Laundry
Digital laundry: creating safer and smarter environments
Clare Humphrey, country marketing & product manager GB & IE at Miele Professional, looks at how the adoption of digital laundry systems can help providers optimise both their hygiene regimes and their schedules
Infection control is a constant concern for care homes. With residents living in close proximity and staff working across shared spaces, the risk of cross-contamination is high. While PPE, hand hygiene, and surface cleaning are all essential, laundry remains one of the most critical and often overlooked areas in maintaining hygiene standards. Now, digitisation is starting to play a role
in how care homes manage this. From real- time updates to remote monitoring, digital laundry systems are helping teams stay on top of hygiene without adding to their already packed schedules. The move towards digital laundry
technology is reshaping how care homes approach hygiene, time, and the systems that support everyday care, allowing carers to focus more on the people who need them most.
Laundry is a frontline defence Bedding, towels, and clothing can all carry harmful pathogens. If not handled correctly, they can become a major source of infection. That is why care homes follow strict procedures, from using colour-coded bags for contaminated items to ensuring wash cycles reach the right temperature. But even with the right protocols in place,
the process can still be time-consuming. Staff need to check machines, monitor cycles, and respond quickly if anything goes wrong. That is where digital tools can make a difference.
Visibility without the legwork Digital platforms allow care homes to monitor laundry machines remotely. Staff can see which machines are in use, how long each cycle will take, and whether any faults
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com February 2026
need attention, all from a central dashboard. It is a simple change, but one that saves time and reduces unnecessary trips to the laundry room. If a machine does develop a fault, the
system can send a report directly to a service partner, speeding up repairs and reducing downtime. Care homes can also access data on water and detergent usage, cycle durations, and machine performance, helping them manage resources more effectively.
Supporting staff, not replacing them Care home teams already work to tight schedules, so adding more checks or admin is not realistic. What digital systems offer is a way to support staff without increasing their workload. With real-time updates and
Rychko Yevhen -
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