This post was originally published in March of this year. Since Kristen asked for our favorite cleaning tip I thought I would republish! I love Oxi Clean and keep a bucket in my house at all times!
This weekend was a baby reality check. I decided I needed to find all our bins of baby clothes, bedding, towels and bibs and start washing and getting them organized. I was sad to find many of my favorite outfits had nasty stains and spots on them. I almost got rid of them and then I decided to try soaking them in OxiClean 
for a few days. I was shocked when I pulled all these cute outfits out of the bucket and they were all stain free! OxiClean got every stain out the adorable outfits.
I wish I could tell you that OxiClean gave me some of their cleaner to try and promote on this site, but they didn’t. I have used Oxy Clean for a few years and have been impressed with its stain removal. The one key to getting out the stains is to let the clothes soak for a few days. I have tried soaking for a few hours and that didn’t work. I just follow the directions on the container and come back a few days later.
To be honest I have no idea what is in OxiClean or why it works so well, but I know that it works. The only other method that has worked this well on baby stains is adding lemon juice to the stain and hanging them on the line in the hot sun. This worked great when we lived in Cuba (the hottest and sunniest place on earth), but I am unable to do that here, without a clothesline.
If you have a great tip to get baby yuck out of clothes, leave a comment. I love finding ways to make clothes last, with six kids we have a lot of hand-me-downs around here and I try to keep clothes looking nice.
Amy says
I haven’t tried Oxyclean but I have used the recipe out of Tightwad Gazette pretty successfully. Add 1 cup powdered dish detergent and 1 cup powdered clorox 2 to roughly 5 gallons of the hottest water to come out of the faucet. Soak clothes overnight and launder. It’s worked well on baby clothes I’ve stored.
Amy @ Finer Things says
I was hoping you’d be writing about OxiClean when I hopped over here from Twitter. I have a bucket in my laundry room for the sole purpose of OxiClean soaking. It’s the only thing I can get to work… even on old, set in stains!
Raise Them Up says
I love oxiclean, too!
I used to spray “orange” cleaner (not even name brand) on baby yuck spots right away, and it worked like a charm.
My husband used the orange pumice hand cleaner on the clothes worn during a diaper explosion, and it worked great!
I’m with you…keeping clothes looking nice beats having (or wanting) to buy new. 🙂
Kara says
I love OxyClean 🙂 I use their stain spray for poop stains on my baby’s clothes.
Lisa@BlessedwithGrace says
Wow, that is a GREAT tip!! I did not know that. I Love clean white shirts. BUT, inevitably, I spill something, drip something, etc, and it is ruined. WOO HOO. I will be trying this. I have some oxi clean in the laundry room, already.
Noel says
I wish Oxyclean had been there 10 years ago when Princess Leiah (my daughter) was born. She was a terrible spitter-upper. Ruined many cute outfits. Oh well, glad you found something that worked 🙂
Mommy Bee says
I read a study a few years ago that was done I think by the folks at Americas Test Kitchen. They took a bunch of teeshirts and stained them with all the worst food stains, from soy sauce to coffee to tomato sauce to mustard, and then they tried each different stain remover on the market.
Oxy-clean was the best one hands down. So I don’t use anything else now. 🙂 Well, ok, I do use hydrogen perioxide for blood (it’s basically the same ingredients as oxy-clean but in liquid form, and let’s just say it was a lifesaver after my miscarriage). Oh, and I use hairspray for ink…but otherwise, I’m all about the Oxy-clean. 🙂
Brianna @ Heart(h) Management says
Sounds good! I was dismayed to find stains on some of the baby clothes I was pulling out yesterday. They were yellowed spots that I don’t think had shown up when I first put them away. I’m going to try this!
Relishing Life says
I love Oxi Clean, too! It will even take out armpit stains that have been there for a long time if you use it per the directions on the container for stains and use a toothbrush to rub it into the stain. I saved TONS of shirts this way!
Rebecca says
I was lucky and got a (TON) of baby clothes from other people for free. The only downside, formula stains. I threw a pile of them in the wash with several scoops of oxiclean and soaked. Most of the stains came out. Yay. I don’t mind used clothes, but its nice for them to look new.
