Top tips for looking after your child’s school uniform

Top tips for looking after your child’s school uniform

Every parent knows the feelings: the joy of seeing your little one home from school, quickly followed by the shock and disbelief of exactly how dirty their uniform has got in a few short hours. Your child seems to be a magnet for paint, glitter, mud and glue – not to mention unidentified school dinner. They’ve more pen on their polo shirt than they have in their school book, and it’s only Wednesday!

We want our children to feel free to play and create at school, which often means not worrying about getting messy or dirty. But how do you make sure their uniform looks as smart and fresh on Friday as it is on Monday morning? Here are our top tips to help you look after your child’s school uniform without spending all your time slaving over a hot iron.

Buying uniform

A high-quality uniform is a lot easier to look after and will last longer than one that’s of a poorer quality. Look for items which have built-in stain resistance, like Teflon school trousers; these have a light coating which ensures dirt can’t penetrate the fibres of the fabric and therefore stains are less likely and easier to wash off first time. Check the clothes labels for words like ‘easy care’ or ‘non-iron’. This means the fabrics are simpler and less time-consuming to look after than other materials.

Importantly, buy your school uniform from a retailer you trust – cheaper products might seem like a good idea right now, but they’re more likely to shrink, lose colour or become distorted, meaning you’ll need to spend time and money on replacing them.

Washing uniform

Washing a school uniform in the right way can significantly increase its lifespan through keeping colours looking fresh and the material like new.

It’s always useful to check whether the item really needs to be washed. A lot of light stains can be taken out with a damp, clean cloth – try wiping garments down at the end of the day before resorting to using the washing machine.

When machine washing school uniform, we generally recommend turning items inside out to protect the side that’s ‘on show’ and following the care instructions on the label. Most items can be washed at 30 degrees. If you’re worried about hygiene, try adding some anti-bacterial laundry product to the wash rather than setting a higher temperature. You could also put any embroidered or badged items into a mesh bag first which can help to prevent snags.

If a garment is heavily soiled, don’t scrub it! This spreads the stain. Instead, apply some stain remover, thick detergent or a paste of powder detergent and water, and wait five minutes. Turn the garment inside out then pop it through the washing machine.

For brightly coloured school sweatshirts, school cardigans or other knitwear, the first wash is very important. Wash them on a cold cycle with a non-biological detergent which is kinder on the clothing fibres.  You can also use colour catcher sheets in your machine to minimise colour transfer. For whites, like white school polo shirts or school shirts, wash them together – and check for rogue red or blue socks!

Drying uniform

Just like washing, drying a school uniform in the right way can add to its lifespan. It’s tempting to chuck everything in the tumble drier, and while you’re able to do this with some ‘easy care’ clothes like school shirts, lots of school uniform items can be damaged by the harsh, rapid drying. Wherever possible, dry the garments naturally and use only the coolest setting on the tumble drier.

To reduce the amount of ironing you need to do, hang polos and school shirts on hangers when you dry them. Gravity will help the creases drop out. With knitwear, if you have the space, dry it flat; this prevents sagging and stretching as school cardigans and jumpers can be very heavy when wet.

When it’s possible in this climate, dry whites outside in the sun – the UV rays help to make them brighter and whiter. Dark or coloured clothing, like school skirts or sweatshirts, should be dried in the shade or indoors, as the sun’s rays fade the colour and cause it to look ’worn’ more quickly.

Keeping your child’s school uniform looking fresh and smart can feel like a full-time job but it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Our simple tips on looking after their school uniform will make sure that you’re buying, washing and drying their clothes in ways that’ll make sure each garment looks good, feels comfortable and lasts the whole school year.