Baby Food Stains
If you've ever fed a baby, you know for a fact that baby food will end up everywhere, even in your carpet! Since the food is protein based, it can cause a stain that can be really tough to clean, especially if it gets into carpet fibers. For best results, start working on the stain as soon as it hits the carpet.
What You Need:
Spoon
Heavy-Duty Laundry Detergent
Cup of Cold Water
Bounty Paper Towels
Vacuum
Instructions:
Step One: Pick Up Dropped Food
Scoop up as much of the food as possible with a spoon. Don't grind the food farther into the carpet fibers, just lift it up. Also, take care not to cut into the carpet fibers with the edge of the spoon.
Step Two: Blot in Cleaning Solution
Mix a teaspoon of heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent with a cup of cold water. Blot the soapy solution liberally into the stain with Bounty paper towels. You don't want to flood the carpet with the solution, just apply enough to dampen the stain. Let the soapy solution sit on the stain for 5 to 10 minutes. Blot the area again with paper towels and fresh water to rinse the soap out.
Step Three: Assess Stain Area
Check to see if the stain is gone. If any of the stain is still visible, add more soapy water and let the solution sit again to work on the stain. Blot with fresh Bounty paper towels until the area is completely dry. Vacuum the spot to fluff up the carpet and to remove any residual baby food from the carpet.
How to Remove Baby Spit Up Stains
Spit up stains are an inevitable side effect of snuggling with your little loved one. The good news is that with a bit of patience, these types of stains can be fully removed from most fabrics. Try not to let the stain get too old before you tackle it. If you don't have time to clean it now, at least pretreat it.
What You Need:
Spoon
Baking Soda
Club Soda
Bounty Paper Towels
Heavy-Duty Laundry Detergent
Instructions:
Step One: Scrape Away Solids
Gently thin away any solids with a spoon. If the stain is dry, you may need to scrape some more. Sprinkle baking soda directly on the stain. Add a small amount of club soda to the baking soda.
Step Two: Work in Cleaning Mixture
Work the baking soda and the club soda into the stain with a Bounty paper towel. The club soda will fizz a little, and combining it with the baking soda will make it fizz more. This oxygen action will help remove the stain from the fabric fibers.
Step Three: Wash the Garment
Wash the clothing item with heavy-duty laundry detergent. Use the warmest water setting recommended by the care label on the fabric. Once the washer has finished its cycle, carefully check the garment. If the stain is not completely removed, soak the clothing in warm water with a few teaspoons of heavy-duty laundry detergent.
Do not put the garment in the dryer until you are sure the baby spit up stains are completely gone as this may set the stain into the fabric. Your best option is to line-dry the garment, even if you think the stain has been removed.
Easy Baby Vomit Stain Removal Tips
Baby throw up is one of the least favorite tasks you can face on laundry day. Not only do you have to contend with the actual stain, but you also have to remove the distinctive odor that vomit can leave in your clothing. Here are some steps to make vomit stain removal as easy as possible.
What You Need:
Spoon
Sink
Bounty Paper Towels
Stain Remover
Heavy-Duty Laundry Detergent, Like Tide
1/2 Cup of White Vinegar
Washing Machine
Instructions:
Step One: Remove Solids from Clothing
If the vomit is dried, use the back of a spoon to scrape as much of it away from the clothing as possible. If the vomit is still wet, dispose of as much as you can in the trash. Use Bounty paper towels to help soak up some of the moisture.
Step Two: Rinse Garment in Cool Water
Use the force of the water from the faucet to help facilitate the vomit stain removal. Much of the stain can be flushed away from the fabric before you actually apply cleaning products.
Apply a stain remover directly to the stain. Let the stain remover sit on the vomit stain for as long as the package directions recommend.
Step Three: Place Clothing in Washing Machine
Set the water temperature to the hottest recommended for the fabric. Add heavy-duty laundry detergent and 1/2 cup white vinegar to the wash water. The vinegar helps to neutralize odors that can be left in the fabric from the vomit.
Step Four: Examine Clothing
To be sure the stain is completely removed check clothing after removing from washing machine. If any stain or odor remains, reapply stain remover and wash the garment again with heavy duty laundry detergent and white vinegar. Do not dry the clothing until you are certain both the stain and the odor are fully removed as the heat can permanently set the stain.