Scrubbing up is a ritual in medical settings for hygiene before touching patients.

Medical Ritual

In medical contexts, scrubbing up includes arms, often up to the elbows, not just the hands.

Not Just Hands

Special soaps or antiseptic solutions are used to scrub up in medical environments.

Scrub up can be used informally to mean getting clean or tidying up for any non-medical situation.

Often used to suggest getting ready or cleaning up before a social event or meal.

Can imply that an improvement or change was unexpected or made a big difference.

Refers to both cleaning and fixing up something to look better or refreshed.