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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Talk to me about white polo shirts please

18 replies

bigfatgypsy · 15/10/2011 12:38

Ds has just started school and is coming home filthy dirty most days (signs of a good day I guess)

His polo shirts are were white but have got various stains on them already after only a few weeks. I'm not used to it as dd is pretty clean so her tops are generally fine whereas ds comes home with the entire contents of his day down him.

I've been putting them on a 60deg wash but it's not working, probably because they've been sitting in the washing basket for a few days before they go in. Should I be soaking them on the same day? If so any product recommendations please?

OP posts:

camdancer · 15/10/2011 12:55

Just marking my place. DS has white polo shirts, spends most of the day outside and has cherry tomatoes at lunch. I've tried using oxi-action in the wash. It makes the stains a bit less obvious but still not great.

cece · 15/10/2011 12:59

I am in same position. DD has been at the school for 4 years and no problem at all with stains. DS1 only been there a few weeks and it is driving me mad.

So far I am spraying with stain remover spray, adding 2 scoops of some get whites clean powder and then useing biological powder too. Sometimes I have to wash them 3 times in this way to get the stains out.

I have been thinking of soaking in bleach.... not sure if it would work though...

Original poster

bigfatgypsy · 15/10/2011 13:03

Ah glad it's not just me I feel that I probably should know this having an older child who is nearly 10 but she's so much cleaner than ds. What on earth he gets up to I don't know - yesterday he looked like some kind of Artful Dodger urchin-boy when he came home

OP posts:

ragged · 15/10/2011 13:07

does it have to be white?
Am a huge fan of Napisan. I use that in a 30 deg wash with Bio powder.

DawnOfTheDeementedDead · 15/10/2011 13:07

I only do a whites wash once a week, and they always come out lovely and clean, despite being able to tell what DS2 has had for dinner just by looking at them.

I stick them in with a scoop of daz in the drawer, a scoop of soda crystals in the drawer, some in the machine itself and a good squirt of that ariel whitening/stain removers too. Oh and it's a 40 wash as well.

cece · 15/10/2011 13:09

Ohh! I am about to put a white wash on so will add a scoop of soda crystals to my mix... !

Will report back.

moogalicious · 15/10/2011 13:11

Can you get them outside in the sun (is sunny here today) - that's the best thing for stains.

spottypancake · 15/10/2011 13:23

Need to wash with biological ariel actilift or similar - non bio is useless for stains IMO. Stains will come out better if you do them immediately.

And don't worry - it will be very cold soon and hopefully he will be wearing a coloured jumper over the white polo. White polo protected - coloured jumper better at concealing stains!

DS wore his polos for 3 years and now they have been passed to DD. No marks on them - paint, food etc all comes off fine using above method.

schroeder · 15/10/2011 18:04

If they have spills-as soon as they change out of them wash in the sink with cold water and washing up liquid. This gets out most things.

Washing at 60 can set the stain, so I only do it if they look cleanish. The main thing to do to stop them greying is to wash them only with other pure white things.

I really wish schools would consider this when choosing the uniform, I know white polos are cheap and readily available, but I would rejoice if they could have red or navy.

Pinafore dresses are a good idea for girls too.

jenni75 · 15/10/2011 18:56

Hi, i have 3dc who all wear white polo shirts, I use persil small and mighty liquid/ariel excel gel plus a good capful of ariel stain remover and whitener and then put them on a 40/60 degree wash.

jenni75 · 15/10/2011 18:58

It helps if girls can wear pinafores over them and boys tank tops and in winter they'll be wearing their jumpers.

MoreBeta · 15/10/2011 19:00

Put in a dilute bleach solution (15ml of domestos per 5 litres of water) and soak for 12 - 24 hours. Then wash on at least 60 degree wash with stain remover.

jenni75 · 15/10/2011 19:07

Can also soak in milton and then wash on 60 degree

cece · 15/10/2011 22:04

The addition of soda crystals has helped a bit but two still have food stains on them. Will buy some fancy wash powder this week I think...

notapizzaeater · 15/10/2011 22:07

Stick them on the line - even winter sun will bleach the stains out.

dikkertjedap · 15/10/2011 23:17

Ariel Actilift and if that is still not enough add a generous scoop of oxy vanish

Cutiecat · 19/10/2011 07:17

I have a washing bowl filled with water and persil bio. The whites go in her until I do a White load. I find DD White socks are the worse, I think she must run around the playground with her shoes off!

ItsaMissTerri · 19/10/2011 20:25

pre wash with Biotex, main wash Aerial Actilift Bio powder as has bleaching agents and enzymes for food stains but no higher than 40 degree as bio enzymes don't work any hotter. Vanish spray seems to help on greasy stains. Agree white socks worse, DS got into habit of running around back garden in socks and never really got them clean !

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