Solids: how do I keep clothes from being ruined?

[IndiaInk]

We started BLW a few weeks ago with our 6 month old, and I love it except for the fact that her clothes are getting stained!  She wears a bib and I take off her sweatshirts and nicer clothes before she eats.  But all her onesies are getting stains around the neck, her pants are getting stains from food that falls onto her lap. I can't exactly strip her naked because it's nearly wintertime, besides that would be impractical for every meal.  I take her clothes right off and put her in the bath and then I spray them with Shout.  I'm still having to wash things twice and scrub them and sun them and even then I can't get some stains out.  Is this just the way it is when babies eat food, or am I doing something wrong?

[lilac05]

I use the IKEA bibs with sleeves with messy stuff. Otherwise, Shout takes almost everything out for me. Are you overloading your washer? If you have a top loader without an agitator, are you loading clothes around the outside (as if the agitator is in there)? Those are the two biggest culprits when my clothes don't get as clean as they should.

[Deleted]

Try Zout.

[IndiaInk]

Sleeve bibs - I didn't know they made those. Good idea. That's probably what I need.

[smock]

They also make bibs with a little flap to tuck into the collar to protect it. Tuckaroos I think? I saw them on Lucie's List.

[whitepicketfence]

Really big bibs, lol. I've also used Oxiclean in the past for food stains.

[Deleted]

Nov 22, 2014 7:56:27 GMT -5 @vicmo said:

We use bummis bibs and the pockets catch most food before it hits the pants, and we often strip his shirt off. If it's just for dinner time, he can survive shirtless.

This is what we did too. Bummi bib with pocket, no shirt.

[MadamePresident]

I strip down to a diaper for any messy meal.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Thank goodness for MadamePresident because as I was reading the replies I was thinking, surely I'm not the only one who makes her babies eat naked?

You have to earn the right to wear clothes while eating in my house. My 18 month old eats most dinners naked, although usually breakfast and lunch aren't messy so I leave her clothes on. Heck. Even my five year old has to change out of nice clothes and into play clothes to eat sometimes (only fancy clothes and messy meals, but still).

I hate laundry.

But about stains -- Zout spray and OxyClean powder.

[redpenmama]

I just strip DS down. He hates bibs and it pretty much ruins mealtime if I try to put a bib on. Obviously, he still gets food on his clothes when he snacks or when we eat out, and in those instances, I use the OxiClean stick, which seems to eliminate most everything.

[sjh722]

I take clothes off for messy foods too.

Shout + a soak in warm water and oxi clean gets most stains out.

[xojo1]

Honestly, if you're worried about the clothes, take them off. They make products to completely cover them (bibs with sleeves, bibs that catch dropped food), but I'm way to lazy and cheap to have it all, so E either eats in her diaper or I just don't sweat the stains. Babies are pretty uncivilized eaters.

[timorousbeastie]

DD eats almost all of her meals in just her diaper. I'm glad I'm not the only one. She's just way too messy to keep clothed.

[JayhawkGirl]

DS still takes his clothes off on spaghetti night.

For stains - resolve spray is my absolute favorite. It's the old spray and wash for those who grew up with it. I use tide detergent and will throw some oxyclean powder in too. If I know I've got a bad stain (ie blueberries on white pants the other night) I check it before it goes into the dryer. If it's still showing I will soak it in a bucket with oxyclean and water.

So far I've only had a handful of permanent stains.

[10nille]

After I saw this woman on Shark.Tank (she didn't get the deal and they were pretty mean to her) hawking her bib idea I ordered her bibs. Bibbitec, a little pricey, but they work.

[kershnic]

Naked.

[kangaroo11]

DD quit accepting bibs months ago, so she eats naked for messy meals.

[IndiaInk]

Naked it is, then! Thanks for the suggestions for products too, ladies. I guess I thought there was some magical way to keep her from getting food all over her clothes but I am beginning to realize that's laughable.