Did you know you can get textiles hygienically clean with Trebon Plus?
As you may know, Kreussler Textile Care has a strong presence in the medical and nursing home/ retirement home laundry sector throughout Europe. We have developed several specific products that allow us to wash to the very high standards required by German and European regulations for hygiene and which conform to the criteria outlined by Robert Koch Institute in Germany to be listed as disinfectants. Within the U.S., the ability to declare a product as a disinfectant or sanitizer is regulated by the EPA under their pesticide labeling laws.
Because Kreussler’s activities in North America focused around professional textile care and not institutional laundry, we elected not to invest the high cost of listing our products with the EPA, which means that within the U.S., we make no claims of disinfection or sanitization in laundry. Regardless of this registration number, the products themselves are the same as we use and are listed in Germany, and Kreussler Textile Care stands behind the efficacy of those products. One of these products is Trebon Plus, our heavy-duty, one-shot washing powder.
Trebon Plus is an enormously popular product within our portfolio and sold widely throughout the U.S. and Canada. Primarily used to wash shirts, most dry cleaners are just now realizing the potential of this product, especially with today’s global health situation. If you are reading this article, you are most likely a dry cleaner and, hopefully, a client. Maybe you have a bag or drum of Trebon Plus next to your washers. You have also probably seen a dramatic reduction in the number of garments coming into the plant. When things started to slow down, we received many inquiries from clients interested in offering medical laundry, there seemed to be an increasing demand for it, and perhaps they could capture some of the volume. Of course, you should pursue any path that could lead to revenue. Still, my experience is that the OSHA and CDC requirements to process it properly would be challenging and combined with the fact that laundries that do handle this type of work generally can fill the increased demand and many medical facilities would be under contract with a provider already the chances to capture something was small.
Without much adjustment, you can offer hygienically clean household laundry with the added benefit of meeting the same high standards of the RKI for hygiene. Every day more and more is being learned about the pathology of the coronavirus, how long it could last on surfaces, and how to manage and mitigate exposure. We do not want to add to the fears or concerns of our clients, but being a responsible citizen today means protecting ourselves and others from possible exposure. Home laundry has always provided a way to improve personal hygiene. Studies have definitively proven that general household laundry, even in cold water, has some measurable but small effect in the removal of pathogens and in a typical home environment that is good enough. Today you can make the argument that if something in the field of hygiene can be improved, it should and professionally cleaning household textiles provides this improvement.
How to Get Textiles Hygienically Clean with Trebon Plus
Using Trebon Plus in a modern commercial laundry machine programmed to meet the application requirement of the RKI gives the customer the assurance and peace of mind that those textiles are clean and safe. It is important to point out that the application requires a washing temperature of 140 F and a wash time of 20 minutes with approximately 1.5 dry measured oz of Trebon Plus per 10 lbs of textiles (your Kreussler Inc. technician can provide exact details and requirements). This is not a gentle program, and sensitive or colored items could be damaged. Still, it is generally safer than the use of chlorine bleach or the 168f temperature required for thermal deactivation, according to the CDC. Everything from bed linens, towels, comforters, blankets, pillows, garments and the soon to be popular cotton masks, if they are durable, washable and color-fast can be processed in this cycle. For items that cannot withstand this process, wash times and temperatures can be reduced, but the requirements to fulfill the RKI listing will no longer apply. Trebon Plus is listed with the German VAH (Association for Applied Hygiene) to satisfy the listing as a Fungicide and Bactericide at temperatures of 104 F, which is safe enough for almost all washable textiles. Combine this with drying temperatures exceeding drum outlet temperatures of 168 F or hot pressing provides an improved effect of deactivating pathogens, according to the CDC.
I think we have to accept that as service providers are going to be exposed to textiles that have been in households where the virus was present and for that reason, we need to familiarize ourselves with the guidelines established with the CDC and utilize the resources of our trade associations to make sure we are protecting our staff, ourselves and our clients.
Trebon Plus has always been a powerful detergent, maybe you were aware of its full benefits, or perhaps you found it just an excellent detergent for washing shirts. Taking advantage of its RKI listing and using it to its full advantage can do more than provide additional revenue, it gives you a real tool to help your clients and your community stay healthy.
We are fortunate to be listed as essential businesses, allowing us to stay open and serve, but with that comes the responsibility to ensure the finished product we are providing is clean and safe. Trebon Plus can help you keep the commitment.
If you have questions or need help, Kreussler Textile Care is here. We are open; our technical sales reps are all available for you, we have fully stocked warehouses, and do not anticipate disruptions in our supply chain.
