Rising Interest in Low-temperature Chemistry (Conclusion)

CHICAGO — Wash temperature has always been part of an effective industrial laundry formula, along with mechanical action, chemistry, and time.

Low and high temperatures have been used throughout the industry’s history, but for many years, higher temperatures have been required to achieve desired cleanliness levels, especially in recent years with health concerns such as COVID-19.

But today, more operators are looking to improvements in wash chemistry to lower wash temperatures and increase efficacy and efficiency.

American Laundry News reached out to six laundry chemistry experts to learn more about the movement toward processing goods with lower temperatures.

Scott Pariser is president of Pariser Industries in Paterson, N.J., and Steve Tinker is senior vice president of research & development and marketing for Gurtler Industries Inc. in South Holland, Ill.

Peter Jackson serves as Christeyns North America’s vice president of commercial laundry in Greenville, N.C., and Dr. Anna O’Donovan is with the Asthma & Allergy Friendly^® Certification Program.

Bryon Ohmart is vice president of research and design for WSI in Loveland, Ohio, and Leonardo Gastelum is Norchem Corp.’s director of national accounts in Los Angeles.

What suggestions can you offer laundries that are exploring lower-temperature laundry chemistry?

PARISER: Lower-temperature washing can be achieved successfully in many instances and should be explored with the chemical provider, in conjunction with general and production managers of each laundry. The reduction of temperature must be made with adequate consideration given to the four fundamentals of washing, the needs of the production floor, hygiene and linen preservation.

TINKER: Since the major advantage of lower-temperature washing is energy cost savings, it is prudent for the laundry to make sure that the operation is already taking advantage of other energy cost-savings steps before lowering the wash temperatures. Such steps include the recapture of energy through heat exchangers or water reuse systems.

In addition, it may be useful to audit the efficiency of your water heating systems, such as boilers or direct-fired water heaters, and consider an upgrade to more efficient technology.

One of the greatest uses of energy in the laundry operation is drying. To save energy, make sure your dryers are running efficiently and you are not over-drying your textiles. As noted earlier, make sure you monitor the amount of retained moisture in your typical load of textiles after extraction for your high-temperature washing and for your low-temperature washing. Ideally, there should be no differences, so you do not have any increases in drying times and thus an increase in energy needs for drying.

Lastly, any thoughts about lower washing temperatures should be reviewed in detail with your laundry chemical supplier, so you can consider potential changes in wash formulas and detergent usage. Thorough monitoring of overall operational energy usage before and after changes should be a standard metric.

JACKSON: Laundries exploring lower-temperature laundry chemistry should begin by understanding their current wash classifications, processes and utility usage to establish a clear performance baseline. Any changes should be implemented in phases, with proper controls in place to ensure wash quality and hygiene standards are maintained.

Conducting an energy and process audit can also be valuable, helping laundries estimate potential savings from reduced water-heating demands and improved efficiency before making a system change. Christeyns has extensive experience performing these assessments and supporting operators through data-driven evaluations. Tracking metrics such as energy consumption, linen life, and wastewater quality helps confirm long-term performance and sustainability benefits.

O’DONOVAN: Operators should approach lower-temperature washing as a system-level change, rather than a single adjustment. Key considerations include:

Selecting detergents formulated and validated for low-temperature performance.
Reviewing wash cycle design, including mechanical action, water volume, and mixing.
Matching temperature, chemistry, and cycle duration to textile type and soil load.
Ensuring drying processes support overall hygiene and cleanliness outcomes.

Pilot testing and performance verification are essential, particularly for operations managing bedding, uniforms, or textiles linked to asthma and allergy concerns.

OHMART: For plants exploring or piloting low-temperature formulas, the fundamentals matter more than ever:

Sort accurately to ensure soil levels and fabric types are consistently matched.
Weigh loads properly to maintain mechanical action and dilution ratios.
Ensure equipment is in good working condition, especially valves, water levels, and extraction.
Understand the shift from saponification to emulsification. Chemical costs may rise slightly, but improved efficiency, reduced utility consumption, and shorter cycle times typically deliver net savings.

Any final thoughts on lower-temperature laundry chemistry?

O’DONOVAN: Lower-temperature laundry chemistry represents an important and positive evolution for the industry. However, while environmental gains have been prioritized, the impact of these new practices on people (particularly those with asthma, allergies, or sensitive skin) requires further investigation.

There is limited research on the combined performance of temperature, chemistry, and mechanical action for allergen removal, including dust mite allergens. In addition, questions remain around enzyme exposure and the potential for residual enzymes in fabrics, particularly as newer wash cycles use less water.

JACKSON: Lower-temperature laundry chemistry represents a pivotal shift toward a more sustainable, efficient future for the industry. By achieving high standards of cleanliness and disinfection with reduced resources, it not only lowers costs and extends textile life but also aligns with global environmental goals, benefiting users worldwide.

Embracing these technologies can position laundries as leaders in eco-friendly practices without sacrificing performance.

Click HERE to read part 1 with a definition of low-temperature chemistry and why the industry wants it.

Click HERE for part 2 about the advantages and disadvantages of low-temperature chemistry.