Caring for a white doctor coat

A white coat is the most visible piece of clothing a doctor wears. Patients notice it before they notice your face. When it is crisp and bright, it looks professional. When the collar is grey and the pockets are marked with ink, it tells a different story.

White is also the least forgiving colour to keep clean. Here is a practical routine to keep a white doctor coat looking good for longer.

Wash it often, and on its own

• Wash after every few wears, or sooner if it is visibly marked. Follow your hospital’s infection-control policy on how often coats should be laundered.
• Wash whites only. Even one navy scrub in the load can leave a faint blue or grey tint over time.
• Empty all pockets. A single pen can ruin a white coat in one wash.
• Close any buttons and turn the coat inside out to reduce rubbing.

Always check the care label on your coat for the maximum wash temperature and whether whitening products are allowed.

Collars, cuffs and pockets

These are the trouble spots.

• Collar and neck: skin oils and sweat build up here, especially in humid weather. Before washing, rub a little liquid detergent into the collar with your fingers or a soft brush and leave it for ten minutes.
• Cuffs and sleeve edges: they brush against desks and beds. Pre-treat them the same way.
• Pockets: turn them out and brush away lint and dust before washing.

Stains on a white coat

• Blood: cold water first, never hot. Rinse from the back, then use detergent. Our guide to removing blood stains has the full method.
• Ink: dab with rubbing alcohol over a paper towel, then wash.
• Betadine: cold rinse and detergent; a vitamin C solution helps fade dried iodine marks.
• Tea and coffee: rinse cold quickly, then wash.

Treat the stain before the coat goes anywhere near heat.

Keeping white truly white

Whites go grey or yellow for a few reasons: detergent residue, mixing with colours, hard water and too much sun.

• Use the right amount of detergent, not extra. Residue dulls white.
• Rinse well. An extra rinse cycle helps.
• Soak occasionally in warm water with detergent before washing if the coat looks dull.
• Whitening products: only if your coat’s care label allows them, and always diluted as the pack says. Never pour neat bleach straight onto fabric.

Drying and pressing

• Dry on a hanger, so the shoulders keep their shape.
• Dry in shade or indirect light. Short sun can freshen white, but hours of harsh sun can yellow some fabrics over time.
• Iron with a warm iron while slightly damp. Start with collar and cuffs, then the front edges, then the back and sleeves.
• Hang it straight away rather than folding.

Have two coats

If you wear a coat every working day, one is rarely enough. With two, you always have a clean one ready while the other is in the wash. It also halves the wear on each.

Our coats

Our doctor coat is knee-length, in poly-cotton twill, sized XS to 3XL. For students and technicians, our lab coat is a lighter poly-cotton in XS to XXL. Name embroidery is available on request.

Final thoughts

A bright white coat comes from small, regular habits: wash it apart from colours, pre-treat the collar and cuffs, deal with stains in cold water and dry it on a hanger in the shade. If your current coat is past saving, you can order a new one from our doctor coat page.