Content about Chemical

TEXTILES: TOM LANGDON, ENCOMPASS GROUP, MCDONOUGH, GA.

Approaching this issue from a textile sourcing and laundry processing point of view, we see varying degrees of linen abuse, depending on how our customers process. With the development of more resource-saving equipment, the linen has to be more durable today that it has in the past. For example, most of the newer tunnel washers reuse water from the first cycle, and if linen (especially apparel) is not colorfast, you can end up with cross-contamination staining on other items.

Everyone throughout the supply chain is cost-conscious, so one of the first steps is making sure your linen has been properly processed when you receive it.

There have been instances in which PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) used in the weaving process was not completely removed in the finishing process. This can end up creating a buildup on flatwork ironer equipment. Depending on the process, this linen may process fine in one laundry and create havoc in another. PVA is water-soluble and disperses in wash temperatures of 160 F. It can redeposit on the linen, however, if not thoroughly rinsed.

The second step is to test suspect linen for abuse. There are ways to determine if the fibers have been damaged through chemical or excessive heat during processing. One method is the Fehling’s solution test. This process can detect the presence and amount of certain chemical residue that can damage cellulose fiber, primarily cotton. If these fibers become damaged, they weaken and will wear out prematurely.

Historically, the primary test for evaluating linen durability has been the AATCC 1961-IVa method for Colorfastness to Commercial Laundry. This test is becoming outdated with regards to the healthcare industry. It calls for a 2% solution of chlorine bleach, and most of our industry has moved away from chlorine in favor of hydrogen peroxide or other less aggressive chemistry in efforts to extend linen life. The industry or related agencies need to develop and publish an updated test method that includes the newer formulas and equipment being used in the industry.

The third step is to evaluate your linen. You could be using the wrong type, construction or blend. The move to higher-content synthetic fibers has raised the bar for the life expectancy of today’s linen. If you try comparing a 100% cotton bath blanket or terry towel to a blend, you will see a significant difference in life expectancy.

The fourth and final step is to be an educated user. Many of you that have been around a long time may be familiar with some of the information I’ve covered. But those of you who are less experienced should enlist your linen provider’s help. Your provider can help you get acquainted with the techniques and quick checks to help manage your linen purchases and usage. Also, check with your chemical supplier, as many can provide a troubleshooting guide to linen abuse.

HOTEL/MOTEL/RESORT LAUNDRY: JR NORRIS, DELTA UNIFORM AND LINEN

Isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black? During almost 20 years in the restaurant business, I witnessed my fair share of regular linen abuse. Now, after being in the linen supply business for the past several years, and seeing the other side of this equation, I find myself cringing at the condition of items I see coming back. Some might think that’s a good dose of Karma for me, but I like to think my experience gives me an alternate viewpoint and advantage in identifying and solving the problem.

When items come back damaged or discolored, I try to identify where the abuse took place. I inspect the facility before approaching the client; the worst thing you can do is point the finger at the client without inspecting your facility and processes first (I learned that the hard way).

Sometimes during this process, I’ll even go so far as to climb into each of my machines to identify potential issues with the washing and drying process. I also try to identify if handling by employees is causing the abuse. If facility employees are causing the abuse, I spend time talking about how to prevent abuse, and I always make a point to share the item price. Once the employees understand what it would cost them to replace the damaged item, the carelessness stops.

Another way to identify potential problems is to witness item delivery. I ride along with my route personnel weekly to try to identify if improvements can be made to prevent products from being damaged during distribution. I watch them load their route trucks to see how they treat all products, and I try to identify other contributing factors. I have been able to find and make repairs to trucks that had sharp edges and to screws that were tearing goods or had that potential.

If it turns out to be an issue on the client’s end, we typically use the main rule of baseball: three strikes and you’re out. This doesn’t mean that we stop servicing the account after three strikes. It just means we find a different way of getting the point across.

First, we send back the damaged item with a sticker indicating the item’s intended use and what we believe to be the inappropriate use. When it comes back abused a second time, one of our managers personally visits the client and reiterates that training is needed to prevent the product damage from continuing to happen. Last, we charge a replacement fee if/when it happens a third time.

Depending on how the bad the items are, sometimes we skip the three-strike rule and charge for the linen immediately. Because we operating a weekly linen rental business, we have to make sure the customer understands that there are financial consequences for recurring linen abuse.

Remember, it’s all about getting back to the basics and training. Always give your employees and customers the proper tools and information to be successful.

MEMBER AT LARGE: DOUGLAS STORY, SWISHER HYGIENE

Knowledge is king! The more a customer knows about the cost of linen and what happens when the linen is damaged or lost, the more likely they will be tuned in to the need to protect this asset.

We are in a service industry, and part of our regularly scheduled service program should be to train the customer on how they can control costs via efficient use of linens; protecting their linen from abuse and loss should be part of that program. Training should include:

• Identifying sources of abuse (chemicals reputed to stain or damage linens; bleach, acids or mechanical devices that can cut linens or cause them to tear; etc.)
• Physical samples of abused linen from the same or similar facility
• Actual breakdown of what it costs to replace a damaged or lost item
• The presence of upper management and “direct contact” workers

When linen is found to have abuse stains or damage, the items should be taken to the facility and become part of the training and education process. The sooner this is accomplished within a customer service contract, the quicker the abuse can be minimized. Allowing prolonged abuse only creates a situation in which abuse becomes a hard-to-break habit.

About the possibility that you’re abusing the linen during processing and/or distribution, the answer is yes. The same training program used for customers should be implemented with staff and employees of the laundry operation.

Floor drags and drops, equipment tears, caster stains, mildew stains, etc., are just a few of the abuse issues that can occur if laundry operations are not following proper procedures or the plant is using malfunctioning equipment.

Enhanced quality control programs in which everyone is trained will aid to minimize linen abuse in a facility.

Check back Tuesday for the third and final part!

RIPON, Wis. — Some business owners and facility managers are considering outsourcing their laundry operations in hopes of reducing expenses. It is important to gather all the information up front and weigh the pros and cons carefully before making any decision.

Dilemmas such as this are becoming more prevalent every day. Many business owners and facility managers are charged with finding ways to reduce operating expenses and increase efficiency for the greater good of their business. But unless you have all the information available, your decision could wind up producing a negative impact instead of a positive.

