Specialist Newborn Photography, North Ferriby, Hull, East Yorkshire
Being a mum of four I've changed my fair share of nappies and definitely had to deal with nappy explosions of epic proportions! Being a specialist newborn photographer in North Ferriby East Yorkshire I'm pooed on, on an almost daily basis! I work with tiny babies and pose them naked, it's a hazard of the job and many would say I'm asking for trouble! Many of my wraps and backdrops are delicate and coloured so I have to treat the stains carefully so the fabric and colours are not damaged.
So I thought I might share some of the peals of wisdom I have gained over the years.
The first, and most important thing is to not let the stain dry. A dried in stain will be a lot harder to remove than a wet one so get that gorgeous little outfit that Grandma bought into cool water as quickly as you can and rinse as much of the yellow stuff off as possible. Now our darling babies don't often check their surroundings before they explode out of their nappies so if you are out and about, rinse off what you can with bottled water and make sure the stain is soaked with water. Pop it in a nappy bag and make sure it doesn't get lost and forgotten in the depths of your changing bag!
When you get home you can move on to the next step.
The next thing to do is soak your now, slightly yellow outfit in wash powder and water. Run a sink of warm water and fill with the appropriate amount of powder for a hand wash. I have on occasion used biological wash powder, usually on whites but would always rewash with a non biological power which is safer next to babies skin.
Place the item in the water once the powder has dissolved and gently agitate the stain. Don't rub too hard as this can damage the fabric, cause piling and if it's a coloured item, could cause colour distortion. Once the stain has been agitated leave it in the water to soak, pop the kettle on, make a coffee and give yourself a pat on the back for how organised you are!
Let the stain soak for 20 minutes or so and then repeat the agitation, gently washing it with your hands. This is usually enough to remove most poo stains. And all that is needed now is a normal wash cycle through your machine and your little one can happily wear it again minus the stain.
If the soaking wasn't enough or the stain had dried before you have chance to soak it, all is not lost. I have always used Dr Beckmann Stain Devil Pre Wash Stain Remover. I've not been paid to advertise this, I wish! It's a little bottle of magic I just had to tell you about! This product is especially good on white fabric where stains often show more. The top of the bottle has a plastic brush attached to help the gel get deep into the weave of the fabric. Gently rub the brush over the stain and squeeze the bottle until a little of the gel is covering the stain and pop it into the wash as normal. Everything should come out in the wash!
With whites, if everything else has failed and you have a really tough stain hang it in the sun for a few hours the bleaching effects will definitely help.
So there we have it. I hope these tips save some of your favourite outfits from those pesky yellow stains and you can show them off with pride, at least until the next time!
