Highly common in the first few months of life, spitting up is an unfortunate and messy cross to bear for newborns and mommies alike. For adults, there's a valve in the esophagus that helps to keep our stomach contents in the stomach, but for babies, this valve, known as the lower esophageal sphincter, hasn't matured yet. This process isn't painful or harmful to your baby if the spitting up is minimal. The real victims here are the clothing your little one happens to be wearing at the time. Fortunately, these unpleasant stains are easily eliminated.
Step 1
Rinse the affected area of the clothing under warm running water for fresh spit up. Scrape away dried spit up with a plastic utensil if there is a crusty debris on the surface. If the stain is old and there is no debris to scrape away, rinse it under warm running water to dampen the area.
Step 2
Lay the garment flat on a flat surface with the stain facing up.
Step 3
Pour baking soda liberally over the stain to completely cover it.
Step 4
Pour club soda over the baking soda to dampen it. This will cause a great deal of fizzing.
Step 5
Scrub the dampened baking soda into the fabric gently with an old toothbrush to lift the majority of the stain.
Step 6
Launder the garment in the warmest water allowable for the fabric with a mild, bleach-free laundry detergent.
Step 7
Air dry the garment by hanging it up outside. If the weather isn't cooperating, hang the garment up somewhere in the house that gets good ventilation. Only use the dryer if you can see that there is no trace of the stain left when it comes out of the washing machine as heat helps to set stains in.
Tips and Warnings
- Feed your baby smaller portions more frequently to reduce the chances of spitting up. This method is safe for washable fabrics. If your baby is breastfed, simply washing the garment should remove the stain.
Things You'll Need
- Plastic utensil
- Baking soda
- Club soda
- Old toothbrush
- Mild, bleach-free laundry detergent
