Hospital curtain cleaning recommendations
In a healthcare environment, having well-maintain curtains is not only vital for the cleanliness of the environment, but more importantly, for the health of patients and the general public. Having a central laundry service within the facility does avoid the high costs of involving an outside service, however there should be best practices used when scheduling a laundering routine for cubicle curtains:
Learn more about innovation
If the curtain is visibly soiled, it should be changed/laundered immediately. Aside from being an eyesore, soiled curtains present a clear and obvious health hazard for all those who come in contact with it.
Per the CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities “Most, if not all, housekeeping surfaces require regular cleaning with soap and water or a detergent/disinfectant and removal of soil and dust. High-touch housekeeping surfaces in patient-care areas, such as doorknobs, bedrails, light switches, wall areas around the toilet, and the edges of privacy curtains, should be cleaned and/or disinfected more frequently than surfaces with minimal hand contact. Horizontal surfaces with infrequent hand contact, such as window sills and hard-surface flooring in routine patient-care areas require cleaning on a regular basis, when soiling or spills occur and when a patient is discharged from the facility”.
Some of the most deadly viruses are not visible to the human eye. Below are three healthcare-associated infections (HAI) that are of significant concern when present on privacy curtains:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- Clostridium difficile (C-diff)
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
It is best practice to immediately change/launder the cubicle curtain in the room following the discharge of a patient that has tested positive, or had been diagnosed to have one of these viruses or any other virus/bacteria of significant concern.
As a less expensive alternative to traditional fabric cubicle curtains, as well as the need to launder them, disposable cubicle curtains can be an excellent alternative for a facility. Especially in areas of the building that yield major risk of infection, disposable curtains provide the option to simply remove and recycle the existing curtain and replace it with a new disposable curtain from the hospital’s inventory.
select a cubicle curtain product
By continuing to browse or by clicking ‘Accept’, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance your site experience and for analytical purposes. To learn more about how we use the cookies, please see our privacy policy.