PPE maintenance: how do you keep it in top shape?

Personal Protective Equipment is responsible for keeping you and your employees safe at work. So, it goes without saying that you’d want to keep your PPE in top shape for as long as possible. But how do you protect it from wear and tear? Proper maintenance, storage and regular inspection will allow you to get more out of your PPE.

Why should you clean your PPE?

Your PPE is only effective when it’s clean and in good shape. If you let hazardous substances or dirt stay on the clothing you’re wearing on a daily basis, you’re compromising the fabric’s efficiency and thus your safety. That’s why we advise our customers to adhere to the laundering instructions and inspect their clothing regularly. Cleaning processes may differ according to the field and type of clothing or equipment, given that all kinds of PPE are designed differently to suit their respective needs.

For instance, firefighters and paramedics have to adhere to very different PPE requirements and the cleaning process needs to respect those. In the medical field, regular disinfection is one of the most basic needs, but a firefighter’s main concern would probably be soot and harmful contaminants linked to fire and smoke. The cleaning process should be customised to the needs of the wearer and the PPE.

How often should you clean your PPE?

Check the manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance to begin with. Some of your equipment might be washable with just some water or disinfectant. Some of your protective clothing might be single-use only. That’s why the instructions are so important.

The different requirements for the various fields that use PPE also imply that the frequency of washing will differ. But, as a general rule, inspect your workwear after every use and ensure that any harmful chemicals or substances are removed properly without damaging the clothing as soon as possible.

Cleaning process

That brings us to the biggest challenge of cleaning PPE: cleaning it without compromising the fabrics’ special protective qualities. You could clean them yourself, but that would require you to invest in private industrial laundering equipment, which isn’t necessarily cheap. We advise you to have it cleaned by professionals and leave your PPE in the capable hands of industrial cleaners. ​​ That way, you’re sure to have your equipment cleaned in specialised machinery that is designed to safely clean your workwear.

Tip: don’t clean your gear at home or in a public launderette, because you could risk contaminating other clothing.

How it’s cleaned

Depending on your workwear needs, the laundering process is adapted. Two main things to consider before you clean your PPE are the temperature restrictions and the G-force. Your workwear should specify at what temperature it can be washed. The higher the G-force, the quicker your clothing will dry. However, the materials in your workwear can determine whether a high G-force is a good idea or not.

How does the washing machine work?

Of course, these types of washing machines aren’t about pushing the start button and letting them do their thing. You need to set the exact cycle and rinse time in order to safely clean your items. The settings will, of course, vary depending on the fabrics, items and level of contamination.

In addition to that, the laundering process requires different chemicals. Your regular detergent won’t cut it. It generally requires a pH-neutral cleaner, which is inserted with a chemical injector below the water line at the exact temperature and time in the laundering process that it is required.

Drying process

You guessed it: the drying process is also different for personal protective equipment. A regular drier could expose your workwear to too much heat, damaging the fabric in the process. The only thing you cannot forget is that the clothing should be fully dry before you use it again. The industrial cleaning process usually employs drying cabinets. These speed up the drying process in a safe way.