I’m a professional cleaner – how to get stains like poo & vomit out of white babygrows, plus the mistakes to avoid
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THERE'S no shortage of washing when you're a parent, particularly with babies that go through one babygrow after another.
But if you find yourself struggling to remove those pesky stains, including poo, vomit and even sunscreen, you might find these tips useful.
Fabulous spoke with Neli Hristova, a , as well as laundry expert and CEO of who each have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things cleaning.
With years of experience between them, they know a thing or two about getting whites whiter and brights brighter, plus fuss-free stain removal tricks that actually work.
Here, the cleaning pros share the biggest mistakes many parents make when it comes to washing baby's clothes.
And the most effective ways to remove common stains including bodily fluids and food.
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REFLUX AND VOMIT
"Spit-ups are one of the most common and stubborn stains a parent has to deal with," Neli says. adding they often reappear.
";The best you can do is to act right away. If the stain is fresh, blot it with a damp cloth. If not, use a stiff-bristled brush," she suggests.
Deyan says to always remove any leftover solid pieces from the garment.
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"Try using the back of a spoon to scrape as much of it away as possible, and paper towels to soak up any excess moisture," he says.
"Rinse the garment in cool water, before applying some baking soda to the affected area.
"Then, add lemon juice or vinegar and let the material fizz for a few minutes, before rubbing out the stain with an old toothbrush or your hands (using gloves!)."
Neli says club soda works a treat too. Then rinse the material under warm water to remove the mixture, and then add to a standard washing cycle with regular detergent.
But don't forget to air-dry, Neli says, "because a dryer will only set the stain even more."
Cleaning hacks and tips
Here are some tips to help you clean your home like a pro:
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POO
"Cleaning poo from your baby’s clothes is inevitable once you’ve become a parent," says Neli, but it's not as hard to clean it as you might think.
First, run the garment under cold water while the stain's still fresh but "make sure to remove as much poo as possible from the clothing," she adds.
"Next, apply washing up liquid soap directly to the stain, before rubbing it in well with gloves, and rinsing with more cold water," says Deyan
"Repeat these steps until the stain is hardly visible, and apply stain remover before running the garment in the washing machine."
Alternatively, Neli suggests using a stain remover or Hydrogen Peroxide.
But don't use too much stain remover as it will irritate your child’s skin. It could even leave a different stain on the textile.
"For the Hydrogen Peroxide, soak the clothing in cold water with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and a little bit of natural dish soap," she says.
"If the stain is more stubborn, leave it for as long as possible before putting it in the washing machine."
URINE
If you happen to notice a wee-soaked garment hours after it happened, soak the garment for 15 minutes in equal parts water and rubbing alcohol, suggests Deyan.
He says: "The stain should have dissolved after that time, so just add the clothing to a normal washing cycle.
"If not, repeat the soaking stage as necessary, this time replacing the rubbing alcohol with vinegar, before adding it to a normal wash."
SUNSCREEN
Since sun cream is oil-based, it’s likely to leave dark brown or rust-like stains that can be tricky to remove from your newborn’s clothes, says Deyan.
But according to Neli, "the trick here is to use a strong oil-removing detergent when washing the clothes off."
"It will be better to rinse the clothing with cold running water first," she advises.
"Then proceed with combining a little bit of warm water and dish soap.
"Blot the stain in it and rinse again with cold water before putting it in the washing machine."
You can also use talcum powder or cornstarch, which work well to remove stains, Deyan says.
"Leave it on your clothing for roughly 10 minutes before shaking it off," he explains.
"Then, pretreat your garment by gently scrubbing some stain remover or detergent into the stain with an old toothbrush.
"Leave your clothing to sit for 15 minutes before adding it to a normal washing cycle."
BABY FOOD AND FORMULA
Deyan says: "Rinse the garment under cold water as soon as possible.
"Dab the materials with a bit of laundry detergent and let it sit for 30 minutes, before running as normal in the washing machine. "
If this doesn’t initially work, don’t be afraid to double up with a stain remover, he says, or use an enzyme soaking product for another 30 minutes.
And always remember to pre-treat formula stains first, Neli says.
"Formula stains contain proteins that make them even harder to remove from any type of clothing."
