The risk of infections spread by contamination is an ever-present concern for many businesses. And for a number of hospitals – and those looking to meet laundry guidelines for care homes – one of the major tools in the battle against contamination has proven to be an ozone washer system – which uses a natural gas to kill 99.999% of infections.
What is an ozone laundry system?
An ozone laundry disinfection system uses safe O3 gas at low temperatures instead of high heat or chemicals that can damage garments and linen fabrics. Harnessing the natural power of ozone, this innovative way of washing kills bacteria, moulds, yeasts and viruses and eliminates the risk of cross-infection in laundry.
The process provides disinfection verification for audit trails and inspection documentation, with simple controls to ensure effective use. O3 itself leaves a pleasant fragrance, and leaves towels fluffier that traditional methods will.
How does ozone laundry work?
By converting ‘free’ air from around the washing machine into 90% oxygen, splitting this into ozone and injecting particles into a wash, the system removes the need for water heating and safely lifts stains out of fibres while the natural gas eliminates the smallest trace of harmful bacteria. Natural disinfection also eliminates wastage on the balance sheet, cutting detergent, energy and water costs by up to 35%.
Watch our ‘How OTEX works’ guide here.
Why choose an ozone washer system?
For healthcare organisations, OTEX’s built-in validation provides the means to prove that their methods meet ‘Essential Quality Requirements’ as well as ‘Best Practices’, as set out by the new Choice Framework for local Policy and Procedure (HTM 01-04).
9 ozone laundry benefts for your business >>
With the ability to print ‘disinfection verification receipts’, OTEX users can comply with the guideline that “linen should be processed using a disinfection cycle complying with the specified level of reduction in bacteriological contamination and this process will be required to be validated”. Training is provided by JLA and advice is also given on how to categorise contaminated or soiled linen, as well as the handling of laundered items.
Easy installation
OTEX machines from JLA are installed on-site, with a Total Care package that provides 7-day breakdown cover for your commercial laundry equipment and a 24/7 helpline, ensuring businesses have total peace of mind that their laundry system is both effective and reliable.
Find out more about OTEX ozone disinfection >>
Case study: York Hospital
York Hospital, the flagship hospital of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, installed the OTEX ozone disinfection system for the disinfection of their microfibre cloths and mops as part of its plan to bring Domestic Services back in-house.
Wendy Dale, domestic services manager at York Hospital, says:
“Microfibre mops and cloths basically act like magnets for bacteria. What impressed us most about JLA was their OTEX innovation. The system’s ability to thoroughly disinfect and also reduce costs was a major factor when it came to choosing them as our supplier.”
“The OTEX washer system uses mostly cold water and faster wash cycles, dramatically reducing utility and detergent costs, and cutting labour bills by saving time.”
“Our laundry is in operation round the clock seven days a week, processing over 4,000 microfibre mops and cloths a day,” continues Wendy, “so being able to save energy was vital. JLA actually metered the electricity supply to the laundry and established that OTEX was saving us 82% compared to a conventional laundry. An added bonus is that we are using half as much detergent because of the way the system processes laundry.”
The disinfection system is so successful that York Hospital bosses recently announced the passing of a year without a patient acquiring the MRSA superbug infection.