OT: Anyone know how to get old spit up stains out?

[ryan840]

Well I just bought some clothes on eBay and was disgusted when I opened the box! It smelled as soon as I opened it up, and the clothes have very large formula (I'm guessing by the color) stains of the collar/chest area. They were stated to be in very good condition, free of any stains/rips, etc... and of course as luck would have it the seller has been suspended so I'm pretty much screwed for a refund (I'll try going through PayPal). So in the mean time, I figure I might as well make the best of it and be grateful that I only paid $7 for it all, and the pants are in good shape. So I need some tried and true methods for getting the stains out. I've soaked clothes in Oxy Clean before and in most cases it did remove the formula stains, but not in all, and it required three weeks of soaking to do it! There has to be an easier way- fill me in! And to offer up my own can't live without it stain removing tip- Dial (or any yellow soap brand) works great for getting poop stains and many other out, make sure to treat it ASAP, and always before drying. (Laugh all you want but we all know how babies manage to overflow their diapers those first few months).

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

I use a product called Zout (laundry stain remover)-- it works great on kid stains, even from old clothes that my mom gave me from when I was little. I buy it at Walmart or the grocery store.

 

[ryan840]

Thanks! Is it very expensive?

 

[mantysk8coach]

I second the Zout! Works great! Smells good too. People comment on how good of shape my daughters baby clothes stayed in, and I owe it to Zout!

Pricewise, it is about in line with other brands of stain removers. Totally worth the price though!

 

[ryan840]

Wow, I guess I have to get it now! My son's clothes always looked great too, I'm a stickler for that stuff. I do have one onesie that I absolutely love and when he was about 6 months old he got peaches all over it... I left it up to my husband to clean (BIG mistake) and it got all moldy and nasty and is now stained very badly. I'm sure any normal person would have thrown it away, but I never did put it in the dryer it so I am determined to clean it up for the new guy (yes, two full years of sitting there with a moldy stain and I still hold out hope for it- what can I say, I'm an optimist! ). Thanks for the tips!

 

[Deesknee]

I've never tried Zout, but I swear by oxyclean &/or Stain Stick (not the spray)

Good luck & CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[ryan840]

OK, you all have no idea how badly I want to try to clean it right now! Unfortunately, its midnight and the clothes are sitting on top of the washer at my parents house so I can not. I'm such a weirdo- I take great satisfaction in getting things clean!

 

[pezheadval]

I found that if you use oxyclean and then put the clothes out in the sun to dry it makes a big difference.

I had a toy cloth doll that I had since I was little. It got messed up when our basement flooded and got totally black with mold. I washed it in oxyclean and it didn't get clean. I was really disappointed and set the doll out on my front porch. The next day I look out and was shocked that it was totally free of the black mold! That made a believer out of me!

 

[gemjoy]

Oh... I hope I'm not too late ~ get BIZ!!!!!! I swear by it!! It's all I've ever used and I'm telling you - there is nothing it won't take out. My friends all used to laugh because I'd say "no problem.. I'll just throw it in my "biz bucket" (hot water and a scoop of BIZ ~ soak whatever clothes are stained and throw in the wash) but now they also swear by it. Someone told me about it when my DS and DD were babies..... well now 9 and 11... I use it more than ever. It's the best kept secret Try it ~ you'll never use anything else!

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

I have also had the same thing happen with baby clothes from eBay and garage sales. The best product for formula stains that I have found is Stain Stick (from SprayNWash, I believe.) I apply it and let it sit for a couple days before washing. Hope this helps!

 

[welovedis]

I am a laundry maniac, I too, love getting those stains out. Here are my tried and true methods:

OxyClean & boiling hot water-great for formula stains, I've never soaked longer than overnight and use an big detergent bucket from I used powder detergent. If it doesn't work, set outside in the sunlight too.

Stainstick from Spray & Wash-excellent on blood & chocolate!

Liquid dish detergent (I like Dawn the best) for oil-based stains, you know, those darker spots that seem to show up on everything!

Clorox bleach pen--awesome for multi-colored shirts that need some brightening in white areas.

I've also made my own bleach marker from a container that looks like a bingo blotter, but with a white sponge tip and fill it with bleach. Blots a larger area and works great on those whites.

Biz & Zout are always in my laundry room too, Biz is safer, IMO, for colors than OxyClean and Zout will work on things like pen, permanent marker (depends on the stain), crayons, etc.....

