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4 Common High School Stains

As the first high school term finishes, kids are relieved to get a break. For busy parents, the thought of more laundry lingers. Laundry during the school year is difficult, but parents have learned the lesson to prepare. As you’re putting the school uniforms in the washer, you’ll encounter stains. This blog will go through the 4 common high school stains.

Common high school stains
Photo from Shutterstock.com

1. Ink

Perhaps not surprisingly, ink is at the top of the most common high school stains. Your child will be using ballpoint pens every day, so the writing is on the wall – ink stains are inevitable but worry not, they aren’t difficult to remove.

Ballpoint ink stains don’t take much to remove. If the ink is dry, rub alcohol on it, soak it for 15 minutes and then blot the stain. Afterwards, rinse the uniform in cold water and apply stain remover on it. Once you’re happy with the results, put the uniform in the washing machine and press the hot settings to start the cycle.

common high school stains - ink

2. Paint

Painting is a fun activity for kids and great for the mindset as it encourages creativity. However, parents don’t have much fun removing paint stains from clothes because unfortunately, paint is one of the most common high school stains.

Water-based paint is regularly used in schools. The good news for parents is that it’s easy to remove.

To begin with, get a butter knife and scrape off as much as you can and then use warm water to rinse it. After you’ve done this, get a laundry detergent and mix half of it in warm water then blot it with a paper towel. If you’re happy with the results and the stain is going away, wash the uniform in the washing machine.

common high school stains - paint
Photo by Liliana Drew

3. Mud

As much as we warn the kids about how dirty the mud is, they’ll still go and play sports in the muddy areas. We’re talking about football, cricket and even rugby!

Fortunately, mud stains are very visible, unlike ink stains, so chances are, you’ll spot them as soon as your child returns from school (bringing the mud with them!). When you see mud stains on their uniform, simply put the school uniform in the washing machine at 40 degrees. Mud stains usually will go away in the cycle.

For those sticky mud stains that have gone unnoticed for a period, brush them away first, pour liquid detergent on them and rinse them on cold water. Then put them in the washing machine at normal settings.

common high school stains - mud
Photo by Victoria Akvarel

4. Glue

Whether it’s used on a project or in textbooks, glue always somehow lands on school uniforms. Everyone dreads seeing sticky glue on their uniform – it’s hard to avoid but it is easy to remove.

Simply get a butter knife and scrape the glue off the school uniform. Afterwards, put the uniform in the washing machine and wash at 40 degrees.

common high school stains - glue
Photo by RODNAE Productions

The main lesson to take here is that you’ll come across these common high school stains every term.

Laundry chores are never ending and let’s be honest, nobody likes doing laundry during the half term. It is always nice to have someone help with the laundry.

At Laundryheap, we aim to do just that. We offer laundry services for busy parents like you, so you don’t have to do the laundry. Let us take care of it and get rid of these stubborn high school stains!

Book a service today and we’ll collect your laundry on the same day! Once cleaned, we’ll return them within 24 hours!

laundry service - laundry delivery

To learn more about Laundryheap, visit our website or download the free app on iOS or Android.

Happy Family


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Summer Tips for Parents

The sunny days bring picnics, ice creams, BBQ parties and so much more! For parents, it can also be stressful as it does get overwhelming to make plans to keep the children happy and busy. Luckily, we have summer tips for parents to cool off the summer stress!

Plan Family Trips

It almost goes without saying but planning trips with your family is important. Whether you’re travelling to Birmingham, USA, Denmark, Ireland, Dubai or Singapore, it presents a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time together and learn more about different cultures.

Taking Instagrammable pictures, eating different food and visiting sights are wonderful. If you think your family travels will get disrupted by laundry chores, worry not! We offer laundry services to help do your laundry for you!

Family at a beach trip

Introduce Your Children To Something New

Children have an abundance of energy and plenty of free time. They also get bored easily so use this time to introduce them to something new. Light up the creativity inside them and talk to them about joining musical or painting clubs. Or perhaps encourage them to read books to limit their technology use.

Kids playing

Encourage Your Children To Do More House Chores

No doubt summer should be fun for kids, but it should also be a time where kids learn about responsibility and start slowly doing house chores. This is one of the most useful summer tips for parents as it prepares your children for the future when it comes to washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning the house etc.

Kids learning laundry

Book a Laundry Service

Parents’ job is already busy and full of responsibilities. Laundry days become more frequent during the summer; kids may play football matches and bring home muddy shorts that pile up in the laundry basket.

However, a summer tip for parents is to book a laundry service like Laundryheap! We are like Uber but for laundry. Just visit our website to book a service and we will collect your dirty clothes, launder them, and deliver them back within 24 hours! No stress, no hassle!  

