What can I do to these scrub stains? Help Me!!!!

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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Omg, My first HELP ME!!!! Post.

My wife is gone to visit her sister in NC, while I stay here and toil on this assignment. She is Sooooooooo Amazing at getting out stains from my scrubs. I realize how much I miss her already!! This facility requires WHITE scrubs, and I (slob) have gotten just about everything on them you can imagine-plus (slob) I eat on the way home, and now have a wonderful half-dollar sized ketchup stain on my white pants leg!!!!

I noticed a bottle of "Shout," I sprayed, rubbed, (prayed) Lol, and even poured hot water on it. Now a wash later-looks like it just happened! What else can I do- there is a 24 hr grocer right down the block- so please help Boston out!!! Thanks Guys!

P.S. For all that think I'm uselessly dependent on my wife- we have a balance- I cook/wash dishes/take garbage out/All Dog Care-those with pets know what I mean.

She does the Laundry (and it's a task here using the Extended Stay Hotel's little Laundrymat.

Also, I'm keeping the stained ones wet- they haven't been dried. P.S. My Labcoat suffered part of the Ketchup Stain- a gift from my late grandmother (I know I shouldn't have worn it to work-just got chilly these last few nights- and you might as well "enjoy" something. But I will definetly put it up if I can get this stain out!) Not going to eat and drive anymore either- if I stain her Audi she is going to KILL ME!!!

Is it better to go buy new whites- or you guys have some tips?

MJB2010

1,025 Posts

I'd probably try washing them with bleach. (the bleach goes into the washer after all the water is in, but before clothes go in). Also you could try scrubbing the ketchup stain with a little toothpaste, sometimes that helps with food items.Liquid dawn dishsoap helps for grease stains.

If anyone knows how to get ink off of light blue scrubs, I'd appreciate it. I had a pen in my pocket leak and the scrubs are light blue and the ink did not come out in the wash.

bagladyrn, RN

2,286 Posts

Specializes in OB.

Hairspray works on inkstains. Spray it well then scrub with a brush. It may not work though if you have already put the item through the dryer.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Ok, got keys, heading out to store, I have put toothpaste on it, got to pick-up some hairspray and bleach- I can't believe we don't have any. I never have much to work with on these travel assignments. But, on the other- no, I hadn't dried anything yet- I remembered that rule! Lol! (Going to keep some hairspray in my backsack!)

Thanks Guys!

:redbeatheBoston

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I think I lost my internet connection-and it caused me to duplicate. Ignore this post.

>>>>>

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

Thanks Guys!

Thank God for Helpful Nurses, and Seven Elevens. My previous posts are gone, so if I duplicate- I'm sorry, having "off" day. I am going to keep Hairspray in my bag now! That's great advice. I bought Bleach, Hairspray, and some white dye stuff you boil in a gallon of water, then push clothes down in for 10 minutes. I hope I don't bleach out my monogrammed name- but if I do- it's my fault.

But, as to what you mentioned Ms. Bagladyrn- I knew the rule about not drying, Thank God! I did as the other poster said, rubbed in some toothpaste, then went to the store for the other stuff. I am off tomorrow, so I will make getting the labcoat cleaned a priority-task-challenge.

Thanks Guys for your help, and time!

:redbeatheBoston

allnurses Guide

nursel56

7,078 Posts

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

If your white clothes are mostly cotton they can tolerate chlorine bleach. You can even make a solution with a higher amount of it than you would use to do a whole load of wash if the stain is stubborn as a last resort dabbing at just the stain itself, because chlorine bleach weakens fibers drastically. Wait a few minutes between dabs though -- I find chlorine takes a while to have a full effect.

You could try soaking it in cold water overnight using an oxygen or enzyme-based bleach like Chlorox II, though slower, it doesn't work quite as well but is much safer.

I second the hairspray tip, I remember the nurse who first showed me that trick. It was a miracle!!! :) And our crappy work pens were always leaking! Good luck! :)

rn/writer, RN

9 Articles; 4,168 Posts

Hairspray does work on ink stains. So does rubbing alcohol.

You did the right thing to keep the clothes wet, but washing in hot water can set some stains. Google "ketchup stain removal" for a ton of laundry tip websites.

Best wishes.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN

3,723 Posts

Peroxide has always worked well for me. Blood, grease, ink, food stains on all sorts of fabric..all out with peroxide.

My daughter was in her 1st communion dress and somehow got a big black ink mark right across the front of it a few minutes before we were leaving. I just soaked a wash cloth in peroxide and wiped the stain with the wash cloth. Came right out and left no discoloration to the fabric.

What I do to a stain is either soak the stain (soak..not wet..) with peroxide and wash it immediately or soak it and throw it in the hamper. Either way, the stains have always been gone once I did that and washed the item.

I find that a combination of spray shout, then gel Shout, and Tide stain booster pods get ANYTHING out of my kids white school shirts....along with an occasional bleaching when they start to look grey...

my kid comes home DAILY looking like he rubbed a chocolate cupcake on his shirt for the hell of it!

jt43

149 Posts

For future reference, hot water is generally a bad idea. Bleach doesn't work well on organic stains and I avoid it. Peroxide or something similar (like oxyclean) should work on ketchup. Shout is better than all other stain removers imo. Good luck!

jdcri

43 Posts

For future reference, hot water is generally a bad idea. Bleach doesn't work well on organic stains and I avoid it. Peroxide or something similar (like oxyclean) should work on ketchup. Shout is better than all other stain removers imo. Good luck!

Oxyclean is the best!! I always use that and then resolve if needed (the one with the two different sections that combine only when you put it on the clothes. Alos grease stain - gojo or orange clean or fast orange work great!

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