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Elderly parents
Original poster

Stick-on name labels that survive care home laundry

42 replies

4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 17:47

Hi,

Can anyone recommend reliable stick-on name labels for clothes? Mum has been in a care home for nearly two years now and I've been buying stick on name labels from a company on Amazon.

The problem is they are falling off in the laundry where everything seems to be washed at 60 degrees - she's lost so many clothes.

I know losing clothes is inevitable in a care home but it's getting ridiculous. Every time I visit I'm having to take a new supply. Mum loves the constantly refreshed wardrobe but my bank balance isn't so keen....

Thanks xx

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BlackRoseBlue · 11/09/2026 09:29

We don’t live near where mum is so have left a couple sheets of stikins in her room at the home. That way when I’ve had to order new clothes to be delivered or other stuff the staff just label it up on arrival.

Riddo · 10/09/2026 19:19

I’ve just ordered stikins for my uncle while he’s in hospital (probably for months) but I’m doing all his laundry at 40. If he has to go into a care home I’ll go for sew in ones. I have labelled some of his clothes with sew in name labels from my childhood, I just folded my initial underneath. Fortunately my maiden name is unusual. I was quite pleased that my sentimental keeping of things has actually come in useful for once!

apapuchi · 19/08/2026 22:25

My Name Tags as have been mentioned are amazing. The iron on labels as opposed to the stickers (which are also good but not quite as good).

https://www.mynametags.com/colour-iron-on-name-labels

They are even good in socks and undies, everything. The straighteners idea is a total game changer though, definitely trying that on my next labelling spree.

Iron-On Name Labels – 56 Clothing Labels | My Nametags

Clothing labels that are perfect to label your child's clothing and school uniforms.

https://www.mynametags.com/colour-iron-on-name-labels

Original poster
4Tornot4T · 15/08/2026 06:55

macaroon8 · 14/08/2026 22:14

I used mynametags.com for both DC and dad in care home.

Some of the name tags have been on things for over 10 years and survived multiple boil washes and dishwasher cycles. They are a bugger to get off and to be honest it's way easier to cut the tag out rather than try and scrape the label off. Iron in and stick on appear equally as robust

Thank you. These look great too. x

OP posts:
LoafofSellotape · 14/08/2026 22:14

JohnBullshit · 14/08/2026 22:08

To be brutally honest, MIL wouldn't have coped with her clothes being shrunk. And nobody would have enjoyed the consequences. We took her laundry away every couple of days and did it ourselves, sooner if there were items needing immediate attention. So we didn't have to worry too much about name labels coming off, though we still put them on everything. I know that's not a viable solution for everyone.

All my mom's clothes are White Stuff dresses and wool over cardis and dear God I am SO grateful there's a fantastic laundry at the home she's in and they don't lose or shrink anything or we'd never hear the end of it!!

macaroon8 · 14/08/2026 22:14

I used mynametags.com for both DC and dad in care home.

Some of the name tags have been on things for over 10 years and survived multiple boil washes and dishwasher cycles. They are a bugger to get off and to be honest it's way easier to cut the tag out rather than try and scrape the label off. Iron in and stick on appear equally as robust

JohnBullshit · 14/08/2026 22:08

To be brutally honest, MIL wouldn't have coped with her clothes being shrunk. And nobody would have enjoyed the consequences. We took her laundry away every couple of days and did it ourselves, sooner if there were items needing immediate attention. So we didn't have to worry too much about name labels coming off, though we still put them on everything. I know that's not a viable solution for everyone.

Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 21:54

@TheRosesAreInBloom - Thanks. I've ordered some so fingers crossed.

@thesandwich - I think you're right. Fortunately mum's care home has been ok so far.

OP posts:
thesandwich · 14/08/2026 21:21

The high temperature maybe because of infection risks- bugs spread like wildfire in care homes

TheRosesAreInBloom · 14/08/2026 21:20

Came in to say Stikins and see everyone else is a fan too 😃.

Very hard to get them off when selling/passing on the clothes!

LemonSnail · 14/08/2026 21:18

The staff at my parents use a felt tip type pen and write the room number in the label and this system works really well. Nothing has been lost in 3.5 years.

Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 20:15

Not sure why two * have appeared at the end of my post.

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Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 20:14

@VividDeer - I'm incapable of sewing too. I can just about manage a button or two under duress with a lot of swearing but endless nametags would send me over the edge.

Straighteners are just a brilliant genius idea. Absolutely fantastic. So obvious when you think about it - but obviously I didn't!**

OP posts:
VividDeer · 14/08/2026 19:58

4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 19:52

@VividDeer - absolute genius idea!

Wish I'd thought to ask Mumsnet before mum went into the home. I never thought labelling clothes would be such an issue..........

Straighteners do make it so easy. You could do all her clothes quickly.
But stick on are my favourite. Occasionally though some fabrics dont stick.

I'm incapable of sewing so use many methods. Packing for brownies camp I have my straighteners, stickers and sharpie at the ready.

Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 19:52

@VividDeer - absolute genius idea!

Wish I'd thought to ask Mumsnet before mum went into the home. I never thought labelling clothes would be such an issue..........

OP posts:
Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 19:48

Mum's care home do stick their own labels on but they aren't great and loads have come off. They are also tiny and I think when the laundry staff return clothes to rooms they don't always notice them.

I've ordered some Stikins and will look at nametags4u.co.uk. I'm also going to start labelling things with a marker pen.

@Nofeckingway - I don't live in the same part of the country as mum so this wouldn't be an option (quite glad it's not an option!)

@TheSmallAssassin - I suppose I should make the effort to sew some in but am still holding out for an easier option......

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it. xx

OP posts:
VividDeer · 14/08/2026 19:41

I use my name tags , they sound similar.
For the iron on ones i use mini hair straighteners

Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 19:39

SirChenjins · 14/08/2026 19:08

The Stikins will survive 60 degrees washes - I used them for the DC's school clothes and they went through plenty of washes at that temperature.

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Thanks! I've ordered some so will give them a go.

OP posts:
Original poster
4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 19:38

SmallTreeDeepRoots · 14/08/2026 19:04

@4Tornot4T Sorry! I haven’t ordered for a while. Clicked through from an old email order and the address is now nametags4u.co.uk . It’s the easy fix clips - under the menu for care homes. I used them for school too.

Thanks I'll have a look - they sound great.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 14/08/2026 19:08

4Tornot4T · 14/08/2026 18:03

Thank you all for the recommendations. I'll look at all of them and may test a few options.

Unfortunately they are washing everything at 60 degrees - we've also had a few favourites returned half the size which has upset mum but they won't change their system and the care is excellent which is the main thing.

I realise now I should have gone with iron on but it's too difficult to organise it now Mum's in the home.

The Stikins will survive 60 degrees washes - I used them for the DC's school clothes and they went through plenty of washes at that temperature.

SmallTreeDeepRoots · 14/08/2026 19:04

@4Tornot4T Sorry! I haven’t ordered for a while. Clicked through from an old email order and the address is now nametags4u.co.uk . It’s the easy fix clips - under the menu for care homes. I used them for school too.

HelenaWilson · 14/08/2026 19:02

A care home I know of tags residents' clothes with the room number. Relatives aren't required to label them.

LoafofSellotape · 14/08/2026 18:52

DirtyGertiefromno30 · 14/08/2026 17:55

We use permanent pens and mark her clothes with it .

We do this too.

TheSmallAssassin · 14/08/2026 18:50

I did sew in ones when my kids were at school, it's a faff sewing them in, but they stay put and you can snip them off when you replace clothes and sew them into the new ones, so one purchase does you.