Book a laundry service

Make Every Moment Count

Going on trips, introducing kids to something new and booking laundry services may be great summer tips for parents but another useful tip is to make every moment count! Whether you’re at home, at a picnic or at the beach, you should strive to make it the best summer possible! Excitement fills in the air so just be sure to make every moment count!

Family jumping due to excitement

We hope you have an amazing summer and enjoy the hot weather! These summer tips for parents out there should help make you better prepared!

If you need help with your laundry, visit Laundryheap website to book or download the free Laundryheap app on iOS or Android!


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Cleaning Your Children’s Dirty Sports Kits

Cleaning your little one’s sports uniform is a problem faced by mothers the world over. Whether you are a soccer mom, rugby mum or athletics mother, at one point or another you will find yourself faced with grass stains that seem impossible to tackle. 

Fear not though, this guide will help you regain the joy you first felt watching your children play sport and no longer shudder every time they come home with a dirty kit. 

  1. Act straight away
  2. Know your fabric
  3. Pre-soak
  4. Pre-wash 
  5. Avoid Chlorine Bleach
  6. Removing Grass
  7. Cleaning mud
  8. Cleaning Sweat
  9. Drying
  10. Consult The Professionals 

Act Straight Away

You could be forgiven for wanting to bury your head in the sand when your child first comes home with a fresh bag of wet, muddy and smelly clothes . Especially if it isn’t laundry day. It is important to keep in mind that by doing this you will be making the whole process much harder for yourself in the long run. If you take one thing away from this guide today let it be this. Tackle that kit as soon as it comes through the door.

Know Your Fabric

Standard football kits are made predominantly from a polyester-nylon mesh. School rugby kits are often made from polyester with a lycra blend. Both sets of materials are made for their durability and thankfully are both easier to clean than cotton.

Pre Soak

Once you’ve established the fabric you want to get that kit soaking as quickly as possible. Try to run the tap and get as much mud off as possible. Some parents have even been known to hang the kit on the washing line and rinse with a hose. 

Once you have got as much mud off as possible, fill a bucket with warm water, mix with one cap of laundry detergent and a cup of baking soda. We would advise leaving the kit to sit for at least an hour or more.

Pre Wash

Check to see if your washing machine has a pre-wash option. If so, take advantage of it! Using your pre-wash setting allows the main wash to be as clean as possible. 

We advise using half a cup of standard washing powder and a half a cup of oxidizing stain remover in the pre-wash. Do the same when it comes to the main wash but use a full cup of stain remover this time.

laundry machine

Avoid Chlorine Bleach

Despite how tempting it may seem to use chlorine bleach, don’t! Polyester and chlorine do not see eye to eye. If you feel you have to use bleach try to find an all-fabric bleach. You don’t want to be forking out more money for a new kit because you ruined the last one. 

Removing Grass Stains

The absolute best way to get rid of grass is to use non-chlorine bleach. But as mentioned above make sure this bleach is not chlorine bleach as it won’t end well for anyone involved. Make sure you soak the kit in this for a solid hour before using the heavy-duty detergent to finish the job.

Removing Mud

Mud can be a tricky one. This is because the key to removing it is by letting it completely dry. If your children used their kit at the start of the school day then this shouldn’t be a problem for you. 

If this is not the case and the mud is still wet, do not attempt to wipe it away as it will only rub deeper into the fabric. A good hack is using a toothbrush or plastic cutlery to gently scrape the mud from the kit.

Cleaning Sweat

We seem to never stop mentioning the benefits of baking soda and white vinegar on this blog. Cleaning sweat stains or smells is where this unlikely couple truly show they are a match made in heaven. Simply rub some on the affected area before placing your kit in the wash. The outcome will be a fresh smelling sports kit.

Drying

Always air dry sports kits to make sure no shrinkage occurs. If you have to use a tumble dryer we advise setting it to low heat. 

Consult The Professionals

When in doubt, go to the professionals. Laundryheap will give you a fast and professional service on any dirty sports kits you can’t bare to wash again. We pick up and deliver in 24 hours and charge no delivery fees. 


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8 Best Maternity Stores in New York City

If you or one of your loved ones is pregnant, then first thing’s first, congratulations! Over the next few months, you will become more devoted to your little bundle of joy. That could mean anything from decorating the baby’s new room or getting a scan. Another important issue for soon-to-be Mothers is purchasing maternity clothes. Don’t look at this as a daunting task but think of it as some much needed “you” time. This is likely going to be the most necessary retail therapy you will ever need in your life. 

This list will help you find the most comfortable (and stylish!) maternity clothes New York City has to offer. 

