Ways to Wash and Disinfect Your Nursing Scrubs

The recent pandemic has given you many reasons to keep your clothes and the environment free of viruses and pathogens. And it is crucial to maintain hygiene and wear sanitized apparel in such tough times. Even the National Institutes of Health states nursing uniforms carry several bacteria that can lead to other diseases.  Nitrile gloves are becoming more popular, particularly in the healthcare field. Black Nitrile Gloves provide a more excellent range of motion, making it easier for workers to complete their responsibilities. You can read more about it here.

The best nursing scrubs are the ones that are comfortable to wear and easy to wash. Doctors and nurses are exposed to numerous bacteria every day. But, there are different ways to disinfect the nursing scrubs. Here’s a look at them. 

Keep a Separate Laundry Bag

Once you are done using your nursing uniform, drop it in a different plastic bag or a laundry bag. So that none of your family members come into direct contact with your used clothes or uniforms.

Having a separate laundry bag will ensure that your regular clothes and home-wear do not mix with the used uniforms or scrubs. It will also prevent the spread of pathogens.

Make Use of Gloves 

Most of the people forget to wear gloves when washing clothes. But it is necessary to wear gloves to ensure there is limited contact with the used laundry. It will increase your safety and decrease the spreading of germs.

Clean the Stains Before Final Wash

If there are stains on your scrubs, wash it with a stain remover before you go for the last wash. Coffee stains or ink stains on your uniform give a bad appearance. Although the coffeeberry is a great antioxidant, it can stain. Even light marks or blemishes are visible immediately from a close distance.

Just get rid of the stains beforehand with the help of home remedies like vinegar or bleach if you don’t have a stain remover. Then once the stains disappear, go for the final wash.

Wash the clothes Separately in Normal Water

It is always safe to wash the nursing uniform and scrubs separately. Read the instructions on the uniform label and wash accordingly. Some scrubs can withstand hot water wash, but some cannot, and hence, they need to be washed in water at room temperature.

The scrubs won’t wear out soon if you follow the washing instructions carefully. And washing clothes separately will ensure no spread of germs.

Make Use of Mild Detergent and a Disinfectant

Mild detergents lack harsh chemicals, and hence they are safe to use. It will also keep the quality of your best nursing scrubs intact. Mild detergents make your scrubs and uniform last long.

Once you finish washing the clothes, make sure you use disinfectant liquid to kill the bacteria completely. The disinfectant liquid is available in the market in different intensity. It will help if you buy it as per your requirement.

Use High Heat to Dry the Clothes

Post-washing place your clothes in the drier and increase the heat level. The high heat will kill the bacteria and speed up the drying process as well. You can also iron the clothes on high steam to kill the remaining micro-organisms on your uniform.

Store and Wear in a Proper Place

Make sure you store all the washed and disinfected scrubs in a proper bag. And also, you must wear washed scrubs on the medical premises only. Avoid wearing them in public places, or you may carry the risk of spreading the germs.