HOW DO THE COSTS DIFFER?

If you’re considering the switch from on-premise laundry (OPL) to a linen service, it’s important to learn what makes up the laundry dollar so you know where your expenses come from.

According to OPL managers surveyed by UniMac, a manufacturer of OPL equipment, the main costs of running an on-premise laundry come from labor, which makes up 45-55% of the total cost, followed by linen replacement at 13-25% and equipment at 8-12%. The remaining costs are incurred through chemicals, utilities and maintenance.

The main costs incurred when paying for a linen service include company overhead, with functions including marketing, sales, delivery trucks and gas, administration, and management. Of those costs, 31.5% is included in your payment.

It can be difficult to imagine a comparison between the cost of operating an on-premise laundry and the monthly service fee from a linen service. However, by analyzing the cost of equipment and accounting for labor, utility costs, expected lifetime maintenance and chemical costs, it is possible to calculate the expected operational costs.

On average, to launder a pound of soiled linen on the premises costs approximately 31 cents, according to several OPL distributors and UniMac research. While it is true that a linen service can leverage economies of scale to actually process the linen for less per pound, the average linen service charges approximately 48 cents per pound to service and supply the facility’s linen, according to distributors and UniMac.

The 17-cent-per-pound savings is significant. For example, if your business launders 1,200 pounds of linen a day, the average total cost for on-site laundry for a year is $135,845, while a linen service for the same period would cost, on average, $209,664, a difference of $73,819.

QUALITY CONTROL

When your laundry is on-site, managers have complete control over everything being laundered for guest use. As a manager, you are in control of what type of laundry chemicals are used, how loads are sorted, and which washing and drying cycles will be used.

Additionally, you are in control of the type of linens that are being used at your facility, meaning you pick the brand, thread count and color. Luxury linens are becoming increasing popular, and because of the high-end material used, specific washing and drying instructions will need to be followed.

On-premise laundering allows managers to have that type of quality control over processing.

Linen services typically work out of a pool of linens that their customers rent. When your business returns linens, those items are put in the wash with other businesses’ linens in order to achieve the maximum efficiency. You can choose to separate the linen your business uses from others’ linen, but your costs will go up from the previously mentioned figures.

EQUIPMENT SELECTION

If your laundry is on-site, it’s critical to take a look at how you can continue to improve the costs associated with the operation. Equipment can positively impact the largest expense of the laundry dollar—labor.

When selecting washer-extractors for your operation, it’s important to look for machines that conserve utility costs and cut down on the time spent cleaning linen.

Washer-extractors with high G-force extraction speeds remove more water from linens, which leads to decreased drying times. For example, a machine spinning at 100 G-force extracts less water during the final spin than a washer extracting at 300 G. Higher extraction reduces the amount of moisture left in the linens by up to 47% and also decreases drying times and gas usage by as much as 35%.

Another feature to look for is spray rinse, which uses less water than a traditional bath wash. It also cleans linen more quickly and efficiently than a standard machine.

The last feature to look for in washer-extractors is the number of fill valves a machine uses. A washer-extractor that has four fill valves helps maximize efficiency. It can trim up to four minutes off the fill time.

A timesaving feature available on dryers is Over-dry Prevention Technology. This technology shuts a dryer off when the load has reached a precise level of dryness.

In a survey of commercial laundry distributors and laundry managers, 79% believe on-premise laundries over-dry by more than eight minutes per cycle. If this practice were eliminated, annual savings could be as much as $883 in utilities and nearly $5,000 in labor. Also, the linens experience 31% less fiber loss when over-drying is eliminated, which extends linen life and reduces replacement costs.

Advanced equipment controls are available to help managers regulate their staff. They help to keep the laundry running efficiently, while reducing the costs associated with keeping linens on-site.

Newer controls offer quality reports that give managers access to date-and-time stamps for machine activities, including each cycle’s start and end times. Too much time between cycles indicates staff inefficiency. With this type of information, management can take necessary steps to improve employee productivity.

To further improve efficiency, control options such as “head start” can help cut several hours of labor expenses per week. Machines can be preloaded and programmed to start ahead of employees’ start time so when the employees arrive for work, the first wash load is complete and ready to move into the dryer. This allows for an extra load of laundry to be processed each day.

Workers should be performing at full capacity, as should your machines, but employees sometimes under-load the machines, leading to wasted utilities and chemicals. Advanced controls provide information when this happens. These reports help managers determine whether better training or smaller machines is needed.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

When considering a change in how your business processes its laundry, you must look at the long-term savings. By contacting your local laundry distributor, you can gain insight into the benefits of maintaining an on-site laundry and get all the facts about what additional options are available. A distributor will be able to provide an actual assessment of your operation and pinpoint where improvements in efficiencies may need to be made.                         

UNIFORMS/WORKWEAR MANUFACTURING: STEVE KALLENBACH, AMERICAN DAWN, LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

The answer is yes, you can. But in overloading and under-loading, there are some ramifications.

Sometimes, the outcome might outweigh the costs, but it’s definitely something to be mindful about before proceeding as a regular part of your production process.

First, there are five key elements in washing textiles: mechanical action, temperature, water level, time, and chemistry. If you increase or decrease one of these elements, it will impact other elements of the cleaning process.

Additionally, in many cases, it will add wear and tear to your machinery.

When you increase (or over-load) your washer-extractor, you decrease the amount of “open” area for the textiles to tumble—commonly referred to as “mechanical action.”

This decreases the textile cleanliness outcome, doesn’t take out stains (likely causing early replacement), and will definitely add to mechanical stress on the machine, especially if the load is over 100% of the stated capacity.

You can sometimes offset this inequity by increasing the formula time and/or the chemistry, but while the overload may reduce the amount of loads, your true operating costs may actually increase.

Sometimes, you have to consider more than just weight...volume, perhaps. Large items that absorb little water (such as mats) will have less negative impact than items that hold lots of liquid (microfiber toweling) when loaded strictly by weight.

Additionally, the soil type can dictate the load factor, if you are trying to provide more than normal mechanical action to remove heavy soil, etc. If you know the relative absorption of the product as well as the soil factor of the load, it will assist in your management call to either overload or under-load. Either way, you need to closely monitor your quality output and make adjustments continually and accordingly.

