A laundry expert has shared a brilliant time-saving hack that allows you to avoid ironing school uniforms while keeping them crease-free and fresh.
With the time to send kids back-to-school just around the corner and parents already sharing what they're looking forward to once they do go back, the time has also come to begin buying all those necessities that will prepare the youngsters to step into the new year.
So with Back to School Month underway, we've shared the best school supplies for 2023, the best school shoes for both boys and girls, and detailed how you can get Asda school uniforms for under £2.
The first day of school of wonderful as the kids get dressed in their fresh clothes and walk off into their lessons. But we all know that, by the time they get home, those crisp white shirts and neatly ironed trousers are going to be covered in grass stains and be desperate for a wash. And while there are some brilliant hacks to remove stubborn stains, like Mrs Hinch fans' favourite £4 product, the inevitable ironing that follows each wash feels like a chore with no alternative.
But now, one laundry expert has shared a brilliant hack that means you can keep the iron in the cupboard and get crease-free clothes in one easy step.
Deyan Dimitrov, the CEO of Laundryheap, told Virgin Radio UK, "Ice cubes are the perfect solution to prevent creases in clothes."
Dmitrov says to 'run a standard cycle' on your tumble dryer and pop in an ice cube before shutting the door 'and your garments should emerge in pristine condition.'
Alternatively, if you don't have a tumble dryer or are trying to cut costs by avoiding using it, you can use this next best solution.
They said, "Make use of a humid room in your home - search for a boiler room, airing cupboard or a recently used shower." Pop an ice cube in and let the resulting steam work it's magic. They added, "Hang your school uniform in the room until the creases drop considerably, if not completely. This can take between 30 minutes to several hours."
How you hang the clothes makes all the difference when drying, whether you're drying them inside or outside.
Simitrov shared, "Shake out school uniforms after a quick wash and peg them on a washing line outside for several hours. If you hang garments from their seams, gravity should work out any creases - they’ll also end up smelling crisp, fresh and clean.
Once you've got your crease-free clothes all dry, how you fold and store them can go a massive way in keeping them crisp.
According to Dimitrov, you should 'avoid refolding school uniforms as you transport them from the dryer to your drawers.'
They said, "Folding your laundry just once before use will minimise multiple folding creases, helping to keep as much of your clothing as crinkle-free as possible.
"It can also help to do this immediately after they’ve dried, which will prevent them from wrinkling as they sit in the dryer or on the side, before storage."
Instead of folding, rolling your clothes is a better option. Dimitrov said, "This is also an easy technique to master - it saves space and reduces the amount of creases in uniforms.
"However, make sure to check that the garment doesn’t have any wrinkles before rolling - if it does, you’ll make their creases more pronounced! Find a flat surface and lay the item face up, fold the bottom section upwards by three inches.
"Next, start to fold it into thirds, taking the left and right side and folding them into the centre. Then, fold the sleeves back on themselves to reduce the original width by a third. Lastly, start at the collar and roll the item up with a moderate tension - you’ll end up with a perfectly rolled item that’s resistant to wrinkling."
