Why “proper washing” matters
Workwear isn’t ordinary clothing; it carries protective functions such as visibility, flame/heat resistance, chemical barriers, or antistatic properties. Improper washing dulls reflective tapes, weakens flame-retardant finishes, opens barrier seams, and reduces the garment’s real protection level.
Read the care symbols correctly
Tub temperature: Maximum wash temperature (30/40/60/95 °C).
Triangle: Bleaching (for most workwear prohibited).
Square with circle: Tumble drying (one dot: low heat; two dots: medium).
Iron icon: Iron setting (often low for FR and hi-vis).
Circle: Dry-cleaning suitability.
Always follow the label first; the rules below are general guidance.
General washing principles (all workwear)
Pre-sorting: Separate by color, soil type, and risk class; keep hi-vis and FR garments apart from everyday laundry.
Pre-cleaning: Remove mud/particulates with a brush or cold water; hot water can set protein/oil soils.
Detergent choice: Avoid bleach, optical brighteners, and high-alkaline formulas. Prefer liquid, near-neutral detergents.
Temperature: Do not exceed the label maximum; 30–40 °C is a safe range for many products.
Load & spin: Don’t overfill the drum; it increases wear and tape failure. Keep spin speed low/medium.
Softeners: Non-compatible softeners can harm flame-retardant finishes and absorbent barriers; avoid unless specified.
Drying: If permitted, tumble dry on low; preferably line dry to minimize thermal stress.
Post-check: After washing, inspect reflective tapes, seams, and zippers; if you see peeling, cracking, or lifting, remove from service.
Risk-specific care instructions
High-visibility (hi-vis) garments
Reflective tapes are sensitive to heat and abrasion; rarely exceed 40 °C.
Do not use optical brighteners; they can distort fluorescent background colors.
Wash inside-out to reduce direct abrasion on tapes.
Use low heat when ironing; avoid direct contact with tapes.
Flame-resistant (FR) and heat-resistant garments
FR performance may be from a topical finish or inherent fiber; in both cases chlorine bleach is prohibited.
Fabric softeners and starch can increase the risk of flashover; avoid.
If the label allows, wash at 40–60 °C; higher temperatures shorten finish life.
Iron at low/medium and take care around metal accessories.
Chemical-barrier coveralls
“Disposable” models are not washable; if contaminated, follow procedure for safe disposal.
For re-usable barriers, any taped seam failure ends protection; visual inspection is essential.
For oil/solvent soils, follow the manufacturer’s pre-treatment guidance; do not use household solvents.
Antistatic/ESD garments
Because of conductive yarns/carbon fibers, softeners and high heat reduce performance.
Ensure continuity of grounding through metal accessories; replace damaged parts.
Removing oil, grease, and heavy soils
Pre-masking: Apply an industrial pre-treatment (enzyme/diluted degreaser) briefly to stained areas.
Prefer a two-stage program: pre-wash + main wash.
For very dirty loads, increase water level and reduce spin to limit mechanical abrasion.
Drying and ironing
Low-heat tumble only; high heat dulls reflectives, degrades FR finishes, and causes shrinkage.
Line drying better preserves garment shape and seam integrity.
If using steam or a hot iron, avoid contact with tapes/heat-transfers; use a press cloth when needed.
Industrial laundry vs. home washing
Industrial: Reproducible programs, water-hardness control, dosing pumps, and recordable processes yield consistency.
Home: Practical for small teams but operator-dependent; training and a checklist are essential.
Service life, monitoring, and replacement criteria
The label may specify a “maximum wash count” or performance life; once exceeded, protection may decline even without obvious damage.
Remove garments from service if you observe:
Cracking/peeling or pronounced dullness on reflective tape
Burns/melting or seam failure on FR items
Open seam tape, holes/tears on barrier coveralls
Broken conductive yarns or loss of continuity on ESD garments
Eight common mistakes
Washing at 60–90 °C when the label states 30–40 °C
Using chlorine or oxygen bleach out of habit
Distorting hi-vis colors with optical brighteners
Excessive spin speeds—early wear on tapes and seams
Overloading heavily soiled batches
Using softener in every cycle
High-heat tumble drying
Skipping post-wash visual inspection
Step-by-step standard wash flow (suggested)
Sort – Check the label.
Pre-treat – Remove stains/grease.
Wash – 30–40 °C, near-neutral detergent, medium spin.
Rinse – Rinse thoroughly; avoid chemical residue.
Dry – Low heat or line dry.
Inspect – Tapes, seams, zippers, tears.
Record – Log wash count and any non-conformities.
FAQs
Can I use regular household detergent?
Yes—if it’s near-neutral and free of bleach and optical brighteners. Always follow the label.
Are fabric softeners harmful?
They can reduce performance on FR, hi-vis, and ESD garments; generally not recommended unless specified.
Is home washing safe?
It can be when instructions are followed, but for teams, industrial laundering offers better consistency and documentation.
The reflective tape looks dull—can I keep using the garment?
Visibility performance is compromised. With pronounced dullness/peeling, remove the garment from service or replace the tape.
Conclusion
Correct washing of workwear is critical for maintaining protective function, legal compliance, and service life. Follow the label, avoid aggressive chemicals and high heat, inspect after every cycle, and apply the extra rules required for risk-specific garments (hi-vis, FR, chemical barriers, ESD).
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