You also need to monitor rejects and rewash. The load factor may actually cost more than just following the usual formulation instructions, as it could result in double processing! One old trick in loading full-drop wash wheels is to visually load the machine to three-quarters full level.

When you under-load your washer-extractor, you increase the mechanical action significantly. While this is not an efficient use of resources, and may cost you significantly more to produce, the practice can also break down the fibers of your fabrics and cause all sorts of textile wear issues, such as heavy pilling, tears, etc.

While the appearance on the surface may lead you to believe that you are either cleaning product better or producing faster, the hidden reality is that you could be damaging your machines or your textiles.

In the end, this all comes down to customer satisfaction and relative costs. My advice: Be careful, be calculated, get the opinion of your chemical supplier, monitor the quality and textile life closely, and track your machine maintenance.

COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY: TOM GILDRED, EMERALD TEXTILES, SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

While there may be no “magic” answer to this question, I believe the real answer is “it depends.” Several factors that impact decisions regarding loading capacity should be considered when defining the formulas for processing. Some of these include quality standard, type of machinery, category of linen, and the degree of soil present.

Depending on your objectives, and the four factors I’ve mentioned, it might make sense to load either slightlyheavier or slightlylighter to achieve your goals. For instance, terry cloth items absorb more water, which is important to remember when considering overloading this type of item, as the additional water will make it even heavier. Other less-absorbent items, such as gowns, could be managed in heavier loads.

Certain products are well suited for under-loading in the drying process to ensure a quality finish without wrinkles, while some items may be overloaded with no problem—in fact, it may be desirable. Each type of load has its own custom formula, including how much of the product to include in the load. This formula is best determined by the particular item’s specifications and its level of soil in order to achieve the quality required.

Both overloading and under-loading are strategies that can be used to achieve optimal efficiency and quality. The right combination of load capacity, chemical mix, water temperature and processing time ensures production efficiency, optimum throughput and the proper quality levels.

MEMBER AT LARGE: DOUGLAS STORY, SWISHER HYGIENE

I think we should first define what overloading a washer means. Is it 100 pounds in a 100-pound wash wheel, or is it 200 pounds in a 100-pound wash wheel? Well, you could be loaded correctly in both cases.

If the load is not soiled, or is lightly soiled, you could load to 100 pounds and it would be correct. But, if it is a load of wet bar towels, loading a 100-pound washer to 200 pounds could result in just processing 100 pounds of dry, clean bar towels, so that loading is correct as well! Simply speaking, you have to know the average soil load of the fabrics that you are processing in order to properly load the washers.

As for loading in general, I don’t think the standards are set in stone but the warranty on the equipment is. If one overloads the washer too much, you may end up with mechanical issues. In reality, one could, on occasion, overload a washer by 10-15% of rated capacity, but it should be an exception and not a standard operating procedure.

Water levels, electric motors, brakes and space capacity can all be negatively affected by overloading a washer, and all this is in addition to the poor-to-horrible quality the washer will be producing.

What happens to the fabric when you overload a washer? Here are a few things:

• Mechanical action is reduced or eliminated
• Distribution of water is limited

It is possible that not all the fabric in a horribly overloaded washer will even touch water during the process. I learned this lesson in college after trying to wash all my jeans and heavy shirts on the cheap at a Laundromat. I still had powdered soap on my very dry jeans as I unloaded the washer. What a mess.

• Distribution of chemicals throughout the washer is uneven

This can damage areas where concentrated chemicals contact the linens.

• Fabrics are not adequately cleaned and cannot be considered hygienically clean or sanitized

In spite of the accounting calculations on the enhanced productivity, overloading may create mechanical and quality issues that would override most savings over a longer period of time.

As for under-loading, it is just a waste of labor, equipment and operational efficiency! The industry is starting to create washers and dispensing systems that can actually compensate for various load sizes, but I still find it a waste in terms of equipment and time expenditures.

If you have a 100-pound washer, use its capabilities to the maximum. This will ensure that you are using labor, chemicals and time optimally in your efforts to produce a quality product at the best possible price.

A few points about under-loading:

• Chemical concentrations are too high
• Mechanical and chemical wear on fabrics is excessive
• Water use per pound processed is excessive
• Energy use per pound processed is excessive
• Labor cost per pound processed is excessive

So, whenever possible, load your washers to within 10-15% of the rated capacity of what would be considered the clean, dry weight of the fabric. And for goodness sake, use a well-calibrated scale to make sure you are adding the right poundage to your washers.

Loading your washers as they should be loaded will go a long way to maximizing the overall efficiency of your washroom operation.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

ROANOKE, Va. — Several times a year, I am asked about poor-quality wash or stains. About stains, my philosophy has always been that they represent a failure to properly handle or clean the fabric; I have frequently found that most stains are caused by improper wash formulas. I was convinced that I had not met a stain I could not beat until I arrived in Milwaukee, Wis.

While working at Aurora Health Care, I encountered a light yellow stain that resisted all attempts to remove it. We attempted to identify what the substance might look like before it was washed, but the source of the stain eluded us. We worked with our chemical vendor to identify the stain. We tried developing a reclaim formula but still the stain stumped the company experts.

We requested that our chemical vendor and linen vendor send samples of the stained linen to independent labs for analysis; the labs could not identify the stain or find a way to remove it. The stain showed up more frequently in early-morning loads than at other times of the day, we determined, but the source of the stain and its tool for removal remained a mystery.

When I accepted a job at Health Group of Alabama, the stain “followed.” The fact that the stain could be present in two different laundries 600 miles apart led me to look at other environmental factors. This time, we narrowed our search to various chemicals used in the hospital and quite accidentally discovered that the source of the pesky stain was a hand soap used at the largest facility.

The active ingredient was chlorhexidine gluconate, the most effective hand sanitizer on the market today. The soap is clear; it shows no color in liquid form or when dried on linen. But the cleaner will react with chlorine to form a light yellow to dark brown stain (its color depends on the amount of soap and chlorine present).

In Milwaukee and again in Alabama, there was enough chlorine in the local water system to cause the chlorhexidine gluconate to form a stain. In an effort to reduce the amount of staining, I worked with our chemical company to devise a formula that would limit the chances of setting the stain before we could rinse the soap from the fabric.

