Baby Clothes Care: The Secret to Removing Spit-Up Stains Forever

Shopping for baby clothes is one of the many highlights of expecting a new baby.  With so many adorable fashions for baby available in the market today, it’s easy to have an overflowing closet before she’s even born.  Inevitably, your precious little one will be sure to spit up all over your favorite as you’re racing out the door for a play date.  Have no fear, follow these tips to ensure your baby’s outfit will live another day.

Fabric:

As you shop for baby’s necessities such as infant bodysuits, lap tees, and sleep suits, be sure to read the fabric labels.  The best fabrics for baby are breathable, all natural fibers such as cotton.  Cotton fabrics are also easy care and when washed properly, have a long wear life.  Effective stain removal will depend on how resilient the fabric is and the range of temperatures it can be exposed to without damage.  Cotton is one of the best fabrics for stain removal and highly recommended. The best way to preserve your baby’s stain friendly cotton clothing is to limit over drying in the dryer.  Try to remove the clothes when they are still slightly damp and let them air dry.

Detergent:

There are several laundry detergents available today that are designed specifically for baby’s sensitive skin.  They are free of dyes and perfumes that can possibly cause rashes on baby’s skin.  Also, it’s best to wash baby clothing separate from the rest of the family.  While it is possible to wash your entire family’s laundry in the same special detergent, it can become rather costly.  Also, instead of using fabric softener to soften the clothes, try using ½ cup white vinegar.  Vinegar is a natural fabric softener and will also help remove any residual detergent that might be on the clothes.

Stain Removal:

Now that you have the basics covered, we can move on to actual stain removal.  For the best results, you need to make sure you pre-treat the stain before washing.  If you skip this step, the stain will more than likely become permanent.  Baby stains such as milk spit-up are considered protein based stains.  To treat the protein portion of the stain, you must first breakthrough the fatty acids with surfactants that are commonly found in stain remover pre-treat sprays.  Let that soak a couple minutes to allow the fatty acids to release the protein portion of the stain.  You can then apply a stain remover that is oxygen based to remove the protein stain.  Allow that to set a couple minutes as well.  Once that is completed, you can then wash the clothes as you would normally.  Be sure to check the stain once the wash cycle is completed.  If the stain is still noticeable, repeat the above steps.  If not, continue to the final step of drying the clothes.

You now have the secret to keeping those nasty spit-up stains under control.  Following these steps will ensure your baby clothes look as fresh and new as the day you bought them.  Now, if we could only figure out how to keep baby from growing out their clothes so fast.