How to Wash Workwear Properly

Workwear isn’t like weekend laundry. It collects grease, grit, sweat, and sometimes contamination—and the wrong wash routine can leave clothes looking “clean” but still smelling bad, wearing out faster, or (in the case of hi-vis) losing performance.

At Hamlet Laundry Ltd (London), we clean workwear every day—from light-duty uniforms to heavy-duty gear and hi-vis. This guide shares the same logic we use in professional laundering, translated into safe, practical steps you can apply at home or in a workplace laundry setup.

The 7-step workwear wash method

If you only read one section, read this:

1. Check the care label and assess contamination risk
2. Empty pockets (seriously), close zips, fasten Velcro
3. Sort by soil level (light vs heavy) and fabric type
4. Pre-treat stains (especially grease/oil)
5. Wash at the hottest temperature the garment allows
6. Use the right detergent (enzyme vs non-bio, correct dose)
7. Dry properly (avoid damaging reflective trims and technical fabrics)

Keep reading if you want the “why” and the pro-level stain/hi-vis protocols.

Safety first: When you should not wash workwear at home

Some workwear should not go into a home washer at all—because cross-contamination is a real risk.

Do not home-wash garments that may be contaminated with:

• Unknown chemicals or solvents
• Asbestos/insulation dust or hazardous fine powders
• Heavy pesticide exposure
• Biological hazards (e.g., bodily fluids) without proper handling guidance

In healthcare contexts, even official guidance notes that facilities should provide laundering or clear instructions based on exposure risk.

What to do instead

• Isolate the garment (bag it), avoid mixing it with other laundry, and follow employer/site guidance.
• For teams, consider professional laundering where processes are controlled and loads are separated.

Why workwear needs different laundry rules: the 5 levers of cleaning

When people say “my work clothes still smell,” it’s usually because one of these levers is off:

1. Temperature (how hot the wash is)
2. Chemistry (detergent type and dose)
3. Time (cycle length + soak/pre-wash)
4. Mechanical action (agitation, drum movement)
5. Loading (too full = poor rinsing and poor soil removal)

A peer-reviewed household laundry study measuring soil removal and bacterial reduction showed that outcomes vary substantially with temperature and detergent concentration—highlighting that “lower temperature” isn’t automatically equivalent unless the rest of the process is adjusted.

Step-by-step: How to wash work clothes in a washing machine

Step 1: Read the care label and do a 20-second inspection

• Check the wash temp, drying method, and warnings (e.g., “no softener,” “no bleach”).
• Brush off dry mud/grit outside if possible.
• Look for contamination signs (chemical smell, unusual residues). If in doubt, don’t home-wash.

Step 2: Empty pockets and protect the garment

• Empty pockets (screws, pens, blades, anything sharp).
• Close zips and fasten Velcro to prevent snagging.
• Turn garments inside-out when the label allows (helps protect outer finishes and prints).

Step 3: Sort by soil level (not just colours)

Sort into at least two loads:

• Light soil (office uniforms, lightly worn polos, clean site vests)
• Heavy soil (grease, mud, construction dust, workshop wear)

This matters because heavy soil needs more chemistry/time and can redeposit onto cleaner items.

Step 4: Pre-treat stains (this is where most people win or lose)

For workwear, pre-treatment isn’t optional—it’s the difference between “mostly clean” and properly clean.

General rule: apply a stain remover or a small amount of detergent directly to the stain, gently work it in, and wait 10–30 minutes.

Why this works (simple science): enzyme detergents commonly use enzymes like proteases (good on protein-based stains) and lipases (help with fats/oils). A recent study tested protease–lipase combinations and found improved stain removal on cotton and polyester fabrics compared to detergent alone.

Step 5: Choose wash temperature wisely

Use the hottest temperature the garment label allows that still fits your safety and fabric needs.

Hygiene note (honest and specific): In healthcare uniform research, domestic laundering at 60°C for 10 minutes was found sufficient to decontaminate hospital uniforms in the study setup, achieving very high bacterial reduction, with detergent helping and ironing removing post-wash recontamination.
That doesn’t mean “everyone must wash everything at 60°C,” but it does support a real principle: temperature + detergent + process quality materially affect hygiene outcomes.

