by Mei Lele

August 19, 2022

what to do with stained baby clothes

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Children often crawl, spill food, vomit, or urinate on clothes, making their clothes very easily stained and dirty. Many parents use laundry detergent or bleach to clean their baby's clothes. However, these substances can negatively affect their baby's skin and health.

So, how to effectively remove yellow stains and protect your baby's sensitive skin? This article will help parents answer questions related to this issue.

What Are The Yellow Stains? What Causes Yellow Stains On Baby Clothes? 

what to do with stained baby clothes

Yellow stains cling to clothes that residue can still accumulate and stick to even when the clothes are washed. Over time, it takes on a slightly yellowish color.

What causes yellow stains on baby clothes? Stains from milk and food are the leading causes of unsightly yellow stains on your baby's clothes. Baby drinks milk and eats food spilled on clothes or because baby crawls, causing milk and food to get stuck, causing yellow stains.

In addition, the cause of yellowing baby clothes can also be caused by parents using bleach on children's clothes. The cause is due to a chemical reaction between the chlorine bleach and the fibers of your clothes. Bleach begins to break down the fibers and causes them to turn yellow.

Is It OK To Use Stain Remover On Baby Clothes?

Parents should not use normal bleach to bleach their baby's clothes. Normal bleach has a high concentration of detergent, which can cause skin irritation, and the smell of bleach affects the baby's lungs.

Instead, parents should use laundry detergent specifically for babies which do not contain toxic and gentle detergents for baby's skin. It is preferable to use water form because of its ability to dissolve exceptionally quickly and easily penetrate each fabric.

The type of washing liquid parents can refer to is ARM & HAMMER Baby, 75 Loads Liquid Laundry Detergent with the formula of 0% parabens, 0% bleach, and 0% colorants. ARM & HAMMER Baby dissolves quickly and penetrates deeply into each fabric to help wash baby clothes quickly while ensuring gentleness and goodness on children's delicate skin.

Parents can use specialized yellow stain removers for children, but parents should carefully look at the ingredients. While most baby stain removers are made with ingredients that are milder than traditional treatments, some still have a strong scent. Parents should be careful if their baby is allergic to scents.

6 Safe But Effective Ways to Remove Stains from Baby Clothes 

What is the best way to help mom remove yellow stains on these clothes quickly and effectively? Let's find out the ways below:

Treat stains before washing baby clothes

what to do with stained baby clothes

After the stained clothes have been soaked, apply a little liquid or laundry detergent to the stain to help clean it thoroughly before washing it. If you do not use liquid laundry detergents, you can also make your own according to the recipe of mixing detergent with a small amount of water. 

For example, if the stain is caused by milk, the first thing you need to do to remove the milk stain is to clean the milk stain on your baby's shirt as soon as possible. Mom can use a clean cloth sponge to dab the stain to help remove the stain. When cleaning the mother, pay attention to some of the following principles:

  • Avoid rubbing milk stains because this can cause milk or food to seep into each fiber, making it more difficult for you to remove.
  • If the stain is dry, you can use a spoon to remove food stains from your baby's clothes.
  • Soak items in cold water for at least 5 minutes. And don't use warm or hot water as this can cause protein stains to stick to the fabric.

It's easier to wash and remove food stains from wet babies' clothes than clean, dry stains. So, even if the stain is not new, you should still soak it in water to make it easier to remove. And don't forget to clean stains as soon as possible to help clothes not appear yellow and remove bacteria on your baby's clothes. 

Use the highest wash setting suitable for your baby's clothes

what to do with stained baby clothes

After completely removing the stains on your baby's clothes, continue to wash your baby's clothes in the washing machine at the highest temperature allowed. To choose the right temperature for your baby's clothes, carefully read the instructions on the clothing label.

Washing at a higher temperature during this period will help the mother remove stubborn stains effectively and kill bacteria on clothes that are dangerous to the baby. After washing, dry your baby's clothes in the sun because direct sunlight has a gentle and effective bleaching effect.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide

what to do with stained baby clothes

Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective material for removing yellow stains. First, mix water with hydrogen peroxide at a ratio of 1:1, and then soak your clothes for about 13-30 minutes. Then you wash and dry the clothes as usual. You can repeat this process for the best bleaching effect.

Using toothpaste

what to do with stained baby clothes

Apply a thin layer of toothpaste on the yellowed clothes and leave for a while, then brush gently for a few minutes and wash with soap as usual. After washing and drying, use a little talcum powder (usually baby powder) to sprinkle it thinly on the stained part, then use a light iron for the powder to stick to the yellow stain that has just been washed continue.

Continue to sprinkle a little more thin powder on. With this method, the clothes will be cleaned quickly the next time you wash them.

Use lemon juice

what to do with stained baby clothes

Lemon is a very effective natural whitener but is very safe for fabrics and colors. You just need to apply lemon juice directly to the spot to be removed and then leave it in the sun for the rest of the day; Then, you do your laundry as usual.

Use a mixture of vinegar and salt

what to do with stained baby clothes

Vinegar and salt are two ingredients that have bleaching and bactericidal properties. Therefore, using salt and vinegar to remove stains is very effective. 

Mix half a glass of vinegar and half a glass of salt into a bucket of water, stir until the salt dissolves, then put the clothes in the soak, rushing for at least 30 minutes. Then you take it out and wash it.

What Do You Do With Old Baby Clothes That Have Stains On Them? 

Old clothes that have stains for a long time are more challenging to clean. However, you can apply this method to clean them. 

First, you need to wash your clothes in hot water. Hot water will open up the fibers better than cold water, helping you to clean dirt from deep inside. Then add a cup of lemon juice to the water after the washing machine is complete and a few tablespoons of rock salt. 

Once the wash has passed, rinse them again in hot water with a cup of white vinegar added to the rinse. The salt and vinegar help disperse grease from body oils that can settle on fabrics, and the acidic lemon juice helps fight the harmful effects of chlorine with its citric acid. 

Finally, hang them out in the sun to dry for a few hours. Sunlight is a natural bleach that leaves no residue and fades residue on clothes.

Closing

what to do with stained baby clothes

Above is what to do with stained baby clothes and six safe but effective ways to remove stains from baby clothes. In short, yellow stains on a baby's clothes are inevitable. However, parents should not use ordinary washing powder to handle it because it can affect the baby's skin and health. 

To effectively remove stains and ensure safety, parents should consider using ways such as: treating stains before washing baby clothes, and using hydrogen peroxide. In addition, parents should use some benign natural ingredients such as lemon juice or a mixture of vinegar and salt. 

About the author 

Mai Pham

Mai Pham discovered her passion for writing a few years ago and she never stop thinking about it ever since. She finally took the leap and created Live a Worthy Life to brag about her smart ass (mainly just for fun). Enjoyed the fun writing brings, now with her new interest in everything-baby-related, she created Mommy Instinct, to tell mamas that it's ok that they mess up, that they don't know what the hell they are doing, and that it's okay to sit back and relax for a while.

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