Sometimes you can’t help but get a little dirty at work and for certain professions in the medical field; it’s just part of the job. My job isn’t all that dirty; so I can only imagine the complications of keeping a white lab coat white, or what it takes to keep your favorite well worn hospital scrubs looking clean and professional. But what I imagine is that it’s probably not easy.

So since you probably don’t want to buy a new lab coat every time you get a stain, and since I can’t do your laundry for you, I’m going to do the next best thing; I’m going to give you tips on how to remove some tough stains from your medical scrubs. For those of you who have been wearing medical scrubs for a long time, you probably know all these tricks and more, but for those of you who are new to hospital uniforms, lab coats or scrubs; read on.

I decided to focus on a three stains that are fairly common in general and even more widespread in the medical profession: iodine, blood and ink. I’ve used all the stain removal methods below and I can definitely say that they’re effective.

Iodine Stains
1. The first thing to know about iodine stains is that you should not wash them out with any detergent containing oxygen bleach or chlorine. These can set in the stain, which will make it even more difficult to remove.
2. Use a detergent without either of these ingredients and rub it directly on the stain.
3. Wash as usual.
4. If the stain persists, mix one tablespoon of sodium thiosulfate with warm water.
5. Blot the stain.
6. Wash again.

Blood & Ink Stains
1. If the stain has dried, first soak in water for 10-20 minutes.
2. Apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain. When it reacts with the blood or ink it will begin to bubble.
3. Let it sit for a few minutes.
4. Rub away the stain.
5. Rinse with cold water.
6. Repeat as necessary.
7. Wash as usual.

I hope that these tips help you keep your lab coats and scrubs from Lydia's looking clean, new and professional. If you have additional tips on how to keep scrubs in their best shape, leave a comment and share them with everyone! Or if you have any questions about keeping your medical uniform as clean as you can, feel free to ask.