zillion stains on school shirts. help please!

savingqueen

Morning all :hello::hello::hello::hello::hello:

I have a stack of washed school shirts belonging to my nearly 5 year old. They all have a variety of stains but not sure what they all are. Some look like paint or chalk and now he has packed lunches, some will be food. My usual method of using laundry soap before washing hasn't shifted them and I think some may have been tumbledried (eek!) :eek:

Is there anything I can try? Would spraying with bleach work? Willing to try anything as there are too stained to wear in their current state. I only have a couple of decent shirts left now for next week. Help please!

TIA

tattoed_bum

i have a 6 yr old and the stains he gets on his school shirts are shocking ,
try some smartprice soap wet the shirt first then rub the soap in well and stick in the machine,
failing that try soaking for a few hours in some oxy clean or soda crystals ,or if they are white try a soaking them in a tiny solution of bleach .

katiecoodle

i was going to suggest soaking them with bleach (not neat, I mean diluted). I am assuming they are white. if they're not, they will probably end up being!
You have nothing to lose by trying if they're too bad for wearing as they are.

Butterfly_Brain

It makes me mad that coveralls are not supplied in schools when they are painting.
Personally I would throw the shirts out and buy some from Asda's By the time you have spent money on trying to get them clean it is a cheaper option.

McKneff

if they are not 100% cotton bleach will permanently discoulour them over a short time.
Butterfly brain's idea is good, you can buy packs of 3 shirts for £4.50,
less time, less stress.

thriftlady_2

It doesn't get any better as they get older. My 12 yo ds has ink, grass and blood! on his school shirts:rolleyes:

Life is not made any easier by the fact that he plays rugby in them:rolleyes:. The school insist that in summer they can only wear a short-sleeved shirt without their ties if it has the school badge on it. These can only be bought from the school uniform shop at great expense and terrible quality. They rip almost as soon as they are worn:rolleyes::rolleyes:

jackieb

I soak my daughter's white shirts in some Astonish Oxy powder or equivelant. It's quite cheap from places like Semi-Chem. I soak them in hot water with a scoop or 2 of powder, usually overnight, sometimes for a couple of days. They've never yellowed.

sare_2

Try rubbing washing up liquid into each stain before washing again.

nesssie1702

I know that it's not OS - but I swear by Lakeland's "Stain Slayer" aerosol spray for stains, it even works on biro marks

savingqueen

thanks for all suggestions. Luckily (or unluckily) DS has been ill for 2 days so haven't needed any shirts this week. Off to experiment now, will pick a different method for each and see how we go. Suggestion of just buying more cheapies is good but already do that and they are sometimes ruined after a single wear and I can't justify buying several new shirts every week!

let you know results later in week.....

Marcie

If you suspect they are food stains, then put some lemon juice directly onto the stain and hang out in the sun.

Works a treat - even with cheapy bottled lemon juice.