A mom’s work is never done.
Even after a mom has fed her baby, at any moment her little bundle of joy could be spitting up baby formula.
Removing the formula stain can be pretty darn hard.
I’m sure you’ve been there. And I’m sure you’ve tried everything.
But, how do you get the stain out completely?
Even the best baby formula can be a little tricky to take out.
In this article, you will learn baby formula stain removal tips that you can start using today.
Plus, with the help of these tips, you won’t have to run out and buy pricey cleaning products.
So read on.
You’ll learn everything you need to get out those stains, cheaply and effectively.
Let’s begin!
Use Dish Soap
For this baby formula stain removal tip, you’ll be using dish soap as a pretreating formula.
Any dish soap will do.
You can use it when you don’t have other cleaning products at your disposal.
Dish soap essentially strips away the oily properties of the formula.
The process
Before throwing your stain-laden garment into the wash, you’re going to want to add dish soap to the area where the stain is.
Let the dish soap rest on the stain for about 15 minutes.
Afterward, rinse the fabric thoroughly with cold water.
You might want to repeat this step to ensure a deeper cleanse.
Once you’re done with this process, throw the vestment into a separate bucket filled with cold water.
After you’ve let it sit for a few minutes, add it to the washer along with your other clothes.
Baby formula stain removal tip 101
To ensure that you get the stain out completely, you’ll want to clean the stain right away.
Obviously, this tip is a given to some of you, but I know some moms who are a little lax in getting to the stain right away.
Being resigned about cleaning stains right away might work for other stains, but not for formula stains.
Thing is, as soon as a baby spits up the formula, letting the formula sit in the fabric will make it tougher to remove.
And when the formula is completely dried, it will leave a sour smell that will be hard to mask, and hard to get rid of.
You’ll want to avoid that.
The presoak method
You can use stain removal cleaning powders (like Oxiclean) to help fight the stain.
BIZ works, too.
Actually, any enzyme cleaner or powered dish soap will work in this case.
They sell these products in big-bottle form at the Dollar Tree.
So stock up!
How to do it
Let the clothing item soak in a bucket of water.
Add your cleaning powder to the water.
Before you dunk your clothing item in water, you can use the dish soap method I spoke of above.
Afterward, follow up by adding the cleaning powder.
The dish soap will break up the stain, and the stain removal powder will help to continue to dissolve the stains and get them off completely.
I recommend you leave a soak-bucket somewhere in the bathroom or kitchen where you can quickly throw in soiled clothes in the event that your baby spits up.
Use Lemon Juice for white clothes
Do you have a white top with a really old stain?
Good luck getting regular detergent or soap to clean it off!
To remove the stubborn yellow on the fabric, you can use lemon juice to get rid of this stain.
Use lemon juice after you’ve allowed the soiled garment to soak, and after you’ve washed it.
Next, apply a good amount of lemon juice to the stained area.
Then, leave the fabric to dry in the sun.
The lemon juice and the sun will essentially bleach the stained area.
Use baking soda
This is another excellent baby formula stain removal tip, which sides more on the traditional side.
But, using baking soda works!
One of the problems with formula stains is that it leaves a yellow smear.
To avoid this yellowing effect, as soon as your baby spits up, wipe off the formula. (lightly, of course. You don’t want to smear it into the fabric, as it will be harder to remove).
Add baking soda to the soiled area and wash.
Don’t worry about your other clothes in the wash getting yellow from the formula.
The baking soda will neutralize the stain.
Also, refer to 50+ Amazing Uses of Baking Soda.
What to do if you still see yellow
If you’ve added baking soda to the stain and have washed the stained clothing item, yet you still see discoloration or yellowness, don’t fret.
These stains are most likely previous breast milk or some of the protein residue that had remained on the fabric.
In most cases, it won’t be the original stain.
That said, you can still get this stain out by presoaking the soiled garment in a cleaning powder like Oxiclean.
Another tip is to use, along with Oxiclean, Hydrogen Peroxide.
You’ll also want to take note of some of the baby formula out there, which have concerning ingredients, which might leave stronger stains.
Use meat tenderizer
One of the most effective ways to remove formula stains is to use meat tenderizer.
Note: this can work for pretty much any stain like dirt, grass, oil and even blood.
Here’s what you’re going to want to do:
- Get yourself some meat tenderizer powder
- Combine the powder with a small amount of water
- Cover the stain with the powder and let it sit overnight
- Wash normally
When it comes to removing stains, the goal is to break up the formula’s protein residue.
But, the stain will remain until you have successfully broken up these tiny proteins.
Final Thoughts
Being a mom is a full-time job, and sometimes moms just can’t catch a break.
A moment of relaxation can turn into fabric nightmare, like in the case when your sweet bundle of joy decides to share a meal with you.
Trying to remove these after-stains can be tough.
But with the tips covered in this article, we’re sure you won’t have this problem anymore and will find it easier to get rid of these tough baby formula stains.
What are some baby formula stain removal methods that have worked for you?