Tiffany says
I LOVE Oxiclean! can’t live without it! Just like for you, for us it took out set-in stains that “appeared” while clothes were stored between children! amazing! The other stain remover I love for baby things is Totally Toddler! works well on all manner of toddler and baby stains, and also on potty-training carpet-puddles! how exciting to see the drawer of all those teeny tiny pink things!
Julie H says
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I have been so bugged about the stains on baby’s clothes. I am glad you posted this, now I just need to go get Oxiclean.
Amanda says
I’m with Julie, I need to go get some! I just brought out some from storage with many breastmilk set-in stains…I will be so thankful if this works to remove them!
Siri says
I love following along with you since I am only 2 weeks behind you. What more words of wisdom do you have? I’m going to get a big tub out tomorrow for the hand-me-down clothes. Next step is all of the covers (swings, carseat, etc.)
Hooray!
Lawanda says
Oxiclean is good stuff 🙂 I also use lemon juice, and also just vinegar and baking soda with a soak overnight, does wonders too, on some stains 😉
Southern Gal says
I had never used OxiClean until this month. My daughter is getting married in May and decided to wear my wedding gown. I got married in 1980, put my gown in a bag and have lugged it from closet to closet with each move in our married lives. No dry cleaning. I knew there were some stains on the layers of lace on the train of the dress. I tried OxiClean and the stains have all but disappeared! 28 years for those stains to sit and they are just about gone. I’m going to try a couple more washings and see what happens. I never thought about using this stuff on those horrible baby stains. Now when I have grandchildren, I can get those most favorite baby clothing items from the attic and actually have them looking pretty.
Thanks for the tip.
MNKristy says
What a great tip! I have never tried Oxiclean and when I have those stubborn stains, I usually just give up and throw the item away. I’ll be trying this. Thanks!
Joelle says
I am SO going to get some of this stuff if I remember next time I’m at the store. One or two of my dh’s white hospital coats from his bachelor days (before I did his laundry for him) have some stains on them that I haven’t been able to get out with my bleach pen or Shout. I’m going to see if it works to soak them in this for a few days.
Megan says
Oxi clean is my favorite. I posted about my stain removal tip here:
http://savingourcents.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-am-lovin-me-some-oxi-clean.html
Marie says
Thanks for the tip! I love the picture of the baby cloths.
Jennifer says
I never did get oxy clean to work for me but then i never let it sit for a few days i was afraid it would “eat” the clothing like acid, since i dont really know what is in that stuff… now that i know that it won’t hurt it I might just try it again… we go through a ton of shout… although sometimes i just put detergent right on the stain.
Serena says
I use a scoop of Bi-O-Kleen’s Oxygen Bleach in every load. I don’t know what I’d do without it! For stubborn stains, I’ll either soak the clothes like you did, or spray them with Bi-O-Kleen All Purpose Cleaner–if it’s really, really bad, I’ll put the All Purpose Cleaner on it straight!
(http://biokleenhome.com/products/household/general I use the SUPER CONCENTRATED ALL PURPOSE CLEANER & DEGREASER.)
Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting says
Oxiclean for a few days, huh? I put some in every load, and it generally works ok, but there are some, especially some socks, that could really use a little extra help. Perhaps I should have a bucket sit for just socks… hmmm…
Thanks for the tip 🙂
Another good stain remover is this one called “Grandmas Spot Remover” – haven’t a clue where it came from, it was given to me, but it works!!
LaVonne says
I have not tried oxyclean but now that you posted this I will have too. We have stained up clothes that we continue to put our Princess in, but now I need to just go out and try oxyclean. Thanks, I posted a link from my TILT blog to yours. Check it out sometime.
Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings says
One of my girlfriends was just asking about how to get out set in stains from baby clothes that had been stored. I think I remember another friend saying two words: Oxi Clean.
I’ll have to remember this, especially if we enter the world of pulling out the stored baby clothes. So far we have one boy, one girl, so we haven’t had to do that…yet.
Upstatemomof3 says
Okay now I am going to have to ger some!!! We use Spray N Wash and we love it – but sometimes it just doesn’t work. I have been thinking of using OxiClean for awhile and haven’t tried yet. Now I know I need to. 🙂
Amy Walton says
Thanks for another great tip, Toni! I will use this remedy on my fave clothes that seem to have permanent stains. Re: my fast from flour … it was really hard the first week, but now I’m used to potatoes and brown rice. We have a baby shower at work tomorrow, and I know there will be cupcakes or some such flour-based dessert. I’ll pass!
