From inconsistent processes to battling so many unknowns about COVID-19 itself, off- and on-premise laundries have had their hands full lately.
A disposable personal protective equipment shortage hit communities hard and early, exponentially increasing the need to process reusables. And in many communities, on-premise laundries spent most of the pandemic operating under less-than-ideal conditions, including major staff shortages.
That led regulatory agencies to tell laundries to clean up their act when it comes to cleaning and disinfection practices. Some states issued new COVID laundry-handling guidance and restricted families from washing their relatives’ clothing at home. Consequently, safety issues were paramount for both in-house and outsourced operations.
“Operators that installed robust and durable corporate systems before COVID were able to sustain through the tumultuous period far better from an outcome and safety perspective,” says David Potack, president of Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services. “Maintaining a redundant supply chain for PPE and all supplies was important pre-COVID and has been shown to be even more important now.”
Keeping on-premise machines and systems up to date and efficient also was challenging because site visits by family members and non-essential vendors, such as some repair workers, were curtailed severely for months at a time.
Overall, Potack says, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven communities to pursue greater awareness of infection risks and controls.
In the future, laundries should expect greater scrutiny over internal processes regarding cleaning and decontamination.
“Facilities will be tasked with greater documentation that prescribed processes were followed,” says Randy Radtke, content and media relations manager for Alliance Laundry Systems.
“Dealing with a pandemic isn’t anything any of us would choose to go through. However, the good that can come from this is a renewed emphasis on process and equipping laundries with all the tools and technology to better manage and deliver the cleanest laundry possible,” he says.
