Evaluation of the cleaning efficiency of microfibre cloths processed via an ozonated laundry system

The use of microfibre cloths for environmental cleaning has become ubiquitous in healthcare environments. However, there are issues with the re-use of microfibre cloths associated with their sterilization and continued cleaning performance. Ozone based laundry systems potentially provide an efficient route for the recycling of microfibre cloths; however it is necessary to demonstrate that this technology does not degrade their cleaning efficiency. The impact of an ozone based laundry system on the cleaning efficiency of microfibre cloths was evaluated using a simulated wiping protocol. Two different types of microfibre cloth were investigated with no significant difference (P>0.05) in the cleaning efficiency of either type being found over 1, 150 and 350 wash cycles. The cleaning performance of ozone treated cloths was also not significantly different to that of conventionally laundered (250 cycles) cloths.