Healthcare workers who wash their uniforms at home may be unknowingly contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals, according to a study published in April 2025 and funded by De Montfort University, Textile Services Association (TSA-UK) and TRSA.
The study, titled “Domestic laundering of healthcare textiles: Disinfection efficacy and risks of antibiotic resistance transmission,” was overseen by Professor Katie Laird of De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
The findings suggest that many home washing machines may be insufficient for decontaminating healthcare worker uniforms, and may be contributing to the spread of hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic resistance.
Professor Laird and her team want laundry guidelines given to healthcare workers revised to ensure that home washing machines are cleaning effectively. Alternatively, they say, healthcare facilities could use on-site industrial machines to launder uniforms to improve patient safety and control the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