Our first step was to change from chlorine bleach to hydrogen peroxide bleach. This reduced the stain by 50% but apparently there was still enough chlorine in the incoming water to cause the problem.

Our next step was to add an antichlor or hydrogen peroxide to the first pocket of the tunnel washers. Both chemicals neutralize the chlorine and thus prevent the chlorhexidine gluconate from setting.

By taking these steps, we were able to reduce our stains from this chemical by 80%.

At the Roanoke, Va., laundry where I now work, chlorhexidine gluconate stains have reared their ugly head once again. This time, the hand cleaner is part of a bed-bath kit used to bathe bedridden patients. The Roanoke city water system contains chlorine levels sufficient to cause the chemical to set a light yellow stain.

To add to our frustration, the sodium vapor lights used in the laundry’s overhead lighting make it difficult for workers to see the stain. Under normal fluorescent light, the stain can be easily detected.

In all my years in the laundry business, I have seen the process I detailed above remedy a number of stain and odor problems. Oil stains on high-thread count polyester surgical gowns or Gortex gowns can be almost eliminated through the use of a solvenated detergent in conjunction with enzymes but with no softeners. A barrier retreatment product, if used properly, will prevent oil from adhering to the polyester fibers while maintaining the barrier quality of the fabrics at like-new levels.

Residual odor problems in freshly laundered reusable diapers and underpads can be addressed by switching to an enzyme detergent.

Numerous stains can be avoided by using a warm (not to exceed 120 F) fresh-water flush at the start of the wash formula. Many medicines and body fluids react unfavorably in the presence of heat or wash chemicals.

The key to overcoming a stain is the willingness to do the detective work required to identify the cause, then asking for help from the appropriate people to develop a system to avoid it.

CHEMICALS SUPPLY: MARLENE WILLIAMS, ANDERSON CHEMICAL CO., LITCHFIELD, MINN.

We have chosen to address three common stubborn stains that can best be managed with procedure, machine programs and chemistry. We will outline procedures important to all stain removal and then address specifics for each stain category.

In all cases, it is important to either pre-treat the stain, or begin the laundering process, as soon as possible after staining. The sooner that stains are removed from the fabric, the less aggressive the program required for removal and the greater the possibility for success.

With a few exceptions, it is important to treat stain removal with the warmest temperature appropriate for the fabric and color blends. Chemical activity increases with elevated temperature and stain removal is generally enhanced with higher temperatures. Exceptions to the “higher the better” are situations involving color fading/bleeding, fabric shrinking, protein or blood “setting,” or exceeding temperatures recommended for enzyme products.           

Medicinal Stains — There are a number of medicinal preparations that can be irreversibly set with chlorine bleach if not thoroughly removed prior to bleach process. Chlorhexidine gluconate and iodine preparations must be thoroughly rinsed prior to standard wash cycles. Education of healthcare staff regarding possibility of irreversible staining, vigilance by laundry staff for particular laundry categories, and possible replacements of non-staining materials can provide solutions. Salves and skin-protection preparations compounded with oils may need special attention and are best removed with selective surfactant products.

Food Stains — Food stains are common to healthcare and hospitality linens. Conventional chemistry with increased alkali and detergent usually provides satisfactory results for greasy soils. Protein stains can be removed with a bleach program step if fabric dyes are compatible. There are a number of enzyme detergents and enzyme presoak products that provide good removal of protein and/or greasy stains if soak time is available. Be sure to match specific enzyme product to type of food stain.

Athletic Uniforms — School and professional athletic colors have never been selected for laundry compatibility! Before beginning any aggressive stain-removal program, make sure that both uniform materials of construction and colors can withstand temperatures and chemistry chosen. Always consult manufacturer’s care tags. Temperature and chlorine bleach are two often-exceeded treatments that can do irreversible damage to fabric finish, fading/bleeding of incompatible colors, and overall irreversible color deposition. There are also a small number of hazardous chemistries that are used to strip dyes and field marking colors. These should be avoided by using an enzyme presoak program if team schedules allow.

It is important to identify impact-generated (helmet and plastic padding) stains that are a result of fabric and protective gear colors being physically transferred into the opposing team’s uniform fabric. Impact transfer is usually an irreversible situation.

COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY: TOM GILDRED, EMERALD TEXTILES, SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

From the perspective of an industrial healthcare linen services provider, the most stubborn stains regularly encountered include bodily fluids, metal and rust stains, tape residue and finally medicinal chemical stains.

We address these difficult stains through a multi-tiered approach, designed to address each particular type of stain. Time, temperature, chemical action and mechanical action are the keys to effective stain removal, and can be adjusted as each case requires. 

As a first step, we work closely with our chemical company to create the proper formulation, or “chemical cocktail,” to remove specific types of stains. Heavily stained linens are identified during soil sort and separated for special treatment.

After the appropriate treatment has been determined, we pre-wash the heavily stained items to remove the first level of soil in our heavy-duty single-batch washers. Hand inspection is employed throughout the process to determine what the next steps are, as well as to ensure quality control. A stringent quality-control program ensures that we effectively launder items until the stains are eradicated.

Because of the intense nature of healthcare laundry stains, there are instances in which items are destroyed in the process of stain removal and those pieces are placed in our linen recycling program. By continually evolving our processes, and working with our chemical vendor, we successfully remove a large number of stains.

TEXTILES: TOM LANGDON, ENCOMPASS GROUP, MCDONOUGH, GA.

Not having had much experience with this topic, I sought the advice of a few long-time laundry professionals. What I found was a little surprising. While most agreed about which substances were the most difficult to treat and remove, their approaches to accomplish this task were completely different.

One approach is stain avoidance. The process starts with sorting the soiled linen from least stained to most stained, or light, medium or heavy soil. By isolating the dirtiest linen, the launderer reduces the chance of contaminating the rest. They also sort by soil factor (whether the stains are protein- or oil-based), as this will determine what wash formula should be used to process the linen. Using this approach, most of the cleaner linen can run through the normal process and be cleaned satisfactorily. They then save the “blood load” to be processed at the end of the shift when the wash formula, along with temperature and process time, can be adjusted.

