To remove pet hair from scrubs, brush or lint-roll them before laundering rather than tossing hair-covered scrubs straight into the wash, where hair can transfer onto other garments or clog machine filters. Check the care label on your specific scrubs, since fiber content and any antimicrobial or fluid-repellent finish affect wash and dry settings. Just as important, check your employer's infection-control and uniform policy, since many workplaces have specific rules about laundering scrubs separately from household items, handling them before and after shifts, and what's allowed in shared facilities. When workplace policy and general laundry advice conflict, the workplace policy takes priority.
Scrubs pick up pet hair the same way any other clothing does—sitting on furniture, hugging a dog before a shift, or living in a household with shedding pets—but scrubs come with laundering considerations that go beyond a typical load of clothes. Between fabric-specific care instructions and workplace infection-control expectations, getting hair off scrubs safely means paying attention to more than just the stain or the shedding itself.
Why Pet Hair on Scrubs Deserves Extra Attention
Scrubs are worn in clinical and healthcare-adjacent settings where lint, hair, and visible debris on a uniform can be more than a cosmetic issue—it can raise questions about hygiene in front of patients, coworkers, or supervisors. Many scrub fabrics are also treated with performance finishes such as fluid repellency or antimicrobial treatment, and how you clean and dry them can affect how long those finishes last. That combination of visibility and fabric technology is why a generic "just throw it in the wash" approach doesn't always serve scrubs as well as it does everyday casual clothing.
Step One: Remove Loose Hair Before Laundering
Before scrubs go anywhere near a washing machine, take a few minutes to remove as much loose hair as possible. A lint roller, a fabric-safe lint brush, or even a slightly damp rubber glove run across the fabric will lift surface hair effectively on most scrub materials. For heavier hair buildup, shaking the garment outdoors or over a trash bin before brushing can cut down on what's left to remove by hand.
This step matters for more than tidiness. Cherokee Uniforms' guidance on washing scrubs points out that pre-treating and prepping garments before they go into the machine helps the wash cycle actually do its job, rather than asking the detergent and water to handle hair, lint, and everyday soil all at once. Removing loose hair first also reduces how much ends up redistributed onto other clothing in the same load or caught in the washing machine's lint filter and drain.
Check the Garment Label and Fiber Content
Scrub tops and pants are made from a range of fabrics—cotton-poly blends, performance stretch fabrics, and specialty antimicrobial or fluid-resistant textiles—and each can have different tolerances for water temperature, drying heat, and bleach. The care label sewn into the garment is the most reliable source for wash temperature, drying instructions, and any warnings about bleach or fabric softener, and it should take priority over general advice about "how to wash scrubs" whenever the two don't match.
Pay particular attention to labels on printed or novelty-pattern scrub tops, which are common in pediatric and some specialty units. Printed designs are often more sensitive to hot water, high heat drying, and harsh detergents than solid-colored scrubs, since the print sits on top of or is bonded to the fabric rather than woven through it. Washing printed scrubs inside out and on a cooler, gentler cycle—when the label allows it—can help preserve the design over repeated washes.
Follow Your Employer's Infection-Control and Uniform Policy
Many healthcare employers have specific written policies about how scrubs should be laundered, transported to and from the workplace, and stored, particularly in clinical settings where infection control is a priority. These policies can include rules such as laundering scrubs separately from household laundry, using a dedicated hamper or bag for transport, changing out of scrubs before leaving the facility, or restricting scrub laundering to on-site facilities in some healthcare settings. If your workplace has a documented policy on any of these points, it overrides general consumer laundering advice, including anything in this article.
If you're unsure what your workplace requires, check with your manager, an infection-control department, or your employee handbook rather than assuming standard home-laundering practices are sufficient. This is especially relevant for anyone working in surgical units, oncology, or other areas where infection-control standards tend to be stricter than a typical outpatient clinic.
Preparing Scrubs Before the Wash Cycle
A few simple preparation steps help both hair removal and overall garment longevity:
- Empty and close all pockets. Pens, small tools, and paper can snag fabric or leave marks during the wash, and open pockets can also trap hair and lint that a closed pocket would keep out.
- Turn printed or embroidered scrubs inside out. This reduces direct friction on the printed or embroidered surface during the wash and rinse cycles.
