White uniform tops?

[NFLDERS]

And 6 1/2 yr old boys? This will be Dgs's apparel in Sept. Any suggestions on how to launder? ie More importantly, Do they dye well? The other color choice was Navy Blue. I hope he can manage, to keep them relatively clean!

 

[momsully]

My son's uniform tops were white, blue and red. We bought white one year but never again. It showed dirt really easily and I never felt I could get it as clean as I liked.

 

[HelenePA]

our uniform shirts can either be blue (any shade of blue) or white.. blue is so much easier. White for a 6.5 yr old just isn't a good choice!!

 

[NFLDERS]

our uniform shirts can either be blue (any shade of blue) or white.. blue is so much easier. White for a 6.5 yr old just isn't a good choice!!

He is their "first" school age experience. I'm a ittle concerned some consternation may be headed his way! If it comes up in conversation, I hoped I'd be able to offer some solutions. I'm his Gram, would never have chosen white either.

 

[nuke]

My son wore white polos from k-8th grade. The only good thing about white is you can bleach them. Usually by the end of the school year everyone's looked pretty dingy.

 

[NotUrsula]

My DD6 is now wearing the same white polos that her elder brother started school with in 2002. They still look almost new.

White is actually a good choice, because you can BLEACH it. However, that isn't the real secret: the real secret is ScotchGard spray. Not only does it repel stains, but it also helps to preserve the color of the fabric, helping to prevent yellowing of whites. Put it on when the shirt is new, and it will last for years with proper laundering, unless it gets torn.

Renew the Scotchgard coating every six months, and the shirts will stay very nice. Even ketchup, mustard and chocolate will come out with no problems. Do the pants, too; for grass stains, food and paint spills.

If you do get a stubborn stain, use Zout stain spray; great stuff.

 

[NFLDERS]

My DD6 is now wearing the same white polos that her elder brother started school with in 2002. They still look almost new.

White is actually a good choice, because you can BLEACH it. However, that isn't the real secret: the real secret is ScotchGard spray. Not only does it repel stains, but it also helps to preserve the color of the fabric, helping to prevent yellowing of whites. Put it on when the shirt is new, and it will last for years with proper laundering, unless it gets torn.

Renew the Scotchgard coating every six months, and the shirts will stay very nice. Even ketchup, mustard and chocolate will come out with no problems. Do the pants, too; for grass stains, food and paint spills.

If you do get a stubborn stain, use Zout stain spray; great stuff.

Thanks so very much, for taking your time to give me this advice.

 

[Deb in IA]

DS wore white Land's End uniform polos through all 4 years in high school.

I just washed them in hot with all whites, and added 1/2 cup of diluted chorine bleach. The white stayed white and the colors (logo, label, piping, etc) never faded.

 

[minkydog]

I don't know why in the heck schools choose white shirts for little kids. The shirts pick up every bit of dirt, crayon, and snack, let alone when they have a nosebleed, snotty nose, or upchuck. I've never seen a white shirt make it all the way through the school year.

When my DD was in elementary she had to wear uniforms. Navy skirt or jumper, or pants, white, red, or light blue shirt. I gave her the choice of light blue or red and she chose red. And the blue jumper. So she wore a navy jumper and red shirt every single day. I felt like I had to write a note to the teacher to let her know that she was wearing clean clothes every day

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

White is bad, but what's worse are the schools that do white with a colored school logo. Because then you have to choose -- do I send it dingy or faded with bleach? It's a no win situation.

 

[mommasita]

My DD14's old uniform , was white (NO OPTION).. I hated it, hated it , hated it.. At the price of them, they laundered horribly..

For my DS17 we had white or blue.. I purchased 2 blue, one white. For teens with deodorant stains, and icky things, it wasn't good AT ALL.. I went with the blue for the remainder of his HS years..

I honestly would always go with the dark color, esp for younger ones. Painting, crayons, not to mention food stains

 

[luvsJack]

DD is in high school and still doesn't want white shirts. Luckily she likes the other colors (maroon, gray and black).

In elementary the options were white, black and yellow. She wore black from 6-8th grades.



The whites always ended up dingy looking. No matter what I did to them.

 

[NotUrsula]

...
For my DS17 we had white or blue.. I purchased 2 blue, one white. For teens with deodorant stains, and icky things, it wasn't good AT ALL. I went with the blue for the remainder of his HS years..

I honestly would always go with the dark color, esp for younger ones. Painting, crayons, not to mention food stains

Just FYI, ScotchGard also prevents deodorant stains. DH wears a wool suit and a white dress shirt every day, and he always ruined his shirts with armpit stains in the summer until I thought to put ScotchGard on the INSIDE of the shirts on the armpit and collar areas. Problem solved. I treat his undershirts as well.

Also, dark-colored shirts are notorious for fading and for showing oil-based stains; they look like a darker spot, and while they are impossible to see if the shirt is wet; they are all too obvious once it dries. If you don't ScotchGard them, I recommend NOT putting them in the dryer at all; the dryer will fade dark clothing and will set stains.

BTW, we found that when it comes to uniform shirts, a half-dozen is the minimum number that you'll want. That allows you to rotate them, which minimizes wear and tear, and also allows for time to soak if a stain does manage to stick.

 

[NFLDERS]

With Scotchguard is a skin sensitivity, a problem?

 

[ten6mom]

I won't even buy cheap silkscreened t-shirts for my boys in white.

What area of a store would I find Scotchgard in?

 

[NotUrsula]

I suppose that for some people with really sensitive skin, ScotchGard could cause a reaction, but it doesn't bother me once the garment has been washed, and I normally react to dang near everything, including scented laundry detergents.

ScotchGard is normally sold in the cleaning products area of most stores that carry it, WalMart and Target included. I find that I tend to get a better price on it at hardware stores such as Lowe's or Home Depot. Fabric stores also usually have it in stock. (PS: Scotchgard upholstery cleaner comes in an almost-identical can; make sure that what you buy is Fabric Protector.)

Really, white isn't bad once you know how to manage it; I've been dealing with large numbers of worn-every-day white shirts for the past 22 years, and since my DD is 6 and DH isn't anywhere near retirement, I'll be dealing with them for at least another 12 years or so.

 

[cybrkitn]

DS11 just finished with private school this past school year where he had to wear a uniform. The oxford shirts had to be either white or light blue. Because DS is in the husky sizes, I ordered them from Land's End. They held up very well! Much better than the retail stores like Sears, Walmart, etc.

DS would come home with "stains" on his shirt (chocolate, juice, pen or marker), but after putting Clorox 2 on them, they came out. Usually without a problem.

Btw, I always washed them in cold water.

 

[ten6mom]

ScotchGard is normally sold in the cleaning products area of most stores that carry it, WalMart and Target included. I find that I tend to get a better price on it at hardware stores such as Lowe's or Home Depot. Fabric stores also usually have it in stock. (PS: Scotchgard upholstery cleaner comes in an almost-identical can; make sure that what you buy is Fabric Protector.)

Thank you!