|
Preventing
and Managing Stains
How do I prevent stains
Babies make a lot of laundry.
Not only do they spit, drool and wet on their own clothes, but they also
do all those things to the clothes of the grownups who love them.
Babies also quickly graduate to other laundry-intensive past-times such
as crawling, food spattering and experimenting with everything from marking
pencils to chewing gums. Despite all this, it is possible to get
kids’ clothes reasonably clean if you know a few tricks.
Are some clothes more
prone to stains
Buy plenty of bibs for the baby and
have cloth diapers on hand for your over-the-shoulder protection from spit-ups.
Check the laundry labels before you buy baby clothes. A little outfit
labeled “handwash” or “reshape and dry flat” is just asking for trouble
no matter how cute it is. Chances are the special item will get tossed
in with the rest of the laundry load and you will be disappointed when
it comes out looking less than adorable. And steer clear of solid
white – instead choose prints which camouflage stains better. When
you do splurge on that pure white pinafore or ruffled suit, treat with
a stain repellent spray so spills will bead up.
How should cloth diapers
be washed
Cloth diapers should be rinsed in
the toilet if they are soiled and then soaked in a covered pail filled
with warm water and your choice of detergent, an enzyme, pre-soak, or bleach.
Before washing, put the diapers in the washer and spin them to remove excess
water. Wash diapers separately from other clothes in hot water (at
least at 130 degrees). One cup of chlorine bleach added to wash water
will remove stains, disinfect and deodorize. Do not use fabric softener
in every wash, use it in every other wash so the diapers stay soft and
absorbent. Machine dry to keep them fluffy.
What is the first step
in managing stains
Check for any serious stains before
you drop your baby’s clothes into the hamper, since most can be removed
relatively easily when they are fresh. Rinse the stained item immediately
in lukewarm water. (If a stain gets past you and goes through a hot
wash cycle or into a hot dryer, it may be fixed forever, since heat sets
in most stains.) What you do next depends on the chemical composition
of the stain.
How can I remove stains
from clothes
Nearly all stains can be removed
effectively if you have a few basic products on hand:
Ammonia:
It neutralizes acid stains.
Use a soaking solution of one quart warm water, one-half teaspoon dishwashing
detergent and one table spoon white vinegar.
Enzymes:
They are the main ingredients in
most commercial stain removers. They break down protein so they are
especially effective on things like blood and grass stains. Some
can be applied directly to a spot before washing; others should be used
before pre-soaking.
Bleach:
It comes in two forms. Oxygen
or all-fabric bleach can be used in every load of wash but it is not powerful
enough to get out some stains. Chlorine bleach can only be used on
70% of fabrics, so check the label of each garment. Never use bleach
full strength because it will damage the fabric. You may not notice
it right away, but a wash or two later, tiny holes will show up where the
bleach touched the fabric. Instead, dilute the bleach as recommended
on the bottle and pour it into the hot wash water. Always test all
stain removers, particularly bleach, on an inside seam to be sure that
they won’t affect the fabric’s colour.
To add your views on
this article or read others comments Click Here
Back to Previous Page
More on Newborn Care Index
Email this Article to a Friend
|
