FAQs

A. Products will be selected from the end of the processing line.

A. No. Laundries are extremely diverse and their individual plant processes are often significantly different even within the same companies based on machinery, product mix, chemicals, etc. Inferring relationships is subjective; Hygienically Clean’s certification programs are quantitative.   There has been a paradigm shift as healthcare facilities are compelled to verify quality objectively. Specifying water temperature, chemicals, finishing, etc. does not guarantee that a laundered product is hygienically clean.

As the authority on certification of processes, the International Standards Organization (ISO) emphatically states that certifications of processes do not reflect product quality.

A. We use USP 62, a test for the absence of seven specified microorganisms on nonsterile textiles. The Pass/Fail criterion is 0 colony forming units (cfu) per square decimeter (PSD). The protocol also includes the Replicate Organism Detection And Counting (RODAC) microbiological test to determine the total amount of micro-organisms (general hygienic state) is appropriate for healthcare, food safety and all others (less than or equal to 20 cfu PSD or 50 cfu PSD).

A. Yes,  Hygienically Clean, Hygienically Clean – Healthcare and Hygienically Clean – Food Safety are international standards.

A. Samples are sent to the testing laboratories in sealed plastic bags such as zipper bags found in grocery stores.

A. Hygienically Clean invests substantial resources to educate healthcare decision-makers, such as environmental services directors, hospital administrators and more about Hygienically Clean – Healthcare program and the importance of quantifiable results. The Hygienically Clean program qualifies as “certification” as much as HLAC. Any facility requiring HLAC certification should contact Hygienically Clean for complete details about Hygienically Clean – Healthcare.

A. The Hygienically Clean standard provides the information necessary to determine whether a laundry meets the requirements. The key requirement is to have a written QA/QC manual that documents the laundry process and compliance with appropriate standards and regulations for laundering for healthcare, food safety and all other markets. Laundries must document compliance policies and procedures for the laws in their respective countries. Hygienically Clean provides a list of approved laboratories for conducting microbial testing and you can contact them directly to test your products before applying.

A. A plant is certified when three bacteriological tests meet the minimum Microbiological Performance Specifications and the plant has passed inspection. If a plant fails any test, the laundry has 30 days to make corrections and retest.

A. An industrial launderer who services food manufacturing/processing businesses should participate in Hygienically Clean – Food Safety. Others will likely qualify for the generic Hygienically Clean certification.

A. Each laundry facility must produce its own QA manual documenting its approach to best management practices listed in Section 5 of each of the Hygienically Clean standards. Hygienically Clean inspects each plant’s written QA/QC manual to verify that policies and procedures have been established to implement these BMPs.

A. Our standard requires compliance with OSHA’s new emphasis on the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classifying and labeling chemicals as well as other hazcom rules. View TRSA’s GHS webinar for more details.

A. A facility has 30 days to retest its goods to bring the plant back into compliance. Subsequent failure will revoke, suspend or modify certification. Any suspension or revocation requires notification to customers that textiles are no longer certified hygienically clean.

A. On any page on this website, select Hygienically Clean, Hygienically Clean – Healthcare or Hygienically Clean – Food Safety from the list on the left.

A. Yes, as it is the only document containing all information explaining the requirements for a Hygienically Clean certification.

A. All types of products processed are subject to testing.

A. The healthcare standard requires compliance with OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen standard. The other two standards do not, as they are not intended to guide handling of textiles expected to contain human blood.