On the other end of the spectrum is the “one wash” method. Using this approach, the laundry does not segregate its linen because it has optimized its process and system to yield the best overall cleaning results. Of course, if an item that is obviously heavily soiled turns up, they would not process it, preferring instead to rag it out. As stains are the enemy of efficiency, this method works to minimize their disruption on the process.

Stains, after all, are a big problem. Some operators advise that they incur more loss due to stains than to wearing out product through processing. Up to three times more product is “ragged out” because of stains than from actually being worn out.

Regardless of the approach, most operators agree that, in the healthcare setting, Hibiclens, or chlorhexidine gluconate/isopropanol, is the toughest stain to get out. This antiseptic liquid is applied directly to a patient’s skin at the incision site prior to surgery. Its normal state is a clear pink liquid. After being transferred to a textile article and exposed to chlorine bleach during processing, it turns orange-brown and is a difficult stain to remove.

The products themselves play a part in the challenge of dealing with stains. Results from my research rank incontinence products, patient apparel and bath items as the products that experience the most stains. Fabric type is also a factor in stain resistance and stain removal.

Due to advances in finishing chemistry and applications, polyester-rich products actually fare better than cotton-rich items, even though in its natural state polyester has an affinity for oil. These predominantly synthetic-rich products also last longer, which is a plus when exposing them to additional mechanical action and stronger wash formulas that can accelerate the breakdown of cotton-rich fabrics.

Stain treatments are changing. Historically, stain-release treatments were based on C8 fluorocarbon chemistry that has been identified as being harmful to the environment and bio-accumulative. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has requested a voluntary elimination of this chemistry by 2015; manufacturers of these products have been working toward alternatives since 2000. As with most developments, the alternative technologies are more expensive to produce. Some estimates predict as much as a double-digit increase in the cost of stain removal with the new technology as compared to current options.

Regardless of which method you use to process your tough stains, one thing is clear. Stains are here to stay and will become more challenging to treat as the demands for environmentally friendly chemistry becomes the norm.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2!

CHEMICALS SUPPLY: MARLENE WILLIAMS, ANDERSON CHEMICAL CO., LITCHFIELD, MINN.

This well-designed question recognizes that optimization of laundry programs and procedures, as well as incorporating new technology options, can facilitate a laundry manager’s efforts to improve energy efficiency and water conservation. From the chemical supplier’s standpoint, there are two major sources of help available today.

First, technology (proprietary software) to analyze a laundry operation is a strong tool for chemical representatives and laundry managers. A knowledgeable chemical representative can provide valuable assistance with this type of computer analysis, improving not only energy efficiency and water consumption but also creating savings in all areas of program expense.

Secondly, a knowledgeable review of laundry facilities with improved practices and procedures can provide major economies for no additional cost. John White, an industry expert with 35 years of laundry experience, offers a number of valuable tactics:

1. Work with a knowledgeable chemical supplies representative; this should be your starting point. Experienced reps can help you because they work with many different operators and will be able to give you ideas for savings, ideas that are working for others.
2. If you’re still using “old school” washing techniques (180-degree water, lots of alkali and bleach, long cycles, lots of rinsing, etc.), be aware that chemistry has dramatically changed. Talk to your rep about low-temperature washing. Consider enzyme washing, allowing for lower wash and bleaching temperatures. Your supplier should be bringing these innovations to you for your consideration.
3. Replace one rinse step in all your cycles with a medium-speed extract. This will save one high-fill for every load of laundry you process, and, over time, can result in thousands of gallons of water—much of it hot—saved.
4. Understand the relationship between pH and temperature in the bleach bath. A good rep will be able to set your cycles up to bleach in much lower temperatures by lowering the pH of the bleach bath.
5. Lower your water levels 1 inch when washing/bleaching, and 2 inches when rinsing. All water levels are adjustable, and the good reps know how to do this. One inch less water in the wash step will not make any difference in quality, but due to the shape of the wash wheel, will save you up to 30% of the hot water you would otherwise use in a typical wash step (same for bleach step and 2 inches on rinse steps).
6. Focus on sorting laundry by soil load and staining. Unsorted linens must be washed according to the worst pieces. If unsorted, every load becomes a costly heavy-soil load.
7. Program cycles so that your final rinse temperature is between 115 and 120 degrees (typically it is much lower). This means that the linens will be pre-heated (but not too hot to handle) when they go into the dryer. This will save about five minutes of dryer time/energy per load.
8. Don’t under-load washers or overload dryers. Weigh loads and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
9. Airflow is far more critical than temperature when it comes to dryer time. Clean lint screens after every load, and periodically have dryer vents professionally cleaned. Lint can easily clog dryer vents and choke off 80% or more of your airflow.
10. Finally, most dryers can be retrofitted with flue sensors that will shut the dryer down when the load is dry, saving on energy and fabric damage.

EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING: KIM SHADY, LAUNDRYLUX CORP, NEW YORK, N.Y.

From the perspective of smaller OPL facilities, more new equipment applications have become available in the past several years than have been introduced in the past decade. I’ll break these energy savings into three categories: electricity, natural gas, and water.

Electricity — The amount of electricity used to operate an OPL washer or dryer may be less than 2 cents per load. There is very little reward for making improvements to electricity use. Evaluating cycle times in the washer could be one area for savings. Washers with higher extraction rates (G-force) can reduce drying times for more savings.

Natural Gas — Assuming natural gas is your heat source for a dryer, ironer or water heater, this is your largest utility cost. To evaluate areas to trim costs, start with your water heater/boiler. There have been many improvements in efficiency, so is your unit outdated? Could reducing water temperature by 5 or 10 degrees make a difference on an annual basis?

The traditional 75-pound dryer in small OPL facilities has gone through significant energy updates in the past few years. Several companies have slashed gas consumption by 20% through new, energy-efficient axial airflow designs that do not sacrifice drying time. This may be the biggest gain for energy efficiency in the past five years.

Also, the extraction rate has a major role in reducing dryer gas use. Upgrading from 100 to 300 G-force can cut drying time by 25-30%, along with similar amounts of natural gas.

Residual moisture controls are gaining popularity to save time and natural gas in the dryer. No longer does the drying time have to be input by hand. Residual moisture controls automate the process, while preventing the dryer from running past the point where linens are dry.

