Nadine Dilong In order to keep germs and viruses at bay, the cleaning and washing of linen and uniforms needs to be a priority. Leanne Spring tells us how to do it right:
After living in uncertainty for the past few months we are finally seeing a return to our normal work routines with restrictions gradually reducing. Hooray! With beauty therapists and salons very quickly filling out their schedules, we might find ourselves asking how we can maintain long-term social distancing and healthy work practices whilst still providing a high-quality service.
Whilst we celebrate a reduction (and in some places, complete eradication) in Australia’s Covid-19 cases, it’s important that we still maintain thorough hygiene practices to continue to prevent the spread of infection in the workplace. One area of concern is the upkeep and hygiene of our uniforms whilst we’re at work. As we are working closely with members of the public, we are expected to be thorough and consistent in our prevention strategies, which includes ongoing uniform care and disinfection. So, what are these strategies and how can we implement them at work to ensure the safety of ourselves and our staff?
The first thing we should be prioritising when it comes to uniform hygiene is our standard Covid-19 hygiene protocols. When we can stick to these guidelines, it makes the after-work cleaning processes much easier and more effective:
- Wash your hands with soap regularly and avoid unnecessarily touching your clothes
- Use hand sanitiser if you’re unable to wash your hands
- Cough and sneeze into tissues not your sleeves
- Wear disposable aprons, or have a supply of fresh aprons available, to protect your uniforms
- Wear gloves and face masks
- Use antibacterial wipes to spot clean your uniforms
- Have clean linen available for each new client
- Put your linen and uniforms through a wash cycle after each work day
On top of this, it’s important for our workplaces to implement rigorous uniform and linen washing processes. It’s important to note that putting your uniforms through increased wash cycles may make them vulnerable to pilling and may stretch the fabric. Here are a few recommendations to reduce the effects of regular washing on your work uniforms:
- Wash your uniforms separately from towels and sheets as this can cause pilling and leave sticky fluff on your uniforms
- Do not use fabric softeners and washing powders with enzymes as they can negatively affect the stretch of your fabric and cause shrinkage.
- Invest in high quality uniforms and linen that can withstand the increased wash cycles (psst, Spring Spa Wear has formulated our own heavy-duty fabric that keeps your uniforms and linen looking and feeling great with each use. Our fitted sheets and flat sheets can also be dried within seven minutes, making the wash time turnaround extremely achievable!)
Ultimately, the goal is to prioritise clean and fresh linen, and supplement with protective wear, such as gloves and aprons, when regular washing is unachievable. We all know how important it is to provide a complete service for our clients, and ensuring their health and safety is part of the package! So, remember to wash up, clean up, and take care of yourselves and your clients through uniform care and hygiene.
Leanne Spring is the Founder of Spring Spa Wear. springspawear.com.au
