Basic Laundry & Stain Remval Questions

13 years ago

I'm having a new LG top loader & dryer delivered this week and while researching my purchase I came across this site. So far I have learned so much, but I still have some questions.

I have a ten month old daughter and so I have a lot of food and formula stains and as she is starting to walk I imagine I will soon be dealing with grass and dirt stains too. Previously I was doing a hot water soak in Oxyclean overnight and then washing in cold water. This worked okay for some stains, but not always. Plus, I've read that Oxyclean can cause spotting on greens and blues so sometimes I hesitate to use it. Also, I read on here that hot water may set protein stains. With that in mind, would it be better to do a prewash in warm water (with detergent?) then a hot water soak for 30 min (with detergent + color safe bleach/oxy?) then onto the wash cycle?

I'm kind of confused by this. Would someone please outline how they would handle a load of baby clothes (mostly cotton/ cotton blends, mixed lights and colors) containing some stained items. Product-wise I have tide original powder, Cheer powder, snuggle liquid FS, purex powdered color safe bleach, oxyclean powder and I have some spray & wash on hand. I'm not interested in switching to "green" products, but I am open to product suggestions.

Thanks so much!

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Comments (8)

olivesmom
Original Author
13 years ago
I forgot to ask, what temperature should the rinse cycle be and should I do more than one?
calliope
13 years ago
Soak protein (even mixed stains if some are protein stains) in cold water with your detergent or an enzyme pre-soak product and then launder in warm (not hot) water. This is compliments of the Ohio State University Extension information a good non-biased source. In fact, their laundry stain guide might be a good one to print off and mount on the back of a cabinet door in the laundry room for easy access.

Here is a link that might be useful: OSU laundry stain guide
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peanutmom
13 years ago
I have been dealing with a lot of those stains myself and I have a Fridgidaire FL. I usually do a load of laundry with a scoop of oxyclean and a scoop of borax with my regular detergent in warm water with a cold water rinse and extra rinse. If it is stained really bad, you could presoak in cool water with borax overnight and it should come out in the wash, as they say. I hope this helps.
jejvtr
13 years ago
My mom had 9 children in 10.5 yrs - She used Octagon or Kirkmans soap & every imaginable stain children present with - from lil babies to adolescence playing all types of sports

While I don't believe this gets the attention it deserves - it is housed in my laundry area - pre treat with cold water, a little Kirkmans or Octagon soap - a lil rub - Does the trick.

Here is a link that might be useful: brown soap
peteyjd
13 years ago
I concur. Start with cool/cold water to prevent the protein stains from being a problem. After you have done that the warm or hot issue isn't that big of a deal for the second wash. If you are using an oxygen bleach like Oxiclean you need heat as a catalysis. So I might try hot, at least on whites, and see if that works better.
calliope
13 years ago
I'd love to know where to get Octagon soap anymore! I love it and nobody carries it in the U.S. I even checked Colgate's website.
livebetter
13 years ago
calliope, I noticed that they do not make the Kirkman's anymore but I did find a link for Octagon.

I have another bar soap I use (made in Canada) that works great for me. It removes all kinds of stains.

Good luck with Octagon.

Here is a link that might be useful: soaps gone buy
Pat z6 MI
13 years ago
calliope, I really appreciate your providing the OSU laundry stain guide link. Thank you very much.
Pat