Investigations of the effectiveness of detergent washing, drying and chemical disinfection on contamination of cleaning cloths

Detergent washing, drying and chemical disinfection for decontamination of cleaning cloths was investigated with cloths contaminated by use in the domestic environment. Detergent washing produced only limited reductions in microbial contamination and cloths then stored at room temperature for 24 h showed increases in contamination due to multiplication of residual survivors. For effective and consistent decontamination of cloths, detergent washing followed by drying at 80 degrees C for 2 h was required. Hypochlorite and phenolic disinfectants produced significant reductions in contamination, but chemical disinfection may be unreliable where cloths are heavily contaminated.