Clothing that gets stained might as well be tossed in the trash. You won't keep it for your next baby and you can't sell it online or at any used kids sale. It's a TOTAL waste! I do everything I can to prevent stains but with a boy they are BOUND to happen. Here are a few little tricks I've learned with doing laundry!
1. Oxiclean: It should be every mom's best friend! I put some (I use the powder form) right in the wash basin of the washer before EVER load and it really does make our colors brighter and our clothes look new longer. I also use it to soak things in. Whenever an item has a stain I put a little of the oxiclean in a bowl with cold water and let the garment soak for HOURS before I wash it. I'd say 99.9% of the time the stain comes out. If not, I'll wash it then soak it again and THEN it will come out. NONE of my clothes have stains. NONE of my child's clothes have stains. Thanks to oxiclean! I actually had a brand new white tank top get red kool aid all over it and yup, it came out.
2. Laundry Day: Every Monday in our home is laundry day. I've read other blogs that recommend spreading it out throughout the week but I know that it saves money on both electric and water to do full loads back to back. I have three small laundry baskets from Dollar General that I use when the clothes are clean. They get sorted into "mommy" "daddy" and "baby" baskets then each basket goes to the right bed rooms to put away. I don't sit and fold it all, I just toss it in the basket then fold it as I put it up. I think this saves a lot of time from folding it all in advance then it getting messed up in the transfer.
3. Breastfed Baby Poop: If you have a breastfed baby then you know what I'm talking about...not to get too graphic but that junk looks exactly like butterscotch pudding! The best solution I found? THE SUN! I'm not kidding! I'd rinse out the clothes in the sink then lay them in the backyard and usually the sun would somehow magically make the poop disappear! And if it didn't go away 100% then I'd just follow my oxiclean soaking routine!
4. No Ironing: I don't iron. I loathe it. We recently invested in front loading energy star washer and dryers and the dryer actually has a setting called "rapid refresh" I swear it's amazing! We pick out what we plan to wear that day (works GREAT before church!), toss it all in, and in about 20 min we have wrinkle free clothes without the ironing. Now obviously you aren't going to run out and buy a new washer and dryer just to not have to iron but if you're in need of a new one I recommend looking for this setting!
5. Wash it all together: I know SOME babies may have issues with laundry detergent and truly need their clothes washed in Dreft. I, however, feel it's a rip off scam. I leave the tags on ALL of my son's clothes until he wears them. I don't wash them first. I also do this with all of my clothes. When you wash something it will NEVER look as new again so why waste that new look??? I was all of my son's clothes WITH our clothes and use the same detergent and stuff that I do for ours.
Any other tips to share???
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