| A Family Approach to Photos |
|
|
Your Photo Albums: Edit Albums Upload New Pictures |
|
|
| Infant - Month #1 to Toddler - Month #12 |
|
Get Weekly Updates on your Child E-Mailed to You
|
| How Can I Remove Stains From My Baby's Clothes? |
|
Any new parent will find herself soon surrounded by a variety of tiny stained clothes. The challenge of removing those stains can be daunting. Stains basically fall into three categories during the first months - a breast milk/formula stain, a diaper stain, or a baby cream/lotion/oil stain. Breast milk/formula stains and diaper stains are both protein-based stains. To remove a protein stain, rinse the stained item in cold water as soon as possible to dilute the stain. Then soak it in a mixture of detergent and warm water. If needed, add color-safe bleach to the mixture. Soak for approximately thirty minutes. Wring out extra water or send the item through the spin cycle. Wash in the warmest water allowed by the manufacturer's instructions. Repeat if needed. Another method of removing a protein stain is using an enzyme cleaner such as Wisk or Era Plus and scrubbing the stain with a soft-bristled brush. Then wash through the normal cycle. Other techniques include making a paste of Oxi-Clean and a spray stain remover and scrubbing the stain or boiling clothes in water and Oxi-Clean. For an oil-based stain such as baby cream or lotion, a different plan of attack is required. First, soak up the oil with cornstarch or talcum powder. Leave on for fifteen to twenty minutes. Then scrape off the powder and treat with a spray stain remover. Wash as usual. With any stain, remember to treat it as soon as possible. Even if you don't have access to stain removal products at the time, always rinse immediately in cold water. Also, turn items inside out and run the water through the stain from the other side. This helps "push" the stain back through the fibers and down the drain instead of allowing it to seep through to the other side of the fabric. With these tips, you should be able to keep baby's clothes looking great until she moves on to the next size (which will probably be in about three weeks)! |
| Parent Homework - Create A Stain Removal Kit |
|
As with any endeavor, stain removal is successful only if you are prepared. One way to ensure that you will always be ready to treat any stain is to create a stain removal kit. I like to have two - a large one for the laundry room and a small one for the diaper bag. For the large stain removal kit, buy a plastic basket with a handle at your local dollar store. Also pick up a container of cornstarch, a spray stain remover, a soft-bristled brush, laundry detergent (I like to use baby detergent, but it's not necessary.), and color-safe bleach. Place all of these items in the plastic basket and store in your laundry room. If you don't have a washer and dryer in your home, a great place to store this kit is in the baby's room beside the laundry basket. That way, stains can be treated immediately and the clothes will be ready when you head to the laundromat. A small stain removal kit can be created using any small zip-up bag. A cosmetic bag, a zip-up pencil case, or a Ziploc bag all work great. I like to use a little bag I was given at a baby shower with a plastic lining. That way, if the stain remover leaks, it doesn't go all over the bag. Then fill a snack size Ziploc bag with cornstarch and a mini spray bottle with stain remover. Put these in the bag. Also, roll up a couple of grocery bags and put them into the bag so that you can use them to carry stained items. Now no matter when or where a stain strikes, you will be prepared! |
| Ask Your Own Question |
 Ask a Question |
|
| Give a Suggestion Contact edHelperBaby |
| Note: All information on edHelperBaby is of a general nature for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. Your use of this site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use. |