How often do you wash your scrubs? :)

Nurses General Nursing

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Ponymom2

41 Posts

I used to change in the nurse's office after every shift. I even changed in the bathroom when I was still in clinicals. Last thing before punching out. I would die before wearing scrubs outside of the nh, much less to my vehicle and then home. Much nastiness.... Yeah, I know all about how dirty shopping cart handles are (I wipe 'em, btw), and life on the outside is dirty in general, and yada yada yada, but so what... I couldn't bear the thought of wearing filthy nursing clothes and shoes in my vehicle and then home; ick... just ick. Dirty factory clothes, farm clothes (not smelly) ok in a pinch.... Nursing clothes and shoes... Not ok, never ever.

This was my routine -

Clean clothes in my bag along w a sheet of newspaper to stand on and put dirty clothes on.

Pull off top and bottoms inside out, roll up and place on paper on floor. Pant and shirt cuffs to the inside of roll. Feet stay on paper. Wash/clean hands.

Dress in clean clothes and put nursing shoes back on. Dirty clothes in bag, throw away paper, wash hands. Total time of maybe five mintes.... Leave.

Out at the truck I kept a repurposed cat litter pan, rubber gloves, Cavi-wipes and Lysol spray in the box bed. I changed and cleaned my shoes there and my nursing shoes stayed in this pan. They never, ever made it into the cab of my vehicle or house, nope. I changed like this summer through winter, no matter how cold or deep the snow. I kept a separate coat, hat and gloves for nursing work only, and they were kept folded in my bag while on shift. I never hung them up at work.

At home, scrubs and bag went into their own hamper and were washed with hot water and either a bit of bleach or Pine-Sol. My nursing coat, hat and gloves were kept in the cellar. They, along with most of my scrubs, were purchased at thrift stores. Or Wal-Mart if on clearance. I dressed neatly and appropriately, but no way was I going to spend big money on scrubs that we're going to get filthy. The scrubs didn't always last long, but they were cheap enough...

I did spend good money for shoes, compression hose and custom made orthotics ($$$).

Now in my factory job, I normally wear coveralls (company supplied and laundered, btw). But I sometimes wear regular clothes and they get dirty or greasy, depending on the job. I would wear those grimy factory clothes all the way home a thousand times before even taking a break in my car in nh clothes. I always shower before leaving work (something I would NEVER, EVER do in a nh; ew ew ew). I wear work boots (company supplied, btw), and they usually stay at work in one of my *three* full-size lockers ( never had *that* when working as a nurse...), But I'd wear those home, too, before I would nh shoes...

And shower/wash hair immediately, even if I was going right outside to clean the barn..

So, there you have it...

RNinheart

25 Posts

21 hours ago, Mkakids said:

There are a few nurses at work who do this... they take off their shoes in the breakroom, and keep them in a box in their locker. They then put on their street shoes and walk through the breakroom, the hallway, the elevator and to the front door in their street shoes (effectively walking over areas that nasty shoes from hundreds of employees walk on daily) picking up the same germs that they think they are leaving behind in their locker.

That is why I have dirty AND special shoes for this ?

Specializes in New Grad 2020.

I have three sets of scrubs so that gets me through the week (3 12hr shifts) but I usually wash my clothes as soon as I get home

DallasRN

276 Posts

Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.

I cannot imagine NOT washing my scrubs after every shift. Not now, but in ER jobs I've had in the past, I occasionally took my scrubs off in the garage before ever entering the house. And back in those days, my work shoes never came inside.

Orion81RN

962 Posts

On 8/21/2019 at 10:12 PM, Horseshoe said:

Wait, are you asking if you would ever wear your scrubs again for another shift without washing them?

No, no, no, no, and no. Not if doing direct patient care.

Wash after every shift. No exceptions. I work OR and my scrubs are always subjected to either patient body fluids or my own sweat (we work hard in there, and the fact that the room is very cool doesn't keep us from sweating at intervals). My scrubs go into the laundry bin immediately and are usually washed the next day.

Your hospital doesn't provide you with surgical scrubs to put on at work and toss in the laundry afterward?

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
On 8/22/2019 at 6:44 PM, Mkakids said:

There are a few nurses at work who do this... they take off their shoes in the breakroom, and keep them in a box in their locker. They then put on their street shoes and walk through the breakroom, the hallway, the elevator and to the front door in their street shoes (effectively walking over areas that nasty shoes from hundreds of employees walk on daily) picking up the same germs that they think they are leaving behind in their locker.

Don’t forget walking them into the gas station or grocery store... possibly the public restroom... on the way home. ?

To answer the OP, mine go into my regular laundry and get washed when I get around to doing laundry.

There are probably less nasties on my hospital scrubs than on the long dresses I wear to Walmart.

zuster

1 Post

Specializes in CCU.

In the Netherlands the hospital provides the scrubs. And after youre shift, you can trow them in the laundry there. It is even forbidden to go home in youre scrubs!

MyaRN

4 Posts

I wash my scrubs after every shift. I am using heartsoul scrubs and they don’t fade.. have 20 pairs..?

I never wear the same scrubs from the previous shift. That's gross. Patient contact or non. Automatic laundry bin after work.

Forest2

625 Posts

I never wash my scrubs, I just spray febreeze on them.?

Editorial Team / Moderator

Lunah, MSN, RN

14 Articles; 13,766 Posts

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Wash after each wearing! I work Monday-Friday so I have 5 sets and wash them all each weekend.

Editorial Team / Admin

Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN

6 Articles; 11,663 Posts

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
On 8/22/2019 at 7:30 AM, Davey Do said:

I figure it gets hot enough in the dryer that it's going to kill any pathogenic organisms that may have hitched a ride on them.

The fact that non-industrial washers/dryers don't get that hot is exactly why AORN recommends surgical scrubs be washed by the healthcare facility with temps that do get hot enough to kill. And that is probably why all of our OR scrubs tend to smell overcooked.

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