Introduction

The laundry industry has always faced the dual challenge of maintaining impeccable wash quality while controlling rising operational costs. In healthcare, hospitality, corrections, and commercial laundries, the demand for cleaner linens, longer fabric life, and validated disinfection has only grown. Aquawing Ozone Laundry Systems provide a proven solution through the use of ozone, a powerful oxidizer that enhances wash performance while reducing hot water, energy, and chemical consumption. With over 8,000 installations worldwide and the only clinically validated ozone laundry system, Aquawing has become the gold standard in both on-premise laundries (OPL) and vended laundromats.

How Ozone Works in Laundry

Ozone (O₃) is a triatomic form of oxygen, created when diatomic oxygen (O₂) molecules are split and recombine into groups of three atoms. This extra oxygen atom makes ozone highly unstable and reactive, allowing it to oxidize and break down organic matter such as soils, bacteria, and viruses. Aquawing systems generate ozone on-site, inject it into wash water, and ensure controlled dosing through patented variable ozone regulation.

The process can be summarized as follows:

1. Air is concentrated into 95% pure oxygen.
2. Oxygen molecules are split into single atoms by an ozone generator.
3. Atoms recombine into O₃ (ozone).
4. Ozone is injected into the wash water, where it penetrates fabrics and oxidizes contaminants.
5. The reactive oxygen atom attaches to soils, bacteria, and organics, breaking them down into harmless byproducts.

Why Ozone is Effective: The Chemistry of Oxidation

Ozone is one of the most powerful oxidizing agents available, stronger than chlorine bleach. When ozone contacts organic molecules or pathogens, its third oxygen atom binds to and destabilizes the structure. This leads to oxidation reactions that destroy cell walls, viral envelopes, and fungal spores. Unlike chlorine, ozone does not leave chemical residues—it reverts back to oxygen (O₂) after the reaction. This makes ozone both highly effective for sanitation and environmentally safe.

Key points of ozone chemistry in laundry:
– Ozone disrupts microbial cell walls and deactivates viruses.
– Ozone breaks down organic stains (blood, wine, coffee) into simpler, removable compounds.
– Ozone accelerates chemical reactions, allowing detergents to work more efficiently in cold water.
– Ozone decomposes naturally, leaving only oxygen.

Benefits of Ozone Use in Laundry

The integration of ozone in laundry systems provides multiple measurable benefits:

– **Superior wash quality**: Removes tough protein and dye stains, improves whiteness.
– **Validated sanitation**: Achieves >99.999% pathogen kill, including MRSA, C. diff, HIV, and Hepatitis.
– **Energy savings**: Hot water use reduced by up to 85–100%, lowering fuel and boiler costs.
– **Water savings**: Ozone allows cycle reduction, cutting water use by 20–35%.
– **Linen life extension**: Gentler cold-water cycles and fewer chemicals reduce fabric wear by 20% or more.
– **Environmental impact**: Facilities report reductions of 500,000 lbs of carbon emissions annually.

Caveats of Ozone Use

While ozone is powerful, it must be applied carefully to avoid negative outcomes:

– Ozone is incompatible with certain strong reducing agents and some chemicals like chlorine bleach, which can neutralize its effects.
– Excess ozone may degrade rubber or certain synthetic materials if concentrations are not properly regulated.
– System design must include safety measures, as ozone gas at high concentrations can be harmful if inhaled.
– Proper operator training is essential to ensure correct cycle programming and chemical compatibility.

OPL Laundry Applications

In on-premise laundries for healthcare, hospitality, and corrections, ozone provides significant operational savings and verified infection control. Because ozone works best in cold water, facilities can reduce boiler demand, cut energy use, and extend linen life. Validated disinfection ensures compliance with CDC and CMS requirements for hygienically clean laundry.

Laundromat Applications: San-O₃-Wash

For vended laundries, Aquawing’s San-O₃-Wash retrofit enhances customer experience while lowering utility costs. It delivers fresher-smelling laundry, faster cycle times, and significant cold-water savings. The system also provides a green marketing advantage, appealing to environmentally conscious customers and setting laundromats apart from competitors.

Conclusion

The use of ozone in laundry has redefined what is possible in terms of wash quality, sanitation, and operational efficiency. Aquawing’s clinically validated ozone systems demonstrate that laundry can be both cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, while also achieving unmatched levels of disinfection. Whether in OPL settings or laundromats, ozone technology represents the future of laundry care.