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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my DDs to get more than one wear out of a school skirt?

98 replies

PoopySalata · 13/12/2021 21:54

DDs are 9 and 10, I am sick of constantly washing and ironing their school uniform.

I asked them this morning to please keep their skirts clean (nightmarish pleated little things that I hate ironing). They always have clean shirts and jumpers but the skirts drive me insane.

They've come home this evening and they are both filthy again, the youngest seems to think it's acceptable to wipe her mouth/nose on her skirt. The eldest has just told me if I don't like it I should just send their clothes to the dry cleaners and stop being so dramatic.

I think I probably got a clean skirt once a week when I was a kid, which was less that ideal. But please tell me that I'm not BU to expect a skirt to last two days?

OP posts:
80sMum · 14/12/2021 09:07

YANBU. A skirt should last at least a week before washing! If it's got a few stains at the end of the school day, just use a damp cloth or sponge and clean those areas.

Perhaps if they knew that they would not be offered a freshly laundered skirt every morning, your girls might take more care.

My school skirt in secondary school was dry-clean only (ridiculously impractical!). My parents were very hard up and frequent dry-cleaning was out of the question. My skirt was dry-cleaned once a year, in May, when we switched to wearing summer uniform. From September to May if it got grubby it was wiped down (by me).

TrashyPanda · 14/12/2021 09:12

Definitely time for them to do the ironing themselves.

They certainly aren’t too young. There used to be a Brownie badge (laundress?) that had ironing as part of it. If a 7 year old could iron in the 1970s, they can iron now.

And it sounds like the cheeky one definitely needs to start doing more household chores.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 14/12/2021 09:15

They are old enough to be taught and understand natural consequences. If they unreasonably dirty their clothes then they will go in dirty. See how differently they take care of their things when they have to face the consequences of their actions.

StationaryMagpie · 14/12/2021 09:18

i got sick of this with my two, i ended up just spot cleaning them to the best of my ability, and sending them in with them slightly dirty. they got clean uniform on mondays and thursdays, so if it got filthy inbetween, and it bothered them, it was their problem, and they could learn to keep it clean.

That being said, i'd be having serious words about wiping noses on skirts (wtf?) and also about the attitude of 'send it to the dry cleaners' guess you'll just have to stop paying for something important to them to afford it then, oh dear....

EmpressCixi · 14/12/2021 09:20

YABU and sexist to guilt your daughters into the usual female stereotype that girls can’t play in ways that might dirty their clothes. Just suck it up. We’ve all been there ironing school uniforms. I remember raging at the head when they went from noniron polo shirts to button down dress shirts. That doubled my ironing in an instant. So I share you hatred of ironing school uniforms, but please let your daughters be children and have the freedom to play.

starfishmummy · 14/12/2021 09:20

@StormyCornishSeas

I had a similar style school skirt. I had two skirts which got washed half termly . But any marks were sponged down that night and you couldn't tell the difference
I think I only had one and it was dry clean!! Mum would be busily sponging it down if I had spilled anything!!
Nordicmom · 14/12/2021 09:25

I have to admit I have never once ironed my kids school clothes and my son is now at A-levels just made sure they’re clean, in good condition and the right size . My daughter wears kilts for her winter uniform and they are wash and ready to go despite all the pleating. I have bought her 5 of them since I don’t want to do school clothes more than once a week now but generally if they’re still clean she’d wear them 2/3 d even with no problem. She’s a tomboy though and they have big grass fields and grounds at school so she does get dirty sometime . Her white long sleeved shirts have actually stayed generally amazingly clean this autumn !!

Steelesauce · 14/12/2021 09:40

Genuinely gobsmacked at how some children speak to their parents! Just don't iron the skirts, no one really cares if things are creased.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 14/12/2021 09:47

My DD wears a similar kilt for two days and jumpers too. I also think if you shake and hang them they don't really need ironing.

TuftyMarmoset · 14/12/2021 10:01

Sounds like they need to be doing their own washing.
I’d probably send them in with a pack of tissues/hankie and a napkin in their lunchboxes though to try to divert away from the skirts.

TuftyMarmoset · 14/12/2021 10:02

@EmpressCixi

YABU and sexist to guilt your daughters into the usual female stereotype that girls can’t play in ways that might dirty their clothes. Just suck it up. We’ve all been there ironing school uniforms. I remember raging at the head when they went from noniron polo shirts to button down dress shirts. That doubled my ironing in an instant. So I share you hatred of ironing school uniforms, but please let your daughters be children and have the freedom to play.
It’s not dirt from playing though, which would be more reasonable - it’s dirt from being gross and lacking manners.
Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 14/12/2021 10:07

My dd has got a habit of wearing stuff once and putting it in the basket rather than hanging it up. After a few warnings, l ended up making her do the washing, hanging it up and bringing it in again when dry so she understood why l got fed up with the whole process.
Make them do this op and they might realise how much extra work it creates.

