Yawn- white school polo shirts

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

I am sorry in advance- i know this has been done countless times and i wish i had saved all the threads but i havent so i need help.

Could some washing genius please tell me step by step how to either revive the ones i have and keep them sparkly white or how to keep the ones i'm going to have to go and buy like new.

I've tried everything. Bleaching (which I hate doing to kids clothes) makes them go a funny grey yellowy shade. Washing with whites does nothing. Washing with stain remover/ washing up liquid at 95 degrees just shrinks them. You have to just buy new once a month. I feel terrible but I was sent to school scruffy and its become an issue eith me. I don't want that for my kids.

In fact, has anyone noticed that whites washed in washing machines these days are never properly white? I always wash my white bedding on a hot white wash and they don't come out sparkling white. I wonder if its because of these new Eco machines.

Use twice the amount of detergent. Eg I use three tablespoons of powder for a coloured towels wash but 6 for whites because otherwise all the dirt isn't quite lifted out and it settles back in the fabric.

I have white towels and sheets that haven't gone grey.

I buy white, cotton shirts instead.

White polo tops look like dishrags about about two weeks.

As soon as you see the stain, you put Ariel Actilift liquid directly onto the stain. Then wash. It won't come out if the liquid is just generally in the wash, I find you must put it straight into the stain ASAP after staining. There are some things impossible to get out, ds has a streak of green pen (not sure what sort, done at school) across one if his polos but I just kept it anyway.

Oh and you must never out anything remotely non white in a white wash.

Put!

Thank you all- it seems this is a universal problem. Will the actilift and extra powder. Failing that just new tshirts every so often.

I use a scoop of Vanish in the white wash and that's it. Ours stay looking pretty good for a term and then I ditch the three worst ones and buy a new pack.

You can spend more on lotions and potions and hot water trying to get them clean than you do on a new pack of shirts.

Iris sorry but I can't stand grey whites. It looks slovenly and I'm can't help myself judging.