Medical scrubs came in varied colors and designs. It’s possible to order and buy medical scrubs and uniforms through an online website. It’s normal for the medical scrubs to get bacteria and stains like many other medical uniforms. You need to learn how to disinfect the medical scrubs safely at home to make them last longer and look better.
Washing Cotton Medical Scrubs
If the medical scrubs are 100 percent cotton, wash them using cold water with a heavy detergent.
Turn the scrubs inside out. It will lessen fading and protect the finish due to abrasion with the other fabrics.
Use a ½ cup of white distilled vinegar in the rinse water. It softens the scrub fabric without the need to add any commercial scented softeners.
When drying the cotton scrubs, do it on the lowest tumble dry setting of a dryer. You can have the scrubs line dried.
Washing Polyester/Cotton Bend Scrubs
Clean scrubs that are 35 percent polyester and 65 percent cotton using warm water. Use a heavy-duty detergent. Turn the scrubs inside out before cleaning them.
Avoid hot water with all means as hot water might increase stains and reduce these scrubs’ lives. The scrubs can be line dried or dried by a regular heat dryer cycle.
How You Can Disinfect The Medical Scrubs
The medical scrubs’ environment increases the chances of viral and bacterial infections. They need frequent disinfection processes. Always separate unwashed medical scrubs from other clothes until washed. The scrubs are 100 percent safe after washing as a result of the cleaning process. Follow the laundry steps of machine drying and using a disinfectant to kill all viruses.
Use Disposable Gloves
It’s recommendable to use disposable gloves when handling medical scrubs. The laundry should be far from your face.
For White Cotton, Scrubs Use Chlorine Bleach
You can disinfect the scrubs using sodium hypochlorite in the washing cycle. Don’t pour the bleach direct into the clothes. Dilute the bleach using water or pour it into a washer bleach dispenser.
For Non-colored Pine Oil, Use Pine Oil
Pine oil is a recommended disinfectant for colored scrubs and other fabric types. It’s effective in warm and hot water. There are many brand names for this product that you can choose one. Add them at the start of the washing cycle, and they have to be more than 80 percent pine oil.
A phenolic disinfectant is a good substitute for pine oil. Add the disinfectant to wash or rinse water. The rinse water has to be warm.
Ironing Medical Scrubs
Cotton scrubs are breathable and soft. They wrinkle while washing making it necessary for cotton setting or ironing. It’s not recommended to iron cotton/polyester blends. You can do it if you wish. Always use warm to hot settings when ironing.
Storing Of Medical Scrubs
After washing, sterilize the scrubs by hanging them up in a plastic garment bag. You can as well fold them and put them in a devoted drawer. All dirty medical scrubs should be in a plastic bag and seal it until they get washed.
Repairs
You will need simple threads and needles to mend small rips and holes in your medical scrubs. You may need to mend your tops and pants’ hems when they became loose due to frequent movements.
Conclusion
When you buy your medical scrub; chances are you will get a cleaning manual. Follow the directives to the end to have the medical scrubs last longer. Always handle dirty garments with care as they contain viruses and bacteria. Disinfect them to avoid an ailment outbreak.
