How to properly wash & disinfect scrubs??!

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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So I have come into contact with many sick patients lately. Contact & droplet precautions, and just coming into too many bodily fluids for my liking when I am not gowned.

How can I properly disinfect my scrubs? I usually do cold water because the hot water will eventually break down the material, and put them in the dryer for the heat to kill any germs. What should I add in the wash? Peroxide, vinegar? Can't use bleach on colored scrubs

Specializes in Home Health.

Pine oil is a phenolic disinfectant! The traditional Pine-Sol, along with those huge green bottles of Pinalene, are the ones that really contain pine oil. The pure pine oil gets expensive, and I'm not sure how much to use, so I just get pine cleanser.

I've also been using Dettol liquid. The classic tan stuff is added to the regular wash, and the green benzalkonium chloride stuff is added to the final rinse.

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Do your clothes, and thereby you, smell like pine-sol all day?

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This was the best resource I could find and is backed up by evidence: http://www.feelslikehomeblog.com/2011/11/how-to-sanitize-your-laundry-whirlpoolmoms/

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

I wear black scrubs at my job so bleach is not an option. I use a color safe antimicrobial laundry soap and hot water and I don't have any issues.

Hppy

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Specializes in ICU.

I immediately put everything I wore to work in a separate hamper with a cloth liner bag when I get home. When I'm out of scrubs, I wash all the items and the hamper's cloth liner on the sanitize cycle for both my washer and dryer with normal laundry detergent - usually whatever's cheapest at Costco. I haven't noticed my family members picking up infections or infections being spread to different patient rooms as my patient assignment changes, but it sounds like adding Pine-sol to the mix can't hurt.

Also, unlike a previous commenter, I'm not surprised healthcare professionals are unsure how to clean their uniforms at home! No nursing professor ever told me to use Pine-sol on my clothes. It's not something we're taught like how proper hand washing and PPE are reviewed.

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A study in the UK found that there is, on average, about 0.1 g of fecal matter on every item of clothes after it has been washed. And that was studying the average household, I imagine this would be augmented in health care workers who are exposed to much more fecal matter on a daily basis.

What's a little poop among friends?

Besides, there's poop on basically everything:

It'''s Not Just Beards — the Whole World Is Covered in Poop

Best to take off your dirty scrubs after a shift and not wear them outside of the hospital, I say. Best would be if your place of business provided and laundered scrubs.

How many people have you seen at the grocery store or restaurants in their scrubs? Gross.

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I wash nurse clothes in hot water with ordinary detergent and a capful of Lysol Laundry, then dry on the hot cycle.

I also wash underwear in a separate load, same as above.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

About a month ago a friend told me to presoak with two cups white vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda the wash with regular laundry detergent. It seems to well.

Hppy

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