It’s important to keep workwear in good condition to ensure that it is comfortable to wear as well as to increase its lifespan. When you invest in high quality work clothing, you want to be sure you’re getting the most out of it.
You need to consider how you’re washing your workwear in order to maintain the quality and benefits, and to make sure you aren’t damaging your items.
How often should you wash workwear?
How often you wash workwear varies based on what type of garment it is, and the risk of your industry.
As a general rule, most workwear should be washed every 1-3 wears, to ensure it remains clean enough to work in effectively. However, if you work with hazardous substances, excess dirt, or chemicals, you should consider washing/changing your workwear daily.
The most important question to ask yourself is: how many days can I wear this item before it becomes uncomfortable, smelly, or begins becoming less effective at its purpose (protective, insulative, breathable)? This is the point at which you should definitely be washing work clothing.
Can workwear go in the washing machine?
Most workwear can go in the washing machine, but it’s important to read the specific guidance in the label or description of each product before you put it in the wash. For example, the Dickies Stamford jacket can be machine-washed, but it’s best to do so on a colder temperature cycle to avoid damage.
Another machine-washable item is the Dewalt Hamden Work Shorts, which allows for easy maintenance and care.
Advice for putting work clothes in the washing machine
When putting your work clothes in the washing machine, there are a few things you should check or consider to avoid damaging or degrading the items:
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Check care labels - Make sure to properly consult the care labels in each item, using correct washing and drying temperatures.
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Remove excess dirt - Shake/brush off excess dirt which might collect inside the actual drum of the machine, to prolong the lifespan of the machine as well as the clothing.
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Prepare items - To avoid damage, you should close zips, buttons, and any other fastenings.
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Pretreat harsh stains - For harsher or more noticeable stains, use a pre-wash stain remover.
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Wash inside out - Turning items inside out before washing prevents unnecessary wear and tear on outer fabrics and details.
For workwear which isn’t suitable for machine washing, you don’t need to worry, because hand-washing is relatively easy and helps maintain your items.
Have a look at our top 5 workwear brands.
How to hand wash workwear
Here is our step-by-step guide to effectively handwashing your workwear items:
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Check label - The label on each item may have a handwash symbol, indicating that it is suitable/better to handwash.
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Prepare water - Use a clean sink or basin with lukewarm water, to avoid damage to delicate fabrics or designs. Add a small amount of laundry detergent.
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Submerge workwear - Take your garment and place it under the water, ensuring it is thoroughly soaked all over.
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Agitate - Gently, swirl the garment around in the soapy water, and agitate between your fingers. This helps to remove dirt and bacteria from the surface. If necessary, allow the item to soak for 10-15 minutes too.
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Rinse thoroughly - After washing and removing all stains, drain your basin and refill your sink with cool to lukewarm water, dunking and squeezing the soapy water from each item. Try to repeat this until no more bubbles come from the garment, meaning all soap is removed.
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Dry - Wring excess water out into the sink, then hang the items up to air dry, or lay them out on a towel in their indented shape.
Check out our guide to cleaning workboots.
Can you remove stains from work clothes?
Most stains can be removed from work clothes, especially if you act quickly to treat the stain. Depending on the type of stain, substances such as dish soap, white vinegar, and stain removers alongside a hotter wash (if safe for the garment) are most effective for stain removal.
Below is a list of specific types of stain, and what to use to treat them:
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Grease/oil - Try a grease-fighting dish soap.
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Dirt/mud - Baking soda paste or general detergent
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Ink stains - Rubbing alcohol or hand sanitiser
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Sweat stains - Baking soda paste or white vinegar and water solution
Unavoidably, some stains won’t come out, especially those you don’t manage to treat immediately. Usually however, these stains are relatively common in manual labour roles, and they won’t ruin the functionality of your work clothes.