LINEN WEAR REPORT
The effect of ozone laundry systems on linen degradation has often been debated. Some proponents of ozone technology claim it extends linen life, while others suggest it may have the opposite effect.
At Ozone Technologies, we wanted definitive answers. To compare the impact of ozone washing against traditional hot water washing, specially prepared linen swatches were tested using an established method for measuring linen breaking strength at the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) laboratory.
The results were compelling.
Before reviewing the findings, it is important to understand that the OTEK Laundry System introduces a very small amount of ozone continuously throughout the wash cycle. Many alternative ozone systems utilise highly concentrated ozone injections at the beginning of each wash phase.
As a result, the findings presented below apply specifically to the OTEK Laundry System and should not be interpreted as representative of all ozone laundry systems.
In summary, independent testing conducted by AWTA, a NATA-accredited laboratory, demonstrated that washing with ozone and the correct chemistry in cold water has less than one-third of the detrimental effect on linen when compared with traditional hot water washing using chemicals.
In this particular study, the hot water wash process did not meet the relevant performance requirements, while the OTEK ozone wash process remained comfortably within the required standard.
AC EMPA 224 Tests – OTEK Cold Water Sustainable Programmes vs Traditional Hot Water Programmes
Potential Financial Impact
In practical terms, this means that a 100-bed aged care facility spending approximately R3.45 per bed per day on linen replacement may be able to reduce these costs to approximately R1.15 per bed per day with the OTEK Laundry System.
This equates to an annual reduction in linen replacement costs from approximately R126,000 per year to R42,000 per year, representing a potential saving of around R84,000 per year.
