Laundering of Food, Feces and Spit-up Stains

my mother in law swears by Borax. She owned a laundry & drycleaners in Oregon. When her kids were young (she had 3 kids, all within a year of each other), she kept a diaper pail full of borax & water & threw the diapers, clothes in there to soak until laundry day. She never wasted time spot cleaning, etc. using this process. However, be sure to test your clothing, etc. for colorfastness. If you rub a damp cloth on the item & color comes off it is NOT colorfast & shouldn't go in the borax solution!

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Hi there-!

I have 4 kids - and this has worked really well for me over the years for almost all baby stains - and it still works for my older kids' stains. :)

Get an inexpensive plastic dishpan or bucket from the drugstore. Put 2 scoops of regular oxiclean (not the 'baby' one) in the bottom of the dishpan. Fill it 3/4 full of as hot of water as the tap will allow. Put all the stained clothes in that will fit and still be submerged in the water (add more hot water as needed). Set the dishpan on the dryer and let the clothes soak for 3 days. (3 whole days) After that, dump everything in the washer and wash regularly with soap. This gets out almost everything (won't take out permanent marker)- and whitens and keeps the clothes looking new. This isn't good for silk, however.
This treats a lot of stained clothes at once, and makes the regular oxiclean very economical.

Another trick I've learned:
Berry stains: If the clothes are a natural fiber (cotton or linen) - boil the item of clothing (in a pot on the stovetop)- a little bit of oxiclean on the stain helps this process go faster, but it isn't necessary - but boiling is the only thing I've found to completely remove these kinds of stains. It will even get out set or dried berry stains. I've even boiled a tablecloth to get out a black walnut stain. (One of the most staining substances known to man....)

Good luck!

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I am going to have to agree with Kelly V. It is all a hype. I too used Dreft for my first child because it was recommended, and also because he had sensitive skin. But I was tired of buying it and eventually started using Tide and Spray n Wash for stains. It did not irritate his skin at all and the stains came out great. Now with my second child(2 months old), I continue to use Tide and Spray n Wash and it doesn't irritate her skin at all. A bunch of my other mommy friends do the same as well. Good luck!

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Hi K. B. Good morning. And welcome to motherhood!

Here are some cleaning methods for stubborn stain removal you can try. Go to the hardware or auto parts store and look for a hand cleaner called "Goop" It usualy comes in a pint size for around $2.00. If you are close to a Harbor Freight outlet they usually have this product in a half gallon size for less than $3.00!

Scoop it out of the container with your hand ( it feels like a nice face cream) gently smooth it into the soiled area and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. This stuff will work great on your husband's soiled white shirt collars. Or a sports shirt that he decorated with car grease or burger bits. Polyester blend blouses that you got make-up on. On an expensive blouse I would put it on a small area that will not be seen, let it stand for 10 minutes or so then hand launder and let it dry, just to be sure it would not affect the colors. But with most things that can be manchine laundered, just smooth it on, wait a bit, then put them into the laundry as usual.

By the way Goop will clean your stove, too. DO NOT get any water on anything at first. Just take the stuff and smooth it all over your stove surfaces. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Now, take a DRY piece of nylon scrubber ( I buy those green scrubbing sheets that are about 8"x12" and cut them into four pieces.) and scrub off anything that is sticking to the surfaces. Use DRY paper towels to wipe it off. Once you are satisfied that you have all the grease stuff removed. THEN you can take a damp cloth and remove the residual cleaner. For some reason this stuff won't work if you get water on it to begin with.

If that prcedure doesn't remove the soil or stain sufficiently from your laundry items, buy a bucket of Oxi-Clean. Try using a paste of this product made by mixing about 1/4 cup powder with 8 ounces hot water. Put the hot water in a mixing bowl and add the Oxi-Clean. It will foam up. Take a table spoon of the paste and gently massage it into the stained area. Fold the cloth over so it doesn't dry out and let it sit for an hour or so. There are directions on the side of the bucket which have other suggestions for soaking as well. Launder as usual.

