It’s been a long and messy shift. You get home and look in the mirror for the first time in six hours, and there it is ­­ a huge stain on your scrubs. What do you do? Don’t throw them away just yet. If you have a hunch that a simple washing cycle won’t do, follow these tips to help get your scrubs clean again.

Rule of thumb: Blot, don’t wipe, any stains, and use cold water instead of hot. And don’t forget, sooner is better when it comes to stain removal.

Blood (the most common of scrub stains):
If you notice a blood stain during your shift, use hydrogen peroxide. Pour some on, dab with cold water, then keep repeating until the stain is gone. When you get home, wash as normal. However, if you catch a blood stain late, dab the stain with a solution of ammonia and water before washing.

Coffee:
Try blotting a coffee stain with one part white vinegar to two parts lukewarm water and rinse. Repeat if necessary, then launder as normal. If you’d like, you can try using a dish soap/water solution when rinsing after treating with vinegar.

Pen ink:
This is especially stubborn when a pen in your pocket happens to leak. Use rubbing alcohol to dab the stain with a small sponge. Alternate with water, as to rinse away the rubbing alcohol with each motion. If you try this a few times and still aren’t seeing results, let your scrubs dry and repeat the process again. Rubbing alcohol tends to work better on dry fabrics.

Vomit:
As unsettling as it is, vomit is easiest to remove once it dries. After excess is removed, of course. Remove all dried excess possible, then soak the stain in a soapy ammonia cleaning solution ­­ water, liquid detergent, and ammonia. Try to loosen the stain as it soaks, and blot occasionally. Then, rinse well with water, making sure to remove all traces of ammonia.

Adhesive:
This one’s easy! Any leftover sticky adhesive residue can be removed with a soak in cool water.

Feces:
It’ll be tempting to just throw your scrubs away after a feces stain… but there is a way to get them out! Just use the same solution mentioned above for vomit stains, and be sure to wash thoroughly after using to remove all traces of ammonia.

Ointment:
Since ointments are greasy, not just any cleaning method will do. Use a knife to scrape any excess that you can, then sprinkle cornstarch, talcum, or even baby powder on the stain, rubbing it in evenly. You’ll notice visibly that the powder absorbs the grease. Once it’s all absorbed, brush away the leftover powder (an old toothbrush works great for this), then wash in cold water.

Alcohol­-based medications:
Unlike oily ointment stains, alcohol­-based stains don’t need special attention. Pre­treat the stain with detergent, then rinse with cold water. Throw it in the washing machine ­­ if the stain remains, repeat this process again.

If you find yourself arriving home with stains often, it might be wise to invest in a pair of stain-resistant scrubs and shoes. Until then, most stains are surprisingly easy to remove if you have the materials on hand.