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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Do you wash brand new school clothes?

55 replies

SunnyDreaming · 01/09/2018 15:15

Hi I was just wondering if people wash their children’s brand new school clothes before they wear them?

Previously I haven’t done this, until I got into a conversation with my friend last week. She was talking about the factories the clothes are sorted in and how many times they are moved in transit. Then she also mentioned about how she takes tops out of packets to see the actual size then a shop assistant will just re-pack them, clothes which have been tried on etc. Then she just said so she washes them as to her they arent actually clean, then she irons them and sets the uniforms up for the week, something I have never done myself. I put them away from buying them, then wash them on them at the weekend, and put them in the uniform drawer and get the uniform together while getting ready in the morning. My daughter goes back to school on Tuesday and nothings yet been washed or put away.

So I was wondering should the school clothes be washed and ironed before she wears them on Tuesday?

OP posts:

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FlaviaAlbia · 01/09/2018 15:17

I washed the shirts to soften the collars as they were starched but they were clean as far as I'm concerned.

stellabird · 01/09/2018 15:19

I always do - I feel like your friend, you never know where clothes have been or who has been trying them on, etc. Better safe than sorry. Then I wash and iron them every weekend and hang them up for the week.

PersianCatLady · 01/09/2018 15:19

I would.

Some clothes may have been tried on by multiple kids and may have residue from the manufacturing process left on them.

Chrisinthemorning · 01/09/2018 15:23

No but I wash those from the New to you, which is most of them

DeathMetalMum · 01/09/2018 15:24

Yes we have washed dried and ironed (at the same time as labeling) and all on hangers in the wardrobe. We will pull out what dd's chose the night before, they have a couple of pairs of trousers pinafore and skirts each (thanks to hand me downs).

PristineCondition · 01/09/2018 15:24

Yes, everything. Youngest has severe eczema though

SoyDora · 01/09/2018 15:25

Yes I do.

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 01/09/2018 15:25

Yes. I wash and iron.

chickenliverz · 01/09/2018 15:25

Nope. Can barely keep on top of the washing as it is, let alone anything extra.

TheFaerieQueene · 01/09/2018 15:26

I wash every new piece of clothing before I wear it.

redsummershoes · 01/09/2018 15:26

yes. anything with direct skin contact I wash before wearing.

clothes/fabric are treated with pesticides&fungicides and warehouses and shipping containers are filthy places.

HappyHedgehog247 · 01/09/2018 15:27

I always wash new clothes, not just school ones, unless it’s an emergency buy. I don’t get coats cleaned though before wearing them. I think I do that to soften them and because I have this idea (for which I have no evidence that they have something on them to keep them fresh.

Pud2 · 01/09/2018 15:29

No. I would never bother to wash a new item. Paranoid waste of time in my opinion!

ourkidmolly · 01/09/2018 15:29

God no. Unless your dc has eczema or allergies etc I really wouldn't bother. Difficult enough keeping the pleats in dd's kilt as it is!

tootstastic · 01/09/2018 15:30

God no, life's too short!!! And I don't iron either

Zoflorabore · 01/09/2018 15:30

Ooh timely thread op as I finished both of my dc's uniform shopping yesterday, very last minute I know

It's funny you mentioned the trying on and then the assistant re-packing the clothes as that's what happened yesterday in Marks and Spencer when buying ds's shirts ( men's ones ) so I think I'm going to wash everything.

Have never done this before to be honest and I'm not going to do the bottom half stuff ( trousers for ds and skirt/pinafore for dd ) as they look all nice and new and don't want to mess the creases up!

ScattyCharly · 01/09/2018 15:34

I wash everything yes.
After reading threads on here about stuff being sprayed in formaldehyde for transit, fleas in big warehouses etc etc. Nothing going in our wardrobes and drawers or on us unless washed.

Pud2 · 01/09/2018 15:46

But what do you think is going to happen to you or your dc if you put on a shirt that has been tried on by someone else?! Just interested to know really as it just so doesn’t bother me.

colditz · 01/09/2018 15:51

I do. Ds1 has chemical-sensitive eczema. He can only use Bold or Fairy (No, I don't understand what is so special about Bold either!) so I don't want to risk upsetting his skin with the residue from dyes, starches and the dust from packaging.

I've worked in warehouses and they aren't clean places. Similarly, the manufacturers of the clothes aren't careful with chemicals.

colditz · 01/09/2018 15:53

To add, I DON'T wash things from charity shops unless theya)smell or B are for specifically Ds1 due to washing powder issues.

Charity shop clothes are generally steam cleaned in the back and are cleaner than new. Certainly children and babies clothes are usually pristine.

Mumthedogsbeensick · 01/09/2018 15:57

I do otherwise all I get is 'mum this jumper is itchy'

SoyDora · 01/09/2018 16:00

I don’t think anything is going to happen to my DC. I do it because a) the stick on labels I use say in their instructions ‘wash clothes before sticking’ and b) because otherwise they often smell chemically.

Mondschein · 01/09/2018 16:02

Yes.

I can't stand the chemicals. Some of the 'you have to buy the expensive but cheap quality school logo shit' smells so bad.
Usually they get 2-3 rounds of washing.
Otherwise my kids get a headache or rash.

ShakespearesSisters · 01/09/2018 16:05

I'm only washing my daughter's new school cardigans. Mainly so I can tumble them and shrink them now, rather than next week, as they drown her at the moment. They will be the perfect fit after a trip through the dryer I hope!

SoyDora · 01/09/2018 16:10

Yes I had to shrink some stuff too! Age 3-4 (M&S) swamped her and she usually wears age 5-6!

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