If you have sturdy cotton or cotton blend items that are badly soiled/stained with grease based stuff like foods, road tars, make-up, try this: get a large sized pan or bucket ( I use CostCo dry laundry detergent in the 5 gallon buckets and I use one of those with the lid for larger items; or I have a 10 qt pan with a lid for smaller items like pot holders) with a good lid (this mixture will have bad smelling fumes, but if there is NO chlorine in the detergent, it is not toxic. NEVER mix ammonia with anything that has chlorine in it. That makes chlorine gas which IS toxic) put in 1 cup of powdered dish washer detergent ( I prefer CostCo's Members Mark dry automatic dishwasher detergent).

Mix it thoroughly with as hot of water as the soiled item can tolerate. About a 3 gts to a gallon of HOT water. Have the item ready to immerse in the bucket. Now add to the water mixture ONE CUP ammonia. Stir just to mix it up, immerse the soided item(s). Cover with the lid and put this in an area where the kids or the dog won't tip it over. I usually do this at night and let the items sit over night. Next day launder the items as usual.

Enjoy motherhood with your little one.

Lots of love coming to you
Merylyn (aka "Mommie Salami... my daugher's sense of humor)

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I have found that both baking soda and white vinegar work wonders on removing stains. With baking soda, just sprinkle into the wash at the beginning. With vinegar, add as you would bleach. They are both environment and baby friendly, and are things you would have around the house anyway. Also important is not to put stained clothes in the dryer until you have gotten the stain out. The dryer will set stains. Sun drying also helps with stain removal. Hope this helps :)

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I find that regular Oxiclean works just as well & you can buy a huge box at Costco or Sam's. Sometimes the non-baby products are not really any different. I haven't noticed it being perfumy & have used it for my babies.

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I used to use disolve it on everything and it worked great! And it is safe and biodegradable. Get it at Walmart in a spray bottle by the cleaners. Smells like lemon.

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For things that are particularly oily or smelly I like to use Arm and Hammer laundry additive and apple cider vinigar. The reaction of the two combined neutralizes oils and smells.

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Hi K.! Go to Trader Joes and get a tub of Oxo Brite. It is the same--sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate--stuff that all "oxygen bleach" products are made off. It is about half the price of regular Oxy Clean. I just got some today for 3.99 for 2 lbs. There are no additional ingredients or fragrances so there should be no risk to your baby's skin. (Quite frankly, I think Baby Oxy Clean is a bit of a scam). Happy laundering!

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I'm gonna be a bit blunt, but all those detergents that are for babies are just a marketing hype. I used Dreft (smells so good!) for our first son but after a couple of months, got tired of using a separate soap & asked our ped. about it & she said what I just said to you. Unless your son shows some form of reaction to the soap you guys use, wash his clothes in the same detergent. I HIGHLY recommend Zout. It's a stain remover. My MIL used it on our son's stuffed white dog after I spilled some red wine on it & it came right out. No lingering stains anywhere. I've used it ever since then...on bibs, onsies, pants, shirts & socks....all stains are gone....even the dirt on my older son's nasty baseball sox! Our second son is like Pigpen from Peanuts....dirt just finds him! I spray all his clothes w/Zout & it all comes out. As a baby, he had some pretty explosive green poops, & again, sprayed Zout on the mess & it all washed out. I should buy stock in the stuff based on how much I use it. I find it at Target. Hope this helps & good luck!

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Hi K., for the worst stains you can try a solution of half water, half hydrogen peroxide, blot it onto the stain with cotton ball or something similar., before you launder. That helps alot. Good luck, Sincerely, CJ

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Hi K.,
I found something called "Totally Toddler" stain remover that works great. I bought it at Baby Depot at Burlington Coat Factory, outlet store. It's not expensive and it does a very good job on removing any kind of stains!