A separate peer-reviewed study comparing different household wash scenarios found that bacterial reduction and soil removal can trade off depending on the temperature and detergent concentration used.

Practical rule of thumb

• If your job is high-sweat / high-odor / high-contact, prioritize a process that actually removes residues (not just “looks clean”).
• If the garment is technical/hi-vis, prioritize label + tape guidance (next section).

Step 6: Detergent choice (what actually matters)

• Enzyme (“bio”) detergents often help on mixed real-life stains (sweat, food, grime).
• Non-bio can be useful where enzymes aren’t desired (skin sensitivity or certain fabrics/requirements).

Two practical notes we see often:

• Overdosing detergent can cause residue → residue traps odor.
• Underdosing on heavy soil leads to “washed but not clean.”

If your machine has it, an extra rinse helps on heavy loads.

Step 7: Drying without shrinkage or damage

• Don’t over-dry cotton-heavy workwear (shrinkage + fiber stress).
• Don’t bake hi-vis or reflective trims at high heat unless guidance says it’s okay.
• Never leave a wet load sitting for hours—odor and microbial survival is a known problem in laundering discussions.

Grease protocol: How to wash oily, mechanic, and workshop workwear

This is the #1 workwear washing problem.

What makes grease hard?

Grease often binds with fine particulates (dust/metal grime), creating a soil mix that plain washing struggles to lift without pre-treatment.

Hamlet Laundry’s grease routine (home-safe version)

1. Scrape/blot excess grease (paper towel; don’t rub it deeper)
2. Pre-treat with a stain remover or detergent directly on the grease
3. If fabric allows, run a warm pre-wash or longer main wash
4. Wash heavy grease items separately from normal clothes
5. Use an extra rinse if detergent residue is likely
6. Air-dry first if unsure—heat can set stains; then rewash if needed

Pro tip: If a garment comes out with a “clean smell” but the stain remains, don’t tumble dry it yet. Re-treat and wash again.

Hi-vis protocol: How to wash hi-vis clothing without ruining reflectivity

Hi-vis isn’t just clothing—it’s safety gear.

Many hi-vis garments use retroreflective tapes designed to meet performance requirements associated with EN ISO 20471 high-visibility garments. Tape manufacturers publish care instructions because the tape performance depends on correct processing. For example, ORAFOL’s ORALITE garment tape documents describe tape use on EN ISO 20471:2013 garments and discuss industrial wash-cycle qualification on specific background fabrics.

The safe hi-vis washing rules (most labels align with these)

• Avoid fabric softener unless the label explicitly allows it (it can leave coatings/residue)
• Close Velcro and zips (Velcro is a tape killer)
• Wash inside out when allowed
• Use moderate temperature unless the label states otherwise
• Avoid harsh bleaching unless garment guidance permits it
• Dry gently; avoid excessive heat

Some ORALITE care documents also note certification/testing for a number of wash cycles under specified methods and emphasize that changing the process changes responsibility—meaning: follow the specified care process if you need performance retention.

When to replace hi-vis
Replace if:

• reflective strips crack/peel
• fabric is permanently stained (visibility compromised)
• tape no longer reflects properly

Odor & hygiene: How to remove smells and keep workwear hygienic

Odor isn’t just “dirt.” It’s often:

• sweat residue
• detergent residue
• bacteria living in residues
• poor drying/storage

What works in real life

• Don’t overload the washer (residue won’t rinse out)
• Consider an extra rinse for heavy loads
• Dry thoroughly and store dry (damp storage is a known risk for microbial survival).
• If odor persists, rewash with better pre-treatment and correct detergent dose before blaming the machine.

Evidence note: household laundry testing shows different wash parameters change bacterial reduction outcomes; temperature and detergent concentration matter.

Fabric & garment guide: fast reference table

How often should you wash workwear?

Use “soil level” and “odor” as your guide—plus job requirements.

A practical baseline:

• Mechanics/workshops: usually every shift (oil + particulates)
• Construction/trades: often every shift depending on dust/mud/sweat
• Hospitality/food: every shift (hygiene + smell transfer)
• Light-duty uniforms: every 1–2 wears only if genuinely clean and odor-free

If you’re in a hygiene-critical environment, follow employer/site policy.

