Guides · medical scrubs
How to Wash Scrubs: Temperatures, Detergents and Home Laundering Guidance
Wash scrubs separately, on the hottest cycle the fabric allows, with a good detergent, then dry and iron them. Here is what infection-control guidance says and how to choose fabrics that survive it.
Wash scrubs separately from household laundry, on the hottest cycle the fabric label allows, with a full dose of a good detergent, and dry them thoroughly before wearing again. In England, NHS uniform guidance recommends 60°C for clinical uniforms washed at home. Researchers at De Montfort University advise a wash of at least 10 minutes at 60°C, or at least three minutes at 71°C. Your own facility's infection-control policy should always come first, and the fabric you choose decides whether staff can actually follow it.
This guide covers the practical steps for washing scrubs, what the evidence says about home laundering, and what clinics can do when choosing fabrics, colours and labels to make good laundering easier.
Step by step: washing scrubs at home
- Change at work if possible. Take scrubs off before leaving and carry them home in a separate washable or disposable bag, rather than wearing them on the commute.
- Keep them apart. Do not put used scrubs in the family laundry basket. Wash them in a separate load.
- Empty pockets. Pens, alcohol wipes, tissues and tape all cause damage or stains in the drum.
- Turn inside out. This protects embroidery and reduces fading and pilling on the outer surface.
- Do not overload the machine. Clothes need room to move for the detergent and water to work. A half to two-thirds full drum is a sensible rule of thumb.
- Choose the temperature. Use the hottest temperature the care label allows, and the temperature your policy specifies. For many clinical scrubs that means 60°C.
- Use a full dose of detergent. Follow the manufacturer's dose for the load and water hardness.
- Dry thoroughly. Tumble dry or line dry, then iron if the fabric allows. Damp scrubs left in the machine or a bag develop smells and mildew.
- Store cleanly. Keep clean scrubs folded away from used ones, ideally in a clean bag or drawer.
What the guidance and research say
NHS guidance in England
In England, the NHS uniform guidance sets 60°C as the recommended temperature for staff washing clinical uniforms at home. Where a fabric cannot be washed at 60°C, local policies generally ask for the hottest temperature the fabric allows.
Home machines and real-world practice
Research from De Montfort University, Leicester, published in February 2022, surveyed more than 1,200 nurses, healthcare workers and nursing students in England. It found that 17% of respondents did not wash their uniforms at the recommended 60°C at home, and that more than two-thirds would prefer their employer to launder their uniforms. The researchers also pointed out that home washing machines do not always reach the temperature shown on the dial. Professor Katie Laird, who co-led the study, recommends washing at 71°C for at least three minutes, or 60°C for at least 10 minutes, with suitable detergents.
The practical message for clinic managers: telling staff to wash at 60°C is not enough on its own. The fabric must tolerate it, and staff need the time, facilities and information to do it.
UAE facilities
In the UAE, rules on uniforms and laundering are set by each facility's infection-control policy, within the requirements of the relevant health authority for that emirate. Some hospitals launder scrubs centrally; many smaller clinics rely on staff washing at home. Whichever applies, write the expectations into your uniform policy so staff know the temperature, the detergent and how to carry used scrubs.
Temperatures and fabrics
The washing temperature you need and the fabric you choose have to agree. Choosing a fabric that cannot take your policy's temperature means either damaged scrubs or a rule nobody follows.
| Fabric | Copes with frequent hot washing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Poly-cotton | Well suited | The usual choice where 60°C washes are routine; holds colour and shape |
| 100% cotton | Tolerates heat but shrinks and fades faster | Comfortable but less durable under frequent hot washing |
| Polyester-viscose-elastane stretch | Check the care label | Very comfortable; some blends prefer lower temperatures to protect the stretch |
| Fabrics with antimicrobial or fluid-repellent finishes | Check the supplier's care instructions | Hot washes and some detergents can shorten the life of the finish |
If your team works long shifts and wants stretch fabric, ask your supplier for the recommended washing temperature before you approve the sample, and run a wash test at that temperature. If hot washing is non-negotiable, poly-cotton is the safer choice. For a full comparison, see how long scrubs last and why scrubs fade.
Detergents and additives
- Standard biological or non-biological detergent: fine for most scrubs. Use the full dose; under-dosing is a common reason for scrubs that still smell after washing.
- Bleach: avoid chlorine bleach on coloured scrubs unless the label allows it. It fades colour and weakens fibres. If your policy calls for a disinfectant, use one that is safe for coloured fabrics and follow the dose.
- Fabric softener: best kept to a minimum. It can build up on fabric, reduce absorbency and affect fluid-repellent finishes.
- Stain removal: treat blood and bodily fluid stains with cold water first. Hot water can set protein stains.
Drying, ironing and storage
- Tumble drying on a medium to hot setting helps finish the job for many fabrics, but check stretch fabrics' labels, as high heat can damage elastane.
- Line drying in the UAE sun is fast, but strong sunlight fades colours over time. Dry inside out, or in shade.
- Ironing at the temperature the fabric allows gives a smarter look and an extra heat step. Avoid ironing directly over embroidery; iron on the reverse.
- Storage: keep clean scrubs in a clean drawer or bag, not in a work bag with used items.
What clinics can do to make good laundering easier
Choose fabric for your washing reality
If staff wash at home and you want 60°C washes, choose a fabric that survives them. If you prefer stretch for comfort, confirm the care instructions and accept the trade-off.
Give staff enough sets
Staff with too few sets end up rewearing scrubs or washing on quick, cool cycles to get them dry in time. Planning enough sets per person is one of the simplest ways to improve laundering in practice.
Label for sorting
If scrubs are washed centrally or by a laundry service, size and role labels help sort garments back to the right person or department quickly.
Put it in writing
Include washing temperature, detergent, separation, transport bags and drying in your uniform policy, and give new staff a one-page summary.
Laundering checklist for staff
- Changed out of scrubs before leaving work
- Used scrubs carried in a separate bag
- Pockets emptied
- Washed separately, drum not overloaded
- Washed at the temperature in our policy (and the label allows)
- Full dose of detergent
- Dried thoroughly and ironed if allowed
- Stored away from used items
For finishes that claim to reduce bacteria on fabric, and what they can and cannot do, see antimicrobial scrubs: do they work?
Scrubs made for frequent washing
MISHAREN makes scrubs to order at its own unit in Kerala, India, for delivery across the UAE, in poly-cotton for frequent hot washing or a polyester-viscose-elastane stretch for long shifts, with size and role labels to help with laundry sorting. You can approve a sample and wash-test it at your own temperature before bulk production, and logos and names are embroidered before delivery.
To discuss fabrics that suit your clinic's laundering routine, get in touch through the contact page or see the medical scrubs page.