Another thing I like for pre-treating is a bar of Fels-Naptha soap, cheap as can be and lasts forever!

HTH! And good luck trying to go thru PayPal...

 

[MrsBanks]

I've always used oxy-clean to get out tough stains - I don't put it in the washer, I make a paste with a little water and rub it in, then let it dry, then wash it - let us know what works (I live for this stuff)

 

[chip91]

Another vote for Zout! I had some summer clothes, dd #2 had gotten chocolate milk stains on (I didn't notice them when I packed them away) next year when dd#3 fit in them, I used Zout, ALL stains came out!

GOOD LUCK!

 

[ryan840]

Thanks for the tips everyone! I hopefully will get a chance to do it this weekend, and I'll let you all know. Nothing like a cliffhanger!

 

[rt2dz]

I was so excited to see this thread because I have spit up stains I need to get out and I have forgotten a product. It wasn't listed, but I am hoping someone will know what it is. I remember that a few years ago a product advertised specifically for spit up removal was out there. A parenting magazine (can't remember which) tested it and said it worked. Anyone know what it is???

 

[ryan840]

I was so excited to see this thread because I have spit up stains I need to get out and I have forgotten a product. It wasn't listed, but I am hoping someone will know what it is. I remember that a few years ago a product advertised specifically for spit up removal was out there. A parenting magazine (can't remember which) tested it and said it worked. Anyone know what it is???

I can't tell you what it was, but I went with oxyclean (just wasn't feeling brave enough to try a new product while at the store today since we're on a tight budget) and so far it's really lightened the stains and completely removed some of them. I pre-treated them and am now soaking them, and they really look good (I didn't start until about midnight, so it hasn't been all that long). I'll let you all know in the morning how it turns out! Oh, and Im soooo upset! The onsie that I mentioned in my last post, the one I saved for like TWO years because I loved it so much... I am pretty sure that I THREW IT OUT a few weeks ago! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I never do that- I knew I'd be able to get it out or die trying, and in one stupid fit of "I'll never get around to this, let's just get rid of it" I threw it out. I could wring my neck! Somebody smack some sense into me, seriously! OK, rant over. Thanks again everyone, I'm definately keeping those products in mind for the future.

 

[forever-sunshine]

Thanks for this thread. I have some of my kids shirts that get soaked and washed over and over again trying to get the stains out.

Is there a difference between the spray Oxyclean and the powder / or blue one? I got the spray and it isn't working as well as the liquid stuff I bought in a big container.

 

[ryan840]

The oxy clean worked in all but one case, and that was an old onesie that I received from my Aunt's sister and has been worn by at least three babies that I know of. Even on that it took out all of one stain, and most of the big one, making the rest very hard to notice. Some of the stuff required two soaking sessions (a total of 12 hours) and a few things only took one. All in all, it took almost no effort (just a lot of soaking time) to clean it all, so I'm happy! Thanks everyone!

ETA- After washing, it appears as though even the old onsie came clean. There may be a very faint stain, I can't tell if I just remember where it was and am seeing things, or if it's really there, KWIM? Either way, it looks like a million bucks now- all the white is sparkling clean!

 

[rt2dz]

I can't tell you what it was, but I went with oxyclean (just wasn't feeling brave enough to try a new product while at the store today since we're on a tight budget) and so far it's really lightened the stains and completely removed some of them. I pre-treated them and am now soaking them, and they really look good (I didn't start until about midnight, so it hasn't been all that long). I'll let you all know in the morning how it turns out! Oh, and Im soooo upset! The onsie that I mentioned in my last post, the one I saved for like TWO years because I loved it so much... I am pretty sure that I THREW IT OUT a few weeks ago! WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I never do that- I knew I'd be able to get it out or die trying, and in one stupid fit of "I'll never get around to this, let's just get rid of it" I threw it out. I could wring my neck! Somebody smack some sense into me, seriously! OK, rant over. Thanks again everyone, I'm definately keeping those products in mind for the future.

I do use Oxyclean all the time. It works wonderfully on most stains, HOWEVER it will very frequently fade out colors. Also spit-up is like juice, when first cleaned, it will come out but then re-appear. That is why I wanted to know what the one specific product was because supposedly, it takes out the stain permanently. I will be trying that Zout though.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

You can also make a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. Put it in the stain and then put it in the sun for a bit.