Homemade "Oxiclean"

DISCLAIMER:  This post contains pictures of baby poop stains.  If you can't handle that, I suggest you skip this post.  You have been warned.  Moving on now.....

I got sucked into the never ending world that is Pinterest a few months ago.  It's currently where I find most of my inspiration for recipes, household and crafty stuff.  As time goes on, I am finding myself increasingly more interested in trying to make things myself rather than buy them in a store.  This includes cleaning products as well as food items.  I'm not trying to go all hippy-granola or anything (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I just do not like all the chemicals that are in everything these days.

Our 4-month-old son is apparently milk-protein intolerant and, as such, has been having some gastric issues while I get my diet sorted out.  Quite frankly, he has nasty poops that escape the confines of his diapers on a daily basis.  I do a lot of laundry.

Recently, I treated one of the poop stains with my standard stain-treatment gel, which contains Oxiclean.  I use it almost everything, so I didn't think too much of it.  That is, until the laundry was done and I put a sleeper and bib out of the wash onto the Boy.  These items were just in the same load; didn't have the stain treatment directly on them.  Anyway, I got the Boy dressed, and he immediately stuffed the bib into his mouth and started gnawing on it.  Then he got this "what the hell" look on his face, pushed the bib away from his face, and started crying.  I never noticed until that moment that the stain treatment had a fragrance to it.  A very strong fragrance.  The entire load reeked of it and obviously the smell was bothering the baby.  Feeling like a shitty mommy, I rewashed everything right away; it took three washes to get the smell out.

So, I went in search of fragrance-free stain treatments, preferably as chemical free as possible.  And, as it so often does these days, Pinterest came to my rescue.

This homemade "Oxiclean" is super easy to make, super cheap, and it works.

You will need:

• 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide
• 1 part Baking Soda
• 2 parts Water
• A bottle to put it in.  I use one of the squeeze bottles they gave me in the hospital.  You want something squeezable with a cap on it so you can shake it.

Seriously, you can't get much cheaper than this!

For my first attempt, I used 1/4 cup Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/4 cup Baking Soda, and 1/2 cup water.  Put everything in your bottle and shake like hell.  See how easy it is?  

I knew I was keeping this bottle for a reason!

The Boy was kind enough to provide me with a chance to use this the same day I made it.  

Yup, that's baby poop.

Shake the bottle really well to make sure all the ingredients are mixed.  If you let it sit too long, the baking soda will separate out.  Squirt your Oxiclean all over the stain.

I know what you're thinking.  Stop.  Just stop.

You'll see the liquid soak in, but the baking powder will sit on the fabric.

Let this sit for a while, at least 30 minutes.  The baking powder will start to dry out and get crusty.

Starting to wonder if this is going to work or not.

Wash as normal.  I used my normal baby detergent (Tide Free and Gentle) and also sprinkled in some Borax.  I love Borax.  

Once it's washed, I STRONGLY suggest you let the clothing air dry.  Never put a stained item through the dryer until you know the stain is completely gone.

Looking good!

After the sleeper air dried and I confirmed the stain was gone, I rewashed it again and ran it through the dryer.  This was the result: 

No more stain!  

Since then, I use this stuff all the time on baby poop stains.  I haven't yet had the opportunity to try it on other stains, but I'm sure one will present itself very soon.  I would also think you could use this as a clean for upholstery or carpet, but be sure to test for color fastness first.  And, if it all goes horribly awry, you can't sue me, okay?

Special note:  For those that care, hydrogen peroxide breaks down proteins, which is why it's a great stain remover, especially for blood.  

Happy laundering!