Suds in Schools

Let’s talk about hygiene poverty and how YOU can help school children trapped in it...

Imagine not being able to afford the basics to keep yourself clean; that’s hygiene poverty, and it has a heartbreaking effect on our kids. In fact 66%* of schoolteachers say that they have witnessed the bullying of a child because of poor access to hygiene.

As we’re a cleaning products brand (here at smol) we knew we could do something to help… so we started the Suds in Schools Project back in 2021.

Creating free mini-laundrettes in schools across the UK, providing a washing machine/dryer and all the laundry detergent needed to ensure that no child in their care has to suffer from the shaming, bullying and exclusion of not having clean clothes/uniforms.

And so to keep creating more mini-laundrettes… we need YOUR help.

We've so far placed almost 100 machines into UK state schools - but we want to raise even more funds so that we can keep adding these Suds in Schools sites to more schools who are still so desperate to have them.

All donations will be put straight into helping kit out and install new washing machines into schools in a suitable location. Ongoing, you can leave the detergent supply to smol… we’ve got that covered for as long as the scheme is needed.

Everyone deserves to feel clean Hygiene poverty impacts over 3 million of us here in the UK but it slips under the radar because there is a stigma to not being able to keep clean and as a nation we just don’t discuss it.

It all adds up to a hugely negative impact on children’s mental health – over 72% suffer low self esteem, question why they cannot invite their friends over, and their school performance takes a hit. 

8 in 10 primary school teachers say they have witnessed a rise in the number of children attending school unwashed or wearing unclean uniform in the last 5 years and have found themselves intervening at an increasing rate (one third of teachers regularly buy their pupils toiletry essentials).

Here at smol, we knew that together could make a difference. We’re a laundry capsule company after all! 

There's 3 easy ways your can support Suds in Schools;

• Pledge your support. Every £1 counts and the difference one machine can make to so many school families is incredible. smol will be supplying free capsules to keep the machines running so your donation goes straight into buying and installing the washing machines into schools.
• Spread the word and share our crowdfunder page. The more eyes that see our Suds in Schools campaign the better. Not only can it boost the funds raised, it can help shine a light on this hidden, stigmatised issue.
• Nominate a school that needs our help. Perhaps you belong to a school that would benefit? If so, please fill out the form here.

If you’re interested to learn more about The Hygiene Bank and the work we do at smol to help fight hygiene poverty you can learn more here.

Rewards for this project are now closed.

*Boots commissioned survey of 500 schoolteachers, 2021
**Research from The Hygiene Bank and YouGov