A laundry question

[Lostsoul33]

Hi everyone. I have two girls that are messy little eaters. Prior to being frugal, I was using the best laundry detergent, warm water and spray and wash. Things have changed big time and now I'm using a cheaper laundry detergent, cold water and no spray and wash. However, the pink and white clothes aren't coming very clean. The cheese stains and the juice stains are staying on the clothes. Any idea what I could do other than buying more spray and wash? That stuff is expensive and we used to go through it like water. Thanks in advance for any advice

[flash]

Just got the new Good Housekeeping Household book (one of my freebies), which has three pages on different stains.

Baby formula: sponge stain with cool water, soak in enzyme detergent solution for 30 minutes. Rinse. Sponge greasy residue with dry-cleaning solvent. Launder as usual.

Fruit: soak in cool water, wast in warm suds. use appropriate bleach.

Ice cream: soak in cool water, then wash in warm suds using an enzymatic detergent.

Most of the advice is similar, enzymatic detergent, pre-soak.

I buy Shout at Costco. Wisk and Clorox 2 are good for some things. None are cheap.

For those of you who are baking soda fans, the Arm and Hammer site has some tips:

http://www.armandhammer.com/myhome/r...aundry%20Room#

[Lostsoul33]

Thanks very much Flash. I'll check out the Arm and Hammer site too.

[PrincessPerky]

scrubbing (with soap, fold stain in onitself scrub, rinse repeat), and baking soda in the wash helps mine, cept blueberries, those I just have designated PJs for my DD (DS really doesn't mess much anymore, amazing!)

[Lostsoul33]

Thanks very much PrincessPerky. I'll give it a try next time.

[flash]

Wisk's site has specific info too:

http://www.wisk.com/cleanup_stains_fr.html

[Lostsoul33]

Thanks very much!

[cercis]

How old are your girls? Can you give them eating smocks or something similar?

My boys are being taught to eat with their elbows on the table so that they are leaning over their plates. When they get to the point where they aren't constantly dropping food from their forks, we'll change their etiquette.

I think cercis is on the right track, wrap your kids up in a big sheet of plastic. Cut out a couple holes for their mouths.

[shelbylovesmelby]

*L* If I could only get mine to sit still long enough to eat @ the table!!! It's not only the clothes it's the rug, the floor & the furniture!

I'm tired of cleaning how long til their old enough to do it w/o ya holler'n?

[Lostsoul33]

My kiddies are 2 and 4. They do wear bibs but like Shelby says, the food gets everywhere. Some type of smock would work but I've never seen them except for babies.

[cercis]

My 7yo is pretty good about not making a mess. The 5yo, though, is constantly reminded. I think his personality is such that he will be making messes for the rest of his life. I vetoed several houses because the table sat on carpet. Not a good idea.

[zakity]

What about "eating" clothes? Ones that are stained up and you don't care about. They have play clothes that are stained up or holey hand-me-downs. We don't treat the stains on those clothes because they are one step away from the rag bag.

Another idea, they could put an adult sized t-shirts over their clothes.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by shelbylovesmelby

*L* If I could only get mine to sit still long enough to eat @ the table!!! It's not only the clothes it's the rug, the floor & the furniture!

Err so no food out of the kitchen! I threaten my two with straps if they wont stay, eat in a chair or get strapped to the chair (like a baby in a highchair) niether one wants that so I generally only have to remind DD once a meal, DS not at all anymore.

And I remembered when we go out to eat, I tended to put my kids in two shirts, and remove the outer one to eat, then replace the undershirt with the outer (clean) one. Works great for special occasions!

[spendless]

My wife use tosoak the kid's stained light colored garments in warm water with a small amount of dishwashing detergent. She would allow to soak overnight and then launder. Was often able to even clean "older set stains". Use for lights only...may bleach colors.

[cercis]

Originally Posted by spendless

My wife use tosoak the kid's stained light colored garments in warm water with a small amount of dishwashing detergent. She would allow to soak overnight and then launder. Was often able to even clean "older set stains". Use for lights only...may bleach colors.

Don't use dishwasher detergent. It WILL bleach colors. Oh will it bleach colors. The hand stuff, though, should be okay.

[shelbylovesmelby]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

Err so no food out of the kitchen! I threaten my two with straps if they wont stay, eat in a chair or get strapped to the chair (like a baby in a highchair) niether one wants that so I generally only have to remind DD once a meal, DS not at all anymore.

And I remembered when we go out to eat, I tended to put my kids in two shirts, and remove the outer one to eat, then replace the undershirt with the outer (clean) one. Works great for special occasions!

Believe me I've been trying. Though I know it's my fault though my oldest is a "failure to thrive" & is a drive by eater & getting her to eat anything is a challenge.

Straps? My 3 yr old would probably laugh & run off. It's a joke til she's in time out then she's not so smug.

I like the shirt idea. I usually keep a change of clothes in the van or diaper bag just in case.

[CJsoccerchic]

I think soaking overnight has worked the best for me. I haven't had a stain set in years! and it's gotten rid of old stains out of everyones elses cloths!