stains (breastmilk?) on boxed clothes

[llwr]

I got out DD1's old clothes out of storage to get them ready for DD2. I have a lot of yellow stains, mostly (but not exclusively) around the neck and arms of the 0-6 month clothes. The only thing she ate at that time was breastmilk. They're only 2.5 years apart, so they haven't been in storage for a long time. Any suggestions on how to get these stains out and how to avoid it happening again?

[redvlagrl]

My initial guess would be that it's actually saliva staining. Have you tried oxyclean?

I have similar brown stains on DD's sleepsacks ebcause she likes to suck the neckline. I can't get them out no matter what, though I haven't tried sunning. I would try that if the oxyclean doesn't do it

[ArtsyMomma]

I am pretty sure the yellow stains happen when clothing got food, or other protein stains on it BEFORE it was stored...even if the clothes are clean going into storage, they develop yellow stains while stored where the protein wasn't completely removed from the fabric.

I had some luck soaking a load of stained baby clothes in a hot washer full with 3 scoops of oxy-clean overnight. It didn't get rid of every stain, but it did remove some.

[jrabbit]

use a combination of oxyclean, detergent and *non*chlorine bleach. soak overnight in hottest water, agitating periodically when you think about it. sunning never worked for these stains *for me*.

about 1/3 of my baby clothes came clean, 1/3 were passable, and 1//3 not. my babies were exclusively breastfed, and the clothes appeared clean b4 storage. with DD1, I washed mostly in cold water. with DD2, more in warm, and I *think* fewer stains resurfaced after storage.

I owned a resale shop for 6 years, and my personal experience taught me not to save so many clothes!!

[redvlagrl]

That sounds like great advice. I have a question though. Is oxyclean the same as non-chorine bleach (I thought it was) or does it contain other magical stuff?

[SuzyLee]

I have had good luck with Zout. It is a spray stain remover. Probably horrible for the environment but so is throwing away clothes (at least that is how I justify it!).

Anyway, I usually spray the stain with Zout, and let it sit with the Zout for 12-24 hours, then soak the clothing in hot water + Oxyclean for at least overnight if not a few days.

[mumkimum]

Ditto on using some oxiclean, and sunning can help a lot as well with the baby-clothes yellow staining.

[jrabbit]

oxyclean is not the same as non-chlorine bleach.

*do not* use chlorine bleach with oxyclean.

[LionessMom]

i just got clothes out of storage for the new one. i used tide with dawn in it. i poured it on the stain and let set overnight then washed in warm the next day. only a couple of stains had to be done again.

[redvlagrl]

Originally Posted by jrabbit

oxyclean is not the same as non-chlorine bleach.

*do not* use chlorine bleach with oxyclean.

Thanks for the info.