How to wash work clothes professionally – benefits of outsourced laundry services
Summary: what you’ll learn from this article
- Why proper workwear washing matters for hygiene, safety and efficiency
- The biggest challenges of washing work clothes in-house
- How outsourcing laundry helps save costs, space and resources
- How Lindström ensures high-quality, hygienic and sustainable laundry services
- Why industries like healthcare benefit from professional textile management
Rinse, spin, succeed: the best way to wash work clothes
Keeping workwear clean and in good condition is key to a safe, hygienic and efficient workplace.
Choosing the right workwear management model helps you make sure employees always have clean, compliant clothes, without the hassle of handling laundry yourself. It contributes to the well-being of your employees and improves the overall efficiency of your business.
That’s why it is important that businesses of all sizes – and across all sectors – have an effective, comprehensive, environmentally impactful solution to meet their maintenance and washing needs.
Why washing workwear in-house is harder than it looks
Maintenance and washing processes may seem simple, but they are more complex than meets the eye. It’s not easy to keep garments hygienic while also making them last. Doing both well requires the right skills, equipment and processes. Striking this balance requires knowledge, expertise and careful attention to detail. For many industries, maintaining and washing garments is also a matter of safety. The reflectors that construction workers have on their workwear, for example, need to be checked to ensure they meet visibility and safety standards.
Common challenges of washing workwear in-house
Using resources optimally
The laundry process demands a deep understanding of the nuances of using water, energy and detergent without wasting resources.
Inspecting and repairing
It takes skill and expertise to monitor cleaning agents and properly identify and repair partially damaged garments.
Cost, space and maintenance
Investing in laundry equipment involves large, upfront costs. These machines, take up large spaces and require regular maintenance and a backup plan in case they break down.
Maintaining and washing work clothes effectively is about balancing resources, ensuring quality and managing space. Furthermore, the workwear washing needs to adhere to any specific industry standards where the employees use the garments. By addressing these challenges, your company can keep your workwear clean, hygienic and durable.
How Lindström solves your workwear laundry challenges
What if you do not have the space to handle washing workwear yourself? Or lack the skills and know-how for resource optimization or garment repair? That is where we come in, offering tailored solutions to help you overcome these obstacles.
We use state-of-the-art, industrial-scale washing machines and dryers to handle large amounts of garments. Our machines use less water and energy thanks to smart technology – for example, we reuse water from lightly soiled garments to clean dirtier ones. As an example, water from loads with lightly soiled garments is recycled and used to wash heavily soiled workwear, like those from car repair shops.
We are committed to maintaining consistent garment quality, and conduct thorough inspections at each washing stage, checking for damage, stains and wear. We also ensure compliance with industry hygiene and safety regulations. This ensures that every piece of workwear leaving our facilities is in top condition. Plus, we repair any issues found, maximising the lifespan and value of your workwear.
We plan our laundries for maximum efficiency. Each employee has a dedicated task – like sorting, washing or inspecting garments – and workstations are placed to keep everything flowing smoothly. Every garment is tagged, tracked and checked. This helps us stay on schedule and meet high cleanliness standards.Our laundries are set up close to our customers, we currently operate over 130 modular laundry units in 24 countries.
Finally, not only do we follow the standards of your industry, but we have a full set of certificates to show we follow our own standards.
Our commitment to quality, environmental responsibility and occupational health and safety is an important part of our operations. We have ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 and EN 14065 accreditation. These accreditations show that we commit to meeting customer needs, ensuring workspace safety and reducing environmental impact.
But we are not stopping there. Our dedication to improvement and innovation means we are always refining our processes and exploring new solutions.
Why outsourcing workwear laundry is good for business
When it comes to workwear washing and maintenance, teaming up with us brings a host of advantages to your company. Here are the areas where your company gets added value by maintaining and washing work clothes with us:
Partnering with us not only saves you money and boosts efficiency but also supports environmental sustainability and your changing needs.
Case example: Special care for healthcare workwear and textiles
To understand the importance of optimal laundry practices, consider the healthcare industry. Clean and hygienic textiles are essential to the safety and health of patients and staff.
Healthcare settings face unique challenges with the constant presence of pathogens and high infection transmission risks. Linens and workwear, frequently exposed to sick patients and biological contaminants, can harbour harmful bacteria and viruses. Improperly washed and handled hospital textiles increase infection transmission risk, contributing to significant healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) worldwide. These infections have substantial financial and human costs.
Outsourcing linen management to experts offers numerous hygienic and environmental benefits. When entrusting us with your healthcare linen management, you can be confident that your employees’ and patients’ garments are hygienically clean, properly maintained and readily available. Our efficient processes and attention to detail ensure your facility always has a sufficient supply of clean textiles, maintaining industry standards and meeting changing needs.
By prioritising cleanliness and hygiene, businesses can create safer and more efficient work environments for their employees. Outsourcing maintenance and washing to experts offers a viable solution to a company’s textile demands. With Lindström, you get more than just clean clothes. You get a reliable partner who helps you stay compliant, cut costs and protect your people, every single day.
Free e-guide to great workwear management solutions
This article is part of a series of content provided by Lindström. Get the full guide to great workwear solutions by donwloading the eguide below.
FAQ – frequently asked questions
Why should I outsource workwear washing instead of doing it in-house?
Outsourcing saves time, space and costs. You get professionally cleaned, repaired and maintained garments without needing your own laundry equipment or staff.
How does Lindström ensure hygienic washing for industries like healthcare and food?
We make sure every garment meets the highest hygiene standards. For the food industry, our workwear follows HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) guidelines and the EU standard EN 14065, which guarantees hygiene throughout the entire laundry process.
In healthcare, we protect both patients and medical staff by preventing contamination. Our hygienically clean textiles support safety, comfort and a professional appearance, helping you build trust and improve the overall care experience.
What sustainability benefits does Lindström offer in laundry services?
We optimise water and energy use, recycle water when possible, and extend the life of garments through repairs – reducing waste and environmental impact.
Lindström has the EcoVadis Platinum certificate placing us among the top 1% of more than 130,000 companies assessed by EcoVadis.
What certificates does Lindström hold for quality and hygiene?
We are certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and EN 14065, proving our commitment to quality, safety, environmental care and hygienic textile processing.
Can laundry volumes be adjusted based on seasonal needs?
Yes. Our service is flexible: we can increase or reduce volumes as your business needs change, making sure you always have the right amount of clean workwear.
Related
A European study reveals employees’ growing focus on sustainability and highlights room to improve workwear practices.
Workwear comfort, functionality, and cleanliness influence employee satisfaction. Well-fitted garments also improve productivity.
The study surveyed 940 food industry workwear users in 11 European countries, revealing hygiene risks in home washing and workwear practices.
