How do we get DS's school shirt cuffs properly clean?

[fiverr]

Not an exciting thread, I'm afraid. I don't know what DS does with his shirts at school; I presume from the state of them that he takes the shirt off and uses the sleeve ends to clean out the most disgusting corners of the classrooms. I have tried soaking them in stain-removing powder (supermarket own brand rather than Oxyclean, but is there really much difference?) and scrubbing with Vanish soap and washing with pre-wash with bio powder and more stain-removing powder and they come out marginally less repellant but still pretty grim. Is there some magic solution that we are missing? I have done all of this at 40 as it is allegedly the top temperature for them, but if someone will promise me that washing at 60 will sort it then I'll give it a whirl. ..

[Janey50]

Watching with interest as I have the same problem with DP's shirts and coats.

[StraightWalkingCrab]

dilute bleach solution for 10-15 mins if they're white.

[purplefizz26]

Soak in this!

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

I soak my husbands white shirts in Milton solution for a few hours then wash at 60. If using the tablets make sure they've fully dissolved otherwise you get patches of whiter bits

[statetrooperstacey]

I buy short sleeved shirts.

[mainlywingingit]

Fairy liquid directly only the neck and cuff area (small amounts) for every or every other wash

[Mumski45]

Think i read somewhere that this can be the result of using TOO MUCH powder in your washing machine ??

[popeyes]

Napisan is excellent - soak overnight initially, then just add to every wash. Ds has pale blue school shirts and is similarly grubby, and it gets the dirt out

[QuiteQuietly]

Short sleeved shirts all year round. Also stops people using sleeves to wipe their noses (unless v dexterous).

[Letmesleepalready]

*quite DD who's in reception manages to wipe everything on her short sleeved polo shirts! Maybe she'll grow out of it in time.
As for the stains, I'm following, but have had luck with Milton fluid. But only ever tried with clothes that are ruined anyway they are so stained.

[Letmesleepalready]

quite

[dementedpixie]

My 2 also wear short sleeved shirts all year

[howcomes]

Wet the material, pour over some liquid detergent, either for clothes or dishes, add a teaspoon of baking soda and rub it vigorously together or with an old toothbrush over the stained area. Baking soda seems to really help maximise the cleaning ability of the detergent.

[ItsAFluffy]

Soda crystals! Cheap as chips and 100% effective

[FrogFairy]

Have you tried Glowhite?

[Crumbs1]

Biotex if they still make it.

[jesterkat]

Scrub pre wash with with green fairy laundry soap or pink carbolic soap then wash as normal

[scaryteacher]

Swarfega. Rub into cuffs before you wash. Used to sort dh's white engineering overalls when he came home from his very grubby submarine.

[ethelb]

Laundry or 'household' soap. Sunshine is good.

Wet it and run it along the grime, work it into the fabric if you can be bothered, then wash with a powder designed for whites and maybe a stain remover.

Hang outside to get the UV to bleach them a bit.