How to keep shirts white

[Tobaiass22]

Hi all

Eldest just started secondary school and wears white shirts

How do you keep these shirts white and new looking?

When I was at secondary myself I remember my shirts looking off white, and the neckline faded, and underarms on the shirt yellowing or stiff with deodorant

I remember seeing other children's shirts looking as though they had just taken them from the wrapper new

So please give me tips on this

RampantIvy Eco powders do not all contain bleach ( thankfully or normal brightners), research before scudding me of ignorance

Most powders do contain bleaches except for those made for coloured clothing. Even eco ones may contain bleaches so I don't think RampantIvy was talking out of turn

Always wash them with light coloured clothes. I think it's washing them with darks is what makes them look off white.

Wash with whites only. Use a table spoon of soda crystals in the washing draw with your normal detergent of choice. Works like a charm and is cheap.

Only ever wash whites together in a hot wash (60° if mucky/smelly) or 40° wash otherwise, with biological powder and don’t include any white t-shirts that have other colours on them.

Whites only together.Soak over night or do prewash if very grubby or going in with grubby white socks. Washing powder and if possible hang outside.
I never washed a blazer but got them dry cleaned in most long holidays. I never washed a jumper mid week .My DD was terrible for spilling food and so had her breakfast in pyjamas and changed after school but her DBs were much tidier and one in particular only needed jumper or shorts or trousers washing every few weeks.

One of my biggest pet peeves is off white whites.

I wash all mine separate to everything else and if needed a glo white sachet!

School shirts are usually a cotton/synthetic mix. If so wash them fairly cool. Hot water softens the synthetic fibres so they absorb grubbiness from the water and lock it in when dry and you'll never get it out. That's usually the cause of grey. It's a balance because too cold and you won't get rid of the sweat smell so use a bio liquid and try about 30 degrees and see how it goes.

Hot water softens the synthetic fibres so they absorb grubbiness from the water and lock it in when dry and you'll never get it out

I never knew that. It explains why underwear looks grubby before white cottons do. Every day is a school day.

Thank you for this tip

A professional football kit man said vanish crystal white.

Bio tab
Vanish
Glo white sachet

I must say I get a lovely warm feeling seeing my line full of bright whites 😊

Only buy pure cotton shirts, you can bleach them with Eco bleach if necessary, which you can’t do with polyester mixes.
Never wash them with anything other than completely white things.
Add stain remover when needed on armpits and collars/cuffs.
Never let them be worn for more than one day.

Blazers get washed on 40 degrees and line dried every half term.
White shirts - scoop of bio and laundry bleach on a 60 degree wash with just whites.

I've always soaked white cottons in a cold water / bleach solution before putting them on a boil wash with an extra rinse .
I use a white fabric conditioner, such as comfort pure, as I've found coloured fabric conditioner can leave a slight tinge.

I wash blazers every week. Shirts, they have a clean one every day and I wash those with bio washing powder, a scoop of vanish crystal white and never have anything but the shirts in the drum. I have three kids, so that's fifteen shirts as I wash them all on Friday, on a 60 degree wash. Jumpers and trousers get washed at the end of the week too. They have 5 pairs of trousers each and 5 jumpers as well (for those that wear them to their school)
Those also all get washed on a Friday evening, all in a load together, 40 degrees with washing powder, normal vanish and lenor outdoorable!

Only wash whites with whites not lights! Bio powder and vanish on stains !

Shocked at the amount of people not washing blazers regularly

Only wash whites alone, use a good biological washing powder and vanish. X

Also m and s ones are great for staying white. X

I don't understand why you'd ever need to wash a blazer or would want to. You don't wash coats or jackets or do you? School blazers have shirts and sometimes a jumper underneath them so they don't get sweaty and dirty unless your child has been rolling around in the mud, in which case it's ruined. You just brush stains off and hang them up in the air.

Of course you wash coats and jackets!
Blazers get smelly armpits so need washing too

Can I jump on… I’ve bought my daughter these dresses as she saw them and loved them - like a white polo shirt joined to a grey skirt but one piece. 1 wash and the white has gone a bit grey… shall I put a scoop of vanish oxi in next time? Do I was with colours or darks? Help!

@limitedperiodonly .. are you kidding? The blazers get really stinky !

Of course You wash coats and jackets !

@Dontsparethehorses what else was in the wash ? The grey should be colour fast but if you had other greys in the wash they may have run.
The only way to keep that white is to wash it on its own .

If it still runs return it as the grey should be colour fast or it's not fit for purpose !

Emm, yes I wash coats and jackets or they don’t smell fresh anymore…

I wash Blazers weekly, always have, I think it’s pretty gross not washing them. What about the sleeves rubbing on schools dirty tables all day? Never mind armpits…