Kid laundry detergent

[laurenh]

I have tried everything I can think of to get daycare clothes clean, with the exception of doing laundry every single night (not going to happen) and the majority still come out stained from the wash. Does anyone have some magical stain removing combination that works for them?

If it matters, we use All Free & Clear with a scoop of oxiclean and I spray oxiclean on any obvious spots I see, and wash on hot.

Maybe my kid is just filthier than the average 3 year old?

[Ashley&Scott]

Shout stains at the end of every day. We use Tide Free, most stains come out. We wash everything on cold, not sure if that makes a difference.

M's clothes get pretty dirty at DC too.

[CloudBee]

I used All Free & Clear for years, and rotated with homemade detergent.

Now I use nothing but Tide. It works the best. Hands down.

I add in powdered OC if needed.

[zarapipe]

I suck at laundry but lately I have been having HUGE success with Fels- Naptha soap. I get the garmet a little wet and rub (hard) the bar of soap all over the stains until it lathers a little. Throw into wash. Most everything has been coming out. I did have to re-do a few pieces but so much better than oxyclean or any other spray.

[namasteak]

I use this recipe for stain remover but use Mrs.Meyers dish soap. www.keeperofthehome.org/2009/02/a-natural-stain-remover-that-really-works.html
I keep a small spray bottle by the hamper so I can spray the clothes before they go in the hamper.

We use Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent concentrate.

[laurenh]

Ashley&Scott when you spray with shout daily, are you leaving the item then until you do a full load or do you do several small loads?

[laurenh]

CloudBee do you use powdered or liquid tide? Original or free?

We use tide powder on our diapers so I guess I will try on the clothes too because for now I have just been sending her with sporadic stains on things (confession?)

[Ashley&Scott]

Sept 14, 2015 11:48:51 GMT -5 laurenh said:

Ashley&Scott when you spray with shout daily, are you leaving the item then until you do a full load or do you do several small loads?

Generally we rinse the item, Shout it & then leave it until the weekend when we do laundry.

However, DH does most of the laundry in our house, sometimes he'll run a load midweek if there are enough clothes to make a full load. 

[countthestars]

I spray and leave them until I'm ready to do a load. I use Tide, specifically the ultra stain release and I've been very happy. It doesn't get out 100%, but much better than anything else I've tried.

[hocus2]

I use shot gel on stains. It can sit for a week so you can do it at bedtime and then wash a few nights later.

[spk926]

If needed I spray the item and then put it into a little tub (that's inside our laundry tub) of water and Oxi-clean. It soaks in there until it's time to do a load.

[holly116]

Powdered tide ftw. Nothing works better.

[stephogirl]

We use Tide Ultra Free with a stain stick, if needed.

[Deleted]

I use the all free and clear detergent. I also add some Tide Oxi and Borax.

For pre treating stains I use shout or fels naptha or borax.

I get most stains out if I actually remember to preteat them. But I'm lazy and it takes forever to do laundry. But now that they are starting to wear their new fall clothes I am determined to make a new concerted effort to pre-treat.

[lauralala]

I spray with Oxiclean Max spray. It works better than anything else I have ever used. I spray at the end of the day, then do laundry a couple of times a week. I use Ecos or 7th Generation detergent, so no special cleaning powers there. There are still some stains, but it's a lot better than it used to be.

[Deleted]

I switched to Tide and it works way better I think.
Mostly I don't treat stains, but occasionally use spray n wash if I remember and it's bad.

My 3 year old is absolutely covered in grime at the end of the day and his clothes get clean with the Tide.

[halfpint]

Tide is the best, but sadly, I'm super sensitive to Tide, and so is B - even the F&C.

In my battles with cloth diapers, I've learned that plant-based detergents or F&C detergents aren't as powerful as the regular versions - so you may not be using quite enough, even if you have an HE washer. Try using a little more.

I've recently fallen in love with Persil Sensitive. It definitely still has a fragrance, but it doesn't bother me. It cleans really well. Bummer, though, the only place I can find it right now is WalMart.

[CloudBee]

Sept 14, 2015 11:51:04 GMT -5 laurenh said:

CloudBee do you use powdered or liquid tide? Original or free?

We use tide powder on our diapers so I guess I will try on the clothes too because for now I have just been sending her with sporadic stains on things (confession?)

Original pods! A little more expensive, but they save me like 20 seconds of sanity per load.

No measuring! No mess!

I have a canister of Tide Free pods to use up, but never grab them. The regular seems to work better, IMO.

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2015 11:40:08 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

I suck at laundry but lately I have been having HUGE success with Fels- Naptha soap. I get the garmet a little wet and rub (hard) the bar of soap all over the stains until it lathers a little. Throw into wash. Most everything has been coming out. I did have to re-do a few pieces but so much better than oxyclean or any other spray.

