Begone Germy Germs: 2 Ways To Ensure Your Healthcare Uniform Don't Make Others Sick

A new career in a medical office is just what the doctor ordered; after all, there will always be people who are ill and need professional attention. Even though your role is behind the front desk, your healthcare uniform could easily trap germs which may make healthy people sick. However, there are several ways you can prevent this from happening. All you need to do is to keep these pointers in mind, so your uniform is hygienic rather than harmful.

Hot water wash

Many Australians have changed their laundry habits and now use cold water in their machine to save energy costs, but while this type of washing does get clothes clean, it doesn't get them medically clean.

Using hot water only on your work clothing goes a long way to killing germs embedded in the fabric fibres, and drying them in a dryer helps to kill off anything that made it through the washing machine. Make sure you buy your healthcare uniform one or two sizes larger than you normally wear to allow for potential shrinkage during a hot water wash and dry. If you don't want to see an increase in your home electricity bill, take your uniform to a laundromat and get your uniform hot washed and dried there. This cost is a legitimate tax deduction on your annual return.

New uniform daily

The next step you can take to make sure you don't transport germs on your medical scrubs is to have a fresh pair for wearing each work day. At the end of the working day, get changed while still at the medical facility and place your uniform into a dedicated laundry bag. Travel home in your everyday clothes, and then take care of the laundry once a week.

While it does mean you need to buy enough uniforms to get you through the working week, it also removes the possibility of you transmitting germs to those around you. For example, if you stop off at the supermarket while on your way home, there is a potential for germs to pass from your clothing to others in the store. You also could transmit bugs to family members once you get home if you continue to wear your uniform around them.

Since you haven't worked in a medical facility before, this valuable information about buying and laundering your work uniform will help make sure you don't inadvertently spread any bugs when you move to and from your new place of employment.


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