Soiled linen should be handled as little as possible and with minimal agitation. Bag it where it was used, never sort or rinse it there, and place it in labeled or color-coded bags that won’t leak if the linen is wet. Staff who touch it wear gloves, and closed bags go to a designated soiled holding area, away from clean stock, until pickup.
Key Takeaways:
- OSHA treats linen soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials as contaminated laundry, with its own handling rules.
- Linen should be bagged at the point of use, with sorting and rinsing left to the laundry and never done in the treatment room.
- Wet linen that could soak through belongs in leakproof bags or containers.
- Gloves are required for anyone who has contact with contaminated laundry.
- Clean and soiled linen should be stored and transported separately.
What does soiled linen mean?
In a clinic, soiled linen means any used textile headed for the wash, such as exam sheets, gowns, drapes, and towels. OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard defines contaminated laundry as laundry soiled with blood or other potentially infectious materials, or laundry that may contain sharps. Many practices therefore treat every used textile as potentially contaminated, which the standard permits under Universal Precautions. Scrubs and lab coats follow the same rules, which our guide on how clinics should handle washing scrubs covers in detail.
Where should soiled linen be bagged, and how should it be carried?
The standard requires contaminated laundry to be bagged at the location of use and never sorted or rinsed there. A dependable routine:
- Put on gloves, adding the gowns, face shields, and masks that OSHA’s hospital laundry guidance calls for where splashes are possible.
- Inspect the tray, table edges, and drape folds for sharps.
- Roll the linen inward, soiled side in, without shaking it.
- Place it directly into a labeled or color-coded bag. Dry linens can go in a standard labeled bag, while linen wet enough to soak through needs a leakproof bag or container.
- Seal the bag before it’s overfilled, and carry it away from your body or on a covered cart reserved for soiled items.
- Store closed bags in the soiled holding area, separate from clean linen, then remove your gloves and wash your hands.
Never rinse wet linen in the sink, even with hot water, since the standard prohibits rinsing at the location of use and rinsing splashes fluid onto the counter and the person doing it.
What a practice linen program looks like
OrangeBag’s laundry programs for medical and dental offices pick up where your bagging ends. At the laundry, soiled items are sorted apart from general linens and never sent back with clean stock, and anything short of standard is rewashed.
Handling requirements are documented during onboarding, loads are dedicated, and pickup can run up to six days a week across California, Texas, Central Florida, Washington DC, and Atlanta, including offices from Buckhead to Decatur.
Agreement terms run under three years with a trial period first, and the page on commercial laundry pricing and agreement terms lists what every quote states.
FAQ
What color bag is used for soiled linen?
OSHA requires contaminated laundry bags to be labeled or color-coded. The biohazard label must be fluorescent orange or orange-red with contrasting lettering, and red bags may substitute for labels. Under Universal Precautions, a practice may use its own system, provided every employee recognizes what the bag means. If the linen goes to an outside laundry that doesn’t use Universal Precautions for all laundry, the bags must carry the biohazard label or be red.
Can staff sort soiled linen in the treatment room?
No. The OSHA standard prohibits sorting or rinsing contaminated laundry at the location where it was used. It goes directly into a bag there, and sorting happens at the laundry, where workers wear protective equipment.
Want soiled linen off your shelves on a set schedule?
A written handling routine and a reliable pickup keep soiled linen from piling up in a back room. OrangeBag can agree the handling steps with your team before the first pickup.