Large laundries have long understood the energy benefits of ironing vs. drying sheets. When ironing sheets properly, the amount of energy used to remove a pound of water is less than the amount a dryer would use to do the same. With new OPL ironers requiring just one person to feed, fold and stack, there can be energy savings, labor savings and huge improvements in quality.

Water — OPL washers are using newer digital technology to measure water levels, providing more precise control for each fill. This also allows the programmer to experiment with finding the optimum water levels and acceptable cleanliness quality. This experiment could bring surprising results in lower water use. Some washers are smart enough to adjust water levels based upon the linen load size, while at the same time adjusting chemical dosing to keep the ratio to water accurate.

Other water savings may be found with ozone systems. Ozone has proven to reduce water consumption and significantly reduce the need for hot water.

UNIFORMS/WORKWEAR MANUFACTURING: STEVE KALLENBACH, AMERICAN DAWN, LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

This is the central question surrounding one of the most important dynamics of the decade: “green” reusable textiles and related processing. My responses will relate mostly to energy and costs that directly impact textile-processing costs.

Energy — Over the past 15 years, our industry has reduced energy costs by more than 40% through the use of heat reclaimers, direct-fire water heaters, continuous batch washers (vs. washer-extractors vs. modular washer and extractor units), high-efficiency gas dryers (vs. steam dryers), as well as energy-friendly textiles.

Additionally, chemical companies and plant managers have worked together to find balanced formulations that assist in energy efficiency. An example of this might be in extraction. Once a washer-extractor achieves extraction speed, it is much more efficient to extract the textile a bit longer, if it reduces dryer time (gas usage) while still protecting textile life.

In some cases, textiles have been built to withstand more energy-efficient processing. In others (example: Signature table linen), fabric has been developed to wash cleaner at lower temperatures, thereby lowering energy costs and even processing time. The most recent textile improvement impacting energy efficiency is microfiber fabrics. They take much less time to dry, thereby reducing gas and electricity costs.

Laundry managers need to follow the best in class: 1) know the industry standards, 2) know your own plant’s performance, and 3) engage with your chemical and textile vendors to continually improve efficiency.

Water — Just like energy, our industry has reduced water usage by more than 40% through the use of water reclamation systems and better chemical formulations, soil sorting (to control the amount of rewash) and textiles.

Water reclamation systems reuse some of the last flushes of a formula as the first flush of the next load. Chemical formulation is a key to water efficiency. We put our chemical suppliers in the delicate position of keeping costs down while keeping our textiles clean. Many times, this balance is off, and some plants have a tendency to “over wash” certain textiles. Additionally, some textiles simply clean better, due to raw-material quality, fiber content, weave, topical soil release, etc.

Managers can discuss these issues with their textile and chemical suppliers, in order to choose the right product for the job. Just like energy efficiency, water conservation and efficiency should first be measured against the known industry standards, and managers should engage with their related suppliers to improve both formulation and textiles.

Technology — In all areas of conservation, support technology has improved drastically over the past 20 years. Retrofitting machinery to allow constant monitoring of efficiencies is now available, and the return on investment is sensible in most cases. Additionally, the industry has developed a number of major software packages that can assist managers in monitoring and managing their plant efficiencies.

Maintenance — Aside from education on standards and available efficiencies, the maintenance of equipment and support technology is more important now than ever before.

Plant maintenance managers of yesteryear were measured on downtime of equipment related to production flow. While this will remain the platform for production flow efficiency, maintenance of the future will center more around equipment efficiencies, simply because they can now be monitored constantly.

For instance, in the past, if a drainpipe were open and leaking profusely, it might not be caught and your maintenance department might not focus on it because the equipment was running. In the future, the equipment must not only run, it must run efficiently, because a rightly upgraded and retrofitted wash machine will be able to “broadcast” the presence of an open/leaking drain to plant management.

Textiles — Great plant managers take a more active role in monitoring textile placement as it relates to efficiency, not only in wear-life (life-cycle) costing but also in choosing the right textile for the job.

A simple example of this is allowing a diesel engine mechanic to wear a lightly colored shirt. This textile choice leads to heavy-soil formulation and rewash. Enough of this textile misuse and plant efficiency is impacted.

Other plants overbuy cotton toweling, putting premium textiles into accounts that simply don’t return them. Because these products are typically heavier in content, the plant washes fewer of them per load, thereby lowering both energy and water efficiencies. In some cases, it’s better to put a standard-quality product into an account that needs just that.

Healthcare Laundry: Scott Beaton, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

There are two major differences between institutional and commercial rental laundry plants regarding laundry processing equipment and operational procedures. The overarching difference is that each must serve a different master.

One is customer-based, high-volume, and driven to make a profit, while the other exists to provide a service for a captive audience. Due to these differences, the degree of necessary automation varies substantially.

The other major difference is that commercial/rental plants wash and process linen to meet the needs of both regulatory and customer-based demands. They deliver linen in a manner that guarantees and produces a positive net operating margin. This is driven by the fact that they are in business to make a profit.

Rental laundries typically spend more on their equipment, training and education of their workforce than an institutional facility. Pounds per operator hour, or PPOH, become the mantra. The old adage “time is money and money is time” comes to mind. These large, high-volume shared-service laundries and commercial plants tend to be highly automated, with batch washers, shuttle conveyors and pass-through dryers greatly reducing manual-labor requirements.

Commercial rental operations realize quickly in this competitive, price-point-driven market that financial investment and reinvestment is key in both manpower and equipment. This must take place to be competitive and sustainable in an ever-changing business climate.

A rental plant usually realizes that it takes a financial investment to achieve an efficient operation and, as a result, spends money to make money. Institutional laundries would benefit greatly if they would also utilize this model and invest in their infrastructure to best serve their internal customers.

Chemicals Supply: Marlene Williams, Anderson Chemical Co.

As a chemical formulator, my comments will focus on procedural differences between institutional and industrial laundries. Institutional and industrial facilities both launder linen, but the purpose and focus of each is in response to different expectations.

Institutional laundries provide a service within organizations. Industrial laundries are typically focused as independent businesses. This results in different orientations, chemical programs and procedures.

Major concerns for commercial laundries include optimization of production orientation. This would include labor and labor cost as a percent of revenue, utilities, water and chemical costs, production cost per machine, and overall profitability.

