Ever thought about how to wash your scrubs? Or how often to wash your scrubs? Or how to wash your scrub for the first time? The process of washing scrubs not only removes stains but also ensures a clean and sterile work environment. When washing scrubs, make sure you’re turning them inside out, washing them with a mild detergent, washing with like colors, and pre-removing the stains on them. Make sure you’re washing your scrubs after each wear to extend their lifespan and maintain hygiene. If you’re washing scrubs for the first time, follow the same steps as above to preserve the quality and lifespan of your scrubs.
In this guide we’ll explore the importance of having clean scrubs, how often you should wash your scrubs, best practices, the pros and cons of machine vs. hand washing, and how to dry your scrubs.
The Importance of Clean Medical Scrubs
Clean scrubs are not just about appearance, it’s also important for maintaining a clean and hygienic environment. A clean scrub plays a critical role in infection control and patient safety. Washing scrubs after every wear is necessary as healthcare professionals are exposed to bacteria, viruses, and many contaminants every day. Regularly washing your scrubs ensures a clean and hygienic environment, proper infection control, and improved patient safety and outcomes.
How Often Should You Wash Your Scrubs?
You should wash your scrubs after every shift. But how often you wash it depends upon how often you wear it, the nature of your work, and potential exposure to contaminants. Washing scrubs after every shift promptly removes the bacteria, viruses, and contaminants you encountered during your shift, giving you a clean scrub to wear the next time. You must keep a routine of washing your scrubs to ensure patient safety, maintain hygiene standards, and contribute to the overall professionalism and positive image of healthcare practitioners.
Best Practices for Washing Scrubs
Remove stains
One of the best practices of washing your scrubs is to start with pretreating the stains on your scrubs. Remove the stains on your scrubs with a spoon, or a cloth and prevent the stain from getting deeper into the fabric.
Separate your scrubs
Separate your scrubs from regular clothing, or keep it wrapped in a plastic bag and use a disinfectant to avoid cross-contamination.
Use the right detergent
Use the right detergent that removes bacteria from your scrubs.
Use warm water
When washing your scrubs make sure you’re using warm water to remove the contaminants from your scrubs.
Following the above-mentioned practices for washing your scrubs helps increase the longevity of your scrubs while maintaining standards of hygiene and safety.
Machine Washing vs. Hand Washing Your Scrubs
When washing your scrubs, machine washing, and hand washing each has its pros and cons.
The pros of machine washing are that it saves time and energy, you can wash more scrubs and clothes in one setting, and have different wash cycles for different types of fabrics. However, the cons of machine washing are that it can damage your scrubs, can be costly, and can be harmful to the environment. Like machine washing, hand washing also has its pros and cons. The pros of hand washing are that you can wash your scrubs more frequently, use less water, and can be gentler on your clothes. But the cons of hand washing are that it can take more time and energy, and you won’t be able to thoroughly wash your scrubs.
Drying Scrubs
Once your scrubs are clean, how you dry them matters too. Air-drying is often recommended to prevent shrinkage and maintain the fabric's quality. If using a dryer, opt for a low-heat setting to minimize the risk of damage.