ARTICLE
Simple hacks to make school uniforms last longer
Published Oct 14, 2025 • Updated May 4, 2026 - 3 min read
Keeping school uniforms in good nick comes down to smarter washing, drying and ironing, plus choosing appliances with the right fabric-care features. This article shows how to reduce fading, shrinking, creasing and wear so kids’ uniforms last longer and look tidier week after week.
Key takeaways from this article
Use delicate cycles and cooler water to reduce wear on school trousers.
Wash sports uniforms cold, with a faster spin and shorter cycle.
Auto-dose and add-a-garment features help cut detergent waste and missed loads.
Heat pump dryers and load sensors help prevent shrinking, fading and over-drying.
Steam stations and steamers help remove wrinkles and freshen formal uniforms fast.
School uniforms live a tough life. In a perpetual cycle of wear and wash, those once crisp white button-ups and bright polos can quickly become faded, stained and out of shape. It doesn’t have to be that way! With some laundry know-how, plus the latest laundry tech on offer from modern washers, dryers and irons, you can keep those school uniforms looking as good as new.
Whether you’re hanging onto last year’s uniforms, hoping to make the new ones last longer, or tired of grappling with pesky skirt pleats, we’ve got the best laundry tips and laundry appliances to have those school kits earning As for effort.
Want more Back To School inspo? Check out our Back to School hub!
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Top-of-the-class Washing Machines
Washing machines can’t prevent pen marks, playground dust and art-class spills, but they can banish stubborn stains and switch up programs to take better care of your kids’ most hard-working garments.
“The latest washing machines are smart about how they wash and offer plenty of programs to help make laundering school uniforms more intuitive, energy efficient and better tailored to the needs of each type of fabric,” says Peter Simic, The Good Guys Buyer – Laundry.
Here are some simple washday hacks to help make school uniforms last longer.
How to wash school trousers
Extend the working life of school trousers by always choosing a delicate cycle that uses lower water temperatures and slower tumble speeds to curb unnecessary wear and tear on material. Reserve the heavy-duty cycles for blitzing ketchup and grass stains!
How to wash sports uniforms
With sporty polos prone to fading and shrinking, it’s best to stick to cold temperatures, and to select a wash cycle with a high spin speed and shorter wash time. Many of the latest washers also have an express cycle that can refresh PE kits in as little as 15 minutes. Lifesaver!
“The latest washing machines offer plenty of programs to help make laundering school uniforms intuitive, energy efficient and better tailored to the needs of each type of fabric.
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Shop Multi-Cycle Washers
Hisense 10kg Front Load Washer
Fisher & Paykel 8kg Front Load Washer
How to save time (and money) on washdays
Looking for ways to cut wastage in your laundry routine? Consider upgrading to a machine with an auto-dosing feature. An auto-dose machine will automatically dispense just enough detergent for each wash and then set the water level to match.
Always getting tripped up by that rogue uniform that missed the wash? No need for a separate load … just pop it in mid-cycle with the must-have ‘add a garment’ feature – now seen in all the best-dressed washing machines!
Shop Auto-Dose Washers
Samsung Bespoke 9kg Front Load Washer
LG 16kg-10kg Combo Washer Dryer
Diligent dryers with extra credits
The washing is done, but you need those school uniforms ASAP. All hail today’s clever dryers with their life-smart features! Say goodbye to shrinking sweaters with wool cycles that handle school jumpers with care. Prevent the garment stress and colour fade that come from overheating with savvy load sensors that switch off when clothes are perfectly dry. Minimise wrinkles on those hard-to-iron formal uniforms by selecting anti-crease mode.
Constantly cycling through uniform loads? Busy households will love the energy efficiency (and lower power bills) of a heat pump dryer.
“With no venting required, heat pump dryers are practical, long-term money savers. They work by capturing and evenly distributing warm air, continuously reheating and recycling air back into the drum,” says Peter Simic.
Hot Tip: If you’re hanging school uniforms outside to dry, avoid direct sunlight, which can cause weakened fabric and colour fade.
How to dry wet trainers
Shoes too soggy for school duty? A quick session in the dryer will have sports shoes fresh and dry for tomorrow. Some dryers have removable shoe racks made just for the job.
For a general clean, pop soiled trainers in the washing machine first. (Some Wi-Fi-enabled smart washers will let you download tailored cycle settings made just for shoes).
Shop Heat Pump Dryers
Samsung 9kg Smart Heat Pump Dryer
Go full steam ahead on wrinkles!
Want to seriously step up your wrinkle-busting power and keep formal high school uniforms in tip-top shape? Consider a portable all-in-one steam station to make short work of those collars and pleats (and all your other ironing needs). Steam not only wipes out wrinkles, it also doubles as a sanitiser to freshen up that school blazer before Assembly. Bonus!
Hot Tip: Seek out a model with sensor technology that can detect a garment’s material and match it with the perfect temperature (no more burn marks!).
Looking for a fast fix? Garment steamers are super compact and great for wheeling out on hectic school mornings. Or go for a handheld steamer for even speedier last-minute touch-ups.
Shop do-it-all steam stations
Braun QuickStyle 5 Garment Steamer
Philips 8500 Series All In One Garment Steamer
Russell Hobbs Supreme VacuSteam Handheld Garment Steamer
Want school uniforms with staying power? The solution lies in your laundry! Visit The Good Guys in-store and online to kit yours out with the latest and greatest washing machines, dryers, irons and steamers.
