A new study warns that washing hospital uniforms at home might be helping harmful bacteria spread in hospitals, especially those that can resist antibiotics. This research, led by Professor Katie Laird from De Montfort University in the UK and published in the journal PLOS One, takes a closer look at how well home washing machines really clean health care uniforms.
Hospital-acquired infections, also called healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), are illnesses that patients get while being treated in a hospital. These infections are a serious problem because they are often caused by bacteria that are hard to kill with antibiotics.
In recent years, antibiotic resistance—the ability of bacteria to survive even when treated with strong medicine—has become a growing global health threat.
Many health care workers, such as nurses and aides, take their uniforms home to wash them. While this may seem safe and convenient, scientists have been concerned that home washing machines might not be powerful enough to remove all the germs from clothing worn in hospitals.
If any dangerous bacteria remain on the fabric, these could spread to others in the home or back into the hospital environment.
To investigate, Professor Laird’s team tested six different models of home washing machines. They used fabric pieces contaminated with bacteria and washed them using hot water on both rapid and normal wash cycles.
The results were troubling. Half of the machines failed to disinfect the clothing during the quick wash, and even with a full standard cycle, one-third still did not remove the harmful bacteria completely.
The study didn’t stop there. Researchers also took samples from inside 12 washing machines used in homes. They checked for slimy layers of germs called biofilms, which can stick to the inside of the machine drum. By analyzing the DNA from these samples, they found not just bacteria, but also genes that make the bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Even more worrying, the team discovered that some of these bacteria had learned to survive common laundry detergents. This means that bacteria might be adapting to household cleaning products and becoming stronger. If these bacteria are also resistant to antibiotics, they could pose a serious risk to both hospital patients and people at home.
Taken together, the findings suggest that standard home laundering might not be enough to keep hospital uniforms clean and safe. In fact, it could be helping superbugs—bacteria that resist multiple antibiotics—move from place to place. This silent spread may be happening without anyone realizing it.
The researchers say it’s time to review the rules about how health care uniforms are washed. They suggest two possible solutions: update the guidelines to make sure home machines are used properly and effectively, or require that uniforms be washed in professional laundry machines at the hospital itself. These machines are more powerful and designed to kill tough germs.
Professor Laird and her team believe that tackling antibiotic resistance must include paying more attention to how hospital clothes are cleaned.
“Our research shows that domestic washing machines often fail to disinfect textiles, allowing antibiotic-resistant bacteria to survive,” she said. “If we’re serious about stopping the spread of infections through clothing, we need to rethink our approach.”
In summary, this study provides important evidence that washing health care uniforms at home may not be safe. Many home machines do not fully kill the bacteria found on hospital clothing, including dangerous ones that can survive antibiotics and even laundry detergents.
The researchers call for stronger rules and better systems to clean these uniforms and help protect patients and workers from infection.
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The research findings can be found in PLOS ONE.
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