Looking for how to get the baby poop out of clothes? This post has listed some tips on getting the poop out and safety tips on avoiding ruining baby clothes.
As adorable as babies are, there’s no doubt that they can be messy! From spit-up to baby food, baby clothes are a canvas for all sorts of stains, including stubborn poop stains. Before you throw your baby’s cute little onesie in the trash after an “accident”, check out these tips to get baby poop out of clothes.
Steps to Poop-Free Baby Clothes
1. Get Scooping!
After a diaper blowout, the first step is to remove as much mess off the clothes as possible. This will keep the rest of the clothes in your washing machine clean. It will also help your laundry detergent work better – the less dirt it has to break down the better it can work on tougher stains.
To do this, scoop off the mess with a baby wipe and toss it along with the soiled diapers, or flush it down the toilet. However, while you remove baby poop, ensure you don’t grind or mash the poo deep into the fabric.
2. Rinse
Once the bulk of the mess has been cleaned out, give the stained baby clothes a good, long rinse. Hold the clean side of stained clothing under a faucet of cool running water; a detachable hose in the bathroom can be a great investment!
In gentle, circular motions, remove as much of the poo as you can. The force of the running water on the clean side will help push the poo out from the other side. Avoid scrubbing while removing poop stains from clothes.
3. It’s Time to Pre-Treat
You can pre-treat by either using a spray or soaking the clothes in some warm water. Pre-treatment is an important step to get baby poop out of clothes since it starts breaking down greasy molecules and tough proteins in the stain. This will give your washing machine and laundry detergent a fighting chance to remove the stains.
If the stain looks especially tough or has had time to set, use a stain remover, like oxygen bleach powder, a stain stick, or a combination of dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda.
You can also make an organic stain remover at home to get baby poop out of clothes. Combine a quarter cup of lemon juice, with a cup of water in a spray bottle, and spray it over the stained area.
4. Thoroughly Clean the Clothing Item
After you pre-treat the stain and let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes, you can wash the clothing items like you normally would. This extra rinse is essential as it gets any remaining stubborn poop stains out.
Also, some pre-treatment methods can leave a residue on the clothing that the washing machine will take care of. If you’re washing with detergent alone, wash the clothes at a warm temperature. Check the care label on the clothing item, to see the best wash temperature.
5. Line-Dry the Washed Clothes in the Sun
As soon as the wash cycle to remove baby poop is complete, hang the wet clothes in the sun to dry. Remember, wet clothes are a breeding ground for bacteria, so put the clothes out to dry immediately.
You can hang colored clothes or those with prints on them, inside out, so that they don’t fade. In addition, the sun also has a natural bleaching effect on yellow stains! If you have any pants or clothing items with elastics, hang them in a “hot dog style” to avoid stretching the elastics out.
In case the weather is not in your favor, you can use the dryer on a low heat setting, to get the clothes nice and dry.
Some Handy Tips To Keep in Mind
1. Use Products That Break Down Protein
The chemistry of removing poop stains from clothes is surprisingly complicated. Different types of stains will need a specific treatment, to get them out from clothes, effectively.
For poop stains, it is recommended that you use a product that can break down proteins, like hydrogen peroxide or oxygen-based bleach, or an enzymatic cleaner. When it comes to poop stains, chlorine-based bleach is a big no. While it may be great at dissolving pigments like ink or red wine, it is not ideal for protein-based stains.
Similarly, if you’re washing a cloth nappy, it’s recommended not to use fabric softener. The conditioning agents in the softener can make the nappy less absorbent than it usually is.
2. Avoid Heat
After a messy diaper blowout, you may be tempted to get the poo out using scalding hot water. However, for protein-based stains, try to stick to cool to lukewarm water. Hot water can permanently set these stains. So can ironing the stain or using the dryer.
So, to prevent the setting of the stain, do a double-check after you wash the soiled clothes. If you still see traces of baby poo, give it another wash so that it is completely clean before you use the dryer.
3. Sanitation and Hygiene
Preferably wash all the soiled clothes separately from other clothes, to prevent contamination. Use a baby-safe laundry sanitizer while washing the clothes, to kill all disease-causing germs.
4. Use Cloth Diapers and Fleece Liners
The shape and elastic gussets of cloth diapers are great at preventing a diaper blowout. You can use them once in a while and alternate with disposable diapers. In addition, you can cut up fleece liners and lay them inside the diapers to hold the poop and prevent staining. Poo rinses off of fleece quite easily, especially if your baby is on solid food.
Final Words
It is not a simple task to get baby poop out of clothes, but it’s not an impossible task either! With five simple steps and some quality products, the baby clothes will be close to new. Don’t forget to dry the clothes well and use baby-safe products. Now that you don’t have to worry too much about doing laundry, you can spend more quality time with your little one! We hope you found the tips helpful.
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