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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do I really have to iron the school shirts?

267 replies

ThirdChildFourthPile · 03/09/2018 14:19

DS is going to secondary school so it's proper shirts, ones that appear to need ironing.

I've just ironed 4 of them and I hate it. There must be another way?

I'm crap at it, I don't like doing it, and it makes me really hot.

Is there a magic spray or a trick that means I never have to see the iron again?

OP posts:
SoyDora · 03/09/2018 17:37

Mine are younger but DH wears a clean shirt to work every day and I wear a clean top every day so I’d presume a teenager needs a clean shirt every day too?
DD1 has just started primary and in 4 days has come home with orange paint, green paint, mud and ice cream down her shirts so definitely one a day here!

CountFosco · 03/09/2018 17:39

I do agree anyone who is going or has gone through puberty needs a clean shirt or t-shirt each day. But thought those of you with particularly stinky sons might like to know there have been a few threads on the S&B boards about how soap is better than showergel for getting bodies smelling clean for longer. So it might be a good idea to swap your son's showergel for soap to see if that improves the situation.

Original poster
ThirdChildFourthPile · 03/09/2018 17:41

DS has just come home a sweaty mess, and I realise he is basically going to need a shirt for every day. Certainly on days as hot as today.

I looked on the packet to see if they were non-iron ones.
Alas, they said "easy to iron" on them.

Which is bollocks because there's still creases in the bastard things.

OP posts:
CountFosco · 03/09/2018 17:43

We have more labour saving devices in most other areas than any other generation.

Yes, but we had fewer clothes in the past and most middle class women didn't work so they had to fill their days making their menfolk presentable. Ironing is not necessary.

RB68 · 03/09/2018 17:43

It was my job as a teen to iron family shirts - I was the eldest of 6 and my Dad also wore shirts so his were one a day - kids one every day or so depending - I have never ironed a shirt voluntarily since I left home - I was 50 last week - just shake them out and dry on a hanger - if that isn't good enough they DIY

pointythings · 03/09/2018 17:47

It's a thread about secondary aged kids. And they fucking stink trust me

Speak for yourself... My two DDs shower daily, wear clean clothes and smell absolutely fine. Hmm

madmother1 · 03/09/2018 17:47

My DS has been ironing his shirts since 14. 8 years on, he's a pro and he now has a life skill.

Ski4130 · 03/09/2018 17:54

I've got three school aged dc - two in long sleeved white shirts, one in white polo shirts. They have enough shirts for a clean one every day (if necessary - sometimes they don't need it, sometimes they do) I've got one teen, one pre teen and one junior, and the older two definitely need clean shirts if they've had sports that day, despite showering every morning, boys that age can be mighty fragrant!

I do one white wash a week and the shirts get hung straight on to clothes hangers and hung in a bedroom door. They take an evening to dry, then hung straight in the wardrobe and I've never ever ironed a single one, the creases drop out.

DH irons his own stuff, because my lack of ironing prowess is legendary - I cannot bear it!

redsummershoes · 03/09/2018 17:54

ds room certainly smells of 'tiger cage' whenever he has spent time in a closed room.
not a bo type of smell (dc showers and uses deo everyday).

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 03/09/2018 17:54

Speak for yourself... My two DDs shower daily, wear clean clothes and smell absolutely fine

Snap. But it doesn't stop the grimy collar and cuffs 🤨

titchy · 03/09/2018 17:56

My two DDs shower daily, wear clean clothes and smell absolutely fin

Obviously if they shower daily and have a clean top every day they're fine. Teenagers wearing the same top for two days on the trot stink. Ask any secondary teacher - particularly a PE teacher.

MadMum101 · 03/09/2018 17:56

DD never smelled, nor does her room, either Pointy just the DSs. Pretty sure it's a hormonal thing that mums notice more than others.

