Cleaning Baby Stains - Any Ideas?

Updated on March 11, 2008
S.K. asks from Las Vegas, NV
34 answers

My 2 week old daughter is a champion bf eater - and now a champion pooper. Sometimes a little too exuberant. Does anyone have any great tips or products for getting out yellow poop and/or spit-up stains from her (and my) clothing?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Now my daughter is nearly 3 months old and she is still as explosive as ever, but thanks to all of you lovely moms I have found that Oxyclean is working great for us. It is taking out every stain and gives me such peace of mind. Thank you for all of your suggestions!

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Provo on

www.myhexagoanlwater.com. This water will do multiple things from healing to cleaning anything plus beauty.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.M.

answers from Boise on

I'm glad that oxyclean works well for you!! My favorite product for stain removal is Folex. It's a non-soap and it easily removes both old and new stains. It's safe enough for kids to walk barefoot over the treated areas and is easy to use as well. Simply spray it on the stain, rub it in and blot it out. That's it. No waiting, or presoaking.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.F.

answers from Salt Lake City on

There is a great product on the market that I have only been able to find at Home Depot and walmart. It is called "Folex" there is no scrubbing involved. All you do is spray, wait a few minutes and then blot dry. It works on EVERYTHING! Good luck and congrats on the new baby!
A.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.M.

answers from Honolulu on

Hi there S.. Well, my daughter ate pizza one day an got pepperoni and tomato sauce and the oil from the pizza on her clothes one day. My husband tried washing it over 8 times over 3 weeks and nothing worked. Then a friend gave me a product that is completely safe and I put it on her clothes, the next day all the stains were out. I am talking after about a month and the shirt being washed over and over, the stain still came out. I love this product and am no longer afraid to wear whitwe. If you want to try it call me at ###-###-####. I can probably send it to you.

aloha,
S.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.M.

answers from Portland on

Totally toddler stain remover..I used to buy it at toysrus or wal-mart.I never did a load without it when my boys where first born. It's great for your clothes too!
Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.M.

answers from Portland on

The best thing I ever found was Simple Green. Spray a little on the spot rub the area together, throw in the wash and viola the stain is gone.

Congratulations on your new baby girl.

Mom of 5 boys
A.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.K.

answers from Honolulu on

Because I use Dreft anyways in the wash with my sons clothes (and mine too sometimes!) I didn't want to buy an additional product for stains. All I do, similar to the tons of other comments, is take a tub, put in some of the powder, not the liquid, with water, and let them soak for AT LEAST a day, that's usually all it takes, then wash as normal. It's safe for the baby's clothes, won't irritate the skin because it's what i use anyways and no additional products to buy :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.M.

answers from Chico on

ZOUT!!! It is THE MOST AMAZING STAIN REMOVER!!! My sons bibs look brand new after every wash!! I'm a BIG fan of Zout! :)

S.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.W.

answers from Seattle on

Baby Oxyclean is a great product it has gotten out almost every stain my daughter has gotten on her clothes especially poop when she was really little.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.V.

answers from Eugene on

I've used oxy-clean. Just follow the directions for the pre-wash soak, soak for 2 to 4 hours, and launder as usual. I've only had to treat massive, dried and old poop stains once.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.S.

answers from Corvallis on

Hello there S.,

There is a product called Zout. It has been a lifesaver (or clothing saver, Tee hee!) for me. On really tough stains, I spray with spray 'n' wash first, then the Zout right before it goes into the washer. This has worked on clothing that has already been washed and dried with a stain on it as well. Good luck with your laundering! :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sunshine! After washing, lay it out in full sunshine while it's still wet. I bf and cloth diapered my son and this worked wonders!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.

answers from Anchorage on

that is really odd... I've never had any stains from anything breastmilk (spit up or poop).

The only time I ever had anything stained, baby wise, was when my friends baby spit up on my stuff. She was formula fed and it stained.

I cloth diapered and would occasionally get poop stains when she started eating solids. Hanging them out to dry in the sun, after washing them took the stains right out. I'm certain it would work on laundry too :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.

answers from Las Vegas on

For breastfed babies, usually a little shout will do the trick. If not, try Nature's Miracle. They sell it at Petco and it is for pet stains. It works like a charm. As your daughter gets bigger, it works for all sorts of stuff. Pee, poop, breastmilk, cow's milk, vomit.... My 3 y.o. recently spilled a glass of milk on the couch. I used natures miracle and you can't smell it at all.

Oxyclean works really well on "organic" stains too. You just need to use hot tap water and let it soak at least over night. If it is still stained do it again.

Whatever you do, if something is stained, do not dry it. That reduces your chances of eventually getting the stains out. However, I have used oxyclean to get out stains that have been through the dryer. Sometimes it works. But sometimes the dryer "sets" the stain into the clothes.

:-)
T.
mama to Cole 9-11-03 & Wyatt 10-14-06

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.K.

answers from Portland on

I've always had great luck soaking my babies things in Oxi Clean.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Oxyclean is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I rinse twice and use Downey also. Soak as soon as you can. Putting baby stuff in the hamper for a few days is disaster. By the way, bananas are the worst! Banana-slop will turn BLACK and ruin anything it stays on. Rinse that out as soon as you can! Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Eugene on

Oxi Clean works for all of our stains. I put some in a squirt bottle and have it ready. Dish soap also works great. It is made to break down the protein and grease in food and will do the same in your laundry. Our daughter had that problem for a long time. Exclusively breastfed and all her spit up and poop stains were yellow. Good luck with those stains and enjoy your new sweet baby.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.B.

answers from Portland on

my four month old had the same problem. Shout that is the only thing that would take out her "oppsies". But the trick is to get it on there before it becomes a stain. Belive me nothing will work then.LOL

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.N.

answers from Seattle on

The spray and wash the comes in the pink bottle. It is both a pretreater and a wash booster. I pretreat then put a cap full in the wash with the baby clothes. Works wonders.

