Parents' constant battle to keep school uniforms clean is affecting energy bills

The averageschool uniformwill endure four rips, lose five buttons and suffer 25 stubborn stains in just one year, according to a recent study. A survey of 1,000 parents with school-age childrenrevealed that they also manage to break four zips on their school uniforms within the same period.

Typically, their little ones will return home twice a week with mud-splattered trousers. Moreover, 52 per cent will come home several days a week – if not daily – with food stains on their white shirts. For this reason, nine per cent of parents have to do laundry every single day to ensure their kids have a clean uniform.

Many parents are baffled by how their kids end up covered in so many grass stains while playing with their mates. The root causes of these are often a mystery, as more than half (55 per cent) of kids come home with damage they can't explain at least a few times a month.

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A spokesperson for Utilita, which commissioned the research and disclosed the cost of uniform washing behaviours using their Power Price List, said: "Parents battling with uniforms is a tale as old as time – and so is the unstoppable spirit of the average schoolkid.

"Children shouldn't have to restrain their natural energy and curiosity – but nor should this have to break your back or bank getting them clean. Being smart about your energy usage is not only good for your wallet and the planet – it can be quicker and easier too."

On average, parents spend a whopping 48 minutes of their precious time each month mending and cleaning vandalised items. This is in addition to shelling out £81 annually to replace uniforms that are damaged beyond repair.

The most problematic items were revealed to be school shoes, according to 37 per cent of parents – with their kids going through two entire pairs per academic year.

Cleaning methods for their kid's kit also vary depending on the level of damage done – with 51 per cent more likely to sponge clean a single stain. However, 46 per cent will toss it straight into the washing machine when there's more than one stain.

For 57 per cent, this approach is likely due to a machine saving them time, according to the OnePoll.com data. Four in ten believe their bills would be significantly lower if they didn't have to wash their kids' school clothes so often.

Utilita's spokesperson added: "According to our Power Price List, it costs around 20p per washing cycle and 50p per tumble dryer cycle. On average, households said they do 2.9 uniform washes each week, amounting to £21 over the year for washing and another £52 if using a tumble dryer – that's not even including the detergent.

"Therefore, through sponge cleaning individual items rather than chucking them in the washing machine, you can really start to save. While it may seem like an extra task – a quick five minutes of dabbing here and there will also probably be quicker than loading and unloading an entire wash every time.

"So, next time you child comes home with stains they can't explain, don't hesitate to rely on your humble kitchen sponge – it's more than up to the task."