What are the best laundry baskets for transporting contaminated clothing

When dealing with contaminated clothing, choosing the right laundry basket for transport is crucial to ensure safety, hygiene, and ease of handling. Here’s a simple guide to help you pick the best laundry baskets suited for this purpose.

## What Makes a Laundry Basket Good for Contaminated Clothing?

Transporting contaminated clothes requires baskets that are:

– **Durable and sturdy**: To avoid breakage or spills during transport.
– **Easy to clean and disinfect**: Materials that can be wiped down or sanitized without damage.
– **Well-ventilated but secure**: To prevent moisture buildup while containing odors and contaminants.
– **Portable with handles**: For easy carrying without touching the contents directly.

## Best Types of Laundry Baskets for Contaminated Clothing

### Plastic Laundry Baskets

Plastic baskets are often recommended because they are:

– Lightweight yet strong enough to hold heavy loads, including wet clothes.
– Non-porous, making them easy to clean thoroughly with disinfectants.
– Resistant to cracking under weight or moisture exposure.

For example, Starplast’s 1 bushel round plastic laundry basket is lightweight but sturdy enough for heavy loads like wet jeans without bending or cracking[3]. This makes plastic baskets ideal when transporting potentially infectious materials safely.

### Fabric Hampers With Liners

Fabric hampers can be useful if they have removable liners made from waterproof or antimicrobial materials. These liners can be taken out and washed separately. However, fabric itself may absorb contaminants unless it has special coatings.

Joseph Joseph Tota Laundry hamper features fabric construction with two separate compartments and removable tote bags which could help in sorting contaminated items while keeping them contained[4]. Still, fabric hampers should be chosen carefully based on their washability and resistance to contamination.

### Wicker Baskets — Not Ideal

While wicker baskets look stylish and work well for regular laundry[1][2], they are not suitable for contaminated clothing because:

– They are porous and hard to sanitize properly.
– They may absorb odors and bacteria over time.

Thus wicker should generally be avoided when dealing with hazardous or infectious laundry.

## Additional Tips

– Use disposable gloves when handling contaminated clothing bags/baskets.
– Line your basket with a plastic bag before placing clothes inside; seal it tightly after loading.
– Clean your basket thoroughly after each use using appropriate disinfectants recommended by health authorities.

In summary, the best laundry baskets for transporting contaminated clothing tend to be sturdy plastic ones due to their durability, ease of cleaning, and resistance against moisture damage. Fabric hampers with washable liners can also work if handled carefully. Avoid porous materials like wicker in these situations altogether.