Even though we wear scrubs more than any
other item of clothing, we usually only have a few pairs. It’s very important to look after scrubs, as
incorrect care can make them look grubby and worn very quickly, which of course
gives off the wrong image to patients and their families. So, what are the best ways to keep your
scrubs looking as good as new, all the time?
1. Quality
over Quantity
It’s worth investing in good quality
scrubs. Not all things are made equal,
and that’s as true for medical uniforms as it is for anything else. If you look on uniform websites, you will
doubtless see scrub sets advertised as cheaply as $5.99 (maybe even lower), but
this is the definition of false economy.
Your scrubs are going to get knocked
about and stained - the only thing that cheap material will achieve is a ruined
pair of scrubs in a very short time frame.
It’s far better to buy the best quality that you can afford, so you
stand a chance of still owing them in a year’s time!
2. Read the Care Label!
This is so important, and something that
90% of us are guilty of not doing. The
manufacturer sets out the care instructions for a very good reason - they have
tested the garments to destruction, and those washing instructions are the ones
that they have come up with to keep your scrubs looking good for as long as
possible.
If you are at all unsure (or if you have
already cut the care label out of them!), always wash them on the delicate
cycle. If you are concerned that washing
at low temperatures might not kill any bugs or bacteria on your uniform, you
can add a half cup of white vinegar to your wash - as vinegar is a natural
disinfectant, this will boost the hygiene of your wash and also help to set the
colors in your scrubs.
3. Pre-Treat Stains
If (or rather, when!) you pick up a
stain, it’s far better to pre-treat it than throw your scrubs in the machine
and hope that it’s going to come out (particularly if you’re washing at a low
temperature). These are some of the more
common stains and how to pre-treat them.
Blood: Wet the strain with some cold water (if
you can, rinse your scrubs in cold water while they’re still wet). Use some laundry soap to loosen the
stain. Pre-soak the garment in some
proprietary pre-wash stain remover, then rinse and dab with diluted ammonia
(read the instructions!) before finally laundering your scrubs.
Vomit: Turn fabric inside out and run under cold
water. Pre-treat the fabric with a store
bought stain remover, as per their instructions and then launder using oxygen
bleach.
Sweat: Rub vinegar and
coarse ground salt (table salt will work if it’s all you have available). Leave outside to dry, then wash scrubs using
shampoo (this is important - shampoo removes biological oils). Launder according to the normal care
instructions.
Ink: Soak your scrubs overnight in milk, then
wash as normal. If you don’t have milk,
try spraying the fabric with some alcohol based hairspray, then wiping the
excess away before laundering.
Ointment/Other
Oils: Scrape off as much as you possibly can, then rub some talc or
cornstarch into the stain, covering it as completely as possible. Leave for as long as it takes to absorb all
of the oil, then brush off. Launder as
normal.
If you are going to tumble dry your
clothes, it’s very important that you check that the stain has been removed
completely before you put them in there - heat will set almost any stain, and
once that has happened it’s not going anywhere.
There are some off the shelf stain removers that claim to be able to do
this, but particularly with blood and ink, it’s unlikely to work entirely.
4. Load Your Machine Properly!
Read the instructions that your
manufacturer sent you with your machine on how much you can put in there. If you constantly stuff as much as possible
into the drum, you a) won’t do your machine any favors, and b) will massively
reduce your washer's ability to remove stains.
This is logical
when you think about it - washing machines work by agitating fabrics at a much
higher rate than we can, and if the fabrics inside have no room to move, all
you're doing is getting them wet and maybe making them smell nice.
There’s also some evidence that
overloading your washing machine can lead to contact dermatitis, as they’re
unable to rinse all of the detergents out of your clothes fully.
5. Line Dry Your Scrubs
You might be rolling your eyes at this
one because we’re all short on time and sometimes your drier is the only way
you’re going to get your uniform clean in time.
However, there’s little doubt that high temperatures don’t do any
fabrics many favors, and as previously mentioned, they also set any stains that
you may have missed following your wash.
If you do have to do it, try to use the
lowest temperature setting possible.
Once you have washed your uniform a couple of times, you’ll reduce the
likelihood of shrinking so you should be able to increase the heat setting a
little. However, if you’ve used any of
the stain treatments above, try to wear an alternative set and allow the
stained pair to dry naturally.
In summary, it’s hard to imagine a
working medical environment where you are not going to pick up stains,
sometimes pretty heavy duty ones. It’s
best always to have a few pairs of scrubs at your disposal, so you’re not in
the position of having to remove stains, wash and dry your uniform all in one
night.
Invest as much as you are able to afford
into your uniform - poor quality fabrics will look terrible very quickly, and
you’ll usually find that the stitching on ultra-cheap scrubs comes apart after
just a couple of wears. Low quality
scrubs can be replaced a few times a year, so it’s a false economy to but those
$5.99 sets - you’ll be paying that out every few months!
Try to keep a small arsenal of store
bought stain removers in your cleaning cupboard - although it’s usually better
for the fabric and your skin to use a natural solution, sometimes if you’re in
a pinch using a proprietary cleaner is the only thing that you have time for (and
honestly, sometimes it’s the only thing that will work). Ask your colleagues if they have any favorite
products - you might find that some of them have miracle go-to solutions that
they’ve been using for years!
Finally, remember that high temperatures
are the enemy - the more fabric is exposed to heat, the more broken down the
fibers will become, and your scrubs will start to pill and look aged. You’ll set any residual stains, and once
they’re dried in there is very little that you can do to move them. Although there are fabric cleaners out there
that claim to remove dried in stains, it’s rare to find one that gets rid of
them with no trace.
Related: List of
nursing organizations
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