Formula times and rewash numbers can be well balanced to provide optimum profit. Hot water, high alkali, and bleach can provide lower pounds of rewash, but at the expense of linen integrity.

Major concerns for institutional laundries include: maintaining facility par, quality of results depending on potentially lower water temperatures, machine programmability, correct choice of program, and chemistry.

While most institutional facilities have well-trained staff, problems can arise when machines and chemical supply malfunction if a staff person does not make timely corrections. Because of a lesser focus on cost per piece, spotting and special pretreatments or machine formulas may be utilized. The luxury of time for rework and special formulas can result in higher volumes of good quality work without the expense of fabric damage.

Linen Supply: Stephen Marcq, General Linen Service

I see substantial differences between equipment and procedures in commercial vs. institutional plants. In commercial plants, for example, it is common to see newer, larger, more energy- and water-efficient machinery, i.e. continuous batch washers vs. smaller washer-extractors, six-roll ironers vs. one-roll, and so forth.

It is more common to see things like heat reclamation and water treatment equipment, as well as use of steam vs. thermal oil, electric and so forth on ironers. The reason is likely because the commercial plant can typically gain economies of scale, lower the per-unit production costs and thus generate a sufficient return on investment on the large up-front expense, although available space also has something to do with it.

The biggest procedural difference I see is that many institutional plants, by their nature, do a larger number of small loads, turning product sometimes several times per day, whereas a commercial plant may have one machine dedicated to a specific item operating eight hours or more daily.

The institutional plant often can customize the finishing procedures and requirements to the exact specification required, whereas the commercial plant has to find some middle ground to suit its mix of customers.

Commercial Laundry: Tom Gildred, Emerald Textiles

Differences in equipment and procedures between a commercial laundry plant and an institution-based laundry are substantial and exist for a variety of reasons.

The equipment in a commercial/rental plant is usually larger in scale and capable of processing huge amounts of volume (pounds) per hour. In newer facilities, or those that invest in newer equipment, tremendous energy efficiencies are achieved that result in energy and water savings. This positively impacts the environment and reduces operating costs.

Equipment in an institution-based laundry is smaller in scale and handles wash loads of lesser volume. In-house laundry facilities sometimes occupy revenue-generating space that might otherwise be used for additional operations within the organization.

Processes and procedures in a commercial plant are typically more automated, so less labor is required to process the laundry. This improves efficiency and decreases the risk of strain and injury to employees. Another difference in a commercial facility is rental pool linen. Large rental pools require fewer linen purchases on a regular basis and offer a consistent, flexible supply of product to all customers as needed.

The chemical mix in a commercial plant is also handled differently because of the opportunity to use each pocket in a continuous batch washer for specific purposes with specialized chemicals. This allows the precise timing, titration and temperature required to achieve the highest levels of cleanliness.

Handling larger wash loads also allows for the production team to run the same products through folding or ironing consistently, which improves efficiencies lost when switching the products that are being processed.

Finally, the focus in a commercial laundry operation is generally specialized and, because of its scale, designed to comply with OSHA, Title 22, and state and federal regulations.

In an institution-based laundry facility, processes are typically labor-intensive, and require more employees, because they are less automated and staff may or may not be assigned exclusively to the laundry function. Since the task of laundry is usually just one aspect of operations in the organization, it may be more difficult to be focused on compliance, efficiency and quality control.

In part, some of the reasons for these differences exist because of specialization as well as the scale and volume of each type of laundry facility. There are economies of scale realized when a commercial plant is focused on processing linen for multiple large healthcare or hospitality customers, vs. operating a laundry department in-house to process only the linens needed by that organization.

Uniforms/Workwear Manufacturing: Steve Kallenbach, American Dawn

Typically, the equipment and procedures in processing textiles is about the same—whether in a rental laundry or an OPL (on-premise) hospitality or healthcare laundry—but does depend on the volume/poundage of each facility. When it comes to boilers, heaters, reclaimers, sewage treatment, washers, dryers, tunnels, ironers or presses, the equipment manufacturers supply our industry as one. And the chemical companies typically use formulation based on textile/application/poundage vs. market.

While one would think that the processes for these two business channels are equally alike, there are many different practices, based mostly on profitability and/or quality expectations.

The rental channel always has two common goals: growth and profitability. They are sometimes in opposite order, but always present together. This becomes a delicate balance between efficiency and quality. To illustrate, let's look at linen napkins.

A rental laundry typically wants to achieve acceptable market standard quality at the lowest cost. It’s in the business of making profits through textile rental, and therefore measures every microbe of wear life, processing cost, merchandise field recovery, and total merchandise costs (including acquisition) all the way to electricity and building costs.

In comparison, an OPL must maintain the internal (typically single-department customer) quality standard, and is part of a much bigger picture (a small department of a large enterprise). Its building, energy and overhead costs may be charged by estimate or calculation to the whole. Additionally, its quality standards are typically set by one of the other departments that it serves, are not negotiable, and are expected to be maintained, without as much weight given to cost.

The sheer difference in service dynamics and accounting in an OPL drive fairly significant differences in labor management, water/energy/chemical management, textile selection, and inventory management (which typically doesn’t fall under the control of the OPL), all the way to formula times, pressing speeds, and water temperature/steam use.

Additionally, because the perceived quality of OPL customers (key departments) is allowed to be as high as requested, much more finishing (such as pressing vs. tunneling) occurs.

Material handling and delivery also differs between the two types. An OPL typically delivers the goods to another on-premise department (i.e. Guest Services) using carts, rails and perhaps a small vehicle — and goods are many times picked up by the department being serviced. A rental laundry has many more carts (for separation by route/customer) as well as sort railing and numerous route trucks for delivery within a large geographical area.

Numbers will tell a big story here, and both have their place in the textile services markets. Cases can be made in either direction as to what is most efficient and profitable for the enterprise.

Tomorrow: Answers from the textile/uniform rental, consulting services, and equipment manufacturing sectors...

ALBANY, Ga. — Equinox Chemicals has announced that it has acquired Adco Cleaning Products, based in Sedalia, Mo. Terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Equinox will move Adco’s manufacturing operations to its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Albany, according to Yalda Harris, Equinox’s executive vice president for Global Product Management.