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K.,
I use BIZ, which I purchase at Target. We are having a go with diarrhea and vomit right now, and some of that vomit is even brown (from bile). My 10 month old even vomited into a basket full of clean, folded WHITE laundry!
I do take the time to rinse the chunks out of everything, but then I get a bucket, put a scoop of BIZ in, and mix with hot water. Drop everything in, making sure everything is submurged, and then let soak 24 hours. Then I dump the whole thing in the washer and run in for with the extra "soiled" cycle (don't know if you have that option). It has gotten EVERYTHING out, even all those white clothes!

A good tip is, check the clothing after it's been washed to see if the stain has come out. DON'T put it in the dryer if the stain hasn't come out, because it will set. Just repeat the stain process. No rubbing, scrubbing, etc. required!

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Hi K.,

I would suggest that you Google "peroxide and oxi-clean". There are so many good uses for it and my understanding is that oxi-clean products are made with peroxide. Most countries out of the USA use peroxide instead of bleach...it's safer and CHEAPER.

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Use undiluted Hydrogen proxide to clean the stains, I used to be in healthcare, I used a cup of hydrgen proxide in my white uniforms, they always came out white. It removes most stains.

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My personal favorite baby-stain remover is called "Totally Toddler." It comes in a spray bottle that's white, with a mostly pink label. You can also get large refill jugs. Works basically the same as Spray N Wash, but for me was much more effective on the baby-specific messes. I've found it at Toys R Us, and I think Target or Walmart. Not too expensive since you only use it where you need it, and highly effective on all the goo that has come out of both my boys. We used cloth diapers, and in the process of finding covers that work well, had many messy leaks. This stuff got it all out, every time. Even on old stains, it's worked well for me, but give it time to soak in and sit before washing. It works best if you get it on right away, so I kept a small bottle in the diaper bag, and would pour it on the stain, and put the item in a plastic bag until we got home.

J.
PS: you will be spending lots of time doing lots of laundry for a while yet, sorry!

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Hydrogen peroxide works great! Also make sure you wash in cold water and check for any leftover stains before drying, as heat will set the stain and then you won't get it out!

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I agree with several of the posts that 1) regular laundry products (as opposed to "baby" luandry products) work fine for most kids, unless you see they are sensitive--I use regular Oxi-clean, make a spray & let it soak in, and 2) stains happen! some you will get out, most you may not, but just let it be, give it a spritz & let it soak before you wash it, & then enjoy your day with your babe.

I have a son who is almost 3, I have pretty much given up on handing down any of his shirts or turning them in for credit at those used baby stores due to stains, but we have FUN & don't sweat the stains...he surely doesn't care about them...and we can always buy him another inexpensive shirt at the thrift store, or Target or whatever! Get used to it, boys get dirty!

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Hi K.,

I have a 12 and a 2 year old. My 12 year old son is much messier than my 2 year old. I was in a bind not too long ago, w/ crayons being washed and dried in our laundry machines. I didn’t know what to do...? There were melted crayons all over my laundry! I tried using, Spray "n" Wash..., no luck. So, I looked all throughout my laundry room's cabinets and come across, Resolve Carpet Cleaner/solution. I put about 1/2 cup of Resolve into the washing machine, (using warm water) and would you believe, it worked! All my clothes came out clean! So, on that note, I always keep Resolve Carpet Foam on hand for those stubborn stains. Plus, you don't have to use as much as you would w/ those other brands that say to remove stains off of your clothes. Plus, it goes a long way and is cheaper too.

Hope this helps!

N. K.

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Hi,
I use SA8 solutions prewash spray spot treatment. I get it locally from a friend who sells other products as well. I can't believe how well it gets stains out. I swear by it. Let me know if you want his name and number so you can try it. I also swear by tide-to-go stick for immediate food stains. works even on coffee. you get these anywhere.

C.

42 y/o mom of a 12 y/o boy and 22mos. old boy.

