School uniform takes a daily beating. Most stains lift if you treat them quickly and correctly. Always check the care label first, and test any product on a hidden seam.
Grass and mud
Let mud dry, then brush off the excess. Pre-treat grass stains with a little liquid detergent worked into the fabric, leave for 15 minutes, then wash at the warmest temperature the label allows. A stain-resistant finish on trousers and shorts makes this far easier, as mud sits on the surface rather than soaking in.
Ink and felt tip
Dab (do not rub) with a cloth and a small amount of surgical spirit or hand sanitiser until the ink transfers to the cloth, then wash as normal. Work from the outside of the mark inwards.
Paint
Water-based paint: rinse under cold running water from the back of the fabric while it is still wet, then wash. Dried paint is much harder to shift, so tackle it the same day. This is where an apron earns its keep.
Food, grease and chocolate
Scrape off solids. Blot grease with kitchen roll, then cover with washing-up liquid, leave 10 minutes and wash warm. For chocolate, rinse in cold water first, never hot, which sets it.
Blood
Soak in cold salted water, then wash. Hot water sets protein stains.
General rules
- Act fast – fresh stains almost always come out; old ones may not.
- Cold water for protein stains (blood, egg, chocolate); warm for grease and mud.
- Blot and dab, never rub, which spreads the stain and damages fibres.
- Air dry and check before tumble drying – heat sets any stain you missed.
Prevention
Choosing uniform with a Teflon or stain-resistant finish and non-iron shirts cuts the laundry workload considerably. See our Back to School range, or read our size guide before you buy.