Early September always kicks off the preparations for the new school year. Besides buying supplies and textbooks, a large part of your attention goes to the gear used last year.
That lucky backpack, your favorite pencil case, and those comfortable sneakers can be perfectly reused, but they need a serious refresh after a year of heavy wear and a summer sitting in closets. Although they seem difficult to clean at home due to rigid materials or metal accessories, with the right steps you can make them look brand new in just one hour.
In this article, we show you how to safely sanitize school accessories and why a self-service laundromat is the safest choice for these heavy items.
Preparing backpacks: Pay attention to pockets and buckles
Backpacks are probably the most exposed to dirt: they sit on the classroom floor, in the schoolyard, and gather dust day by day. Before washing them, the most important step is preparation.
- Empty absolutely everything: Check every pocket, no matter how small. A forgotten sharpener, a leftover tissue, or a pen can completely destroy the material during the wash.
- Protect the accessories: Close all zippers and snaps, and fasten any straps or buckles. This way, you prevent them from catching on other materials or heavily hitting the washing machine drum.
- Pay attention to the padding: Most backpacks have a padded back for comfort. Wash them at a low temperature (maximum 30°C) so you don’t deform the support structure.
Pencil cases: How to get rid of ink and marker stains
Fabric pencil cases gather tough stains from leaky fountain pens, markers, or graphite dust from pencils.
Just like with backpacks, empty the pencil case completely. For old ink stains, it is ideal that the washing machine uses a professional detergent, capable of dissolving the pigments without fading the pencil case’s cheerful print. Leave the pencil case open during the wash so that the water and detergent can effectively clean the inside as well.
Sneakers and sports shoes: Rules for not ruining the sole
Gym sneakers and running shoes develop an unpleasant odor over time and gather mud that is hard to remove manually. Machine washing them is possible, but it requires a few precautions:
- Remove the laces and insoles: These should be washed separately. If you leave them inside, you risk the dirt getting trapped underneath.
- Use a cold setting: Never wash footwear with hot water! Heat melts the adhesive that holds the sole to the canvas and damages the rubber.
- Avoid the dryer: Unlike clothes, sneakers shouldn’t be put in the tumble dryer. The intense heat can irreversibly deform them. Let them air dry naturally in a well-ventilated area.
Why choose Laundromat for school accessories
Washing heavy backpacks and sneakers in your home washing machine is a huge risk. The uneven weight and the continuous pounding of soles or buckles can unbalance the drum and irreparably damage your domestic machine.
- Durable industrial equipment: Our machines are built exactly for tough jobs. They can easily handle the weight of footwear or massive backpacks while protecting your items.
- Huge drum: Thanks to the large-capacity drums, you can wash all the backpacks, pencil cases, and sneakers for the entire family in a single cycle, having enough space for the water to circulate properly and clean efficiently.
- Professional detergents included: For stubborn grass stains on sneakers or ink in the pencil case, our industrial detergents, which are automatically dosed, guarantee results superior to any commercial product.
Conclusion
Don’t let last year’s dirt ruin the excitement of the first day of school! Extend the life of your school accessories with a professional and safe cleaning.
We are waiting for you at Laundromat, where our large-capacity machines easily handle backpacks and sneakers. You get everything done in one load, quickly, without risking your home washing machine.
Start the new school year off right with an impeccable backpack!