Commercial Laundry Detergents

Commercial detergents are more concentrated, formulated for higher-temperature cycles, and designed for use with automatic dosing systems in commercial machines. They typically have higher enzyme activity and better performance on heavy soiling types such as grease, food, and blood. Domestic products are designed for home machines running shorter, cooler cycles with manual dosing.

No. Enzyme-based biological detergents can degrade the flame-resistant finish on FR workwear over repeated washes, reducing the garment protective performance. FR workwear should be washed with non-biological detergent at the temperature specified by the garment manufacturer. Fabric conditioner should also be avoided on FR garments.

Always follow the garment manufacturer recommendations.

Follow the dosing guidelines on the product label based on your machine drum size and water hardness. Hard water requires a higher dose than soft water. Overdosing causes residue build-up on garments and in the machine; underdosing reduces cleaning performance. Automatic dosing systems calibrated for your machine and water hardness give the most consistent and cost-efficient results.

Fabric conditioner is appropriate for garments worn against the skin, uniforms, hospitality clothing, and linen, where softness improves comfort. It must not be used on FR workwear, anti-static garments, hi-vis clothing, or microfibre cloths, as it degrades their technical performance. Label conditioner dispensers clearly and train laundry staff on which loads should not receive it.

Yellowing of white linen typically results from one or more of: insufficient rinsing leaving detergent residue; iron in the water supply depositing on fibres; washing at temperatures too low to remove body oils effectively; or using a non-brightening detergent. Optical brightening agents in commercial detergents help maintain whiteness. Periodic treatment with a specialist linen whitener can restore heavily yellowed stock.

In commercial laundry, the main consideration is whether garments contain optical brightening agents (OBAs) which can transfer to dark fabrics and cause fading. Use a detergent without OBAs for dark and coloured workwear. For white and light-coloured laundry where whiteness maintenance matters, a detergent with OBAs is appropriate. Many commercial operations use a single non-OBA biological detergent for all loads for simplicity.

Separate soiled from clean laundry physically, use separate trolleys, bags, and areas. In healthcare settings, separate linen by risk category (infected, fouled, and general) before loading. Use colour-coded bags where required by local policy. Never carry clean and soiled linen in the same trolley. Disinfect laundry trolleys and handling equipment regularly.