SPPSS - Uniform Care Tips & Tricks

SOUTH PACIFIC PRO SPORTS SUPPLY

UNIFORM CARE
TIPS & TRICKS

Over the years many different methods have been tried to keep uniforms clean and make them last as long as possible - more bashing and banging for your bucks so to speak!
Well along the way many things have been tried that haven't worked and so we've come up with a list of tips that do work, many of which have saved a nice uniform or three from an early trip to the garage as an oil rag!
Some of these tips might appear to be pretty obvious to some of you and others just way too wacky to possibly work. Basically, if it's up here it does work and someone just getting into having to care for a team uniform may not know even the basics so here goes:

The first time you wash your uniform(s) fill the machine with warm water and mix about 2 tablespoons of salt into the wash. Then allow the water to cool before placing the uniform(s) in. This will help to "set" the colours. If your machine won't allow this then pre-mix salt in hot water, allow to cool and then pour that into the machine as you would detergent.
When you wash your uniforms turn them and any other printed items you might be washing inside out.
Never use hot water - warm is okay if that's all the machine can do but for 99% of the time stick with cold washing.
Never use bleach even on white uniforms.
If you have a really nasty stain to remove try shaving cream! Any cheap brand will do - no gels - so long as it contains coconut oil. Just apply a liberal dose of the cream to the stained area and rub it in. Let it dry overnight and then wash as per normal. It may take two or three tries to remove really vicious stains but it will get the job done and it will not affect colours or prints. Believe it or not we've seen this actually remove sweat, rust and dye stains in some white lycra-nylon football pants that had been thrown in the corner of the locker room with the belts left in them after their last game 18 months before!
Never, ever place a screen printed uniform into a clothes dryer! It doesn't matter what type it is, even those stand up models that say you can put items not intended for dryers into them are not good for a printed uniform. The heat will melt some prints and eventually harden and crack the majority of screen printed uniforms.
Dry your uniforms by hanging them in a cool, dry place out of the sun where the air can circulate around them. The Hills Hoist is a no-no! The Sun will not only fade the material it will also damage many prints.
Repair any little holes before they become big ones! Remember that old saying "A stitch in time saves nine!"? Well it's true. Most dry cleaners offer a repair service if you're not handy with a needle and thread - or your grandma is better at baking than sewing - and that's more than good enough for what you need. Don't let them clean the uniform with any of their chemicals though!
Never iron a screen printed design, even through a cloth or brown paper. The heat will adversely affect the print and may cause cracking and/or smearing.
No uniform is bullet proof - unless you ordered it in multi-layer Kevlar! Just because a uniform is expensive or labeled "PRO Style" doesn't mean that it can't be torn to pieces the very first time it's used. Most "Pro" teams replace their uniforms on a regular basis - some EVERY game!! If you want your uniform to last then look after it! It will get beat up and bashed about but small owies can turn into big nasties so look after your investment and it'll last you till you're telling the grandkids all about your exploits as one of the great athletes of all time!!