commercial washing machine, all of the following steps will be automatically taken care of.

Step 1: Preparation for washing, including removing any loose dirt, dust, debris, or sticky residue.

Step 2: Once the pre-rinse cycle is complete, detergents are added and the mop head is washed on a hot water cycle to eliminate germs and bacteria.

Step 3: The mop heads are rinsed again to remove any remaining detergent residue from the brush fibres.

Step 4: To speed up the drying process, the mop heads will be put on a fast spin cycle to remove as much water as possible. Be sure that your machine is properly balanced before spinning mop heads to reduce the risk of damage.

Once the mops have been spun, all that’s left is to dry them, which you can do either naturally or using a commercial tumble dryer.

We hope this guide offers practical tips on achieving the best results when washing commercial mops. For more inspiration and advice, be sure to check out the JLA blog or view our complete commercial laundry range.

Mark Bone
Fire safety expert

In recent years, several high-profile tragedies have emphasised the importance of fire safety in high-rise properties like apartment blocks.

Here’s our quick guide on why automatic opening vents – sometimes called smoke vents, NSHEVS (natural smoke and heat exhaust ventilators), or AOVs for short – are a powerful tool to protect residents, visitors, and contractors during an emergency, and what you need to do to install and look after them.

What are AOVs and where should they be installed?

Automatic opening vents describe a range of systems that, when activated, clear smoke, heat and hazardous gases from communal areas like stairwells and corridors. In the event of a fire, AOVs help to give residents precious time to escape, while allowing rescue teams to reach vulnerable people faster.

Approved Document B, which provides guidance on fire safety regulations for buildings throughout the UK, offers recommendations on the placement of AOVs in apartment blocks. According to Approved Document B, AOVs in common corridors or lobbies are needed to control smoke and protect common stairs, where they create essential ventilation and safe evacuation routes. The following areas also need AOV ventilation:

• Small single-stair blocks of flats
• Common escape routes in larger blocks of flats
• Basement areas
• Enclosed car parks
• Corridors with extended travel distances

How should AOVs be installed in apartment blocks?

As with all fire protection solutions, it’s vital that AOVs are designed and installed in line with relevant building regulations. Approved Document B offers the following guidance:

• Position your AOVs as high as possible
• Make sure the top edge of your AOV is at least as high as the top of the fire door to any stairs
• Your AOVs should be mounted on an external wall with a minimum free area of 1.5m² for lobby ventilation
• Smoke shaft dampers discharge into a vertical smoke shaft that’s closed at the base providing 1.0m2 into the shaft and 1.0m2 exhaust at roof level.

On top of this, all vents should have a minimum free area of 1m² around them. This applies to the opening from the corridor or lobby into the shaft, the opening at the head of the shaft, Internal of smoke shaft should have 1.5m2 taking into account safety grilles and the reduction of free area they pose.

To guarantee high standards of work and full compliance with changing regulations, it’s always advisable to engage with a trusted fire and smoke safety specialist like JLA who are SDI-19 accredited for smoke ventilation design, install and maintenance.

How do we stay compliant after installation?

While safe, professional installation is a vital step towards keeping residents safe, it’s not enough to keep you compliant. Regular smoke vent inspections, servicing, maintenance, and repair activities are all needed to make sure your building continues to meet legal standards.

AOVs should be serviced at least once a year to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) and BS: 7346-8, although JLA recommends bi-annual servicing to maximise safety and performance.

You should also make sure that a responsible person conducts weekly inspections to check the condition of AOVs, and that they’re working properly. Monthly tests are also needed, and can also be carried out by your responsible person.

By sticking to this maintenance regime, you’ll enjoy peace of mind that your AOV systems are working reliably and effectively, and that you’re doing all you can to protect your building occupants if the worst happens.

If you’d like to talk to JLA about your regular inspections, servicing, maintenance, and certification, simply get in touch with our fire safety experts.

Similar blogs you may like

Fire safety

‘What’s an AOV?’ and other common questions

15th Sep 2023

We often receive questions from our customers about automatic opening vents (AOV's), including costs, regulations and testing.

Fire safety

Using AOVs for fire safety in apartment blocks

20th Jul 2023

Why AOV systems are a powerful tool to protect residents, visitors, and contractors during an emergency, and what you need to do to install and look after them.

