L & M Dry Cleaners shares school uniform care tips as back-to-school spending hits record

L & M Dry Cleaners in North Palm Beach is urging families to protect school uniforms and formalwear as Palm Beach County classes start Aug. 10 and national back-to-school spending reaches a record. The advice comes as the NRF says families are budgeting more for apparel, shoes and other K-12 needs.

Why it matters: - Palm Beach County families are buying school wardrobes that need to last through a full academic year. - Uniform shirts, blazers and dress-code clothing can wear out early if they are washed and dried the wrong way. - National back-to-school spending is at a record, so stretching each garment can reduce replacement costs.

What happened: - L & M Dry Cleaners issued uniform care guidance ahead of the School District of Palm Beach County’s 2026-2027 school year start on Monday, Aug. 10. - The North Palm Beach dry cleaner said the advice is aimed at school uniforms, dress-code apparel and school formalwear. - The company has operated in North Palm Beach since 1972.

The details: - The National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics said families with elementary through high school students plan to spend an average of $863.86 this season. - Clothing and accessories account for $250.29 per family, or $12.5 billion nationally. - Shoes add another $174.01 per family. - Total K-12 spending is projected at a record $43.3 billion, up from $39.4 billion in 2025 and above the previous high of $41.5 billion in 2023. - The survey was based on responses from 7,677 consumers collected July 1 through July 8. - The School District of Palm Beach County says it is the 10th largest district in the nation and the fifth largest in Florida, serving more than 193,000 students. - School Board Policy 5.182 includes a District-wide Dress Code, School Specific (Standard) Dress Codes and Higher Standard (Uniform) Dress Codes adopted at individual schools. - Under the uniform tier, students wear the same two or three garment types every instructional day for about 10 months. - Collar and cuff soil builds up over time on polo shirts and oxford shirts. - South Florida humidity helps body oils bind to blended fabrics faster than in drier climates. - Garments bought in August can start to look gray or yellowed by October at the contact points. - High heat is the main reason that damage becomes permanent, according to L & M Dry Cleaners. - School uniform polos are typically cotton-polyester blends. - A high-heat dryer cycle sets collar and cuff soil into the fabric. - Once that soil is heat-set, standard laundering no longer lifts it. - The Federal Trade Commission’s Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423, requires permanent care labels on textile wearing apparel. - Blended uniform fabrics commonly call for warm or cold wash and low-heat tumble settings. - L & M Dry Cleaners recommends pretreating collars and cuffs before washing. - L & M Dry Cleaners recommends low-heat drying or hang-drying blended garments. - L & M Dry Cleaners recommends seasonal cleaning for blazers, jackets and formal school attire. - L & M Dry Cleaners recommends hemming and waistband adjustments before the first day of school. - Uniform alterations are best handled before Aug. 10, while families still have time to correct fit issues. - Garments stored in sealed plastic packaging through June and July can carry storage odor and set-in creases. - L & M Dry Cleaners provides pickup and delivery across about 20 Palm Beach County communities. - The company also offers wash and fold laundry service, alterations and tailoring through an in-house seamstress, leather and suede cleaning, linen cleaning and area rug cleaning. - Free pickup and delivery is available across northern Palm Beach County. - The business is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - More information is available at the company’s website. - L & M Dry Cleaners also has an Instagram account at social media.

Between the lines: - The guidance frames uniform care as a cost-saving issue, not just a laundry issue. - Humidity, repeated wear and heat damage make South Florida school clothing especially vulnerable to early replacement. - The timing matters because most families are finishing purchases and alterations just before classes start.

What's next: - Families are likely to use the days before Aug. 10 for final alterations and wardrobe prep. - Uniform care during the first months of school will determine whether garments last through the year or need to be replaced early. - The district’s calendar runs through the May 27 last day of classes, extending the wear window for school clothing.