How to Get Breast Milk Poop Out of Clothing (4 Effective Ways)

Breast milk stains are stubborn, but they can be removed. Breast milk is one of the most difficult stains to remove from clothing because it contains protein, which is hard to get out of fabric. 

Once breast milk dries on clothing, it becomes an even bigger challenge to remove.

It’s important to treat breast poop stains as soon as possible. The sooner you treat breast poop stains, the easier they will be to remove. Here is how to remove breast milk poop stains.

Breastfed babies have a yellowish, mustard color to their stools. It’s normal.

Why Does Breastfed Baby Poop Stain

Breastfed babies’ poop doesn’t always look like what you find in a diaper. Breastfed baby poop can be yellowish and have an oily appearance. 

It’s likely to stain clothing a little bit, too. The thick texture of breastfed baby poop is the result of undigested breast milk that has been consumed along with the formula or solid foods your baby is eating.

Will Breast Milk Poop Stains Come Out?

Breast milk poop stains come out of clothes easily. The best way to remove breast poop from clothing is by using a commercial stain remover or washing the garment in cold water with detergent.

How to Get Breast Milk Poop Out of Clothing

You should treat the stain right away and then wash the clothing as soon as possible.

Here are some tips for removing breast milk poop from clothing:

Soak in Mild Detergent

  1. Immediately soak the stained area in cool water with a few drops of mild detergent or dishwashing liquid.
  2. Let it sit for about 30 minutes or until the stain has soaked up some of the detergent or dishwashing liquid.
  3. Rinse thoroughly in cool water and then launder according to garment label instructions.

Commercial Stain Removers

Commercial stain removers are excellent at removing breast poop stains because they contain enzymes that break down proteins found in breast milk and other bodily fluids. 

A commercial stain remover will also contain surfactants that help lift the stain from your clothes and lift dirt from your washing machine’s basin.

Use Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent stain remover. It works best on fresh stains, so try to clean the breast milk poop as soon as possible after it happens to avoid letting it set into the fabric. 

Dilute 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water in a spray bottle and apply directly onto the stain. Let sit for 20 minutes before washing as usual with cold water and detergent in the hottest water recommended for the fabric type (usually warm or hot).

Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda

This combination works well for many types of stains and odors, including those caused by breast milk. Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda into a paste and rub it onto the stained area until the stain disappears or until you run out of paste (whichever comes first). Then wash as usual.

Detergent and Bleach for Old Breast Milk Poop Stains

  1. Remove as much poo as possible with a dry cloth or paper towel before washing your clothes.
  2. Wash stained clothing in cold water with detergent and bleach if necessary (keep in mind that bleach will fade colored fabrics).
  3. Rinse well after washing and place items in the dryer on low heat if they’re machine-washable (or hang outside on a line if they’re not).
  4. If stains remain after laundering, pretreat them with an enzyme-based stain remover before washing (it won’t hurt fabrics).
  5. After everything, let the garment dry.

How to Get Breast Milk Stains Out of Sheets

It’s not easy to keep your baby’s bedding clean. It’s also not easy to get breast milk stains out of sheets. There are many options for getting breast milk stains out of sheets, but some will work better than others.

Here are some tips on getting rid of breast milk stains:

Apply cold water immediately

Wash sheets as soon as possible after the spill occurs. If you don’t wash them right away, the stain will set in and become harder to remove later on.

Apply detergent and blot

Add a small amount of liquid dish soap or laundry detergent directly onto the stained area of your sheet and rub it gently with your fingers until the stain starts to break up and move around (this step may not work with all types of fabric).

Soak stained sheets

Soak stained sheets in cold water with 1/2 cup vinegar added per gallon of water before washing them to help set the stain first (vinegar might not be safe for all fabrics).

Wash with hot water

Use hot water for washing and warm water for rinsing. Hot water opens up the fibers in your sheets so that detergent can penetrate deep into them better. 

Warm water helps remove any excess suds from your laundry after it’s washed, which makes drying easier later on too.

You May Also Like