George Barclay
Laundry Expert

Commercial washing machines have a lot on their plate. Relied upon for heavy-duty use in professional laundries, they’re often required to work on a near-continuous basis – meaning their long-term durability, efficiency and performance are absolutely paramount.

So, when you invest in a commercial washing machine, how long should you expect it to last? That’s what we’re here to find out.

Our experts have put together an essential guide to professional washing machine longevity, including insights into their typical life cycles.

How long should a commercial washing machine last?

A well-maintained commercial washing machine that has been correctly installed and serviced in line with manufacturer recommendations should typically last from 10-12 years. That’s based on heavy-duty, continuous use.

A decade or more might sound like an implausibly long time when you consider how hard these machines work, but their longevity is all thanks to build quality and construction. JLA commercial washing machines feature durable components and are assembled in line with stringent quality standards. This sets them apart from the domestic washers you may be used to and means they’re able to cope with the demands of a high-volume professional laundry room.

Of course, a lot can affect the long-term performance and durability of a commercial washer, with the potential to shave years off the expected life cycle. The section below looks at the factors that can affect how long your professional washing machine lasts.

What can affect the life cycle of a commercial washing machine?

10+ years is only an estimate of how long an industrial washing machine should last. Lots of factors can influence the lifespan of your machine, including:

Installation: Correct installation is essential to ensure that a commercial washer stands the test of time. That’s why when you purchase an industrial-grade washer from JLA, our experts will set everything up to the highest possible standard.
Servicing: All professional laundry equipment requires regular servicing and maintenance to keep internal components working at their best. As part of an annual service, our engineers will test your machine, clean out its filters, and check that all parts are working as they should.
Repair and maintenance: Whatever the problem with your commercial washer, and however trivial it may seem, it’s important to deal with it as early as possible to prevent bigger issues from developing. With Total Care from JLA, you’re covered for all repairs and maintenance, and our engineers will respond within eight hours to handle any and all problems with your machine.
Regular cleaning: Cleaning your washing machine on a regular basis is essential to ensure long-term, fault-free performance. It’s essential that you keep your machine free from mould, bacteria and blockages, otherwise, serious problems can start to develop. Read our guide on cleaning commercial washing machines to learn more.
Misuse: Commercial washers are significantly different to their standard domestic counterparts, so it’s vital that laundry team members are given the correct training on how to operate these appliances. What’s more, commercial laundry washing machines should be stored indoors, in a dry room and in a place where they cannot be vandalised, particularly in secure public sector settings.
Detergents: Using the right detergent can help your washing machine last longer, particularly in areas subject to limescale. Also, utilising auto-dosing pumps can prevent blockages in your machine thanks to accurate volumes of detergent dosing.

So, the key takeaways from our guide to how long commercial washing machines last are: your machine should last 10-12 years, provided you take the right steps to maintain and service it.

For more information on commercial washing machines and tumble dryers, visit our help and advice centre or give our experts a call on 0808 239 7578.

Free download

Why commercial equipment is more energy efficient

Download your free guide today.

Get our expert advice on:

Commercial demand and utilisation
Energy saving SMART features
Compliance and regulations
Commercial detergents

The challenge: keep residents safe and comfortable, all year round

Fern Bank Therapeutic Community is an independent family-run care home that specialises in mental health care and supported living. Knowing that residents’ surroundings will directly impact their wellbeing, it’s important to the team that there are clean sheets and a warm, comfortable environment across Fern Bank’s 27 ensuite rooms.

Fern Bank is set in a large, detached Victorian house in Oldham, Greater Manchester. While full of homely character, the building used to feature a number of old, unreliable appliances including a boiler that regularly broke down. In some cases, areas of the home were going unheated while the staff waited for engineer support, which risked affecting the residents.

For these reasons, the Fern Bank team set out to find an equipment partner to help manage upgrades, keep things running smoothly, and reduce unexpected downtime with more responsive support, day or night.

The solution: Total Care from boilers to bedrooms

JLA’s partnership with Fern Bank began with a team of expert engineers working hard to maintain the home’s existing laundry equipment and boilers. From the beginning, JLA provided a reliable service, supporting Fern Bank with timely maintenance.

"Even before we began working with them, we knew JLA had a good reputation. We started out with servicing support, but as time went on, the call-outs became more regular. We realised we would need to replace our existing equipment to provide the best environment and care for our residents."

