What Is Ozone Laundering and Is It Right for You?

PPE laundering can feel like a vast and confusing landscape. With changing technologies and conflicting opinions, how do you know what type of laundering best suits your needs?

Gear Wash is here for all your laundering needs, and our professionals can help you navigate decisions about PPE cleaning options. However, Gear Wash also believes that the best way for you to make an informed decision is to be informed.

Ozone Laundering is one of the many gear cleaning options available to you, but what exactly is it?

What is Ozone Laundering?

Ozone Laundering utilizes Ozone, a powerful natural oxidizer, to remove toxic and biological contaminants from the material of your PPE.

What is Ozone?

Ozone (O₃) is an unstable organic compound that is created by the electric disruption of oxygen (O₂) molecules. This electric disruption can happen naturally, such as during a lightning storm, creating the familiar after-thunderstorm smell. Or, it can be created synthetically, using electrical plates to pull apart the natural O₂ molecules. Once the O₂ is disrupted, it becomes O, a single oxygen atom. However, oxygen is extremely unstable in this state, so it attaches itself to an existing O₂ molecule. This results in an O₃ molecule— ozone.

Ozone, while still very unstable, is a powerful oxidizer, and able to kill and destroy several different kinds of contaminants that may be present in your turnouts.

How does it work?

Ozone is an oxidizer, which is a common disinfecting tool. Oxidizing cleaners work to remove stains and disinfect surfaces by breaking down organic molecules. Oxidizers are especially effective at cleaning a variety of contaminants, particularly biological contaminants. This is because oxidation damages essential cellular components of biological substances, causing oxidative cell death. This means that bacteria, viruses, and other cellular matter are especially susceptible to ozone sanitation.

Other non-biological substances are affected by ozone in a different way. As mentioned above, ozone is a form of oxygen made of three atoms, which makes it quite unstable. Because of this instability, ozone naturally wants to return to normal oxygen (O₂) because that is oxygen’s most stable form. So, when ozone contacts other substances (like dirt on a soiled turnout), it releases one of its oxygen atoms. This extra oxygen atom reacts with the contaminants, breaking them apart. As a result, the contaminants are loosened from fabric and easier to wash away.

How is it used for cleaning?

For laundering purposes, Ozone is produced synthetically and injected into a special sanitation system. This allows your gear to be submerged in dissolved ozone and completely sanitized throughout all 3 layers.

Benefits of Ozone Laundering

Ozone Laundering has many benefits, so here are some interesting facts for you to consider:

• Ozone dissolves best in cold water, because of the available oxygen concentration, which means your gear is not subjected to heat levels that could wear the fabric over time
• Ozone is not a chemical, and leaves no residue
• Ozone has excellent penetration into hard-to-reach areas of PPE and into fabrics
• Ozone is effective against a wide variety of contaminants and organisms (including sporicidal and virucidal)
• Ozone is very good at eliminating the smell from fabrics and other materials

Is Ozone Laundering Right for You?

You should speak with your Gear Wash expert when deciding whether your gear needs to be laundered with ozone, but here are some questions you should think through together:

• Have you been exposed to/in contact with material biological contaminants? If so, what kind?
• Have you recently been in contact with contaminant viruses or bacteria (such as HIV or E. coli)?
• Does your gear consistently smell of smoke or other fumes?

In the end, Ozone Laundering is not the solution to every problem, however it is a good option for many. Talk to your Gear Wash professional and find out what cleaning solution is right for you!