I love Dreft Spray - pretty inexpensive at Target. It is very gentle for when my daughter was a baby, but strong enough to have gotten out all of her reflux vomit, diaper blow outs and even grass and blood stains from my son's baseball uniform! I use it on everything. Agreeing with another mom (all the while being a stain fighter myself), if it comes to a point where you are spending more time with your laundry than your family, the stains aren't worth it. :)

You may want to check the hardness of your water. Hard water sets stains into clothing. If you have soft water you should not have to spend any extra money on fancy detergents to remove stains. If you find your water is hard, you can install a soft water machine in your home.

Hello i'm a mom of 5 children and i use a product called grease lightning it a cleaning product but is very safe on clothing i've been using it for years just spray and let it sit aminute and wash i hope it works for like it has me good luck

We use Zout. You can buy it at Walgreen's and Long's in the gel form or at target in the spray form it gets out nearly everything. We have been using for many years and my kids are much older now with ground in dirt and grass etc. It is a little bit pricy but you can put it on right away and let it sit unlike other stain removers. In fact it works better that way. Then when you are ready to wash just stick it in.

The Spray and wash dual action in the squeeze bottle (versus the green spray bottle) is the ONLY thing that has really worked for us for getting all stains out! I find it at Target most of the time.

I use spray and wash and it takes out everything.

I use spray and wash. It works great. I have an 18 month old son, who gets more stuff on his clothes that I would ever have imagined. I am sure it is not environmentally friendly though. Good luck:)

By about the time my daughter was 6-months-old, I started using good ol' Spray 'n Wash for these kind of stains and it worked great. I first tried it in a few things to see if it bothered her skin the next time she wore it and it didn't seem to. So I've been using it ever since (she's now almost 18-months-old).

Of course, like any stain, it works better the sooner you can treat it.

Good luck!

Have you tried Shout? I absolutely love it for all kinds of stains. Also, as far as detergent for baby's clothes, maybe Dreft would be a less expensive kind. Dreft combined with SHout should do the trick. Good luck and Happy Laundering!

I have always used spray & wash. It seems to get out a majority of the stains and it is very easy and inexpensive to use.

Hi there. I do the exact same thing as Adrienne S. does. I buy the large box/tub of Oxi clean from Costco. (It's about $14 & and it lasts quite a while). I use it ALL the time. It is the ONLY thing I have found that takes ANY and EVERY stain out of any clothing item. I take the soiled item and soak in a bathroom sink or tub (depending on how many items you have) with a small amount of Oxi Clean. I usually let it soak for a day (it seems inconvenient to tie up a sink for that long, but I have double sinks in my bathroom & pretty much designated one of them for the purpose of soaking my kids clothing.) I also put about a half a cup into each light colored load in the wash and it takes out all the little spots on the clothes I didn't soak. I don't use bleach any more, I just put 1 cup of Oxi Clean in with the whites. Good Luck

Hello, so I have been using just a All free and clear for my daughters clothes BUT the thing I can't be without is the Spray and Wash Stain Remover Stick. Its perfect, it gets out stains from foods and from there diaper messes. The best part is, its a small thin stick that fits in your diaper bag easily and my favorite part is you can rub on the stick were the mess is and you can wash it up to a week later and it still works. So when your on the go and can't get the stain out that second, you can just rub it on and wash it when its convienant for you. It really does work and has saved soo many of my daughters clothes from being ruined. Hope you try this out. Oh plus its cheap, like 4 dollars for the stick and it lasts for a long time.

Dove Saop, work wonders, wet soap, scrub a little and leave till ready to launder.

Hi K.,
I have a four year old boy and my advise to you is - stop worrying about the stains. Everything get stained and it doesn't really matter does it? Stains happen - learn to live with them. Once you let go of that worry, it will free you up to enjoy getting dirty with your son when he's older.
G.

Babies grow out of their clothes so fast, that I think you shouldn't worry as much about stains as you do about the precious time that scrubbing takes from rocking and cuddling your sweet baby. Cost effective would be cost of your time, and as far as expensive soaps, calculate how much it costs to buy baby clothes at a place like The Sandbox in Sonoma or Baby Wharehouse in Petaluma compared to Baby Oxyclean. Stop worrying and have fun; your baby will remember how mom played more than how mom cleaned.

