How to fix your scrubs in a crisis

Sewing kit
Let’s say you get a rip in your scrubs—maybe when moving a patient you tear the armpit, or when squatting down you realize that your behind is now exposed (hint…that’s a sure sign that it’s time to buy new scrubs…the fabric has just worn out from too many washes).

But you’re at work, not at the uniform store buying new scrubs, and your rip has to be fixed, and right away.

For this kind of jam, make sure you have a mini emergency sewing kit. If you only purchase a single item for your fashion fixes, this is the one to get! It’s ideal not only because of its small size, but because it carries the basics when you’re in a jam.

Sewing kits come in fun, colorful cases and contain enough thread colors to invisibly mend your scrubs in a jiffy. And the price is right. I also keep a kit in my car for on-the-road emergency repairs.

Stain wipes
There is nothing that can make you feel like you want to go home and change more than when you get a big stain on your scrubs. For those moments, I keep packaged cleaning wipes in my purse. I like Shout Wipe & Go. For about $24, you get 80 individually packaged wipes. They’re so small you can put a couple of them in your in scrub pockets for any unfortunate mishaps at work. They’re fine on color-fast clothes and dry-cleanable fabric.

If you have a small stain, try to feather out your motions away from the stain. It will avoid creating a ring around your original stain.

Three small, simple things — toupee tape, a mini sewing kit, and wipes. They can take a fashion disaster and turn it into a minor inconvenience that barely slows down a busy nurse.