- Separate scrubs from other laundry as required. Many workplace policies call for washing scrubs apart from household clothing, and doing so also reduces the chance of pet hair or lint transferring between garments.
- Use a mesh laundry bag for delicate or printed pieces. This adds a layer of protection against friction and can help keep loosened hair contained rather than spreading through the wash drum.
Washing and Drying by Label, Not by Habit
Once loose hair is removed and the garment is prepped, wash according to the temperature and cycle the label specifies rather than defaulting to whatever setting you use for everyday clothes. The American Cleaning Institute's fabric care guidance emphasizes reading the product label as the most reliable way to get good results from any wash cycle, since fiber content and finish determine what the fabric can actually tolerate. Scrubs with antimicrobial or fluid-repellent finishes in particular may have specific temperature limits designed to preserve those treatments, and washing hotter than recommended "to be extra clean" can shorten the life of the finish without actually improving hygiene outcomes.
Drying instructions deserve the same attention. Some scrub fabrics call for lower heat or air drying to prevent shrinkage or to protect a printed design, while others tolerate standard machine drying. If your scrubs still have some hair on them after washing, a second short tumble with a dryer sheet or a few dry towels can help loosen residual hair via static and friction—but only run this extra cycle at a heat setting the label supports.
Scrub Fabric Types and General Care Considerations
| Fabric/Feature | General Care Tendency | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton-poly blend | Generally more tolerant of standard machine wash/dry | Care label temperature limits |
| Performance stretch fabric | Often prefers cooler wash, lower heat drying | Fiber content and stretch-recovery guidance |
| Antimicrobial-treated | May have specific temperature limits to preserve finish | Manufacturer notes on finish durability |
| Fluid-repellent treated | Can lose repellency with high heat or certain detergents | Detergent and dryer sheet compatibility |
| Printed or novelty pattern | Benefits from inside-out washing, cooler cycles | Print-specific care notes on the label |
Handling Hair Buildup Between Full Washes
On days when scrubs need a quick refresh between full wash cycles—not a substitute for regular laundering, just a stopgap—a lint roller or a fabric brush near the end of a shift can keep visible hair from being a distraction during patient interactions. This isn't a replacement for your workplace's laundering requirements, just a practical way to manage appearance during a workday when a full wash isn't an option. Keeping a small lint roller in a locker or bag is a low-effort habit that many pet owners in healthcare settings find useful for exactly this reason.
Related Pet Hair Removal Guides
Continue with how to get pet hair off clothes fast and remove pet hair from pet clothes. For suitable dry textile surfaces, see the FurFreeRide pet hair remover glove; follow the maker’s instructions first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fabric softener on scrubs to help release pet hair more easily?
Check the care label first, since some antimicrobial or fluid-repellent scrub finishes specifically warn against fabric softener because it can coat fibers and reduce the finish's effectiveness. If the label doesn't restrict it and your workplace policy allows it, a small amount used according to label instructions is generally fine for plain cotton-poly scrubs.
Is it safe to wash scrubs with regular household clothing if I don't work in a hospital?
This depends entirely on your specific employer's policy, since some outpatient or lower-acuity settings may not require separate laundering while hospital and surgical settings often do. When in doubt, ask your manager or check your employee handbook rather than assuming home-laundering norms apply.
Why does pet hair seem to cling to my scrubs more than my other clothes?
Many scrub fabrics use a tight, smooth weave or synthetic-blend fibers designed for durability and fluid resistance, and these fabrics can generate more static than looser cotton weaves, which draws hair in and holds it. Brushing or lint-rolling before washing, and using a dryer sheet during drying if the label allows it, can help reduce this static cling.
Can I use bleach to disinfect scrubs that have pet hair and dander on them?
Only if the care label explicitly permits bleach, since many colored, printed, and treated scrub fabrics are not bleach-safe and can fade, weaken, or lose finishes with bleach exposure. If your workplace requires a specific disinfecting protocol for uniforms, follow that protocol rather than substituting a household bleach routine.
What should I do if lint or hair keeps clogging my washing machine when I wash scrubs?
Removing as much loose hair as possible before the wash, using a mesh laundry bag, and cleaning your machine's lint filter or trap after each load can all help. If clogging continues, it may be worth checking your washing machine's manual for guidance on its specific lint trap or filter location and cleaning schedule.