How Safe are Your Scrubs?

By Jordie Papa

Image courtesy of Uniform Destination

Working in the healthcare industry means coming into contact with all kinds of substances, some of which are pathogenic.  This represents two dangers:

      1.      Health workers coming into contact with contagion only to become infected by it

      2.      And/or passing contagion along to those they come into contact with 

Bacteria Loves to Hitch a Ride on Scrubs

It’s a fact that studies have shown MRSA bacteria is transferred from patients to hospital workers 70% of the time. What’s even more worrisome is that the same studies show a worker doesn’t even have to come into contact with an infected patient to pick up the bacteria.  Just being in the same room with a patient can be enough to pass along the pathogen.  Once they hitch a ride, bacteria can hang on for a surprising amount of time.

“We know it can live for long periods of time on fabrics,” said Marcia Patrick, an infection control expert in Tacoma, Wash., and co-author of the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology guidelines for eliminating MRSA in hospitals. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/health/23well.html

Scrubs weren’t the only culprits in the spread of germs.  A 2004 study conducted at New York Hospital Medical Center also identified neckties as being a hotbed for pathogens.

New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens compared the ties of 40 doctors and medical students with those of 10 security guards. It found that about half the ties worn by medical personnel were a reservoir for germs, compared with just 1 in 10 of the ties taken from the security guards. The doctors’ ties harbored several pathogens, including those that can lead to staph infections or pneumonia.

Image by Uniform Destination

The secret to stemming the spread of germs when it comes to medical uniforms is to handle them with care.  If your scrubs come into contact with an infected patient or wind up being contaminated with biological material, they need to be changed as soon as possible. 

Treat soiled scrubs with a stain remover before washing.  Always wash scrubs together with other scrubs, making sure you don’t overload the washing machine.  To safely disinfect medical uniforms requires room enough for detergent to eliminate any biological contamination. (For scrubs that have become stained via contact with biological material, it is preferable to wash them twice before wearing them, just to be on the safe side.)

  

Highway to the Danger Zone

Far from being a hazard to other patients, biological transfer of germs can infect family, friends and even strangers. While there are no hard and fast rules concerning the handling of medical uniforms in this country as of yet, that doesn’t mean other countries have been so lax.

Some hospitals in Denmark and Europe have adopted wide-ranging infection-control practices that include provisions for the clothing that health care workers wear both in and out of the hospital. Workers of both sexes must change into hospital-provided scrubs when they arrive at work and even wear sanitized plastic shoes, also provided by the hospital. At the end of the day, they are required to change back into their street clothes to go home.

The salient point is not to point an accusing finger at scrubs, lab coats or any other attire that medical workers wear.  The point is to make sure all medical workers understand when it comes to cross-contamination, you’re better safe than sorry.

Recommended Cleaning Procedures

     

Image courtesy of Uniform Destination

1.      Pretreat as Needed – Use a spot-cleaner on your scrubs whenever you see an obvious stain.  Not only will it help reduce the chance of a pathogen surviving in the washing machine, but it will also prevent stains from setting in.

      2.      The Initial Wash Cycle – Set your washer on the normal washing cycle and make sure you don’t overload the machine.  For the first cycle, use cold water and ordinary detergent.  Make sure you only wash your scrubs with other scrubs.

      3.      The Second Cycle – The second time around use hot water and color-safe bleach. The bleach will help eradicate any pathogens that survived the first wash.

      4.      Turn Up the Heat – Unless the care tag on your outfit specifically prohibits you from using high heat, you want to set your dryer on the highest setting. This will help kill any bacteria that survived the washing machine.

      5.      Iron Them Out – Last but not least, ironing your scrubs will finish off any stragglers.  (As all hospital workers know, trying to completely eradicate bacteria is a tricky business.)

      6.      Bag Your Scrubs – Once you have eliminated the contamination, you should roll your scrubs up (don’t fold them) and slip them individually into a sealable plastic bag. 

      7.      Disinfect the Washer – The best way to disinfect the washer is to add a cup of bleach and run a hot water cycle without any clothing.  Also, use an anti-bacterial spray on the lid and the control knobs. 

While it might take a little extra care to keep your scrubs germ-free, it’s well worth the effort.

Jordie Papa owns and operates Uniform Destination in Jacksonville, Orange Park and St. Augustine, Florida.  For more information on her locations go to http://www.uniformdestinations.com