How to Care for Medical Scrubs and White Coats in Houston

The Daily Uniform Challenge for Houston Healthcare Workers

The Texas Medical Center employs over 60,000 people and is the largest medical complex in the world. Whether you are a physician, nurse, PA, lab tech, or administrative staff, your uniform is part of your professional identity — and it takes a beating every single shift.

Scrubs and white coats face challenges that most other garments do not: exposure to biological fluids, harsh clinical-grade disinfectants, frequent washing at high temperatures, and the constant pressure to look polished and pressed. Here is how to extend the life of your medical uniforms and keep them looking sharp.

Scrubs: Machine Wash, But Do It Right

Unlike dress shirts or suits, most scrubs are designed to withstand repeated machine washing at high temperatures — by design, since infection control requires it. But how you wash them still matters significantly for longevity.

Key tips for washing scrubs at home:

Wash separately from personal clothes. Institutional laundry guidance from most hospitals recommends washing scrubs on their own, especially if you work in an acute care or high-exposure environment.
Use the hottest water the fabric allows. Most polyester-blend scrubs tolerate 140°F (60°C), which is sufficient to kill most pathogens. Check the care label.
Avoid fabric softener on scrubs. Fabric softener coats fibers and can reduce the effectiveness of moisture-wicking fabrics. Skip it.
Tumble dry high and remove promptly. High heat kills residual bacteria. Leaving them in a warm dryer too long accelerates fabric breakdown.
Pre-treat stains immediately. The longer a biological stain sits, the harder it becomes to remove. See below.

Removing Common Clinical Stains from Scrubs

Blood stains

Always use cold water for blood — never hot. Heat denatures blood proteins and permanently sets the stain. Rinse in cold water immediately, then apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain, let it bubble for two minutes, and rinse again before laundering. For dried blood on cotton scrubs, soak in cold salt water for 30 minutes before washing.

Iodine and Betadine

Iodine stains are common in surgical settings. Pre-treat with a paste of baking soda and dish soap, let sit for 10 minutes, then launder in warm water. For severe staining, a sodium thiosulfate solution (available at pharmacies) neutralizes iodine chemically.

Medication and IV fluid stains

Treat as protein stains: cold water pre-soak followed by enzymatic laundry detergent (like Tide or Persil) before machine washing. Avoid bleach on colored scrubs — it will fade the fabric unevenly.

White Coats: Professional Pressing Matters

Your white coat is a different garment entirely. Most physician and practitioner white coats are made of cotton or a cotton-polyester blend, and while they can be machine washed, a machine-washed white coat that has not been professionally pressed looks visibly sloppy — a problem in clinical environments where appearance signals competence and authority.

Why professional pressing makes a difference:

White coats have a structured collar, chest pockets, and lapels that require pressing at precise temperatures to lay flat
Industrial presses achieve a sharper, longer-lasting crease than home irons
Starching is optional but popular — it gives white coats a crisp, formal look and helps resist wrinkles through a long shift
Professional cleaning also handles name badge holes, pen pocket discoloration, and cuff staining that accumulates over time

Most healthcare professionals bring their white coats in for laundering and pressing every two to four weeks, treating them like dress shirts rather than scrubs.

Lab Coats, Surgical Gowns, and Specialty Uniforms

If you work in a research or laboratory context, your lab coat may have additional concerns: chemical residue, solvent exposure, or regulatory requirements about laundry handling. In these cases, professional cleaning is the right choice — not home washing. Alert your cleaner to any chemical exposures so they can use appropriate handling protocols.

Disposable surgical gowns are single-use, but reusable surgical attire (common in some hospital systems) should follow institutional laundry protocols or be sent to a certified medical laundry service.

River Oaks Cleaners: Serving Houston Medical Center Professionals

River Oaks Cleaners has served Houston healthcare professionals for over 35 years. We are familiar with the unique needs of clinical uniforms and offer:

White coat laundering and pressing — crisp, professional results
Stain treatment for clinical garments — blood, iodine, medication stains
Free pickup and delivery across Houston, including the Medical Center area

If your schedule does not allow time to drop off during the week, our pickup and delivery service means you can leave your white coat with us in the morning and have it back pressed and ready by the next day. Schedule online or call your nearest location.