Clothes that take industrial washing

Short answer: Industrial laundering means high temperatures, heavy mechanical action and strong detergents. Ordinary everyday clothes do not hold up to it for long, and that is worth knowing before you buy clothes for work.

What industrial laundering is

Industrial laundering is a washing process designed for workwear in large volumes. It is used by laundries that wash for hospitals, kitchens, care homes and businesses with work clothing. The aim is to get clothes clean and hygienic quickly. That takes high temperatures, powerful machines and strong detergents, a very different load from a wash at home.

Temperature is the hardest part

Industrial laundering often runs well above sixty degrees, which weakens both fibres and elastic. Soft fabrics lose their body, and elastic goes slack far faster than with normal washing. Colours fade faster too. A soft top where you control the wash yourself is another matter. See bamboo sweat for men and women.

The mechanical action is harder

Large machines handle fabric harder than a domestic machine. Clothes are turned, pressed and spun with great force, which wears the surface. Seams take more strain, and thin fabrics can pill or become thinner. Soft everyday fabrics feel it most. See bestsellers for women.

Strong detergents

To clean large volumes, industrial laundering uses stronger products than you have at home. They remove dirt well, but over time they can also be hard on colours and fibres. Together with high heat and heavy mechanical action, that adds up to a load ordinary clothing is not made for.

What goes first

Elastic and colour go fastest. An item that lasts a hundred home washes may only manage twenty industrial washes. The waistband goes slack, the colour turns dull and the fabric loses its softness. It happens gradually, so you often only notice once the clothes are already worn.

Wash them yourself if you can

If you can take your work clothes home, they last three to five times longer. Always check the rules at your workplace, as some places require central washing for hygiene. If you may wash them yourself, you control temperature and products. See bestsellers from Copenhagen Bamboo.

How to wash at home

Wash at forty degrees if the rules allow it. Turn clothes inside out to protect the surface and use a mild detergent. Avoid fabric softener and let things air dry when you can. Elastic, colour and softness all last longer than when they go through a laundry.

If clothes must be industrially washed

If industrial laundering is required, choose clothing that is expressly made for it. That usually means heavier fabrics with reinforced seams, built to handle the load. Keep your soft everyday clothes for what goes underneath, or for time away from work when you decide how they are washed.

Frequently asked questions

What is industrial laundering

A washing process with high temperatures, heavy mechanical action and strong detergents, designed for workwear in large volumes from places such as hospitals, kitchens and businesses.

Can ordinary clothes take industrial laundering

Rarely for long. Elastic and colour go fastest, and an item that lasts a hundred home washes may only manage twenty industrial washes.

What can you do

Wash them yourself at forty degrees if the rules allow it. Otherwise choose clothing expressly made for industrial laundering, and wear your soft clothes away from work.