Aftercare: Stop cross-contamination and keep your washing machine fresh

If you regularly wash heavy soil loads:

• Run periodic maintenance cycles (as your machine manual recommends)
• Wipe seals and leave the door ajar to dry
• Don’t leave wet loads sitting in the drum

The core principle: drying prevents odor recurrence and helps reduce microbial persistence in laundry workflows.

For London teams: Scaling workwear laundry without the headache

If you manage uniforms for a team, the “home method” breaks down because:

• volumes spike
• garments vary by role (front-of-house vs kitchen vs on-site)
• turnaround time matters

That’s where a professional system helps: consistent sorting, stain handling, controlled processes, and reliable schedules.

If you’re based in London and want workwear handled end-to-end, Hamlet Laundry Ltd can help with a practical workflow (pickup/delivery depending on your setup) so your team’s gear stays clean, presentable, and longer-lasting—without you spending evenings fighting grease stains.

FAQs

Can I wash work clothes with normal clothes?

It’s better not to. Workwear often carries heavier soil (grease, grit, and odors) that can redeposit on normal laundry. If you must mix, only combine lightly soiled workwear with similar fabrics, and avoid mixing heavily soiled items with everyday clothes.

What temperature should I wash workwear?

Use the hottest temperature the care label allows that fits the garment’s materials and your use case. Research on healthcare uniforms shows that 60°C in a controlled domestic laundering setup can decontaminate uniforms effectively, but not all workwear is designed for that temperature—always follow the label.

How do you remove grease from work clothes?

Pre-treat the grease before washing: apply a stain remover or detergent directly, wait 10–30 minutes, then wash the garment separately if it’s heavily soiled. Avoid tumble-drying until the stain is gone, because heat can set it.

Can hi-vis clothing go in the tumble dryer?

Sometimes, but it depends on the garment and the reflective tape guidance. Hi-vis garments are designed to meet EN ISO 20471 performance expectations, and tape manufacturers publish care instructions—follow the label and tape guidance to protect reflectivity.

What’s the best detergent for work clothes?

For many real-world stains, enzyme (“bio”) detergents can help—because enzymes target specific soils (like proteins and fats). A recent study found protease–lipase combinations improved stain removal on common fabrics. If you prefer non-bio for sensitivity reasons, use correct dosing and strong pre-treatment for heavy stains.

Final takeaway from Hamlet Laundry

Workwear laundry isn’t about perfection—it’s about repeatable routines that protect hygiene, safety, and garment life. If you follow the 7-step method, add the grease protocol when needed, and treat hi-vis like the safety equipment it is, your workwear will stay cleaner, last longer, and smell better.

And if you’re in London managing uniforms at scale, Hamlet Laundry Ltd can take the load off—literally—so your team shows up ready, every shift.

Ready to Stop Fighting Dirty Workwear? Let Hamlet Laundry Handle It 🧺✨

Washing workwear properly takes time, consistency, and the right process—especially when you’re dealing with grease, heavy soil, uniforms, or hi-vis clothing. That’s exactly where Hamlet Laundry Ltd comes in.

Based in London, we help businesses and professionals keep their workwear clean, hygienic, and ready for every shift, without the hassle of managing it themselves.

Why London teams choose Hamlet Laundry 👇

✅ Professional workwear & uniform laundry
We understand workwear—heavy-duty garments, uniforms, and hi-vis aren’t treated like everyday clothes.

🚚 Convenient pickup & delivery across London
No trips to the laundrette, no wasted staff time. We fit around your schedule.

🧼 Proper hygiene-focused cleaning
Our processes are designed to remove deep dirt, grease, odors, and residues, not just make clothes “look clean.”

🦺 Hi-vis & specialist garment care
We handle reflective and technical workwear carefully to help maintain performance and appearance.

⏱️ Consistent turnaround, every time
So your team always has clean, ready-to-wear garments when they need them.

Who we help

• Construction & trade teams
• Mechanics & workshops
• Hospitality & food service businesses
• Offices with uniforms or branded workwear
• Any London business managing workwear at scale

💡 If workwear laundry is costing you time, energy, or garment lifespan, it’s time to outsource it properly.

👉 Contact Hamlet Laundry Ltd today and let us take care of your workwear—so you can focus on running your business, not running the washing machine.

Clean workwear. Reliable service. One less thing to worry about.