Every care home depends on laundry. Bedding, towels, staff uniforms, and residents’ clothing all pass through the laundry room daily. Because of this constant demand, homes need reliable machines that can handle heavy use, meet infection control standards, and stay efficient over time. However, simply buying new washers and dryers is not enough. Without careful planning, installation problems can cause delays, higher costs, and compliance issues. That’s why this care home laundry equipment installation checklist exists. It gives managers and facilities teams a clear, step-by-step approach to getting the right setup in place. By following each stage, you save money, protect residents, and make staff jobs easier.

Step 1: Define Your Laundry Needs

Start by assessing your daily laundry volume. A 20-bed home has very different needs than a 70-bed home. Count loads per day, peak usage times, and typical turnaround requirements. This assessment guides you to the right size machines and ensures you do not overspend on equipment that is too big or struggle with machines that are too small.

Add this step to your care home laundry equipment installation checklist because matching machines to workload is the foundation of an efficient setup.

Step 2: Prioritise Infection Control

Next, focus on infection prevention. Professional machines designed for healthcare settings reach the disinfection temperatures that domestic washers cannot. This matters because residents are vulnerable to infection, and laundry often carries bacteria or viruses.

At this point, you should also think about chemicals. Manual dosing wastes detergent and risks human error. Instead, an auto dosing system ensures the exact right amount of detergent and disinfectant enters each cycle. Adding this to your laundry equipment installation checklist improves hygiene, saves costs, and protects staff.

Step 3: Prepare the Laundry Space

Even the best equipment will not work if the room is not ready. Before machines arrive, check:

  • Drainage: Commercial washers often need larger pipes.

  • Electric supply: Many professional machines require three-phase power.

  • Ventilation: Dryers must vent hot air or use a condenser system.

  • Floor space: Leave room for safe operation and maintenance.

This step on the care home laundry equipment installation checklist prevents costly last-minute changes and keeps the installation smooth.

Step 4: Choose Reliable Equipment and a Trusted Supplier

The right supplier makes installation simple. A professional partner provides machines designed for healthcare use and installs them correctly the first time. They also make sure machines are tested and safe before staff use them.

At Able, we combine supply with installation, so managers can tick both boxes on their laundry equipment installation checklist. Learn more about our equipment supply service.

Step 5: Include Maintenance in the Plan

Installation is only the beginning. Without servicing, even the best machines break down. In a care home, one failed machine quickly creates laundry backlogs, and that backlog can harm infection control.

Adding servicing and safety checks to your laundry equipment installation checklist keeps everything reliable. Planned maintenance reduces downtime, extends machine life, and supports compliance. Explore our equipment servicing and LOLER testing to see how this can fit your schedule.

Step 6: Factor in Sustainability

Care homes need to control energy and water costs. Modern laundry equipment includes eco cycles, heat-pump dryers, and systems that reduce water consumption. By choosing efficient machines, care homes save money month after month. Sustainability also appeals to families who value environmentally responsible care.

Adding sustainability to your care home laundry equipment installation checklist ensures you balance hygiene with long-term savings.

Step 7: Train Staff Thoroughly

Even the best installation fails if staff don’t know how to use the machines. Training should cover daily operation, safe chemical handling, and what to do if something goes wrong. Clear training reduces misuse and keeps equipment running as designed.

Including staff training in your laundry equipment installation checklist makes sure residents benefit from the investment right away.

Step 8: Support Resident Dignity with Reliable Laundry

Finally, remember why this matters. Clean bedding, fresh clothes, and prompt laundry service all contribute to resident dignity. Families notice when laundry runs smoothly. Residents feel more comfortable and cared for. Staff can focus on care rather than fighting with unreliable machines.

By following a clear care home laundry equipment installation checklist, you give residents and staff the peace of mind that laundry is never a problem.

Step 9: Manage Laundry Chemicals Safely

Alongside machines, chemicals play a critical role in every care home laundry room. The right detergent and disinfectant keep fabrics clean, protect residents, and prevent outbreaks. However, unsafe storage or inconsistent use can increase risks for both staff and residents.

Care homes should always:

  • Store chemicals in clearly labelled containers.

  • Keep them locked away from residents.

  • Train staff in COSHH guidelines for safe handling.

  • Integrate chemicals with auto dosing systems to reduce exposure.

For further guidance, see the HSE’s advice on controlling exposure to cleaning chemicals — an essential external reference for any care home laundry equipment installation checklist.

Conclusion

Installing care home laundry equipment requires more than just buying machines. You need a clear, practical process that covers infection control, space planning, installation, maintenance, and staff training. By using this care home laundry equipment installation checklist, managers can avoid costly mistakes and create a reliable system that supports both staff and residents.

With Able, care homes gain a partner who supplies, installs, and maintains professional laundry solutions. From auto dosing systems to long-term servicing, we help care teams keep laundry safe, efficient, and stress-free.