She adds: "For better results, soak the clothes in water with a cup of white vinegar. The longer, the better.
"Once you are done with the soaking, make a paste from baking soda and water. Rub the paste on the stain with your fingers, then wash it."
MILK
"Milk can harden into a sour, yellow mess if it’s left for a few days before being properly treated," Deyan explains
"To prevent this type of stain, immediately soak the garment in cold water for 5 minutes (avoid using warm water, as this will effectively cook the milk further!)."
Then, let the clothing sit in the water for a further 5 minutes if the stain has hardened.
"Add some pre-treatment onto the stained area and rub it in using an old toothbrush. Leave the materials to soak overnight before laundering normally," he says.
SWEAT
For sweat stains, Neli recommends soaking clothes in cold water mixed with some white vinegar.
She says: "Leave it to soak for up to 30 minutes, then gently brush the stain away. Using a baking soda paste is also a good option.
"Just mix three parts baking soda and one part water, rub on the stain, leave it to work for an hour, and then wash away."
4 mistakes parents make when washing baby clothes
According to Deyan, there are a few common mistakes many parents make.
1. Not allowing time to soak
"Skipping this important step can make stains much harder to break down, despite the high temperatures of a washing machine," he says.
"Fill a bucket or tub with warm water before adding the right detergent and the affected clothing. Soaking items overnight will give you the best results. "
2. Assuming all clothes can withstand normal wash cycles
Deyan says: "More often than not, washing at high temperatures can lead to shrinking, tearing and pilling.
"The fabric of babygrows is especially delicate and requires special care, so before treating any stain, parents should read and follow the care instructions on each article of clothing."
3. Choosing the wrong detergent
Deyan says: ";Parents should also use a non-biological detergent when washing their baby’s clothes, as biological detergents contain strong enzymes that could irritate their newborn’s skin.
"Non-biological detergents are just as effective but more gentle on sensitive skin. "
4. Using fabric softener
The biggest mistake of all, according to Deyan.
He says: "Fabric softener can dramatically reduce the flame resistance of clothing and may also irritate their newborn’s skin.
"Since baby clothes are already treated with flame-resistant chemicals for safety reasons, using fabric softener on flame-resistant clothes can reduce their effectiveness.
"If these clothes ever come into contact with high levels of heat or flame, they could be more susceptible to catching fire. For this reason, avoid using fabric softener on any garments that are labelled as flame resistant.
"If in doubt, check the clothing label.
A general guide for washing babygrows
1. Act fast
Neli says: "A fresh stain is always easier to remove than one that has set into the fabric.
"When you don't have time to wash stained baby clothes immediately, soak them in cool water mixed with hypoallergenic laundry detergent."
2. Scrape any excess
Neli Says: "No matter if the stain is solid, like from a banana or liquid, such as breast milk or formula, you need to remove the excess first.
"Brush off or blot any excess with a clean paper towel, then rinse the garment under running water."
3. Choose the detergent wisely
"For newborns, use only dermatologist-recommended detergents. These don’t have much in terms of stain-fighting powers, but they are safe for new baby skin.
"For older children (1+ years), you can use something with more stain removal power."
4. Pre-treat all stains
Neli says: "Most baby-related stains are either protein-based or just very colourful. Make it a habit to pre-treat every stain if you want it to come out.
"You can use a mild stain remover or a mixture of baking soda/washing soda and water, or any other natural detergent."
5. Wash at the hottest possible temperature
Neli says: "Most specialists recommend higher temperatures to kill off any possible germs. But only if the fabric allows it.
"If it doesn’t, ironing is also a good way to kill germs."
6. Inspect before drying
Neli says: "After the cycle has completed, unload the clothes immediately.
"Ensure that the wet laundry is stain-free before hanging it on a rack or putting it in the dryer.
"In case of remaining stains, rinse and repeat the above steps until you are satisfied."
7. Dry in the sun (if possible)
Neli says: "The sun is the best, free and endless source of heat that will not only dry your babygrows, but will also kill any leftover germs.
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"Another great quality the sun has is that it can make some stains less visible.
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"It’s considered to work great on breast milk/formula stains, which turn yellow when set."