It really does work best.

laurenh my other trick is to get a big bucket and fill it with hot water and borax. Let the borax dissolve. Then throughout the week throw any stained clothes in there and let them sit until you do laundry. This works really well for me. Then I treat with fels naptha right before I throw in the wash if anything needs it (or I'm really good, before they go in the bucket). This is my tried and true method that works the best.

[laurenh]

You guys are amazing! Stopping at Target on my way home! Thank you!

[wavepool]

For the bad ones, I just keep water and oxiclean in the basement bar sink and let clothes soak until I'm ready to wash. Works great!
Daily, I do what others suggested: stain stick (the Resolve one that looks like deodorant and says it can stay on for seven days) that I keep in the changing table on visible stains and in the hamper until it's time to wash.
I also check the things I can remember after the washer, before the dryer, so I don't set the stains with the dryer. Stick them outside in the sun to try to get rid of them, then stain treatment and wash again.

I threw away too many things when he was little because I couldn't get stains out, so I feel like these things sound like a lot, but they're quick and help me to be able to keep the clothes!

[oceanstbride]

Sept 14, 2015 12:01:03 GMT -5 lauralala said:

I spray with Oxiclean Max spray. It works better than anything else I have ever used. I spray at the end of the day, then do laundry a couple of times a week. I use Ecos or 7th Generation detergent, so no special cleaning powers there. There are still some stains, but it's a lot better than it used to be.

Ditto the Oxiclean Max spray. It takes mostly everything out. If something seems particularly bad, I'll dissolve oxyclean powder in a basin of water and soak before I do laundry next.

[ssmjlm]

Tide free and clear (I'm sensitive to certain detergents)

I have a bottle of dawn diluted with a bit of water that I use on stains. Works great. I'll also do a oxy stain spray, but dawn in the best in getting out the ones that look like grease spots.

[laurenh]

I wonder if having hard water has anything to do with my issue. We tried using Ecos on our clothes initially and that was disastrous so I just went back to All but I regularly do oxiclean basin soaks and it works like half the time. I really appreciate everyone's input though, it has given me a lot of ideas!

[jenn248]

I spot treat with Lestoil, then soak overnight in a bucket of water with Oxyclean (powder).

[Deleted]

I put Resolve pre-treater gel on every stain as soon as I find them.



Clothes sit for 2-3 days until I run a load. I use Tide Free & Clear detergent on hot. All the stains come out (marker, crayon, food, poop). Except cooking oil, but that's solely a DH problem b/c he stubbornly refuses to wear an apron. Fine, keep ruining your shirts!

[Deleted]

Sept 14, 2015 12:40:06 GMT -5 laurenh said:

I wonder if having hard water has anything to do with my issue. We tried using Ecos on our clothes initially and that was disastrous so I just went back to All but I regularly do oxiclean basin soaks and it works like half the time. I really appreciate everyone's input though, it has given me a lot of ideas!

We have hard water and Ecos sucks sucks. I have very good luck with Tide F&C.

[redheadk]

Sept 14, 2015 12:32:35 GMT -5 oceanstbride said:

Sept 14, 2015 12:01:03 GMT -5 lauralala said:

I spray with Oxiclean Max spray. It works better than anything else I have ever used. I spray at the end of the day, then do laundry a couple of times a week. I use Ecos or 7th Generation detergent, so no special cleaning powers there. There are still some stains, but it's a lot better than it used to be.

Ditto the Oxiclean Max spray. It takes mostly everything out. If something seems particularly bad, I'll dissolve oxyclean powder in a basin of water and soak before I do laundry next.

I like Oxiclean Max, too. It's the best!

If the stain is really stubborn, or a combo of chocolate and oil (chocolate fro-yo from Jason's Deli is THE WORST to get out!), I just soak it a combo of hot water and oxiclean in a bucket all day. Toss the whole thing, water included, in the washing machine. Never fails! It even works on most stains that have been dried.

[namasteak]

If you let clothes sit in a bucket with stain remover/detergent for multiple days does it affect how long the clothes last?

[Deleted]

Tide. There is only Tide.

Seriously though, nothing works better and it's worth the price. Most things are clean the first time (or at least the second with minimal work), it works in all types of water (and I've had a few), my clothes don't fade and I don't have weird residue issues.

I like the Pods lately because it's self explanatory to my teen babysitter who starts the laundry and the E. students. I do powder once in awhile because it is cheaper. 

Tide's version of Oxiclean is also better than regular Oxiclean IME. I soak nasty stuff but usually just dump some in the wash cycle.

Dawn/dishsoap in general also makes a great cheap pre-treater.