BF mother of two girls
Willow 3 years and Kodi 4 months.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.

answers from Portland on

Oxi-clean - I've been able to get out almost anything if I soak it in oxiclean in a sink for a day or two.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.D.

answers from Casper on

shout it out does wonders. i have used it since my son was born 5 1/2 months ago and it gets poop and spit up out.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.P.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi S., there is a product at most dollar stores called AWESOME. It is in a clear bottle with red writing. It is a multi-purpose cleaner and seems to get out any stain. It also works all over the house.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.Y.

answers from Cheyenne on

This is for Karen-
I don't know how old your baby is, but it has been mine (and most all mothers who breastfeed) experience that at about 3 months old until they are about 9 months old(?) a breastfed baby's bowel movements get less frequent, but more "explosive"- we had a term for it in our house- BLOWOUT! (and I have twins, so twice the blowouts)- up the back,down the legs, soaks the clothes that sometimes it would take 2 of us to undress and change one of them! If your baby is less than 3 months old and is exclusively breastfed, it is probably coming for you! If not, consider yourself lucky, girl! LOL :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

"Totally Toddler" spot remover. Available at Babies R Us and Wal-Mart. I've found it works better than any other stain remover (Shout, etc).

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.K.

answers from Spokane on

S.-

I went through this with my son too. We tried everything and nothing seemed to help, until my husbands grandma gave us an old recipe she used. This really worked for us and I hope it help you.

Take a gallon of boiling water, pour into a bucket along with a half a cup of powder bleach (we use the color safe kind) and a quarter cup of DISHwasher powdered detergent. The boiling water should disolve these, but you may need to stir a little until well disolved. Helpful Hint: do not stand directly over the bucket as the steam/fumes from this concoction are pretty potent. Let the mixture cool (as you don't want to shrink all your clothes by soaking in hot water) then place your clothes in the bucket for 24 hours and then wash. When my son was really young we usually kept a bucket of this mixed and sitting beside the washer so we could just go throw whatever onsie he had just stained into it. Hope this helps, let me know if it works!

B.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.D.

answers from Portland on

My advice to you would be to purchase a trash can with a locking lid, (for no spills) and borateem. When the item gets soiled, just put it in the trash can with the borateem and water until it is time to wash. Pour the whole bucket clothes, water all of it into the washer, and let the washer do the work. I have two boys, and never had a stain problem. It gets out everything from poop, to grass stains. It even works on blood. Hope it helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.M.

answers from Rapid City on

Hi S.!! Congratulations on that precious baby!! I have three children and each are such a miracle from God!!
I am always worried about WHAT is in a product. They might clean great, but always remember that things don't completely rinse out, even with a second rinse in the washing machine.
You should ALWAYS, ALWAYS use products in your home that will be safe for you and your family. It will be a lot less trips to the doc and overall you'll be healthier. These products range from laundry care all the way to personal care products. Did you know that Johnson's & Johnson's baby shampoo has formaldehyde releasers in it. (they call it Quanternium 15) I didn't know that when I put all that on my babies!! What a shock.
These are the products I use. I use nearly all of them because it's made a difference with my children. We haven't been to the doctor since March will illness (unheard of).
I do not sell these products or anything, but I do refer EVERYONE there all the time. The company sells ALL natural, biodegradable products and they're safe for us and our environment. The greatest part is: Their prices compare to Walmart, not like having to go to a health food store and pay out HUGE prices to get natural.
This is also cool, you can make a little extra cash every month if you decide to buy their products, love them as much as we all do and refer people to try them. This company is GIVING AWAY $100 worth of products over the next three months if you become a customer by Nov. 20th.
My website just shows the biz op but this is a place you can get more info and I can call you and schedule an overview call for you. You absolutely do not need to do this as a business, you can just order your products for them. BUT if you ever decide to, it can be a great income for us stay-at-home moms.
http://tinamccomb.stayinhomeandlovinit.com
Hope to show you an alternative way to cleaning your home!
T.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

I won't use store oxy or bleach on anything I put on my babies they are so toxic and can make them sick from not rinsing clean. I use products from an online store, you can check out some facts at www.saferforyourhome.com and request more information at http://wisemommy.fourpointwellness.com

they have two products I use together and was able to get stains out of clothes for my daughter that were 2 years old!!!!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.G.

answers from Seattle on

409 is my little secret. It really works, just spray a little on the spots about 20 mins before you put the clothes in the machine and wash the babys clothes on hot and the stains will come out.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.K.

answers from Las Vegas on

Have you tried hanging the item out in the sun? One of my friends is a BF & cloth diapering mom & swears that an afternoon in the sun & the stains are gone. She's also tried this with tomato stains & it works wonders.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.S.

answers from Portland on

Lysol has a cleaner that is yellow it works great on everything just spray it when it happens then wash it I have gotten out many stains including poop redwine coffee all the hard stains with it. And it does not cost much

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.E.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I found that any good quality stain remover, such as shout, worked great. And if you have any whites, but are concerned that bleach may irritate the baby's skin, use the new bleach called 'Ultimate Care.' I have two children and use it and the clothes come out just as soft. make sure when you use the Shout to pretreat to get the best results. Hope this helps!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from Provo on

Shout plus some hydrogen peroxide helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.G.

answers from Spokane on

LOL, I'm using cloth diapers on my son, and sheesh! That poo stains! I'm glad oxyclean is working for you; I haven't tried it yet, but I've found that a combination of Solu-mel (a natural stain remover) and sunshine have gotten his diapers pure white. The thing I like about the solumel is that it won't bleach my other clothing if I get poo on them too.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches