As small as they are, babies have a way of making their presence felt and creating some big stains. They often spit up, spill baby food, juice and more, which results in some serious stains on their clothes. Sometimes detergent alone isn’t enough to remove them.
OxiClean is a well-known baby stain remover with an oxygen-based formula activated by water. As soon as you add it to water, the powder starts bubbling and it deals with even tough stains. But is OxiClean safe for use on baby clothes?
What’s in OxyClean?
When choosing a product to deal with those baby stains, you need to check the ingredients. OxiClean contains sodium carbonate or soda ash which is commonly used as a water softener. It also contains hydrogen peroxide. When sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide combine, they form a granular substance called sodium percarbonate.
In water, the sodium percarbonate breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate. The bubbling action is caused when oxygen molecules are released and the stains on fibers are loosened and can be rinsed away. There are no caustic, harsh chemical ingredients in OxiClean and no end products that are harmful to the environment.
According to EWG’S guide to healthy living, there may be a few concerns with regard to babies who have respiratory ailments and asthma.
However, you have little to worry about when it comes to skin allergies and irritation or developmental or reproductive toxicity from these ingredients. Most mothers report that even children with sensitive skins have no problems when they use OxiClean.
What’s not in OxiClean?
While many baby stain removers are made with gentle ingredients, some of them are still strongly scented. You want your baby to smell good but you need to be wary if he or she is sensitive to strong scents.
OxiClean is perfume-free and doesn’t contain any chlorine or dyes. Two environmental offenders in laundry products are bleach and phosphates and OxiClean doesn’t contain either of these.
Why using a stain remover is necessary
Stains are chemical reactions. Food, liquids and other substances don’t rest on top of fabrics but actually bind to the surface of the fibers on a molecular level.
Aside from interactions between a substance and fabric, any changes in temperature or additional substances, such as water, can change the chemical bond. Protein-based stains like milk are not water-soluble and require another chemical to sever the bond. Oil and fat-based stains can be really stubborn on fabrics.
A simple run through the washing machine won’t remove these stains and this is when a stain remover is necessary.
Using OxiClean
There are many different OxiClean products, including powders and laundry sprays. The most highly recommended product for use on babies’ clothes is the OxiClean Baby Stain Remover. It comes in a 3 pound (1.37kg) tub and is suitable for use in all washing machines.
It’s great for baby clothes, accessories, diapers and bedding and removes even tough stains. For the best results, you should use it in the warmest possible water. Just soak the garment or put a scoop in every load of laundry to boost your regular detergent.
Like all OxiClean products, this one harnesses the power of oxygen, not harsh chemicals. It is 100% chlorine, dye, fragrance, detergent and residue-free. It is a great pre-soaker and additive to the wash load.
What stains can OxiClean remove?
Babies can accumulate a huge variety of stains as they begin to crawl. When they become toddlers and they are into everything walk, the problem can become even worse.
Mothers with babies and small children say that they wouldn’t be able to deal with these stained clothes without using OxiClean. They use it on just about any stain imaginable, from poop to blood, fruit, baby formula and tomato.
Many mothers use baby clothes for more than one baby. It’s fairly common for stored baby clothes to come out of storage with some discoloration, even if they’ve been washed before storage. The culprit appears to be protein from milk which can leave a residue that bonds to clothing and takes on a yellow hue over time.
Soaking second-hand baby clothes overnight in hot water with OxiClean effectively removes any stains and yellowing. They come out of the wash bright, fresh and ready to be worn. You won’t have to throw away your favorite baby clothes and you’ll save a ton of money.
Some of them suggest that for small stains, wetting a toothbrush in water, dabbing it in the OxiClean and using that to lightly scrub the stain before washing works well. They say that you usually see the stain disappear right before your eyes.
Check first if you’re unsure
It's safe to use OxiClean on most materials, but you may want to do a spot check first. Use some of the product on one piece of clothing according to the manufacturer’s directions and make sure the color doesn’t run and it doesn’t cause any damage.
Is OxiClean safe to use on baby clothes or does it cause sensitivity issues? If you’re unsure about your baby’s sensitivity to products, it is easy enough to test the product out first on one item and see whether it causes any problems.
Many mothers swear by OxiClean to remove stains and the majority report no problems at all when using it. They even use it on their own clothes to get rid of stains if their garments come in direct contact with the baby like robes and tops.
A final word
Moms say that they used to throw away plenty of baby clothes that they could have saved because they weren’t using products that were a match for stains. When they began using OxiClean, they never had to discard stained clothes again. It does add some expense to your laundry but when you account for all the items it manages to salvage, it more than pays for itself.