Hi K. - Try Awsome, it is sold at 99 cent stores or Dollar Tree stores. It is only $1 a bottle and it works great. Don't dillute it, just spray it on the stain, work it in a bit and stain is gone, works on grease, blood, you name it it comes out. Stubborn stains might require sitting and re-applying but it does work. I haven't found a stain it doesn't work on.

E. J

Have you tried Spray N Wash with Resolve?
I use that and it works really well on stains.

S.

Try Zout, available in most markets & drug stores, Nob Hill Foods in particular. I haven't found a stain yet (20 years use) that hasn't come out. Apply a little directly to the stain and "scrub" with a used toothbrush. Put a capful in with the laundry detergent as well (it's also a fabric brightener). My neighbor, a telephone linesman, told me about this product because it really is very good.
Having said this, I suggest that you pick a few sets of clothing your REALLY care about keeping stain free, and don't worry so much about the others. He's a little boy, and boys just seem to get really dirty alot.
L.

liquid Dawn soap works great! you can also use regular oxi clean and get a bigger tub of it at Costco or get a smaller one and use coupons at Walmart.

K.,
WE like the Spray n Wash dual power, my son wears everything still at the age of 13, and it is great on
spilt food as well, it actually took out the spaghetti sauce on my sweatshirt the other day.
Good luck

I use the regular Oxi-clean, you can buy in bulk at Costco. It doesn't irritate her skin at all, I've been using it since she was born. If there's a tough stain, I put one scoop in a tub w/ super hot water, and let it soak for a day or 2. Other than that, I add a scoop to each load of my one yo daughter's clothes. It brightens, as well as getting the daily stains out. Just make sure you let it dissolve in the water before adding the clothes, otherwise it will eat away at the fabric. Good luck :)
A.

A little Spray and Wash or Shout first?

Hello-

Don't know personally how it works with your kind of stains, but Cascade dishwaser soap works great on grass stains!!! And we all know what a pain those are. I don't know, but anything worth a shot? Just put some on the stain, rub it around and wash like normal. Good luck.

R.

I use oxiclean too from Costco and would just keep a bucket in the sink in the garage next to the washer and let things soak. But agree I I agree, iit can be very time consuming. We found changing diapers to a different brand helped with the poop blow outs. With food stains for baby's transitioning and on solids the best investment I have made is in what I call my son's "meal jacket" . It's a Baby Bjorn smock that snaps in the back and has elastic at the wrists. It is goes down to about his knees (for now) which is nice and almost always covers any spills. These Baby Bjorn smocks are $30 a piece where I bought them in Campbell (Tiny Togs). There may be cheaper alternatives but something smock like it great. I have 2 and so always have a clean one to use. I have greatly reduced my laundry and stain fighting this way. The smocks are water proof and can be wiped clean with a rag or laundered and hung dry as well. My son is 2 but refused to wear bibs early on so this has been our solution. With a second baby I would use this much earlier. good luck.

I use, and love, Dreft spray. It sells at Target for about $3.00. I also carry with me at all times - in my daughters diaper bag - a Spray and Wash stain stick. People laugh when I pull off soiled clothes at the park, the store, etc and use the stick, but our clothes are stain free! For really bad stains, I use the stick THEN the spray and let it sit for a few hours. I do add a cup of regular Oxiclean to each load of her laundry just to keep things bright!

I use tons of Spray N Wash and Kirkland Ultra detergent. Works great for me. I use the Clorox Bleach Pen on whites where there is still a slight stain and then rewash with detergent. Voila!

I agree with many others, the oxy-clean from Costco is the way to go, for awhile Costco had it's own Kirkland brand but I haven't seen it in over a year. We also keep a Spray N Wash stick in the diaper bag and treat grass, chocolate, red dirt and tomato stains right away. I soak im my kitchen sink. Also I have a child with extremely sensitive skin so we just do an extra rinse cycle to get all detergents out and that is what we have done for all our babies after the first one.

