Tips for Tidying Up Frequent Baby Spills

Experts say that playtime is the work of a child. This is true for all children, but especially for babies; so don’t be afraid of messy playtimes. What can be scary are the leaks, spit up, or spills that can happen when we are not expecting them! We have included some great tips on ways to clean up after things gets messy, and the best supplies for the job.

Amazing Baby Wipes

There are a few tools you’ll absolutely need in your possession. Baby Wipes should be sprinkled generously through your home, office and vehicles. They are your best friend. Treat them with respect. Disposable diapers are handy, not only for their intended purpose, but for attacking large volumes of liquid of any type! And of course, the cloth diaper. Long a perennial favorite, washable and reusable, I actually once tied one into a rosette and pinned it to my coat which had just taken a baby spit hit right before Church!

How to Avoid a Baby Mess

Let’s briefly cover how to avoid a mess in the first place. The first piece of advice is to keep a bib on Baby anywhere out of the crib. Never give your little one colored juice- even grape juice comes in white! Keep a waterproof pad over the mattress to avoid staining, and keep bottles out of the crib altogether. Use washable pads over furniture and carpets, car seats and other places where you put your baby down.

Tricks for Cleaning up after Diaper Leaks

Okay, but spills are bound to happen. So what then? A common problem is urine in a bassinet, mattress pad or Moses basket. The simplest solution is to sop up as much urine as you can with a diaper or cloth. Next, mix two parts dishwashing soap with one part vinegar and sponge on the stain. Let it sit for about half an hour. Take a clean, damp cloth and wipe it down. Sprinkle the wet area with cornstarch and leave until dry, then vacuum. Some people prefer to use baking soda instead of cornstarch. I have found both to be useful.

How to get rid of the Vomit Smell
Another big issue is vomit. Whether it’s on your shoulder, on your couch, in the mattress or on Baby, you’ll want to get it out…with its nasty odor. The best thing I’ve found is to put a cup of white vinegar into half a bucket of warm water. Sponge the area off lightly. If you try to saturate it, it could cause the entire area to mildew. Then place a thick, dry towel on top, weighted down with a huge book or something else heavy. Leave it until the affected area is dry (it may take a couple of towels). Then sprinkle with baking soda, wait about half an hour and vacuum off.

Keeping your Carpets Stain Free
The trick with spills on the carpet is to catch it fast. Usually a cloth or disposable diaper will wipe up anything as most carpets have a stain resistant coating. These come in so handy and every parent has diapers close by when Baby is around. However, if it has already sunk in (And who can watch every instant?) the next best thing is to take a sopping wet towel (use cold water) and totally cover the affected area. Next take a really hot iron and move it over the towel until it is fairly dry. You may have to do this several times. This works on fabric such as car seats and chairs or the couch as well. This is basically a steam cleaning process, and it works with colored spills as well. It’s much easier to attack the stain sooner rather than later, so don’t tarry when an accident happens!

Baby Drinks and Foods to Avoid

Don’t ever think about buying colored Kool-Aid or jello. It is a well known fact that these products contain a carpet-and-fabric seeking material which makes them want to get into white party dresses, beige carpets, and light flowered couches. Okay, maybe that’s not true, but it sure seems like it, so why bring them into the house?

With a little advance planning, and some inexpensive supplies, you can be ready for whatever your Baby may do to a crib mattress, basket, car or furniture. Don’t worry! No piece of furniture or machinery is more important than your beloved Baby.