Visibly dirty lanyards

[OddBoots]

In no sense could I be described as a clean freak, so I surprise myself with this but I have so many questions in my head when I see people who are generally clean and tidy people with their work lanyards so clearly unwashed even occasionally.

Does it just not occur to people to clean them? It only takes seconds to unclip a pass and/or fob and put it in the wash with your clothes.

Is it odd to want to keep something that spends so long dangling around your neck (that if you work somewhere with access control doors you need to touch multiple ties a day) clean?

Am I unreasonable to think that lanyards should be washed regularly?

Thing is, I get home take the lanyard off and hang it up. Then I grab it from its special hanging place the next day. If I washed it I'd lose it. The stress!!

It would never cross my mind to put a lanyard in the washing machine. But it's also never gotten visibly dirty.

How are they clearly unwashed?

I agree op, but to me it applies with dirty backpacks too.
Some people just don’t mind dirty stuff.

Teachers and health workers that I know are fastidious about washing them - often putting them in anti bac, too.

I think this might be my favourite thread title ever OP! 😁

I don't think it helps that our work lanyards have a white background but they go grey and grimy in colour, especially where they touch skin on the neck and pick up stains from drinks and lunch (I assume).

I imagine all lanyards pick up skin oils and spills but they show up more on white.

Okay guilty - it’s my routine to keep mine in the car so I don’t forget it, but must admit it’s overdue a wash. It has a pattern on it so it creeps up on me. I’ll bring it into the house this weekend then will probably forget it on Monday morning!

What are they doing to these lanyards to get them so visibly dirty?

You might be the only person ever in history to make this observation

thanks for the reminder
i rarely wash mine although we did have a reminder, about 10 years ago!

Yeah I was once surprised how many people in one of my jobs didn't wash them. Some were visibly darker and some had even stains. It's part of the uniform, it should go in with the uniform. I rotated 2 and had 3rd as spare. Now I just keep 2 because of hybrid working

I have never washed, nor even looked at, my work lanyard. I’m sure it must be filthy now I think about it, but it’s dark blue so probably looks fine.

It’s like the number of people who don’t wash gloves, hats, coats, back packs, cloth tote bags, etc I agree that it’s grubby and I would wash anything that was visibly dirty. I hate it when it rains and the horrid musty smell that emanates from unwashed outerwear emerges - just wash them!

Perhaps people need a second lanyard ribbon so they can switch immediately and put back in its place ready for work.

Ours are black. No visible grubbiness and I have never washed it. I will today. Thanks Op!

That does sound like a good plan.

I put my pass and fob in a pouch in my work bag when the lanyard is in the wash so I at least have them if I forget to re-pack the lanyard but that would be better if possible.

I hated the issue lanyard so I swapped it for a length of chain, the same as the plug chain in your kitchen or bathroom, only a 5mm diameter instead of the usual 2.5mm. I think it was £3 on ebay.
No dirt and a weekly rinse with warm soap and water keeps it clean.

Saw them at Glastonbury in 05.

There was a thread on a teachers group yesterday and loads said that they never washed theirs.

I used to wash mine regularly when it was white- still looked disgusting and never looked clean. So once every 6months- to a year I would ‘break’ or ‘lose’ it so I could have a new one.

now I work somewhere with navy blue ones and I must confess I’ve stopped washing it and it doesn’t look bad because it’s navy blue. Maybe I will now.

Ours are white and quite wide. I got a new one recently and couldn't believe how grubby the old one was compared to the new! When it happens slowly you just dont realise I suppose. Never occurred to me to stick it in the wash to be honest but I will now!

I put my husbands lanyard in the clothes wash, it gets grubby over time. I wash hats, scarves, gloves. Obviously winter time but I wear these a lot so of course I'm gonna wash them.

I also swapped the issue pass holder for one with a spring clip on the back so I can clip it onto a shirt pocket etc and then I don't have to use the chain. Only catch with that is the pass also opens the doors when you touch it to the sensor. The sensors are set at wheelchair height and I'm 6'4" so I'm then forced to either contort myself or unclip the pass, open the door and reclip the pass.

I have washed my lanyard (occasionally) but i just give it a quick rub under the tap with a drop of washing up liquid. Job done - no need to put it in the washer. I do the same with trainer laces.

If I ever get to the point where I have time and mental bandwidth to wash a lanyard I will ask my family to euthanise me.

Supporting Alien Sex Fiend.