WellLarDeDar · 14/12/2021 10:08

I definitely think you can get more than one wear out of a skirt. Maybe get your girls to iron their own clothes or involved some way in the laundry? It's an essential life skill and they might appreciate your POV a bit more. I also think it's bad for the environment to wash clothes when they don't need it and also it makes the clothes deteriorate faster.

drspouse · 14/12/2021 10:09

Don't iron, don't buy pleated skirts, or buy trousers.

NandorTheRelentless · 14/12/2021 10:15

@PoopySalata

Yes! It's the rudeness, the hand wave and 'call the dry cleaners' that has sent me over the edge tonight.

They are spoiled and rude and will be going to school in unwashed skirts tomorrow.

Good

i was just about to suggest the same thing

SoupDragon · 14/12/2021 10:29

DD's skirt is a pleated kilt (compulsory like yours). I don't iron it, just give it a good sharp shake and pull the pleats down and into place. It's fine.

VanillaAndOrange · 14/12/2021 10:32

I think you're being a bit of a perfectionist and I wouldn't bother washing them every day. Maybe brush them when they're dry, but lots of other children won't be getting a full clean set of "outer" clothes (not t-shirts etc) every day. I suspect your DDs themselves don't all that much mind being a bit dirty or they wouldn't get so dirty.

Theunamedcat · 14/12/2021 13:57

They get dirty because mum washes it so who gives a shit

Kanaloa · 14/12/2021 17:53

@EmpressCixi

YABU and sexist to guilt your daughters into the usual female stereotype that girls can’t play in ways that might dirty their clothes. Just suck it up. We’ve all been there ironing school uniforms. I remember raging at the head when they went from noniron polo shirts to button down dress shirts. That doubled my ironing in an instant. So I share you hatred of ironing school uniforms, but please let your daughters be children and have the freedom to play.
My children are all expected to keep items in a reasonable state. Two are boys, two are girls. None are allowed to wipe their nose on their school clothes (or any other clothes) because that’s dirty and bad manners. Forgivable in a nursery age child, disgusting for a 9 year old.
FangsForTheMemory · 14/12/2021 18:31

Paper tissues for both of them to wipe noses and mouths on and woe betide the child that uses her skirt for this!

RagzReturnsRebooted · 14/12/2021 18:36

@eddiemairswife

What is this obsession with washing everything after only one wearing? One skirt, one jumper, and 2 or 3 blouses a week is ample.
DD is 11 and one skirt does the week. She does have a 2nd, that's the same size but apparently doesn't fit the same so she doesn't wear it. Lint roller comes out if it's got cat hair on! Blazer doesn't even appear in the laundry every week so that clearly does longer, especially if she has hung it up and not let the cat sleep on it! I do make her change when she gets home though.
Original poster
PoopySalata · 14/12/2021 21:52

Haha I'm sexist for expecting them not to wipe food and snot on their clothes? They aren't toddlers ffs. If they were boys I'd be just as annoyed. It's disrespectful behaviour, it's got nothing to do with gender.

The skirts will be entering their third day of service tomorrow.

I have offered a lesson in how to use the washing machine. So far it's been declined. I guess we'll see who blinks first Wink

OP posts:
teaandtoastwithmarmite · 14/12/2021 22:04

My dd has a pleated one. I tumble dry it and hang it back up. No ironing.

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 14/12/2021 22:08

@EmpressCixi

YABU and sexist to guilt your daughters into the usual female stereotype that girls can’t play in ways that might dirty their clothes. Just suck it up. We’ve all been there ironing school uniforms. I remember raging at the head when they went from noniron polo shirts to button down dress shirts. That doubled my ironing in an instant. So I share you hatred of ironing school uniforms, but please let your daughters be children and have the freedom to play.
There's playing and there's wiping their noses on it
CraftyGin · 14/12/2021 22:08

At 9 and 10, they should be more respectful of their clothes, eg use napkins when they are eating. They should be able to iron (with supervision).

When I was at school, my skirt (only one of them) was dry clean only, so got cleaned once a term (if my mum remembered/could afford it). I don't think my kilt was ever cleaned.

We did lots of sponging down.