Picture this: a normal day at the commercial laundry facility, with clothes stored in bins or carts, and then—unexpectedly—a fire breaks out. This isn't just a rare fluke; it's a dangerous reality caused by spontaneous combustion. You might be wondering how something as mundane as laundry could ignite a blaze. The culprits? Substances like oils, grease, and cleaning products present in laundry.

Curious about how this happens and how you can prevent it? Keep reading to discover the science behind spontaneous combustion in laundry fires and the key solution to keep your operation safe.

In commercial laundries, spontaneous combustion happens when oily or greasy fabrics heat up from oxidation. Oxidation generates heat, and if this heat isn't dissipated, the temperature will keep rising until it reaches its ignition point. This risk is higher in your laundry room when high cotton fabrics such as linens are left in piles, especially if they’re damp and contaminated with oil, grease or other chemical substances.

Before washing, spontaneous fires can ignite in laundry piles due to the presence of grease, oil and other chemical substances. As these substances oxidize, they produce heat. When this heat is trapped within a large or tightly packed pile, it can build up and eventually reach a temperature sufficient to start a fire. If soiled laundry is left in the sun or near heat sources, the risk of fire increases even more.

If laundry is not adequately cooled before being folded or stacked, residual heat can build up in the surrounding environment. This trapped heat can cause any remaining contaminants to oxidize further, eventually reaching a temperature that leads to spontaneous ignition.