5 TIPS FOR KEEPING POLICE UNIFORMS CLEAN

5 TIPS FOR KEEPING POLICE UNIFORMS CLEAN

Those dreaded uniforms. I mean that in the nicest way possible and only from the laundry point of view. Those uniforms mean so much to me. They display his badge, his blood and sweat, his smell, his hard work, and so much more. I love the way he looks in it. I can look at those uniforms and they paint a picture for me of what he did on his shift. I am PROUD to see him wear it. But, washing them, no thanks, not my favorite.

Here are my top 5 tips for washing your LEOs (law enforcement officers) uniforms:

–BE PREPARED:

Wash them with as much advanced notice as possible. I can’t tell you how many times my LEO woke up for work and was “surprised” that his uniforms weren’t clean. And make sure his “favorite fitting” uniform is clean, because they all never fit the same way. Love you, honey 😉 Just try to stay ahead. Pick one day a week and have the washed on that one day, ready for your officer to wear.

–CHECK THE POCKETS:

Shirt pockets and pant pockets. How many times have you heard bullets rolling around in the dryer? I’ve lost count. Not to mention, ink pens. Even if your cop says he has checked the pockets, check them again! I have ruined a few uniforms by not checking the pockets because he said he did check.

–WASH THEM SEPARATELY:

Just in case you didn’t check the pockets 😉 You seriously do not want ink pen all over your clothes, too. Let’s not forget how many disgusting things those uniforms may come in contact with. Believe me, you don’t want them touching your kid’s laundry. I also like to wash them on a gentle cycle. I would hate for a badge or stripe to come loose, so be better safe than sorry.

–USE ODOR BLOCKING DETERGENT:

Your LEO does many things on his/her shift. Let’s just say the uniforms don’t come home smelling quite as nice as when they left the house. I made the mistake of buying a Free & Clear Detergent in an effort to get rid of extra chemicals, but for uniforms this probably isn’t the best. I recommend buying a detergent with a strong, clean scent.

–TAKE THEM OUT OF THE DRYER AND HANG UP IMMEDIATELY:

Wrinkles on a uniform are the worst. You don’t want to be ironing in a rush either. Every now and then we send the uniforms to the cleaners for a deep clean and extra starch but for weekly cleanings, this is the way to go! We also have a stand up steam cleaner that we use on certain days. They can get the wrinkles out in a hurry. Newer dryers also have a “wrinkle free” option that you can choose.

 

I know some wives help take care of their husband’s uniforms and some do not. No matter what your style is, these tips can be helpful. As a police wife, you can use them or simply tag and share this post with your husband. (hint, hint) 😉 If you do wash uniforms, then my post on how to recognize what your officer did at work, would be right up your alley!

My husband seems to take care of his uniforms most when he has a longer stretch of days off. However, there is always that frantic wake-up call asking if I happened to wash his uniforms at least once a month. Can anyone relate?

I would love to hear from you! Any tips and tricks you use? Do you strictly go to the dry cleaners?