Shelly says
I loved oxiclean after I had my first daughter. It got every stain out of her clothes with just a little soaking!!
MB says
This is really good info. It’s amazing the little things one never thinks of…like letting something soak for a few DAYS. I have a few of Big D’s shirts that somehow have mold on them?! I think my Mom must have put them into a bag wet or something. Nothing has worked getting it out…going to try this today!! Ooh, and with some old stained bibs! Thanks!
And I might have to argue that Australia is the sunniest, hottest place on Earth. Throw in about 95% humidity in summer and it’s just lovely. I always loved being in a full sweat by 9am in my flat, with no air conditioning, when getting ready for work. Good times!
Kristin says
You know, I tried to wash with OxiClean a long time ago but it didn’t remove the stains. I thought it was a rip-off so I never used it again. Apparently I didn’t use it the right way! I’ll definitely have to try it again–this time letting it soak for a couple of days. By the way, my 7 year old busts out occasionally with, “And that’s the power of OxiClean!”
misfithausfrau says
This may already be in the comments, but Oxyclean has hydrogen peroxide in it, which is what gives it the cleaning power.
suzanne B says
I, too, am a BIG OxiClean fan. Since we buy 90% of what we wear at thrist stores, it’s a BIG help. I also use the spray on instant spot treating. Works like a charm.
I also use vinegar soaks on my husband’s sweat soak PT’s…and hydrogen peroxide soaks on bloody items (With my 6 year old, that happens A LOT.)
Ashley P says
I, too, am a HUGE fan of OxiClean!!! I didn’t know about it with my first, but found it before I had my second. We now add a scoop of OxiClean to EVERY washer load and we use the OxiClean Laundry spray for stain removal. I wish I knew a “cheaper” way to get (or make) OxiClean, but I’ll continue to pay for this product until I find one. My laundry would not get clean (thanks to a baby and a preschooler) without OxiClean!!
Don't Start None...There Won't be none says
So the key is to let it soak for a few days…thanks for the info. I use it in my loads of laundry when I wash. And I have tried soaking stuff, but usually only for a couple of hours. Now I know the trick! Thanks
Courtney says
Oh I’m so glad you gave this information. My baby I just had has ruined so many outfits from his poop explosions. Ha! I breastfeed him and his poop has more than once come out the back of his diaper. Now I know how to save his outfits for our next little one. Thanks!
CentsInTheCity says
OxiClean is by far the best stain remover I have ever used. I have encountered very few stains that it does not remove, but for the most part it gets everything. The stuff is so good that police are encountering problems at crime scenes, because they have been cleaned with OxiClean…now there’s a good episode of Law and Order!
I don’t have anywhere to soak clothing, so I tend to spray it on when I notice the stain and let it sit until I do my laundry. I like to buy it in both the powder and liquid forms. I feel the liquid works better, but sometimes I make my own liquid spray from the powder. I also carry a small spray bottle of it in my handbag. (To save money I refill this myself, instead of buying a new bottle.)
Somebody's Mimi says
I just wanted to say how pretty and pink the drawer looks.
Suzanne says
Thank you for posting this! My “baby” is almost 18 months old and a lot of her clothes are stained now. I have tried so many things and nothing has worked so far. I tried Oxi Clean years ago with my first child and it didn’t work. But, I never thought to soak the clothes for a few days (just hours). So, I am going to pick some up this weekend and give it a try. Thanks again!
Nell @ Casual Friday Everyday says
Look at all that pink! Awwww. Another little girly for your home.
Nell
Buffie says
I’m going to have to use this on the brand new shirt my daughter spilled grape juice all over. (Still unhappy with grandma over that one) Other stain removers didn’t work, but if the OxiClean works I will be a huge fan.
Linda says
I haven’t tried soaking for days but thank you for that great tip! I use Dreft Laundry Stain Remover on my daughter’s clothing. She has had many blow outs from her diapers and mystery stains from hand-me-downs. This seems to remove almost everything! Yes, I do use this on my clothing and it removed a stain in a blouse of mine I couldn’t get out through many washings. Remember to spray and work it into the fabric like the directions say! It is about $3.00 at Walmart in the baby section.