Holly Brennand, Manager at Fern Bank Therapeutic Community

When it was time to invest in new equipment, Fern Bank chose Total Care – JLA’s unique, all-inclusive equipment and support package, which offers 24/7 assistance, same-day breakdown cover and no installation or call-out fees, for a simply monthly payment. JLA upgraded the home’s boilers and laundry room with highly efficient washers and dryers, along with the OTEX ozone laundry disinfection system, which was installed on the washing machines and kills 99.9% of harmful bugs on an energy-saving cool wash.

"JLA’s team of experts worked with us to help decide the best options for our setting. As we were upgrading lots of appliances at once, cost was a big consideration. Using Total Care meant that we didn’t have to pay any upfront cost to replace our equipment, instead, we could spread the cost and build it into our monthly budgets."

Holly Brennand, Manager at Fern Bank Therapeutic Community

Alongside OTEX in the laundry room, Fern Bank has added JLA’s powerful Ozone Compact Room Sanitiser to its list of vital equipment. This portable system removes airborne and surface bacteria in as little as 45 minutes, and leave rooms smelling fresh, with no tacky surfaces.

"We use the room sanitiser on a daily basis, all throughout the home. It gives us real peace of mind because it kills bacteria and helps us reduce the transmission of infectious diseases."

Holly Brennand, Manager at Fern Bank Therapeutic Community

Total Care also unlocks MyJLA, an online portal that allows Fern Bank’s team to view and manage essential documents, pay bills, and quickly book engineer visits. Fern Bank also makes use of MyJLA’s detergent shop, where it’s easy to order detergents and other essential consumables direct, and avoid running out.

"Being quite an organised person, I like to make sure we get our compliance certificates as soon as possible, so that we can present them at any inspections. You’ll find with other suppliers that it takes quite a while to get these sent over by email, whereas they’re available straight away in the portal."

Holly Brennand, Manager at Fern Bank Therapeutic Community

Similar testimonials you may like

Testimonials

Cleaner air for Valley View Care Home residents

19th Sep 2024

Learn how Valley View Care Home is utilising air filtration systems to comply with Regulation 9A and reduce the spread of infections.

HVAC|Testimonials

New energy efficient commercial boilers for Campbell Snowdon House

12th Aug 2024

Discover how JLA provided new commercial boilers with minimal disruption for a leading independent care home in Renfrewshire.

As more of our customers look to reduce their carbon footprints as well as their energy bills, we’re regularly asked about the most efficient tumble-drying option. Heat pump dryers in particular, are becoming a viable alternative to the more traditional electric and gas variants – but do the costs stack up?

In this post, Helen Buchan, Head of Product at JLA, shares results from our recent consumption testing.

Simulating real-world use

JLA’s dryer consumption tests used a range of garments to reflect a typical care home’s laundry loads. These included sheets, towels and a general mixed load of clothing.

We took this approach because much of the consumption testing data available from other manufacturers has come from tests using muslin squares of fabric, rather than actual garments. This can often positively skew results, as it doesn’t simulate what’s actually being laundered by care homes.

For a clear and transparent understanding of how dry each load was after a cycle, we weighed them before and after.

Comparing gas, electric and heat pump tumble dryers

Please note: customers can use their own gas and electricity prices for a more accurate cost comparison.

Load type: Sheets

	20kg heat pump dryer	D40 gas dryer	D40 electric dryer
Weight wet (kg)	12.3	12.4	13.8
Weight dry (kg)	9.9	8.25	8.95
Loss (kg)	2.4	4.15	4.85
Time taken	37 mins	46 mins	30 mins
Energy used (kWh)	2.42	13	8.9
Cost at current rate	£0.94	£1.30	£3.47

Sheets in the heat pump dryer took 9 minutes less to dry than the gas dryer and used 10.58KWh less energy.

Sheets in the electric dryer took 7 minutes less to dry than in the heat pump dryer but used 6.68 kWh more energy, costing £2.53 more to dry.

Sheets in the electric dryer took 16 minutes less to dry versus the gas dryer and used 4.1 kWh less energy. Based on current electricity prices, however, this load cost £2.17 more to dry.

