We can all agree, life with a new baby can be very messy, and spit up is something you cannot avoid. This is both on your clothes or your baby’s clothes. From the breastmilk, you just gave him or if he prefers formula to his favorite food. Since this is something, you can’t prevent how about finding out how to get spit up stains out of baby clothes.
Any spit-up requires you to perform some quick stain removal, no need to dispose of clothes as these methods suggested below are effortless and safe. These are effective stain removal methods that will quickly remove fresh and old spit-up stains you have been struggling to get out. After using these methods, you need to thoroughly rinse your babies’ clothes, to ensure his skin does not get irritated.
Why do baby clothes develop yellow stains?
This is a very common question that mammas tend to ask themselves; at times, you might even wonder, did I properly clean his vest? The discoloration is very normal even when you washed the clothes. The culprit to this very stubborn stain is the protein present in milk. Even after proper cleaning, this residue tends to remain, and with time it bonds with your clothes; this is where the yellow discoloration comes in.
Perform some pretreatment on the spit up stains
The key to effectively remove the stubborn spit-up stains is doing a pretreatment. We tend to toss the stained clothes into the washing machine quickly, but If you didn’t effectively do a pretreatment, the curd would just stay put, making us rush for the commercially prepared stain treatments to make our cleaning process more manageable. However, these treatments are not always an excellent go-to option as it could irritate your baby’s skin, so how about exploring the natural pre-treating options.
Tips on how to get spit up stains out of baby clothes
1. Ensure you deal with the spit up stains as soon as possible
When your baby spits up, immediately try to remove as much of the stain as possible. You could try using a stiff-bristled brush; this is if it is already old and crusty on the clothes. But if the spit up is just fresh, you can use a damp cloth to blot it out; while doing this, avoid rubbing or grinding in the stain. Remember, you are trying to remove as much as you can before you start the cleaning process.
2. Go ahead and coat the remaining stain with some baking soda.
Once you have removed as much stain as you can, try to sprinkle some baking soda. The good thing baking soda is gentle on your baby’s skin, even if he has a sensitive type.
3. Next is pouring some soda.
If you have club soda in your pantry, you can make use of this, pour it over the baking soda, and let it fizz up. At this point, you can scrub the stain again with the bristled brush, especially for food or formula stains, as these need an extra hand to get it all out.
4. Wash the clothes in warm water
Once you have brushed the stubborn stains, you need to wash the clothes in the warmest temperature it can handle, check the tag on the clothes for the ideal heat. You can also add in a little detergent, don’t overdo with the use of detergent, because more does not necessarily mean more washing power. All it will do is add more residue on your baby’s clothes, which could lead to skin irritation.
5. Try to amp up the washing cycle.
I am sure you have a bunch of stained clothes that need some cleaning, why not clean them all at once as this saves you a lot of time. If this is the case, try to add a scoop of oxygen-based cleanser. This is all to boost the efficiency of the current detergent you are using.
6. Try air drying the clothes.
It is advisable to air dry the clothes because the use of a dryer might cause the stain we are working on to remove to set back. Once you have successfully removed the stains, try to air dry these clothes.
Some additional tips
— When trying to get the stains out from your baby clothes, try to avoid the harsh chemicals, as these might irritate his skin. These are the likes of stain removers or bleach as they are made of harsh chemicals.
— If you feel you need some help with a safe cleaner, you could try the Bac-Out Cleaner option. It has been considered to be mild as the natural enzymes efficiently work through any tough stain; all this is done without leaving any residue that could irritate your baby’s skin. It’s all about using natural elements to your advantage.
— You will notice there are a few stains that are not that visible at first, but after some time of being stored away in the wardrobe, it becomes visible. But don’t worry, these stains can still be removed; follow the helpful tips I have shared above.
— You could also explore the use of a bar of soap; this can help in removing some stains that are not too stubborn. With your bar of soap rub around the stained area, allow this to set for about 30 minutes, then from here, you can proceed to wash as normal. If the bar of soap did not do the trick, then you can try using some baking soda instead.
Final thoughts on how to get spit up stains out of baby clothes
We tend to spend so much time caring for our babies and making sure they are adequately fed and comfortable. All this taking up all your energy, and the little time you have to yourself should not be spent taking care of stubborn stains. And this is where these helpful six tips help in keeping your baby’s clothes clean with little to no effort from you. Go ahead and spend the extra minutes taking a break before your mom routines begin.