by Christina Buse, Sociologist [1]
Laundries in health and social care settings can be overwhelming at a sensory level, unbearably hot and noisy, with a backdrop of constantly whirring washing machines and dryers. Laundry work in these environments is relentless, entangled with the rhythms of ‘bed and bodywork’ [2], and the flow of linens following bed changes: ‘It’s really constant actually, the washing…it’s an ongoing thing…You get towels coming in… the bedding’s first thing but you’ve got clothes constantly because they’re changing all the time…it is just ongoing’ Lesley, laundry worker, care home.
Laundry work can involve dealing with linens or clothing marked with food, vomit, urine or faeces, which is challenging at a visceral, sensory level, as laundry worker Hannah says: ‘I’m a little bit weak- stomached still with that sometimes’. Laundry workers describe their role in eliminating unpleasant smells, dirt and marks, getting rid of the ‘pee smell’ and ‘poo smell’ and making garments or linens ‘smell nice’.
The design of laundries shapes these sensory experiences. Laundries are located ‘backstage’ in care settings, in an attempt to disguise noise and smells. In care homes that are not purpose built, they are sometimes retrofitted into ‘leftover’ spaces, creating cramped working conditions, as laundry worker Geeta says: ‘sometimes; my god – there’s so much washing…half of the laundry room is full’. Laundry workers describe how having a window in the laundry makes a big difference – not just in terms of heat, but also dealing with smells and creating a sense of ‘freshness’.
Particularly in the case of clothing, laundry that is clean and smells ‘fresh’ is not simply about hygiene or infection control but is a visual and sensory indicator of care quality. For relatives, clean, unmarked clothes signify that a person is being properly ‘looked after’. Clothing is part of our embodied identity, the ‘public face’ that we present to the world. Laundry work can be an act of care and maintaining identity, when it involves knowing and carefully attending to laundry preferences and clothing styles.
This example highlights the significance of laundry work as a practice of care, and the importance of attending to often unseen materialities and labour in research and design. Designing laundry rooms that are light, well ventilated and spacious with easily openable windows is important to improving working conditions and supporting the health and wellbeing of laundry workers, as a vital part of the care team.
References
- Adapted from: C. Buse, J. Twigg, S. Nettleton, and D. Martin, ‘Dirty linen, liminal spaces and later life: Meanings of laundry in care home design and practice’, Sociological Research Online, 23:4 (2018), 711-27.
- J.F. Gubrium, Living and dying at Murray Manor (University of Virginia Press, 2012).
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