Fat/grease stains on grey school shirts- will not come off!

[linspins]

Son has just started in reception, he has grey shirts. After first wear and wash for them all, DH ironed them. Then I noticed that every shirt had dark marks on them, which I am presuming are fat/grease stains from food. I let son wear them, as they were ironed!! But even after 2 more washes, every shirt is still covered with dark patches, mostly down the fronts. Ds is a messy eater....
There appears to be a build up, as some shirts look worse than they did the first time. The material seems to be holding the stains, not letting them wash out. The shirts are from John Lewis, 65% polyester, 35% cotton. I washed them on a 40* wash.

What on earth do I do to get rid of the fat marks? Help!

Vanish spray. If that doesn't work, swarfega.

Try rubbing washing up liquid into the stain. Nothing to lose really. I've been successful with this on grease stains on some fabrics. Wash as normal afterwards

I second neat washing liquid rubbed in

I third it

Another vote for washing up liquid. Put it on neat and give a quick rub to open up the fibres a bit.

A third vote for washing up liquid. It's hole point in life is removing grease.

Most likely gravy, DD1 had stupid pale blue tops. They were gravy magnets. Fortunately they changed to navy, by the time DD2 was in reception.

Whole, my spelling is awful tonight.

Ok, washing up liquid it is. Might have to get some swarfega too, just to relive my childhood, washing my hands with it with my dad after tinkering with car parts. Love that smell.

I really hope I can get the shirts stain free, so feel like a slovenly mum sending him in as they are...??

I have the same problem with the same shirts!!! Will try washing up liquid

Last year in kindergarten he had white polo shirts, which were filthy. My son is the biggest dirt magnet there is. Even the staff were a bit amazed and apologetic about how filthy he got. I don't care, he's having a good time. But I am having to use every skill under the sun with my laundry techniques. I thought the grey shirts would be dirt proof. They are. But not food proof!

You can get stain sprays that remove grease & oil. Just spray on leave a few mins then wash as normal with bio powder.

Agree with the others, neat Fairy (not some cheap thin stuff) or swarfega, rub in dry to emulsify the oil and then wash. I'd actually use the Fairy sooner than the swarfega - it's a bit heavy-duty for food oil stains! I've used it before to get axle grease out of things...

Or if you have Vanish stain remove liquid, rub that in neat before putting it into the wash.

Linspins - I wonder if we're at the same school?! Last year we had the same problem in Kindergarten with white polo shirts...

Fairy washing up liquid always used to work for me, now it doesn't seem to do anything so I might try swarfega.

Aldi washing up liquid beats fairy in which tests so we use that for grease stains.

Well, I used ecover washing up liquid, didn't shift a thing. Sorry green movement, I'm going to call in the big boys now. All four shirts look dreadful. Don't have an Aldi near me, will have to get some swafega. Feeling a bit obsessed now!

DH got garage door lubricant on his Berghaus fleece. i soaked it in something which didnt work and then tried soda crystals. Came out as good as new!