Wherever there’s a baby, certainly, stains follow. As a parent, stains are a part of everyday activity. Whether it’s poop stains, spit-up, or strained peas, parents are stain magnets.
Desitin, a diaper rash cream made with zinc oxide, is one common staining agent most parents or caregiver usually encounters.
Fortunately, with the right information and tools, you can learn how to get Desitin out of clothes.
In this article, we discuss several ways to get Desitin out of clothing. We will also share with you a step-by-step guide on how to do this properly and effectively. Read On…
How To Get Desitin Out Of Clothes: 5 Easy Methods
1. Liquid Detergent
Before we dive into all the steps of removing Desitin from clothing, there are necessary things you need to do to increase the chances of removal. And they are as follows
- Wipe off as much excess ointment out of the clothing by skimming across the fabric with a clean rag or paper towel. Avoid rubbing too much or you risk pushing the ointment into the fabric.
- Fill the affected area with strong liquid detergent. Choose the best that is known for cutting through grease effectively.
- Allow the liquid detergent to sit on the clothing for 30 minutes.
- Pour hot water on the affected area or the warmest water according to the fabric’s care instructions. Work the liquid detergent into a lather, then scrub the affected area with a scrub brush or tough toothbrush to work the detergent into the fabric.
- Let the clothing soak in hot water for 2 hours.
- Then launder the clothing as usual in the washing machine using the longest pre-soak option available.
- Finally dry as usual.
2. De-greasing Agent
The majority of diaper creams create creates certain stains such as grease stains and you need to remove these stains with a good-quality product such as Dawn that can dissolve the oils that hide into the fabric.
Often diaper cream grease stains are usually heavy-duty and difficult to remove and using dish soap alone won’t be able to handle the task.
This is the place where degreasing agents such as De-Solv-It or CitraSolv come in handy. This is a warning on the use of these or other degreasing products if you have a HE washer.
High-efficiency machines have a low-water sitch, and due to this, the odor of products such as Lestoil can remain even after running the wash cycle.
In this case, you have two choices to deal with this properly; you can either choose another product or use a small amount of Dr. Bronner’s. This will help nullify the strong odor of stain-removing degreasing products.
Steps:
- Wipe down any excess cream or ointment from the fabric by skimming across the clothing with a clean rag or paper towel. Avoid rubbing too much or you risk pushing the ointment into the fabric.
- Apply the degreaser to remove the remaining ointment. Ensure you work it into the fabric by gently rubbing the product over the stained area.
- Allow it to sit on the Desitin for about 5 -10 minutes. This gives it enough time to work effectively.
- Now rinse the area using cold water.
- Then launder the fabric as usual. Avoid using hot water; this will cause the oils to seep more in-depth into the fabric.
3. Goo Gone
Goo Gone is another wonderful product use in removing Desitin stains from clothing. The product itself is like a degreaser but can be used on all kinds of surfaces, from clothing to windows and cars. The mechanism by which this product works is by absorbing the cream and removing it from the fabric.
It’s usually likened to work as a degreaser because it prevents the sticking mechanism of individual elements, allowing you to remove all kinds of stains you need to remove.
Steps:
- Use either your finger or a spoon to apply the Goo Gone to the Desitin on your clothing.
- Then rub the Goo Gone into the fabric and work it around the affected areas. This helps to get it further into the fibers to stop the sticking mechanism of the cream or ointment.
- Because Goo Gone is very sticky, you need to rinse the affected area with hot water to remove it from your fabric completely. As the Goo Gone disappears, it takes the cream with it.
- Wash the clothing in a washer immediately after the Goo Gone has disappeared. After that, check to see if the Goo Gone did its job. If the stain remains, try using applying alcohol.
4. Rubbing Alcohol
If the kind of Desitin that you’re dealing with has zinc oxide as the main ingredient, this is good because there is an easy and inexpensive approach to handle the situation which is by rubbing alcohol.
You may have some of it in handy or buy them easily in spray bottles. Rubbing alcohol is almost as effective as a stain removal product.
Steps:
- For washable fabrics, cover the stain with the rubbing alcohol, and then walk it through the stained area.
- Rinse the stained area and then, rub the fabric against itself under a stream of cold tap water.
- Reintroduce the alcohol by adding more alcohol onto the piece of clothing if required.
- Launder as usual and check to see if the rubbing alcohol worked. If it did, then allow the fabric to dry.
- Leave it to line dry in the fresh air. Air drying is usually recommended to remove any lingering odor from the wet fabrics. Avoid using a dryer because the heat can cause the stain to set in. Simply practice a cautious approach and allow the fabric to dry naturally.
5. White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is another effective product one can use to remove diaper cream stains. Usually, this method is different from using rubbing alcohol.
Steps:
- Start by applying a small amount of dish soap to the stain, with your fingers or an old toothbrush.
- Then soak the item in an equal solution of distilled white vinegar and cold tap water for about 30 minutes before placing it in the HE washer for a normal wash cycle.
- If the stain refuses to go, you can leave the clothing to soak in a bucket of vinegar overnight. If you’re concerned about the sticky smell, toss 1/2 cup of baking soda into the washer during laundry. The baking soda will eliminate the odor of the vinegar.
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- How To Whiten Baby Clothes Without Bleach
- Best Stain Remover For Baby Poop 2021
Other Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Remove Washed Stains?
Firstly, soak the baked-in stains in a distilled white vinegar solution. Then, use equal parts of vinegar and baking soda to form a paste.
If this is not enough to dissolve the stain, add two tablespoons of white vinegar and dish soap to a bucket of cold water. Then leave the items to soak overnight before laundering as usual.
Can I Use Goo Gone on Clothes?
Yes, as long as you’re not wearing them at the time! Launder the clothes soon after application, with a laundry detergent.
Can I Use Baking Soda and Vinegar on Colored Clothes?
If you need to launder a load of uniform, which may have a particularly strong odor, just add ½ a cup of baking soda and ½ a cup of distilled white vinegar in the fabric softener tray of the washer, and then run on a regular wash cycle. Do not add any detergent.
Conclusion
We hope this article has given an in-depth knowledge to answer the question, of how to get Desitin out of clothes. Getting Desitin out of clothing can be a daunting task, however, it’s relatively easy to remove.
By having the right information and applying them correctly, you can release the oil-based cream’s grip, preventing it from staining your fabric.
If you’re using Desitin, protecting the surface with a gauze pad or an undershirt can help keep away the product from getting onto your favorite clothes.
Finally, by acting faster, the task to remove the cream from your clothing becomes easier, saving you from the stress of dealing with a stain later on.