Taking care of my God son exposed me to the struggles of getting poop out of clothes; the first time, I thought the only remedy was to get rid of the clothes, but not till his mum laughed and showed me how to handle it.
If you’re like me and don’t know what to do in situations like this, well, you’re in luck, as we’ll discuss ten ways to get the poop out of clothes.
10 Ways to Get Poop Out of Clothes
Having poop on our clothes or rugs are accidents bound to happen no matter how weird it may sound, especially when you have babies or pets.
When these accidents happen, you shouldn’t beat yourself up because accidents happen all the time, and there is nothing we can do about them except brace ourselves for when they occur and fix them.
There are easy methods we can use to get the poop out of clothes. Below are ten ways to do so.
1. Use Dish soap
Being what we use regularly, dish soap is readily available to combat stains, and it is recommended to use it to get the poop out of clothes, especially if the poop is dried. Here is a step-by-step guide to follow to use dish soap to get the poop out of clothes below:
Step 1: If the poop is still fresh, rinse with cool water. Fill a bowl with warm water, and add a few drops of dish soap.
Step 2: Soak the cloth in the solution and leave it in for at least 10 minutes before washing. Rinse the cloth with warm water, then allow it to dry.
2. Use Bleach
Using bleach to fight poop stains is an effective method highly recommended for white clothes. This method can also work for colored clothes, however, they might lose their color. When choosing a bleach to use, a mild one is recommended. To use the bleach to get the poop out of clothes, follow these steps below:
Step 1: Begin by rinsing off the excess poop with clean water. You mix the bleach with water. It is recommended to follow the required amount instructed on the bleach container.
Step 2: Soak the affected cloth into the solution, and leave it for about two minutes. Rinse the cloth with clean water and leave it to dry.
Note: If the stain is minimal, applying a few drops of bleach directly to the affected area will do.
3. Use Laundry Detergent
Using laundry detergent, preferably a liquid one is perfect to get the poop out of clothes. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use laundry detergent to get the poop out of clothes below:
Step 1: Make a laundry detergent solution by mixing laundry detergent and water.
Step 2: Soak the poop-stained clothes in the solution and leave for a while. Wash the clothes and dry them.
4. Use White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar does a great job in removing stains, especially on white clothes. To use vinegar, follow these simple steps below:
Step 1: Rinse off any excess poop from the cloth. Create a mixture of vinegar and water, preferably a 50/50 mixture.
Step 2: Soak the soiled cloth in the solution for about 10 minutes. Rinse the cloth and allow it to dry.
5. Use Baking soda
When mixed with detergent, baking soda becomes an effective stain removal. The best thing about using baking soda is that you might not need to scrub the cloth depending on the toughness of the stain. Here is a step-by-step guide to how to use baking soda to get the poop out of clothes below:
Step 1: Rinse the cloth with cool water to get rid of the excess poop. Make a solution of baking soda and detergent in a bowl of water.
Step 2: Lay the clothes on a paper towel to protect the surface you will lay them on.
Step 3: Spray some of the solutions on the stain and massage it into the clothes.
Step 4: Allow the baking soda to sit for some minutes, then gently brush it away.
Step 5: Repeat the process until the smell disappears.y
6. Use Lemon juice
This method could be considered one of the easiest. Here is how to use lemon juice below:
Step 1: Mix lemon juice with water to form a solution.
Step 2: Soak a clean cloth in the solution and dab the solution on the part of the clothes with the strongest mothball smell.
7. Use Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide acts just like bleach, though it’s milder but just as useful for poop stain removal; here is how to use hydrogen peroxide to get the poop out of clothes below:
Step 1: Mix hydrogen peroxide and dish soap in small but equal parts to form a solution.
Step 2: Spray some of the solutions on the stain and massage it into the clothes.
Step 3: Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, then turn the cloth inside out and repeat the process until you’re sure that the stain and smell are rid of completely before drying.
Step 4: Rinse with warm water and dry.
8. Use Hot Water
Using hot water to remove poop from clothes sometimes works like magic. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use hot water to remove poop from clothes below:
Step 1: Place the stained cloth in a bowl or flat on the floor. Pour boiling directly onto the stain in a rapid stream.
Step 2: If the stain is invisible, wash the cloth with laundry detergent and dry.
Note: Be careful when handling the hot water to avoid burning yourself.
9. Use Cornstarch
The key to using cornstarch to get the poop out of clothes is to treat the stain as fast as possible, so the cornstarch can absorb the stain before it seeps into the fabric fibres.
Step 1: Sprinkle cornstarch over the stained area, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Step 2: Brush it off and if the stain is still present, apply a laundry stain remover before washing with a heavy-duty detergent. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry
10. Use Salt
Salt can come in handy for combating poop on clothes, however, add white vinegar to increase its stain combating quality. Here’s how to go about it below:
Step 1: Rinse the soiled cloth properly and apply vinegar to the affected area. Then add salt over it and scrub with an old toothbrush.
Step 2: Allow the solution to dry on the clothes before finally washing it off. Rinse the cloth properly and leave it to dry.
Handling and disinfecting poop-stained clothes
While our poop may be harmless to us, they are dangerous to others since they contain bacteria and other germs that might be deadly to human health, especially to babies. This is the same way other people’s poop is also dangerous to our health.
So it is in our best interest to acquire knowledge on how to handle and disinfect poop-stained clothes. Here are some household methods of disinfecting poop-stained clothes.
1. Hot water
Hot Water can disinfect clothes as it kills off most bacteria. To use hot water to disinfect poop-stained clothes, pour very hot directly onto the stain in a rapid stream. Leave the clothes in the water for a while, then leave them to dry.
2. Bleach
Bleach can serve as an effective disinfectant. A little mixture of bleach into clean water and then soaking the cloth should do the trick.
3. Enzyme product
Add roughly two tablespoons of the enzyme treatment to a bowl or a tub with some cold water, soak the clothes for about 30 minutes; rinse the cloth and allow it to dry. This should help disinfect the clothes.
4. Vinegar
White vinegar can also serve as a good disinfectant. All you need to do is allow it to dry up after applying it to the affected area. Rinse afterward before washing.
5. Alcohol
Alcohol is a popular disinfectant thanks to ethanol. Applying it to the affected area should easily kill the bacteria present
6. Detergent
Some detergents can kill germs in clothes. One of such detergents should serve in disinfecting our clothes.
7. Disinfectant products
There are multiple disinfectant products on the market, all with a superb quality of eliminating germs. They come in different forms, such as liquid and bar soap. Any of such products can easily do the trick.
How to get poop smell out of clothes
Even after we are done washing poop out of our clothes, chances are that the poop smell might linger and to prevent this from happening, here are some ways to get the poop out of clothes.
Sundry
The easiest way to deal with any smell is to sun dry the clothes. Sunlight and fresh air will break up the smell, so if you still smell poop after washing your clothes, hang them outside for a little while.
If the smell is strong, you may have to hang the clothes in the sun for several days for the smell to fade.
Ironing
The best results can be obtained from an electric iron if the sun isn’t enough. Ironing clothes will usually disperse any odors, especially the poop smell.