Last Updated on 1 month by Susan Mayrich
Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing. But it can also be messy.
It may sound silly, but it happens to lots of new moms. Breast milk can be hard to clean up and if you aren’t careful, your clothes will end up permanently stained.
You don’t want to have to throw away your favorite clothing because of one little milk stain, do you? Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do about this!
Today, we’re going to show you how to remove breast milk stains from clothing with just a few simple household items and some elbow grease.
What type of detergent is safe to use?
Some experts recommend using an enzyme-based detergent, but remember that all detergents with enzymes have a chemical residue that might not be suitable for sensitive skin.
For this reason, you may want to consider natural products instead, which are usually less harsh and more environmentally friendly.
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How to Get Breastmilk Stains Out of Clothing
Rinse off the breast milk ASAP.
You should rinse off the breast milk stains as soon as you can and clean it up completely before it has a chance to dry.
This should help you to get rid of the stain or at least minimize its effects on your clothing.
Dry the clothes in the sun
The sun acts as a natural bleacher so try laying your clothes outdoors to dry. If you have a breast pump or spilled milk, do not wash just yet.
Apply the sun’s UV rays to the item to get it totally clean before throwing it in the laundry.
This is a low-cost, organic way that will help you save your clothes from going in the trash and keep them stain-free for as long as possible.
Soak the stain with Coldwater, Baking soda, and Vinegar
- In order to remove breastmilk stains out of clothing, soak the stain in the wash cycle for about 15-20 minutes.
- If you are not able to soak it for 20 minutes, let it soak for as long as you can before throwing it into the wash.
- Add cold water and detergent to the wash cycle.
- Prevent the fabric from becoming over soaked by adding vinegar or baking soda to the water.
- Do not put any clothes made of cotton, silk, or wool in the same load as clothes that have breastmilk stains.
- Make sure to use cold water when washing clothes that have breast milk stains.
Natural Stain Removers
Instead of using bleach if you get a white breast milk sample take advantage of lemon’s natural bleaching abilities.
Add sufficient pure lemon juice with a small piece of tartar crème so that it forms a paste.
Soak the stains in hot water for 30-60 minutes then rinse it with the appropriate detergent in the coldest water.
Baking soda may draw dye out of fabrics so if treating any other than white goods test your powder first using a hidden area.
When diluted the paste removes the protein stains-causing substance so that the detergent can remove them.
Removing Breast Milk Stains With White Vinegar
One of the most effective ways to get rid of breast milk stains is with white vinegar.
- Add 1-2 tbsps of white vinegar in the next wash cycle to remove breastmilk stains.
- Let it soak for about 20 minutes before throwing it into the wash and then place a dry towel over the wet area and press it gently with your hands, this will absorb the stain.
- Put it in the next laundry cycle and use a detergent with enzymes to eliminate breastmilk stains.
Using Lemon Juice
For those who are not going to put their clothes through a laundry cycle, make sure to rinse them off with lemon juice.
Lemon juice has natural properties that will help remove the stain from the fabric and make it look as if nothing ever happened.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has also been used for many years to remove breast milk stains from clothing.
Mix baking soda with a little bit of water and use an old toothbrush to scrub the breast milk stains off the fabric.
Make sure that you do not rub too hard as it might leave behind an abrasion on the fabric.
Remove Breast Milk Stains FAQs
How do you get old milk stains out of clothes?
You can try using dishwashing detergent or make laundry soap, but that will release a sudsy detergent residue into your laundry.
A better way to remove food stains from the fabric is by rinsing with cold water (it’s the heat in warm water that helps set stains).
A mild natural degreaser like vinegar or hydrogen peroxide may also be able to break down milk and remove it.
And if all else fails, you could try soaking the fabric in cold water for up to an hour before washing them with baking soda and detergent.
It won’t work miracles on greasy substances like lipstick or butter, it’s only good for grease-saddle foods such as eggs, dairy products, sauces, and gravies.
How do I get yellow stains out of baby clothes?
If you use any kind of dishwashing detergent (even just regular soap), it will leave a residue in your machine.
It’s better to use laundry soap or make up your own with dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar.
Take the clothes out of the dryer before it stops completely and put them into a bucket with cold water for a few hours or overnight to let the milk stains set.
