How to Get Newborn Poop Out of Clothes (Proven 5-Step Approach)
Imagine you’re playing with your newborn and enjoying those happy coos- until they start making those unmistakable grunts! Your play session has suddenly turned into a poop session. It’s always better out than in, but this time it has leaked out of their diaper and all over their clothes! Uh-oh.
Your first reaction may be to panic. After all, they’re wearing an outfit that great aunt Helen hand-picked! Fear not, though, because if you act quickly, you can get rid of the stain before it sets. There are five essential steps to follow that have been proven to remove newborn poop stains:
Rinse
Soak
Scrub
Wash
Dry
Now that we’ve identified the five proven steps continue reading as we go into depth on how to get old baby poop stains out of clothes!
1. Rinse
Rinsing the clothes is an essential first step to getting baby poop out of the clothing fibers. Just as important as it is to rinse the clothes, it is also crucial that you use cold water! If you use hot water, you run the risk of setting the stain. If the stain becomes set during rinsing, it’s game over!
2. Soak
The next step to get those unsavory poop stains out of your baby’s clothes is to soak them in solution. Remember that if the stain has been on the clothes for a while, it will need to soak for a longer period of time. You can soak the clothes in cold water along with either dishwashing soap or laundry detergent. I always use dish soap to soak my stains!
If the stain is relatively new, let the clothes soak for 15-20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
3. Scrub
Now comes the fun part (not really). This step is only needed if the stain hasn’t come out. Grab an old toothbrush, preferably one you don’t plan on using again, and some of that dish soap I mentioned earlier.
From here, you will apply a generous amount of soap to the stain and scrub the stain out. To see if the stain is completely gone, dip the clothing in cold water. If it’s not, repeat the process from step two.
4. Wash
Now that we’ve put some elbow grease into the stain, we can wash it. Unless the clothes have specific instructions, you can wash them as you would wash anything else. If the stain is completely gone, you can set the water temperature on high to help kill off the bacteria.
5. Dry
Time to dry! You can either throw the clothes in the dryer or pin the clothes up to dry as sunlight is a great natural stain remover.
What Color Should My Baby’s Poop Be?
Sure, we’ve all gotten the occasional stain, but something about baby poop makes the stains feel impossible to get out!
In the early stages, babies pass meconium, which is their first poop that is dark brown or green in color. After the meconium passes, it then transitions to yellowish green and then eventually brown.
Tips to Remove Difficult Stains
Stains are a natural part of having a baby. Your washing machine will never have seen so much action! But why should your baby lose their entire wardrobe to poop stains? Follow these tips to help remove tough stains:
Act Fast: The worst thing you can do for a stain is to let it sit. If you can, begin the cleaning process as fast as possible. If the stain becomes dry, the less chance you can soak and scrub it out.
Use Cold Water: The water has to be cold to avoid the chance of the stain becoming bonded to the fabric.
Pretreat the Stain: This step is crucial to working out stains. You can soak the clothing in either laundry detergent or dish soap. If you don’t want to soak it, you can lay the piece of clothing out and spray or lather it with pretreatment.
Don’t Wash It Immeadiately: Throwing the clothing right into the wash is a mistake. It needs time to allow soap to penetrate the fibers and help loosen up the poop from the material. Allow the clothing to sit with pretreatment for at least 15-20 minutes.
Don’t Give Up: With extra hard stains, you may not get them out the first try. Some may take multiple rounds of pretreating and washing before the stain comes out. Until you can work the stain out, be sure not to dry the clothes so the stain doesn’t get backed into the material.
How to Get Baby Poop Out of a Washing Machine
After washing your baby’s poop clothes, you may notice an unsavory smell coming from your washing machine. The good news is that you can fix this!
After washing the clothes, you can mix ¼ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of water. Put this solution into the washing machine and then add 2 cups of vinegar and run on a high heat cycle. Finally, use a sponge to scrub down the inside of the machine. Cleaning your washer after washing clothing with poop on it will ensure both the clothes and the washer stay fresh and clean.
Keep Track of Bowel Movements with Baby Connect
When your baby is first born, you must keep track of their wet and soiled diapers to make sure they are getting enough milk. It can be easy to forget how many diapers you’ve changed or when they pooped last, as early parenthood usually comes with a lack of sleep!
Instead of carrying around a notebook or loose sheets of paper, track your baby’s development on your phone! The app Baby Connect was designed with parents and caregivers in mind. Baby Connect combines the convenience of mobility as well as the freedom to document anything you need when it comes to your baby. Record their bowel movements, feeding sessions, weight, and more to ensure your baby is growing big and strong!