Dr. Jim Schreiner, Adco’s chief product technology officer, will also be relocating, she says.

Customer-service and order-taking staff will remain in Sedalia, and there will be no changes to the way customers or distributors order from Adco, Harris adds. The national sales team will remain the same.

Equinox is a specialty chemical manufacturer with specialty research, innovation, product development and commercialization capabilities that reach markets spanning the globe, the company says.

Adco manufactures a comprehensive line of specialty cleaning chemicals and detergents used in dry cleaning, commercial laundry, and janitorial and institutional cleaning applications. It offers more than 300 proprietary products through the Adco and Laidlaw brands.

“This latest acquisition will continue our aggressive strategy to revolutionize and revitalize the laundry, dry cleaning and cleaning chemical industry,” says Mark Grimaldi, CEO of Equinox Chemicals.

Mentor Partners had owned Adco since 2007.

“What would you say are the most common errors in laundry processing that lead to higher-than-necessary energy, fuel or water costs?”

Chemicals Supply: Carrie Armstrong, Ecolab Eagan, Minn.

Optimizing the laundry processes and following the recommendations will help with the reduction of higher-than-necessary utility costs. The following are common errors in laundries leading to additional costs; these are in the order of processing, not necessarily in order of magnitude.

• Incorrect Sorting, or No Sorting, of Soiled Linen by Soil Content, Soil Level and Linen Type — Not sorting will result in all loads washed in heavier formulas than necessary, which generally requires higher temperatures and more water exchanges and leads to reduced linen life. If heavy-soil contents are washed on a regular soil formula, rewash/stain percentage will increase. This results in additional rewash/stain loads processed, some of which would not be necessary if properly sorted. Reclaim formulas generally feature higher temperature and extended wash times, resulting in added utility costs.

• Not Loading to Optimal Capacity — Under-loading and overloading results in additional washes. Under-loading does not utilize the capacity of the machine, thus wasting utilities. Overloading results in additional rewash due to inadequate soil removal (which can also be the result of under-loading).

• Incorrect Wash-Formula Selection — Wash formulas are developed for the soil types, soil levels and fabrics for optimal soil removal. Each is specific in time, temperatures, water and chemicals for each classification. Not selecting the correct wash formula is similar to incorrect soil sorting.

Selecting a heavy-soil formula for a light-soil classification results in increased utilities, as these formulas generally include higher temperatures, additional water exchanges and extended wash times. Selecting a light-soil formula for heavy soil will result in added rewash.

• Wash-Formula Structures — The formula structure and programming of the wash machines are critical for cost control and require optimization. Times, temperatures and water exchanges may be reduced given the textile types and soil levels being processed. An extensive review of wash formulas may result in changes in flushes, rinses, time or temperature. Additionally, ensuring that all machines are programmed identically will result in more consistent results.

• Incorrect Extract Times — Too-short extract time results in the textile being too wet, thus requiring extended dry times. Extract times that are too long use energy unnecessarily.

• Incorrect Dryer Formulas and Loading — As with incorrect washer loading and formula selection resulting in added utility costs, this same concept carries over to the use of the dryers. Overloading will result in extending the dry times, adding to energy costs, plus it shortens linen life.

• Rewash and Stain Reclamation — Not having an established rewash and stain reclaim program results in increase of utilities. Rewash encompasses textiles that have fallen on the floor, mis-feeds through folder/ironer, are still dirty, etc. Stain reclamation is the category for which the wash formula has not been adequate to remove the stain. A reclaim formula generally requires higher temperatures and extended times.

• Postponed Equipment Maintenance — Leaking drains, water valves, steam valves, etc. result in added utility costs.

• Chemical Program — New technologies and laundry product programs are available that can offer customized solutions to reduce water and energy costs. Lower-temperature washing, sanitizing and disinfecting products can shorten processing times.

At each point of the laundry process, errors occur that can increase utilities cost. Continued monitoring and training of personnel will help keep these in control. In addition, your chemical supply representative can consult on ways to help with laundry efficiency.

Long-Term-Care Laundry: Gary Clifford, Pines of Sarasota, Sarasota, Fla.

From my experience, the single most wasteful error is the improper loading of washers and dryers. If you run your machines under-loaded, you will waste not only energy, fuel and water but also chemicals and time.

It doesn’t take any more time or effort to load at the proper levels if you just do it! I realize that everyone wants to be busy, or at least look busy at all times. However, it is clearly beneficial to accumulate and process the correct size loads. The time spent waiting can then be appropriated to wherever you need it.

As an example, the first time I did a late-hour check on laundry at my first OPL in healthcare, the night washer was not sorting everything, just throwing whatever was in the bags in the washers and washing them on the setting for heavily soiled linen. He figured he could eliminate a step that way and save himself a lot of work.

Maybe he did save time and effort, but what a terrible waste of chemicals and utilities. After the proper sorting and loading procedures were reviewed with him, along with the reasoning behind them, it was never a problem again and our chemical expense dropped noticeably.

For those of you working at long-term healthcare facilities, make sure you have adequate washes for heavily soiled linens. A separate setting for this is essential in eliminating rewashes and quality-control problems. Even if you have to hold heavily soiled linen in the sorting cart for a while to get a full load, you can certainly save a lot by doing so.

You will also find it helpful to schedule a recovery load for trying to save badly stained linens prior to taking them out of circulation. Even if you only save half a load, it is linen you may normally would have thrown out.

It is also important not to overload the washers or you will waste your chemicals and utilities on rewashing. It is a bit of a balancing act, but one that can be easily accomplished with education, cooperation and teamwork.

Be sure that you do not ignore proper loading and temperature settings on your dryers. Over-loaded and under-loaded dryers waste a lot of energy and fuel and can also lead to lost time and excessive wear of your linens. And be sure your temperature settings are correct for the loads you do. Too much heat is as bad as too little heat for your linens and is extremely wasteful. Today’s dryers feature multiple settings, so be sure to use them correctly.

Involve your representatives from your laundry chemical, linen and equipment companies to help you fine-tune everything to get the best, most efficient results for your investment. They will be glad to help with this important task. With their help and your attention to the details, you can be sure you are not wasting energy, fuel or water.

Tomorrow: Answers from the commercial laundry and equipment manufacturing sectors.
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