Do you iron school uniform?

[jimjamjoo]

I’m curious to know what the good folk of MN do with school uniform. I don’t even own an iron but I am thinking maybe I need to invest..!

Yes why wouldn’t I?- YANBU
No of course I don’t you crazy woman- YABU

Yes. I can tell the difference between an ironed or unironed poloshirt / sweatshirt / white shirt.

The secondary school shirts I always did as even if non iron the looked awful without being ironed. Primary school polo shirts no I just hung up flat

It's one of the few things I do iron, yes. Doesn't take a minute. Most of the time is taken up putting the board up and then away again !

Yes, it´s just about the only stuff I iron.

As can everyone else - non-ironers (and I am an avowed non-ironer) who claim you can't tell the difference are blind or in denial. I love ironed clothes, and think they look great - I just don't love them enough to actually bother ironing.

I always bought DC uniform that didn't need ironing if I could. We did have 2 white cotton shirts one year that I bought by mistake. He didn't often wear them as they were long sleeved. Secondary had washable blazer, but DC was pretty good at keeping it clean so I opted for a once a term dry clean.

Wow - once a term?! My DC's blazers absolutely reek by mid-week. They don't shower after sports/PE (the school has showers but they are not used because there isn't enough time apparently) and that combined with a heavy backpack means they are absolutely foul after a couple of days, especially if they got wet.

DS went to 2 different schools that had blazers. The blazer at the first one was a traditional blazer of the non washable suit like kind. Also eye wateringly expensive so dry cleaning was the only option. Nobody had 2, so far as I know so the max would have been to dry clean every half term. The second school blazer was washable but he managed to keep it clean for quite a while, I might have dry cleaned at half term sometimes. They were not obliged to wear the school jumper all the time like some schools and - as I mentioned before - he wore short sleeved shirts so he didn't get too hot.

Not for primary school and by secondary they can iron it themselves.

No, I haven’t got time for that!

Hang the shirts straight out of the wash - no creases. Tumble dry everything else - no creases. I do pay attention to their shoes and polish those, but waste no time with ironing.

Nah I’ve used the iron once in the last year and it was to wax my skis!

I get the non iron school shirts and if you get them straight out of the washing machine when it finishes and onto a coat hanger to hang dry they look perfect. Other stuff- skirts, shorts etc. are also fine so long as you hang it on the airer promptly and don’t let it fester in the machine. Jumpers go in the dryer and come out nice and soft. Blazers to the dry cleaner at the end of each term. I really don’t think ironing is necessary for them to look smart unless you’re forced to buy items that really do crumple from the school uniform shop.

We have polo shirts and sweatshirts so they’re quite forgiving. I occasionally iron the trousers to get the creases back in the right places but mainly I just shake things really hard when they come out of the machine and then fold them very firmly. Basically I get my aggression out on the laundry!

It's one of the only things I do iron (well mainly DH he's better at it). My uniform wasn't ironed at school until I was old enough to do it myself and I used to feel really self conscious. I don't care if DS comes out looking like he's been through a hedge backwards but he goes in tidy. I have his shirts on hangers on the line in summer but even then they still need an iron. Albeit a quick one

Yes. We did. And polished our shoes every Sunday. Good skills to have.

No. Life’s too short.

You could always buy a hand held steamer? I iron as I think it makes it look nicer but that is my choice.

Luckily our school uniform is all polos and no 'smart' shirts. All uniform - trousers/skirts, polos and jumpers - either gets shaken out and pegged on the line or it goes in the dryer, and either way it usually looks good enough.

Ha, I bought a new iron during lockdown as the numbers had worn off the old one and I had no idea what temperature it was and burned something. I was only ironing for something to do!

Several years later youngest started secondary school and they wear proper shirts (primary and other child's secondary had polos). They are supposed to be non iron ones but still looked really crumpled after washing and the revere collars won't lie flat. So I finally unpacked my "new" iron and did a big pile including some of my stuff which admittedly does look better. Binge watched some telly at the same time so not too bad. Wonder when the novelty will wear off.

To the posters asking how people cope without an iron, it was quite easy as worked from home in sportswear and once back in the office it's much more casual too. Before covid it was suits and shirts every day (law firm).

Think it depends on the type of school uniform? I do as my young DS's need to wear a shirt and tie, and I also iron their trousers/shorts, but on their gym days, I don't iron their polo-shirts. I actually don't see any crumpled shirts on the other kids, so suspect most are ironed!

I do uniform and DHs washed shirts every week. I could not send DC to school in unironed clothes. I don't actually iron my clothes but can cope with me looking messy. Can't say the same for close loved ones though....

It's actually quite relaxing I find. The worst part is the set up.

Primary school clothing - i haven't found a need to iron. They dry hung up on clothes hangers and look great. Secondary school (oldest is going next year!) I will invest but my OH will do the ironing as I cannot stand it.

In my mum's day they used to iron everything. Sheets and teatowels as well.

Was my job too. Think it was being eldest girl. And doing my dad's work shirts and polishing shoes. Did the actual washing in a twin tub on Saturday so they were lovely and creased.

I iron the uniform Sunday night and hang up for week. It’s usually just the shirts. I also iron sons t shirts unless they’re football type ones.

I’m pretty scruffy, I was raised as the unkempt kid and I don’t want that for mine.