Just ask Jenna Resch, a veterinary assistant at Great Lakes Veterinary Clinic in Neenah, Wis. “Before we switched our laundry equipment, the soiled laundry sat in the supply room for days and began to smell—it was very unsanitary and a prime area for bacteria to grow,” she says.

“Parvovirus, for example, is extremely contagious and can be fatal for our animals. It can be easily spread through human hands, food dishes, contact and bedding,“ says Dr. Randy Van Maanen, veterinarian Great Lakes. “Parvovirus is also very resilient; bleach is the only way to kill the virus. That's one reason maintaining an efficient and effective laundry process is so important.”