As a travel nurse, scrubs are an important part of your job. They’re both a uniform and a protective garment that helps prevent the spread of germs carried on your clothes. Keeping your scrubs clean and in good condition benefits the health of your patients, as well as yourself. But the disinfecting process can cause wear and tear on these pieces of your nursing wardrobe.
Seven ways to extend the life of your scrubs
To get the most mileage out of your scrubs, follow these seven maintenance tips:
- Do a pretreatment. When you get a fresh pair—before you even wear them—soak your scrubs in a water and vinegar bath. Just wash them in a mixture of one cup cold water and ½ cup vinegar. This will help set the color, plus vinegar is a natural disinfectant.
- Treat stains right away. As soon as you can, use a stain pen, or soak your scrubs in a stain-removal solution. Nothing makes scrubs look worn out quite like stains.
- Only wear your scrubs to work. It’s best to change into your scrubs after you arrive, and change out of them before you leave your shift. Don’t wear your scrubs outside the hospital as pajamas or leisure wear. Reserving them only for work will help them last longer.
- Choose white scrubs when possible. Colored and patterned scrubs are harder to keep from fading. But white scrubs can easily be disinfected with bleach to keep them white and bright!
- Pay attention to care labels. Wash your scrubs based on label information. Deviating from these instructions can cause scrubs to lose shape, shrink or wear out faster. Washing inside out can help slow the fading of colored and patterned scrubs. It can also help to wash your scrubs separately from other clothing due to the special care scrubs require for disinfecting.
- Purchase high-quality scrubs. As with anything—including scrubs—you get what you pay for. So, spring for scrubs that cost more, rather than rock-bottom prices. You’ll be glad you did when you don’t have to constantly replace them.
- Press your scrubs after each washing. This will help you look fresh and professional, plus the heat of a hot iron adds an extra level of disinfectant, helping to kill germs.
Know when to replace your scrubs
If your scrubs are stained, threadbare in spots, no longer fit right or have visible signs of wear and tear, it’s time to say goodbye. Your uniform is an important part of your professional image, so you want to look your best in good-looking scrubs!
Looking for your next travel nurse job?
The experts at MedPro will help you find placements you love! Your recruiter will work with you to understand your aspirations as a travel nurse and maximize your positive experiences. And because we want each assignment to be your best yet, we offer the MedPro Experience program—providing you with travel nurse tips, support and even gifts while you’re on the road. To learn more and begin your travel nurse career, contact us today at 1-800-866-8108, or apply below.
Want to keep reading? Check out these past blog posts:
- How a Minimalist Wardrobe Can Make Traveling to Assignments Easier
- Packing Tips for Your First Travel Nursing Assignment
- What Should You Wear to a Travel Healthcare Job Interview?
