OT: Need Laundry Help!

[SalandJeff]

My dd gets so dirty. If she is outside at home, she wears playclothes because she is always in the sand, dirt, climbing a tree, crawling around the grass, etc. But even at school, she comes home with markers or paint on her clothes, or dirt on days when they go out for recess.

I have a front loading washer and have always used tide with pretty good success. I also will use shout on the spots. But lately it just does not seem to be doing the trick. What do you use on your kiddos clothes????

 

[karen624]

Oxiclean spray and oxiclean powder. I have met very few stains that I cannot get out with that combo. Usually just spraying with oxiclean and running it through with the rest of the laundry does the trick. I always check things on their way to the dryer, and if the stain is still there, I spray the clothes and then soak them (in a big bowl or in the soak cycle of my machine) with some detergent and lots of the oxiclean powder. Some stains will go directly to a soak instead of washing if I have just done laundry or something. Good luck!

 

[bartleby1]

Oxyclean powder works for me on tough stains, but you have to mix it with really hot water for it to work its best and it is a bit incovenient mixing it up for each load. So....

My first line of defense is to spray all stains with spray n wash. Spray n Wash works better for me than Shout. Then, I make sure to check before putting things in the dryer that the stains came out. Once you dry the stains in they are almost impossible to get out. If the Spray n Wash didn't work, then I scrub/soak with Oxyclean.

My girls are usually pretty clean kids, but OMG, my DS7!! He doesn't make it out of the house in the morning without something already spilled on him!

 

[SalandJeff]

I will try the Oxyclean. I do check before I throw the clothes in the dryer and will rewash. Thanks for the advice.

 

[wishtdream]

I use dawn dish detergent for most organic stains- food and greese. for blood (skinned knees,noses, exetera) I use peroxide. After pretreating we wash with all free and clear and clorox2.

 

[BellyBaby]

I pre-treat, even just with my regular soap, like Tide. I have an old toothbrush to scrub it, always from the inside out, so that I don't push the stain further into the fabric. It almost always does the job.

If it's a bad stain (old, got thrown in dryer) then I get the bleach out, and I VERY carefully try again. And yes, I've had both success and both bleach spots b/c of my impatience. I have to learn to be more patient.

 

[fauna74]

I have 2 pretty messy kids. I like Oxiclean, too - but my secret weapon is Spray'n'Wash stain stick. As with any stain removal, it works better the fresher the stain. But, you don't have to wash it immediately. I think you can sit it in the hamper for like a week. My kids can do it themselves - I'll just remind them "you need to stainstick your shirt before you put it in the hamper." Works on all kinds of stains.

 

[scrapquilter]

Biz or Oxyclean powder in the washing machine (I use store brand detergent)

But the big trick that works for me is Spray and Wash Stain Stick. I keep one in my purse and I apply it ASAP if we are somewhere and the kids get dirty...you don't need to wait until you are throwing the clothes in the wash (which is good, because I always forget by then!) you can do it up to 7 days before you wash it. It works really well in my experience.

 

[jenlynn0808]

Make sure you use HOT and I mean hot water with the oxiclean. My mom was having issues with it and called the company and they told her to make sure she is using very hot water....something about the hot water makes it work better.

I use oxiclean on my kids clothes too. Actually, I usually throw a scoop of oxiclean in with teh majority of the laundry.