With the kids back to school now and school uniforms making up a large % of back to school costs, we want to share some tried and tested tips on caring for school uniforms to make them last longer .  We spoke to those in the know My Kids Time. 

All Change

My top tip on caring for school uniforms would be to get the kids to change as soon as they come home. Apart from being more comfortable, it avoids the possibility of spills at dinner, rips and tears from play and keeps school uniforms fresher for longer.

If they have after-school activities or play dates, simply pack a change of clothes and teach them to fold their school uniform neatly in the bag!

Washday

As soon as my kids come home on a Friday afternoon everything goes in the wash and out on the clothes line. There is nothing worse than a plaintive cry on Sunday evening bemoaning that fact that their school uniform is not clean or they forgot to add their PE gear to the wash. It is now second nature for my girls to gather all school uniform items and add the to the wash basket on Fridays.

Being in the West of Ireland does mean that we are often blessed with rain! Preferring to dry all my clothes outdoors, I have found the clothesline canopy a real lifesaver. Not only does drying clothes naturally give them a lovely fresh aroma, clothes keep their shape and become less worn than using alternative drying methods.

Common Sense : 

The following tips are really just common sense, but no harm reminding you of them.

• Check the care labels on all items before you wash them. Some items like jumpers will require a cooler wash than cotton shirts.
• Separate darks from whites, again this may seem obvious, and while it can be tempting to just throw everything in together, as the school year rolls on, you will notice the difference if you don’t separate.
• Use the correct detergent too. Some have bleach and are suitable for lighter colours, some have built in fabric conditioner and others are best used on darker garments.
• Wash anything with a school crest of embroidery inside out, this will help to keep them from catching or fraying.
• And finally, check care labels for ironing. Not everything will be suitable for ironing and strong heat could damage delicate fabrics.

It will extend the life of your school uniforms if you take care when washing them.

Thanks to www.mykidstime.com.