Load type: Mixed load

	20kg heat pump dryer	D40 gas dryer	D40 electric dryer
Weight wet (kg)	15	14.8	15.4
Weight dry (kg)	11.75	11.7	11.7
Loss (kg)	3.25	3.1	3.7
Time taken	50 mins	50 mins	25 mins
Energy used (kWh)	2.57	14	8.84
Cost at current rate	£1.00	£1.40	£3.45

Mixed loads in the electric dryer took 25 minutes less to dry than in the heat pump dryer but used 6.27 kWh more energy, resulting in a £2.45 additional cost based on current electricity prices.

The mixed load took 25 minutes less to dry in the electric dryer than the gas dryer and used 5.16 kWh less energy. But again, with current electricity prices, this cost £2.05 more to dry.

Load type: Towels

	20kg heat pump dryer	D40 gas dryer	D40 electric dryer
Weight wet (kg)	9.25	8.7	9
Weight dry (kg)	5.15	5.1	5.1
Loss (kg)	4.1	3.6	3.9
Time taken	50 mins	45 mins	32 mins
Energy used (kWh)	2.7	11	7.9
Cost at current rate	£1.05	£1.10	£3.08

Towels took 5 minutes longer to dry in the heat pump dryer versus the gas dryer but used 8.3 kWh less energy.

Towels took 13 minutes less to dry in the electric dryer and used 3.1 kWh less energy than the gas dryer, but cost £1.98 more to dry.

Towels took 18 minutes less to dry in the electric dryer than the heat pump dryer but used 5.2 kWh more energy, costing £2.03 more to dry.

Test conclusions

Despite the test’s heat pump dryer taking longer to dry different loads, its energy and carbon savings were quite significant.

Some customers want as short a cycle time as possible, so a heat pump dryer might not be suitable in environments where there are limited machines and a need for items to be laundered and returned urgently.

What’s more, a heat pump dryer is currently around three times more expensive to buy than a gas dryer, so it’s a factor to consider if you’re working out whether a heat pump dryer will be the most cost-effective option in the longer term.

For more details on energy-efficient dryers, speak to our experts today.

Cost per cycle calculated at:
Electric cost per unit, 39p
Gas per unit: 10p

Olivia Nolan
Care sector expert

Those tasked with managing a care home laundry face a delicate balancing act between maintaining optimal hygiene standards and laundering items as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. That’s on top of ensuring that the laundry facility is running efficiently and safely at all times, with the appropriate commercial washing machines and commercial tumble dryers and best practices in place to reduce the risk of cross-contamination from infected linens and clothing.

With this in mind, what are the main pain points in care home laundry rooms? And how exactly do you resolve them? This guide will look at the most common challenges faced in social care laundry facilities, along with some solutions on how to avoid them.

Differences in care homes compared to other settings

Even in contrast to other high-demand laundries, like hospitals, the needs of care homes pose unique challenges to laundry personnel and managers alike. This is largely due to the sheer diversity of items coming through the laundry at any one time, including:

Residential linens like bed sheets, towels, tablecloths and cushion covers
Personal clothing belonging to residents
Contaminated and infected items from specialist nursing wards
PPE and staff uniforms

Few other laundry facilities, in any sector, see such a wide variance in laundry type, with the residential element of care homes placing a significant demand on the centre’s laundry processes.

Infection control and cross-contamination

Care home laundry regulations dictate that facilities take a proactive approach to infection control and hygiene to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. As such, special processes and technologies are required to maintain optimal health and safety standards – something which requires significant investment in the right equipment and staff training.

It is important to have separate ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ zones within a care home laundry room, which is essential for reducing the risk of cross-contamination. Dirty and clean laundry must be handled, stored and transported separately as part of the infection control process.

The challenge of caring for personal items in nursing home laundries

Of all the items to pass through nursing home laundry facilities, personal items belonging to residents pose the biggest challenge to staff and administrators alike. But why?

Since personal items like clothing need to find their way back to their original owner, tracing forms a large part of the sorting process in laundry facilities. Tagging items is, therefore, a critical step, but one that can take time and resources to complete on top of additional duties.

Not only that, but personal items may require additional care and maintenance depending on what they’re made from, meaning that staff may need to alter the chemicals and processes used. This can cause a particular headache when handling contaminated and infected items which require special treatment and care.

Total Care

Existing customers

Month: July 2023