Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tips on how to Remove Stains from your Scrubs
If you are working in a hospital or medical facility, you are accustomed to coming home with stains on your scrubs on a regular basis. Some stains are more difficult to remove than others, but with a little elbow grease, just about every stain can be removed. Here are a few tips on how you can gently remove stains from your medical scrubs.
Just as a reminder, when preparing your laundry, it always helps to read the garment label on your hospital uniform in order to cut down on the risk of damaging, fading, bleeding, or premature pilling of the fabric. Also, the fewer the clothes per load, the more efficient your washing machine will be at removing stains, so don't overload your washer. Wash new, dark-colored items in a separate load the first couple of times (always washing darks separately is best when possible.) Lighter colored clothing will come out looking dingy when washed when darker colors.
Assuming that you are wearing cotton scrubs, or a poly-cotton blend scrub uniform, when you notice a fresh stain, the first step would be to do your best to remove the stain with a clean cloth and a bit of water. If you do that, when you get home and wash your uniform in warm water, the stain is much more likely to come out. Also, for fresh blood stains, hydrogen peroxide works like a charm. Again, wash your scrubs as quickly as possible when you are able.
Any protein-based stains are best treated with a soak in cold water. Rub the fabric to dislodge the stain. Finish up by washing the item in the washing machine with warm water.
Oil-based stains should be washed using the hottest water safe for the fabric as quickly as possible.
Coffee, wine (let's hope you're not drinking on the job?), and any other stains with tannin should be rinsed in cold water and then washed in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Stains that are in the 'dye' category should be pre-treated with a stain remover, rinsed thoroughly, and then washed in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Bad day? You have all of those types of stains and more on your scrubs? Scrape and/or scrub the stains using hot water, then wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Remember, it's always helpful to have handy a "Tide Pen" or "Bleach Pen." Of course, only use bleach on white fabric that you know can be bleached.
Another tip is to try and not let the stain dry - keep it wet. If the stain does not come off after the first wash, do not throw it in the dryer and try again. Wash it immediately before it has a chance to get dry.
These few, simple steps can save many sets of scrubs.
Just as a reminder, when preparing your laundry, it always helps to read the garment label on your hospital uniform in order to cut down on the risk of damaging, fading, bleeding, or premature pilling of the fabric. Also, the fewer the clothes per load, the more efficient your washing machine will be at removing stains, so don't overload your washer. Wash new, dark-colored items in a separate load the first couple of times (always washing darks separately is best when possible.) Lighter colored clothing will come out looking dingy when washed when darker colors.
Assuming that you are wearing cotton scrubs, or a poly-cotton blend scrub uniform, when you notice a fresh stain, the first step would be to do your best to remove the stain with a clean cloth and a bit of water. If you do that, when you get home and wash your uniform in warm water, the stain is much more likely to come out. Also, for fresh blood stains, hydrogen peroxide works like a charm. Again, wash your scrubs as quickly as possible when you are able.
Any protein-based stains are best treated with a soak in cold water. Rub the fabric to dislodge the stain. Finish up by washing the item in the washing machine with warm water.
Oil-based stains should be washed using the hottest water safe for the fabric as quickly as possible.
Coffee, wine (let's hope you're not drinking on the job?), and any other stains with tannin should be rinsed in cold water and then washed in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Stains that are in the 'dye' category should be pre-treated with a stain remover, rinsed thoroughly, and then washed in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Bad day? You have all of those types of stains and more on your scrubs? Scrape and/or scrub the stains using hot water, then wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric.
Remember, it's always helpful to have handy a "Tide Pen" or "Bleach Pen." Of course, only use bleach on white fabric that you know can be bleached.
Another tip is to try and not let the stain dry - keep it wet. If the stain does not come off after the first wash, do not throw it in the dryer and try again. Wash it immediately before it has a chance to get dry.
These few, simple steps can save many sets of scrubs.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
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