My Laundry Question
After every load of baby clothes I'm finding brown and red spots that were not there when I put the laundry in. It only happens on certain items (it seems to be occurring where spit up happens - sheets, collar of this clothes - not on burp cloths so far for some reason!)
Share a Little Background Info
It only occurs on the baby's clothes, not ours. I'm using Dreft, cold water, low heat and dryer balls.....this is so weird and is ruining his items (I haven't treated it yet, so maybe the items will be okay, but ideally stains will be gone not mysteriously arrive AFTER the laundry!).
Lessons Learned
- He is on formula, but pretty sure this happened when breastfeeding
- Could it be mold? but only appears after wash....
- I don't do his laundry everyday, but do it enough
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Laundry Guide, says:
You do have pose a puzzling question. The brown spots can easily be attributed to the carbohydrates in the baby formula but the red stains are a mystery, especially since they are not on the rest of the family laundry.
Even though you have not seen stains on other loads of laundry, please check your washer and dryer thoroughly for any signs of rust. Look around the door areas, product dispensers (if you have them) and in the drums. Use a flashlight and look really well. Baby clothes are so small that they can slip into nooks and crannies that are rusted and get stains. If you discover rust, sand it down and use a appliance-approved touch-up paint from the hardware store.
It could possibly be mold if you allow damp clothes to sit in a hamper. If something is damp and you can't wash it right away, allow it to dry completely before putting it in a hamper.
Are you using a formula that contains iron? My babies used that type of formula and I had to pre-treat the stains before washing to remove them completely.
Now, here's how to remove the stains. Fill a sink or large tub with warm water and add an oxygen-based bleach (OxiClean, Clorox 2, Country Save Bleach, Purex 2 Color Safe Bleach ) to the water following package directions for amount per gallon of water. Submerge the stained items and allow them to soak overnight. Then launder as usual. If your child has sensitive skin, do two rinses. Check the stained areas before drying. if the stains are still there, repeat the process and allow the items to soak for 24 hours and then wash.
Hope all goes well and best to you and the little one!
