Removing gross stains from baby clothes

Life's messy parenting moments ... we've all been there. You're at the mall and Baby pees through his/her clothes. Or Baby vomits on your shoulder as you're walking out the door to work.

The good news is there are easy ways to remove even the grossest baby stains. Here, Clorox shares tips on removing everything from baby food to vomit, plus cleaning tricks for baby toys and more.

Urine
For cotton or poly-cotton blend sheets or clothing, select a hot water cycle, and wash with detergent and regular bleach (check labels for specific amounts).

Baby oil
For concentrated oil stains, pre-treat with a small amount of liquid dishwashing detergent (like Dawn). Apply directly to the stain, rub and wait five minutes. This helps break down the oil. Then, if the item is white and does not contain Spandex, wash in the hottest water recommended on the item’s care label with detergent and regular or concentrated bleach. If the item is colored, wash with detergent and a color-safe bleach, such as Clorox2 Stain Fighter and Color Booster. Air dry and repeat if any oil remains.

Vomit
You'll want to get vomit stains out immediately. First, scrape off the excess and thoroughly rinse the affected area with cold water. If the stained item is white, wash in the hottest water recommended on the care label using detergent and regular or concentrated bleach. Air dry and check to make sure the stain is completely removed; if not, repeat steps above. If clothing has color, wash immediately in the warmest water recommended on the care label using detergent and a color-safe bleach. Air dry the item and repeat if stain remains.

Baby food
Do not rub food into fabric. Immediately scrape off excess baby food and rinse under cool water. If clothing is white, follow the same steps as above. If stained item has color, apply a color-safe bleach directly to stain, rub and wait three to five minutes. If you're concerned about sensitive skin, use Clorox Free & Clear. Follow the same directions above for clothing with color.

Toys
Scrub toys weekly or once every other week. Clean toys according to instructions, keeping in mind many toys can be put in the dishwasher. You can disinfect washable colorfast plastic toys with 1/2 cup Clorox Concentrated regular bleach per gallon of water. Let it soak for five minutes, rinse and air dry.

Bath toys
To help keep germs from breeding on tub toys, let them dry in a net or basket after the bath. Toys that trap water (think rubber ducky) need to be cleaned regularly with a diluted (disinfecting) bleach solution, as directed, then rinsed well and left to dry.