Company Blog
Scrubs to Lab Coats: Why Healthcare Uniform Cleaning Requires Specialized Service
A nurse’s scrubs touch 30 different surfaces before lunch. A lab coat moves from the break room to the ICU to radiology in a single morning. A surgeon’s jacket hangs in the locker room next to street clothes, then goes straight into the OR.
Healthcare uniforms don’t just identify who’s who. They travel everywhere, collecting whatever they touch along the way: door handles, bedrails, keyboards, patients. By shift’s end, these aren’t just wrinkled clothes. They’re contaminated textiles that need more than a standard wash cycle.
This is why cleaning healthcare uniforms isn’t a laundry task, it’s infection control. Regular laundering can’t address what these garments encounter throughout a shift, which is exactly why medical uniform cleaning services exist: to handle the contamination that standard processes miss.
Uniforms Carry Risk in Ways Other Textiles Do Not
Linens like sheets and towels usually stay in one place. Uniforms do not. They travel across departments and across time. A nurse may wear the same scrubs through admissions, patient care, charting, and break areas. A lab coat may move between exam rooms and testing spaces all day.
That movement matters.
Research from the American Journal of Infection Control found that 60% of nurses’ uniforms tested positive for potentially pathogenic bacteria at the end of their shifts, with some bacteria surviving on fabric for days or weeks.
According to CDC guidelines on healthcare laundry, contaminated textiles require specialized processing to minimize microbial contamination and prevent disease transmission. But, the issue is not appearance. It is what cannot be seen and how garments are managed before and after washing.
Specialized uniform services account for this reality. General laundry does not.
Cleaning Healthcare Apparel Requires Controlled Processes
Uniform fabrics vary. Some need durability where others need flexibility or comfort. Cleaning them correctly means balancing performance with protection.
Healthcare-focused providers use controlled wash formulas and monitored temperatures. CDC guidelines require water temperatures of at least 160°F for 25 minutes to achieve proper disinfection.
Items don’t move casually from washer to cart to shelf. Every step has intent behind it. A medical uniform cleaning service treats apparel as a working component of healthcare operations, not as standard clothing.
Certification Is the Difference Between Clean and Healthcare-Grade
Hospitals cannot rely on assumptions when it comes to uniforms. That is why certification matters.
MEDtegrity supports healthcare providers through a national network of independently owned laundry facilities holding either HLAC Accreditation or TRSA Hygienically Clean certification. Both are recognized standards in healthcare laundry processing. HLAC addresses how a facility operates, from layout to workflow to employee practices. TRSA Hygienically Clean certification confirms that textiles meet verified cleanliness benchmarks through testing.
Either certification ensures garments are processed in environments designed for healthcare, not adapted for it. For leadership teams, certification removes guesswork. It provides documented assurance that uniforms are handled under standards aligned with patient and staff safety expectations.
Uniform Cleaning Directly Affects Staff Protection
Uniforms serve as a barrier between staff and their surroundings. When garments are improperly cleaned or inconsistently handled, that barrier weakens.
Staff confidence matters here. When clinicians trust that their scrubs or lab coats return hygienically clean and intact, they stop thinking about their apparel and focus on care. When trust breaks down, distractions creep in.
A specialized uniform service supports staff by returning garments that feel consistent, comfortable, and reliable. Over time, that consistency builds confidence across teams.
Managing Uniform Programs Is More Complex Than It Appears
Hospitals often underestimate how much coordination uniform programs require. Different departments use different garments. Sizes vary, replacement cycles matter and loss or wear can add up.
Professional uniform services bring structure to this process. Inventory tracking, scheduled distribution, and controlled replacement reduce friction across departments. Instead of reacting to shortages, hospitals operate with clearer visibility and steadier supply.
This is especially important in facilities where multiple shifts depend on the same uniform pool.
Why In-House Uniform Cleaning Creates Hidden Pressure
Some hospitals attempt to manage uniform cleaning internally. While this may seem efficient on paper, it introduces quiet strain.
Laundry staff must juggle production alongside other facility needs. Equipment limits volume. Space constraints affect handling. Monitoring performance becomes one more responsibility layered onto already busy teams.
Outsourcing shifts that pressure away from the hospital. The provider absorbs staffing, equipment, and processing responsibility, while the hospital receives finished garments ready for use.
Uniform Care Works Best as Part of a Larger System
Uniform cleaning should not operate in isolation. It works best when paired with delivery schedules, garment tracking, and clear accountability.
MEDtegrity’s network supports these systems while maintaining certified processing standards across every facility. Each location operates locally while aligning with national expectations, which allows programs to stay responsive without sacrificing consistency.
Hospitals benefit from service that adapts to real-world workflows rather than forcing departments to work around laundry limitations.
Ready to Improve How Your Facility Handles Uniform Cleaning?
Healthcare uniforms require more than basic washing. They need consistent handling, verified cleaning standards, and a process designed for healthcare environments.
If your organization is reviewing its current uniform program or considering a change, MEDtegrity can help. Contact our team to discuss your uniform needs and learn what a healthcare-focused program can look like for your facility.
