Washable versus Disposable Privacy Curtains

Environmental Services and Maintenance staff at medical facilities and clinics are weighing new options in privacy curtains: Switch to Disposables cubicle curtains Stick with Washable cubicle curtains Use a mix of both There are always pros and cons to making this type of decision. As one of the experts in the area of privacy curtains, we can help you determine which option is best for your facility. Reviewing the following 7 factors can help answer the question.

1. Long-term Cubicle Curtain Performance

When looking at your facility, do you want privacy curtains that last? Washable fabric curtains are a long lasting solution. When properly laundered per manufacturer’s instructions, fabric curtains can give years of good service. Specialty fabrics with stain resistance and liquid repellency can also extend useful life even further.

2. Cubicle Curtain Antimicrobial Technology

Both washable and disposable curtains can employ antimicrobials to help maintain a clean environment. Our Shield by Panaz® fabrics are antimicrobial, liquid repellent and highly resistant to most stains. Disposable curtains can also be made of antimicrobial materials to help reduce contamination.

3. Building Décor & Aesthetics

When your facility has a specific design or brand to convey, washable fabric cubicle curtains has the advantage for two main reasons:

• Fabrics come in millions of colorway, pattern and weave options.
• Fabric also simply has a better feel, called “hand”

While disposable curtains have started to broaden their pattern options, it will likely take a decade or more to even come close to the array of options available in fabrics.

4. Privacy Curtain Change-out Efficiencies

Both types of privacy curtains can employ snaps and/or removable panels to speed change-outs. The ability to simply swap-out a soiled panel reduces laundering needs for washable curtains, or reduces disposable inventory use. Such ease of changeability also reduces the workload somewhat for medical and maintenance staff. Our EZE-Swap Cubicle Curtains allows you to quickly change out curtains without need to take the entire curtain off the track to help you save time.

5. Sustainability

If your company supports sustainability initiatives, laundering and what goes into landfills plays an important part in making a decision of what type of cubicle curtain to purchase. When considering washable curtains there are a few areas to consider. Energy use in heating water and running equipment, soaps and chemicals that are used, and the waste water released back into water ways or ground water needs to be thought through. With disposable curtains you need to look at the landfill volume due to the curtains being tossed into the garbage. We do point out that smart fabric selections can help reduce laundering costs and disposable curtains maybe recycled. Both options have impacts and depending on your companies Sustainability initiatives, one or the other might be the better option.

6. Cost

Ultimately, everyone needs to stay in budget and get the best possible product for their needs. The most logical question when deciding on a privacy curtain is which one costs more? We get asked this a lot and have some numbers to help.

Standard variables for each option:

Frequency of laundering:	6 months	Per unit cost of Disposables:	$25.00
Total # of curtains:	250	Frequency of Disposable change-outs:	3 months
Per-curtain laundry rate:	$10.00	# of years to replace fabric curtains:	7 years
Staff hourly rate for change-out:	$28.00

 

Here’s what we calculated:

Based on these variables, washable curtains cost 70% less per curtain than disposables on an annual basis. Does that mean disposables should never be used? Not at all, instead, we think what many facilities will likely do is consider this last factor.

7. Privacy Curtain Placement

Finally, an important question to ask is where will these privacy curtains hang? Will they be in an area where they need to be changed frequently, multiple times each day because of high soiling risk and frequent patient and space turnover? Or will they hang in a space where there is low soiling potential with low contact. Emergency Departments would be a good candidate for disposable curtains where inpatient or diagnostic spaces would be great for washable cubicle curtains. After reviewing all 7 factors, you may find that your facility would benefit from either washable or disposable curtains. Many facilities will use a combination of both depending the different types of spaces they have in their buildings. No matter what options you need, Inpro is here with products for both and the expertise to help you find just the right solutions.

Visit our Projects by Building Type to see how others have used our privacy curtains.