Denise C. says
I love ,love, love Oxi Clean! I tried your method of soaking clothes, and boy, it worked wonders on my kids clothes!
Old stains, new stains ALL CAME OUT!!! I was thrilled because after cleaning them, then washing them I was able to donate baby clothes to a new mom in need! 🙂
TheHappyHousewife says
Yes, I decided I need to get a separate bucket for soaking. I soak so often, I can’t mop my floors, because the clothes are in the mop bucket, lol!
Monica says
It worked wonders for me when my girls were babies! Everytime someone asks me about stain remover OxiClean is the one I recommend.
Kristy Kyle says
I use an old cat litter bucket for my soaking (vinegar or “oxiclean”). I have stopped buying oxiclean though and just use baking soda and peroxide which does the exact same thing and ends up being cheaper for me. Scoop of soda and about half cup of peroxide and soak for the day. Even stains from a machine shop don’t stand a chance.
Jessalyn says
Thanks! I have also been very saddened over my son’s stained clothes… I didn’t have any hope until now!
Heather says
I am also a fan of Oxyclean. I have used it since my daughter was born and have become an even bigger fan since she has gotten older and into more and more messy stuff. The best thing I have found it has gotten out is make-up. NOTHING would get my make-up stains out, but one soak with Oxyclean, the stain was gone! LOVE IT!
Rachel says
I use oxyclean often to get baby stains out. I often find a stain from my daughter spitting up on me after I have already dried my clothes, one thing that I have found that works great is the “Baby Dreft stain remover” it is in a spray bottle, so far every time I have used it it has worked.
DeAna @ Balancing Act Basics says
I love OxyClean and a large box from Sam’s Club will last us just about forever. It has really come in handy with my 2nd child as we are finishing up the potty training using straight-up cloth training pants. Nothing else will get out those tread marks! I do let the training pants soak at least 24 hours in the washer with a small scoop of OxyClean. After soaking, I add some detergent and turn the washer machine on.
I used Totally Toddler with my 1st child, which worked the best at the time. When my 1st was born, OxyClean was a fairly new product and I was too skeptical. I could never find Totally Toddler with my 2nd child and that’s when I made the switch to OxyClean. I’ve been hooked ever since!
Misty says
Okay I was and still am an oxyclean sceptic when it comes to throwing a scoop in the wash. It doesn’t seem to have the magic effect I think it should but soaking with oxyclean is a whole different story. Last month my little one threw up on the way home from the beach. I stripped him down and put his shirt in a “wet bag” and company and life and here it is 4 days later. oops. So I washed and dried it and put it away and a week or two later I pulled it out and noticed MOLD stains on it. AAhhhh! It’s one of my favorite shirts. So I washed in oxy and nothing. I used a couple different spray ons and nothing, I read about baking soda and vinegar, and nothing! Then I remembered reading something about boiling with oxyclean, well why not I had tried EVERYTHING else. So I dumped at least a cup in my big pot threw the shirt in and set it on high. I boiled it for an hour maybe, poking it back down in the water every so often. I dumped and drained in the sink and looked and looked and turned another light on and looked some more and nothing, not a mold spot on that shirt. I was so excited I had to do a happy dance 🙂 So I guess I have to admit after griping about this darn box of oxyclean I wasted my money on that yeah it’s pretty good stuff and I’ll be buying another the next time we go to Costco.
Christine M. says
I like to use a mixture of Dawn dish soap; ammonia and baking soda. I let the stained item soak overnight and usually with stain is gone. I’ve had good luck using baking soda mixed with water. Scrub that into the stain and let it sit overnight. That works great on perspiration stains.
Eliza Welch says
Such excellent information!
I really enjoyed looking around your lovely blog and would absolutely love it if you would stop by my blog!
Eliza’s Blog
T.J. says
Hi Toni- I’m a few days delayed in commenting because I had to try Oxi-Clean for myself after reading your post. AMAZING!!!! Thanks so much for the great tip! I have been a “lurker” of your site for a long time and it was about time I thanked you for all the tips you’ve passed on to me!
Marsha says
Hi. Before I decide to invest in some OxiClean, I just need to know if OxiClean gets old stains out of clothes that I have already tried to get out using rinky dink greneric detergents and name brand laundry detergents?