How to wash scrubs after a hospital shift

The end of a shift is when you least want to think about laundry. But how you handle your scrubs between the ward and the washing machine makes a real difference to how clean they get and how long they last.

This is a practical routine that works for most nurses and doctors at home. It is general guidance only: if your hospital has its own uniform or infection-control policy, including hospital laundering for certain areas, follow that first.

At work: change before you leave

Where your hospital allows it, change out of your scrubs before going home.

• Keep a set of home clothes in your locker.
• Put used scrubs straight into a separate washable cloth bag or a plastic bag you can tie shut.
• Avoid stuffing them into the same bag as your lunch box or phone.

Travelling home in scrubs, especially on a crowded bus, is best avoided. Check what your hospital expects.

At home: keep them apart

When you get home:

• Take the scrubs straight to the washing area; do not drop them on the bed or sofa.
• Wash your hands after handling them.
• Keep them separate from children’s clothes and kitchen towels.
• If you cannot wash right away, leave them in the tied bag, but try to wash the same day, especially in humid weather when damp fabric starts to smell quickly.

Before washing

A few small steps prevent most laundry problems:

• Empty every pocket. One forgotten pen can mark a whole load.
• Turn the tops and pants inside out to protect the colour.
• Tie the drawstring loosely so it does not tangle or slip out.
• Check for stains. Blood or Betadine is easier to deal with before the main wash. See our guide to removing blood stains from scrubs.

The wash

Our care label for scrubs says:

• Machine wash warm, up to 60 °C, with similar colours.
• Do not bleach coloured scrubs.

In practice:

• Use your usual detergent in the normal amount. Too much leaves residue.
• Wash scrubs as a separate load, or with other uniforms of similar colour.
• Do not overload the drum; clothes need room to move to get clean.
• If you hand wash, use warm water and soak for a short while before scrubbing, then rinse well.

Drying

• Tumble dry low, or line dry.
• If line drying, shake the pieces out and hang them by the hem or on a hanger so they dry straight.
• Dry in shade if you can; strong sun over many months fades colour.
• Make sure they are fully dry before folding. Slightly damp scrubs develop a musty smell.

In the monsoon, drying is the hardest part. Our post on drying scrubs in the monsoon has ideas.

Ironing and storing

A warm iron is enough for poly-cotton. Iron inside out to keep the colour fresh, and avoid ironing over embroidery. Fold or hang the clean sets away from used ones.

A routine that fits a busy week

When	What to do
End of shift	Change, bag the used set
Home	Straight to the washing area, hands washed
Same day	Empty pockets, pre-treat stains, wash warm
Next day	Dry fully, iron if needed, put away

Before the next shift

Clean scrubs are part of looking professional and comfortable on the ward. Having enough sets makes this routine much easier, so you are never forced to wear a damp one. If you need another set in your rotation, browse our scrubs and pick your size.