WASHING SCHOOL JACKETS TO KEEP THEM LOOKING LIKE DAY ONE!

The start of the school year is accompanied by a change of pace in our daily routine . The holidays are over and it’s time to get everything ready for the start of the school year.

It will probably be necessary to buy new clothes, but it is also important to make the most of everything that can be reused from the previous school year and older siblings!

By continuing to use other people’s winter clothes, you can save costs while protecting the environment, giving them a second life. And in order for your child’s coat to maintain an impeccable appearance, it is enough to wash it thoroughly and all that remains is to
put a label on it.

But how to wash school jackets? You can find the explanation below.

How to prepare your jackets for the first day of school?

Jackets are perhaps one of the most common items inherited from older siblings, or even cousins or friends.

Cleaning depends largely on the fabric used, we recommend checking the manufacturer’s label in each case.

General recommendations

Before washing, check pockets, close zippers and buttons. This way you will detect if there are difficult stains that need to be treated with a stain remover.

In general, you can use the washing machine, with a wash cycle in cold water and a delicate detergent.

It is best to avoid fabric softeners or use very little of them, as well as bleach. Always rinse twice to remove all the soap.

Down jackets

Particular attention should be paid to down jackets, most of which are stuffed with polyester. It’s best to use a front-loading washing machine, as top-loading washing machines can mess it up with the agitator.

Drying is very important

• In the dryer: Insert the down jacket with two or three tennis balls, they will prevent the synthetic fibres from clumping. Slow program and low temperature.
• Outdoors: Use a large towel to wring out the garment as much as possible, then lay the jacket out on a flat surface with no weight on it, avoiding direct sunlight.

Leather jackets

For leather jackets, it is better not to use the washing machine, otherwise they will deteriorate. Use a detergent for hand washing or a neutral soap.

• First clean the inner lining with a brush moistened with lukewarm water and a little mild laundry soap or neutral soap.
• Wash the outside of the garment with a damp microfiber cloth, then rinse with another cloth, removing soap residue in an up and down motion.
• Dry the jacket outdoors on a hanger avoiding direct sunlight.

Backpacks and gym bags will also look like new

How many times a year should they be washed and how?

Schoolchildren often use their backpacks without too many precautions. They leave them on the ground, pile up among those of their comrades and are often trampled on unintentionally.

Dirt and sweat from the whole school year accumulates on the backpack straps. If we talk about the sports bags (another item that tends to be inherited from elder siblings) they have a bad smell of humidity, dirty clothes, wet bathing suits and towels, used sneakers…

Backpacks and gym bags need a special wash at least twice a year, a type of cleaning and drying that will make them look like new.

How to make them look like new?

Backpacks and gym bags are essential for any student, but their daily use and the type of material they are made of mean that they often get dirty.

Before washing:

1. Empty it so that nothing remains in the compartments and small inside pockets.
2. Shake them to remove dust and crumbs from inside. You can also use the vacuum cleaner for this purpose.
3. Detach any metallic parts, straps or handles to clean them separately.
4. Use an old toothbrush to get into nooks and crannies.
5. Soak them with a stain remover poured directly on the stains of paint or grease that you detect.

It is then very important to take into account the material they are made of:

• Leather or vinyl: these can be cleaned thoroughly with a damp chamois leather cloth soaked in a mild detergent or detergent for delicate fabrics.
• Nylon, polyester, polypropylene or canvas: hand or machine washable. If you choose the latter option, always do it separately from the rest of the laundry, with cold water and a detergent for delicate fabrics.

Choose a delicate program and pay attention to the spin, if it turns into a ball, you will have to stop it and stretch it before starting the cycle again.

The best way to dry is in the open air, avoid direct sunlight, you will see how quickly they dry. The dryer can damage the fabrics or the handles of straps, zippers and pockets.

Conclusions

Back in our grandmothers’ day, it was normal to inherit almost everything from older siblings. Then the era of globalisation came, during which clothes and materials were practically disposable. Fortunately, environmental and social awareness has made us think and we are giving a second life to what others no longer use.

Tell us in the comments whose warm clothes and other items your kids wear to school. How do you make them look like new?