After this soak, rinse the clothes in cold water or cold water and vinegar first then rinse with hot water and detergent.
Do milk stains come out?
A lot of the time, they do come out. You just need to use the way to get the stain out.
I use cold water first. I use hot water if that doesn’t work. Sometimes, I will use a little bit of detergent or vinegar mixed with water and then put it in the washing machine.
Does baby milk stain clothes?
Yes, the milk from a baby can stain clothes.
How do you make homemade stain remover?
To make your own personalized stain remover, mix one cup of liquid dish detergent with 14oz hydrogen peroxide.
Test the solution on an area that won’t be seen and rinse thoroughly.
Fill a spray bottle or trigger-spray container with this mixture and you have yourself a cheap.
How do you get a stain out of fabric?
The most common way to remove stains from fabric is by pre-treating stained fabric with clothing stain spray before putting it in the wash which prevents most, but not all, future stains from adhering to the fabric fibers.
If you still have stubborn stains after taking these precautions there are also laundry bluing treatments that can work wonders at
Can all stains be removed
Sometimes the stains will still be left on the fabric and that is when you would need to get a professional opinion on how best to treat them.
Can ice cream stains be removed?
Ice cream stains are notoriously hard to remove, but there are some tricks that can help.
- First, scrape off any excess ice cream and topping with a spoon as soon as you notice it has spilled onto your clothes.
- Next, blot the stain with a cloth soaked in cool or cold water – never use hot water!
- Hot water will set the stains and make them difficult to remove.
- And lastly, wash the garment as usual but throw in a spoonful of lemon juice or white vinegar for extra stain fighting power!
What is the best stain remover on clothes?
Stain removers come in many different forms, so there’s bound to be one that suits your needs.
Whether you’re looking for a spray, powder, or gel, our list of the best stain removers for clothes will help!
What’s the difference between OxiClean and baby OxiClean?
If you’ve used OxiClean, you know that it’s a two-step process – the powder and the liquid.
Baby OxiClean is also two steps but with a different combination of ingredients. It’s detergent mixed with oxygen bleach to make ends cleaning and brightening more effective.
OxiClean needs to be mixed with water before use and can be combined with other major brands of laundry detergent in order to get the best results.
Baby OxiClean needs to be mixed with cold water, but not hot water, before use for best results.
For stains that just won’t go away, Baby OxiClean can be used in conjunction with upholstery cleaner and carpet cleaner too!
Can you use vanish on newborn baby clothes?
Yes, VANISH is safe to use on newborn baby clothes. However, since it’s an enzyme-based stain remover, it might not be the best choice for some of your more delicate clothes because it’s more likely to cause fading or yellowing.
How do I get my baby’s clothes white again?
When your baby’s clothes get faded or stained, it can be a challenge to know what to do. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your little one’s clothes look vibrant again with just a few household ingredients!
Find the stain and try to remove as much of it as possible
- Pour 1 cup of vinegar into a large bowl, then add a quart of cold water and mix until the solution is uniform in color and smells like vinegar
- Mix up 3 tablespoons of baking soda with enough water so that it forms a paste
- Pour the contents into the bowl and stir everything together
Does breast milk stain sheets?
It is known that breast milk can stain bed sheets, presumably because of the high iron content.
It has been seen in one study that washing and drying a stained sheet reduced the stain by ~ 30%.
Can you wash baby clothes in OxiClean?
Yes, but it might not be the best for your clothes.
How do you get breast milk stains out of a mattress?
You can remove breast milk stains from a mattress by following these steps:
- Take the mattress off of the bed.
- Lay a white towel on top of the wet area to absorb as much spilled breast milk as possible.
- Spray OxiClean Spray directly onto the stain, and allow it to sit for 8 minutes.
- Pour cold water over any cloth or towel that is touching the wet side of the mattress, which will help with absorption during this step.
- Again pour water over towel and hand sponging gently remove excess liquid by blotting down to dry mattress surface using a fresh white towel(s) that have been soaked in cold water first (to avoid scratching).
- Repeat until no more
Conclusion
Breast milk stains are one of the most difficult stains to remove from clothes, but there is hope! You can get your favorite shirt or blouse looking new again by following the above simple steps.
We hope this blog post has given you some helpful tips