Jellycatspyjamas · 03/09/2018 17:56

I may get shot for this but I quite like the Sunday evening ironing ritual I’ve got in to. A glass of wine, replay of Johnnie Walker and the shirts and uniforms are done for the week. It takes an hour and I feel organised for the school/work week. I have two kids in shirts and DH wears shirts for work so 15 here too plus trousers, pinafores etc. I love freshly ironed clothes.

TheWinterofOurDiscountTentsMk2 · 03/09/2018 17:57

Teenagers wearing the same top for two days on the trot stink

again, no.

cornishclottedcream · 03/09/2018 17:59

As a Y6 teacher, please can I just add to the clean shirt everyday debate. During the Summer term I had 34 children in a hot classroom and can tell you that the resulting classroom pong was not pleasant.
Contrary to their belief, most young people of 11 do need to wash their underarms daily and wear anti-perspirant or deodorant and preferably a clean shirt.
Mondays and Tuesdays are always fresher in my classroom than Fridays when I fling the windows open regardless of the weather. Grin

SoyDora · 03/09/2018 17:59

TheWinter do you/your partner wear clean work clothes every day?

titchy · 03/09/2018 18:01

Teenagers wearing the same top for two days on the trot stink
*
again, no.*

Sad I bet they do. You just don't smell it, but I bet others do.

shelikesemwithamoustache · 03/09/2018 18:03

Our primary has proper shirts, so 2 a day, 10 a week for my kids. I have never ever ironed one. Life is far, far too short. They looked mildly creased but I really have bigger things to worry about. I only buy short sleeves one to help out slightly.

Ski4130 · 03/09/2018 18:04

cornishclottedcream - yes!! I helped out at the junior's end of year production, slap bang in the middle of the heatwave and dear God but some of those children were humming!! Unsurprisingly really - polyester/man made fibre costumes and a heatwave = one hell of a bad combination! My 8 year old showers daily, but now also wears a 'Keep it Kind' deodorant since that fetid evening :-)

Lucyccfc · 03/09/2018 18:07

I tried to hang shirts immediately from the washing machine in the hope I didn't need to iron. It doesn't work - they still need ironing, no matter what anyone says. You can always tell when a shirt hasn't been ironed.

My DS has a shower every day and wears deodorant and he still has a clean shirt every day. It's about teaching him to have pride in himself.

He has a couple of friends who wear the same uniform 2 days running and it's fair to say that they smell. Really lovely lads, but others have started to comment on the smell.

I hate ironing, but get a good film on and watch while I do it.

serbska · 03/09/2018 18:07

I think you do need a clean shirt every day - post puberty boys and girls sweat, and they walk to school, move between classrooms 5 times a day, run round at lunch, maybe get a sweaty hot bus home. Probably sweat more than an adult who drives to work and sits at their desk all day.

Anyway I never iron. It isn’t something I do. Buy non iron shirts, use the no-iron Runkeeper dry setting and take them into the bathroom on hangers for a steam if they need it.

Also taught secondary children to iron themselves.

Enko · 03/09/2018 18:10

@bingbongnoise
I've heard it all now. hmm Do you have 10 kids? confused

4 children who needed a shirt each day 4 x 5 = 20 shirts
1x adult who needed a shirt each day 5x 1 = 5 shirts
1 adult who needed a uniform (shirt) each day 5 x 1 = 5 shirts
Total 30 shirts for the week

If i had 10 children and needed 5 shirts a week for each of the 10 I would have been ironing 50 shirts.

user1499173618 · 03/09/2018 18:13

Thank goodness our DC wore jeans, t-shirts and trainers to school. As in all sensible countries!

Missillusioned · 03/09/2018 18:14

My children's school does not allow them to remove their jumpers. Many other schools have this policy. So no need to iron shirts. Check to see if yours is the same

MyDcAreMarvel · 03/09/2018 18:36

@steppemum mine wear shirt and tie from year one. I have six kids at school so no way am I ironing that many. I don’t iron polos in reception though.

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