  1. Yummy Mummy 
  2. Rosie Pope
  3. A Pea in the Pod at Macy’s 
  4. Motherhood Maternity 
  5. Janes Exchange 
  6. Pink Blush Maternity
  7. Hindy’s Maternity Boutique
  8. ASOS Maternity 

Yummy Mummy

Regarded as the one-stop-shop for “all things breastfeeding”. The store is located on the Upper East Side and stocks breastfeeding-friendly apparel with a selection of bras, pants, dresses, skirts, tops and more. The philosophy at Yummy Mommy is that you never need to sacrifice comfort or style to feed your child. 

Address: Inside Knickerbocker Plaza, 1751 2nd Ave Suite 203, New York, NY 10128, USA

Rosie Pope

This chic shop has an abundance of trendy apparel for mums-to-be and babies. You can pick up a mix of imaginative, fashionable, and differing styles of maternity apparel. Products can range from casual stay-at-home pants to more formal dresses for that all-important date night. Maternity clothing is only part of the overall in-store experience with concierge services, parenting classes, and even a room they describe as The Mancave (for distracting irritable Daddies to be). 

Address: 1265 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10128, USA

A Pea in the Pod at Macy’s 

One of the more high-end stores on this list, A Pea in the Pod stocks a variety of designer maternity wear for the more fashion-conscious Mummies-to-be. There is nothing unfashionable about the maternity wear on offer here. You will be able to find all the latest trends here whether you are looking for a new bikini or a cute dinner dress. 

Address: 151 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001, USA

Motherhood Maternity 

Don’t want to spend loads of money on clothes you may only wear for a few months? Then Motherhood Maternity has you covered. With plenty of stylish, affordable and durable clothing starting at as cheap as $5.00 for tees and tanks this store ticks all the boxes. These guys stock everything from maternity jeans, maternity tops, maternity dresses and nursing bras!

Address: 270 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001-6720, USA

Janes Exchange

This is another one for the future Mommies who want to save some dollars before the baby arrives. This buzzy secondhand shop has a large selection of maternity clothes, as well as kids clothes, gear and toys. They even boast a play area for any older siblings of the new baby that might be accompanying you. Janes also stocks new maternity clothing from Cadeau.

Address: 191 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009, United States

Pink Blush Maternity

Pink Blush Maternity designs clothes specifically wit you, the modern mother in mind. They operate in a world where fashion meets motherhood. With looks that are stylish, trendy but most of all affordable. You’ll find everything from hospital robes to activewear for pregnant moms! 

Address: Only online

Hindy’s Maternity Boutique 

Hindy’s is one of the more upscale stores featuring on this list. Hindy’s stands out amongst the others because of its vast variety of offerings – from sportswear, career wear, cocktail dresses and just about anything else you can imagine. Hindy’s started out as a small shop and has now expanded into a nationwide scale operation. This hasn’t dropped the quality of clothes though, they still stay true to the original goal; keep Moms stylish and comfortable. 

Address: 4902 New Utrecht Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11219, United States

ASOS Maternity 

If you haven’t already heard of fashion giant ASOS then it’s fair to say you may have been living under a rock for the last ten years. You can, however, be forgiven for not knowing about ASOS’ marvellous maternity range. With relatively inexpensive products and new items added to the site every week, ASOS should be high on the list of all new Mom’s go-to maternity stores.

Laundryheap can help relieve the stress of doing laundry with our same-day laundry and dry cleaning service, to give you more time for the important things in life, like shopping!


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How To Make Chores Fun For Kids

Kids are full of energy, but when it comes to doing chores… not so much. It’s just not a fun and appealing activity for them (just as it isn’t for us either!), but it’s gotta be done!

Here are 5 ways to make chores fun for kids:

Make it a game

Kids LOVE playing games! So what better way to make chores interesting for them than to incorporate their favourite games within the chores you want them to do. How about a game of throw the laundry into the basket (like basketball) or the floor is lava, so they have to pick up their toys before it ‘melts’. If they’re washing dishes, add some rubber toys in there or a floating boat to make it fun.

Just be creative!

Friendly competitions

Turn those games into competitions! The one who gets it done first will win or the one who does the most chores will win! Whether you have one or many kids, friendly competitions are not only fun but a great distraction from the thought of it being a chore. You can also use these competitions as a way of training and developing their skills; they can try to do their task better/ quicker the next time.

Reward them

Make your kids feel proud of their accomplishments by rewarding them for their efforts and hard work. Take them out for a treat, or create a reward system where they’ll have to do a certain amount of chores to be able to get an item they’ve always wanted.

Praising your kids for their achievements will encourage them to do more and will give them a sense of positivity when completing chores.

Make sessions quick

 Kids can get bored and distracted easily when activities become less interesting. It’s best to keep their chore time short and switch up their schedules every so often; exposing them to different tasks.

Add some music

Gather a list of your child’s favourite music and let them sing and dance to it whilst they’re doing their chores. This will surely keep them entertained and motivated! You can join in too and it will feel like they’re having a mini party.