How To Clean Children's Clothing

Introduction

Children rarely worry about staying clean as their day goes on. As a parent, you are often faced with the daunting challenge of keeping your children's clothing clean. When caring for children's clothing, there are several factors you have to consider including the type of dirt stain. With a little work, you can get your children's clothes looking practically brand new. It's important to remember when caring for your children's clothing, that patience is necessary. Children's clothing is rarely cleaned within a few minutes. The harder you work to maintain the quality of your children's clothing, the more likely it is that you will save money on purchasing new clothing.

Step 1

Remove any loose debris from the children's clothing. Use a plastic-based item to avoid ripping or damaging the clothes. Debris such as dirt, mud or food may be easily removed with the utensil. Do not worry about getting all of the debris off of the children's clothing.

Step 2

Get a spray bottle filled with a vinegar and water solution. Use equal parts water and vinegar in the spray bottle. For best results, use cold water as opposed to hot water. Hot water may cause any stains on the children's clothing to set.

Step 3

Spray the solution on any stains on the children's clothing. Do not overly-saturate the clothing. Spray just enough solution on the stains to make it damp. Use a clean cloth to gently rub the area on which you sprayed the solution. Do not scrub at the area. Scrubbing the area could lead to damaging the children's clothing beyond repair. If needed, spray more solution on the area.

Step 4

Allow the children's clothing to soak for at least 20 minutes. The vinegar and water solution works as a pre-treater that will help remove the stains easier. Set a timer to remind you to come back for the children's clothing. If the clothes are allowed to sit a few minutes longer, they will not be damaged by the solution.

Step 5

Separate the clothes according to their colors. After the clothes have been separated, wash them based on the sorted piles. For color clothes, use a bleach-free laundry detergent. Using a detergent with bleach could lead to ruined clothes. For white clothes, you can add a cup of bleach to help with removing particularly tough stains. Do not use more than a cup. Bleach can lead to weakening of the fabric which can decreases its life and also cause the clothes to have a yellow appearance. Once the clothes are washed, you can either dry the clothes in a clothes dryer or allow them to air dry. If the stains remain, repeat the pre-treat process before drying the clothes.

Tips

Greasy stains on your children's clothing can be pre-treated with baking soda. Make a paste with the baking soda and allow it to sit overnight for the best results. Once the soaking period is up, dust off the excess baking soda and scrub the area with an old toothbrush. Wash and dry your children's clothing as normal after you have removed the baking soda.

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