Infection prevention doesn’t stop at surgery suites and patient rooms. Hospital laundry creates risks that plenty of facilities overlook. Dirty gowns, soiled bedding, and used towels can carry dangerous bacteria. Poor handling during pickup, washing, or delivery turns these items into pathways for spreading infection throughout your building. 

CORE Linen takes these risks seriously because we’ve witnessed the consequences when laundry protocols fail. Our infection control procedures aren’t just paperwork or compliance requirements. We integrate them into our daily work because careless handling puts your patients and staff in danger. 

Hospital Linen Safety Is A Growing Problem 

Healthcare-acquired infections keep causing headaches for hospitals and nursing homes. The CDC says about one out of every 31 hospital patients picks up an infection while they’re there. Many of these could be avoided with better cleaning practices and smarter ways to handle linens. 

Dirty fabrics turn into germ factories when staff mishandles them. MRSA, C. difficile, and norovirus love to hang around on contaminated textiles. Busy hospitals face bigger problems when dirty items stack up, accidentally get mixed with clean stuff, or sit uncovered while moving from place to place. 

Hospitals should partner with laundry companies that know healthcare inside and out. Every part of the process matters for infection control, whether it’s collecting dirty linens or bringing back clean ones. 

CORE’s Healthcare Linen Safety Standards 

At CORE, every facility, employee, and piece of equipment is designed to meet the needs of medical environments. Hospital linen safety is not a secondary service—it’s our specialty. 

Here’s how we reduce cross-contamination at every stage:

1. Soiled Linen Collection and Containment

• Soiled linens are placed in clearly marked, leak-resistant bags at the point of use.
• Carts are covered and separated from clean items to prevent airborne contamination.
• Drivers are trained in proper PPE usage and follow specific protocols for handling infectious waste. 

2. Separate Workflow and Contained Transit

• Facilities are designed with physical separation between soiled and clean linen workflows.
• Laundry trucks are compartmentalized to prevent crossover during transport.
• Routes are scheduled with infection risk in mind, avoiding back-and-forth between clean and soiled pickup points. 

3. Controlled Washing Process

• Wash formulas are tested regularly to ensure they meet or exceed AAMI and CDC recommendations for thermal and chemical disinfection.
• Water temperature, pH, and extraction rates are monitored and logged.
• Equipment is regularly sanitized and maintained to reduce microbial survival. 

4. Clean Linen Protection and Packaging

• Once cleaned, linens are immediately sealed or covered to prevent recontamination.
• Items are folded and packed using automated or gloved processes that reduce human contact.
• Delivery carts are sanitized and stored in designated clean zones until transport. 

5. Employee Training and Facility Audits

• CORE team members receive regular infection control training tailored for healthcare laundry operations.
• Facilities are audited both internally and by third-party certifiers to ensure compliance with healthcare linen standards.
• Every plant operates under strict hygienic zoning to isolate clean and soiled processes. 

Infection Control Laundry Backed by Certification 

CORE supports hospital laundry compliance through high industry benchmarks. All full-service plants follow guidelines set by: 

• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
• HLAC (Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council) when applicable 

Because CORE works only with healthcare clients, our protocols go deeper than surface-level compliance. We understand what’s at stake and offer support tailored to each facility’s infection prevention goals. 

Supporting Your Team With Better Linen Logistics 

Keeping infection rates low depends not just on laundry processes, but also on how linen moves through your facility. Many providers drop off clean bundles at the door, leaving the rest up to hospital staff. 

CORE does things differently: 

• We help set up clean linen storage zones that support air quality control and prevent overhandling.
• Delivery teams work directly with facilities staff to time pickups and drop-offs to match shift changes and patient turnover.
• Our account managers offer real-time usage monitoring and adjust delivery frequencies to avoid shortages or stockpiling. 

By aligning our infection control laundry services with your internal protocols, we become a true partner not just a vendor. 

Custom Solutions for Infection-Sensitive Environments 

From isolation gowns to pediatric blankets, CORE understands that not all healthcare linen carries the same level of risk. That’s why we offer customizable programs based on linen type, use case, and facility size. 

Examples include: 

• Dedicated gown programs for surgical or oncology units
• Color-coded linen sorting systems to separate high-risk items
• Sterile wrap and barrier gown support for specialty clinics and ambulatory centers 

With a wide reach across states like Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, our full-service plants support both large health systems and independent outpatient facilities. 

Why Choose CORE for Hospital Linen Safety? 

Here’s what makes our infection control approach stand out: 

• Healthcare-only focus: We don’t dilute our standards by serving mixed industries.
• National footprint, local service: With multiple plants across the U.S., we offer consistent care with regional responsiveness.
• Team-based support: From route drivers to quality managers, everyone at CORE is trained for hospital environments. 

More than anything, our reputation is built on reliability. Healthcare providers choose us because they know we’ll protect their linen supply the same way they protect their patients with consistency, care, and commitment to excellence. 

Work With a Laundry Provider Like CORE Linen That Puts Safety First 

If your current linen partner treats infection control like a checkbox, it might be time to look elsewhere. CORE works hand-in-hand with clinical teams to meet internal guidelines, pass inspections, and maintain linen safety from dock to delivery. 

From acute care hospitals to long-term rehab centers, we help reduce risks, streamline inventory, and support better patient outcomes through proven laundry hygiene. 

Let’s talk about your infection control goals. Contact CORE to learn more about how we keep hospital linens safe, every step of the way.