Hi there,

I'm a mother of 2 girls (6 and 4 yrs old). If you're okay with using cleaners with chemicals, I would recommend Zout! It's easy and works like a charm! My husband works in a restaurant and he always has food stains on his white shirts and 99% of of the time it gets the stains out. It works way better than Shout and OxyClean.

Good luck!
T.

K.,
I use Oxy-Clean on formula stains and it works great. But I found out that the new Advance (Spray & Wash)works great. Even on set in stains.Spray it on the stain and let it sit the longer the better then spray with Spray & Wash and put into the washer.Good Luck

DS2 has severe reflux and vomited profusely on everything (before Zantac) so here's a list of what's worked for us:

The Dreft spray can be refilled with a little bit of Dreft liquid detergent and water... then shake to mix and make sure to shake before spraying each time.

Costco Kirklan baby wipes do an amazing job of stain removal and at the very least pretreat when you're away from home. They're also great at removing stains from carpet if you get to it right away.

Palmolive Oxy Lemon dish soap works well... spread a little over the surface of the stain, spread around, wet to dampen and then squish the soap into the fabric. Launder as usual in about 20min. This has also saved quite a few pieces than I noticed stains on after the washer but before the dryer. You can either wash with the next load after treating or let the soap air dry on the fabric and put the item back in the hamper for the next load of laundry.

Here's something a friend forwarded me when she heard about all the laundry I was doing due to the reflux vomiting but I didn't get around to trying it... good luck on your quest!

I have an excellent stain recipe that works especially well on baby stains, even old stains that have gone through multiple washes. Pour 5 quarts of very hot water into a bucket and add 1/4 cup powdered Clorox and 2-1/4 cup powdered Cascade automatic dishwasher detergent. Mix and add your stained items. Let them soak overnight then launder as usual. By the way, I've had excellent results using this recipe on linens that are stained or have yellowed over time. This is amazingly gentle on fabrics that can tolerate hot water.

DS2 has severe reflux and vomited profusely on everything so here's a list of what's worked for us:

The Dreft spray can be refilled with a little bit of Dreft liquid detergent and water... then shake to mix and make sure to shake before spraying each time.

Costco Kirklan baby wipes do an amazing job of stain removal and at the very least pretreat when you're away from home. They're also great at removing stains from carpet if you get to it right away.

Palmolive Oxy Lemon dish soap works well... spread a little over the surface of the stain, spread around, wet to dampen and then squish the soap into the fabric. Launder as usual in about 20min. This has also saved quite a few pieces than I noticed stains on after the washer but before the dryer. You can either wash with the next load after treating or let the soap air dry on the fabric and put the item back in the hamper for the next load of laundry.

Here's something a friend forwarded me when she heard about all the laundry I was doing due to the reflux vomiting but I didn't get around to trying it... good luck on your quest!

I have an excellent stain recipe that works especially well on baby stains, even old stains that have gone through multiple washes. Pour 5 quarts of very hot water into a bucket and add 1/4 cup powdered Clorox and 2-1/4 cup powdered Cascade automatic dishwasher detergent. Mix and add your stained items. Let them soak overnight then launder as usual. By the way, I've had excellent results using this recipe on linens that are stained or have yellowed over time. This is amazingly gentle on fabrics that can tolerate hot water.

Hi K.,
I have every spot treater on the market!lol I L. the Spray and Wash stain stick best. I leave one in the bathroom and treat our daughter's clothes as soon as I take them off. Another great presoak I use (especially for feces) is hot water with laundry soap and automatic dishwashing detergent. It also works great for bibs. I used the bibs made from towels as they cover a larger area. I never used Baby Oxyclean, just the regular stuff. Try the stain stick, you can treat it now and wash later which I L.. I always inspect the treated clothing after they are done washing and retreat if the stain isn't gone.
L.