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Original poster

Food/Mould on baby clothes

15 replies

CheshireDing · 09/06/2012 20:44

Currently DD is undertaking blw and hence is messy, which is fine. When the weather was good she ate just in her nappy but now it's gone cold again we are back to keeping her clothes on.

The problem is she has LOADS of clothes so I do not need to do her washing very often but then the clothes with food on pile up in the machine until it's full. The other day I had put powder in and switched it on but not pressed the start button so came back to it a couple of days later (when I had another wash to put on) to find it mouldy :(

I have just put the clothes that are in there now on a 29 rinse with no powder but now they will be wet so I am a bit confused as to what to do with them because if I put them in the dryer it costs money and they are not actually "clean" anyway. Confused as to the best way forward really with regular clothes covered in food but not enough for a wash. Any thoughts?

When I do a big wash I do use Vanish but it hasn't got the mould out.

She doesn't like bibs - rips them off.

OP posts:
DilysPrice · 09/06/2012 20:47

Don't put clothes in the washing machine for longer than absolutely necessary - it's a damp, airless environment and will just beg for mould. Get an open sided washing basket and put soiled clothes in there are it shouldn't happen again.

Seona1973 · 09/06/2012 21:57

I dont do separate washes for the children - it is all bunged in with whatever else needs washing. We use washing baskets rather than putting it straight into the machine and then we can sort it out into colours, whites, darks, etc. Can you not do the clothes on a half load so they are at least clean, or put some of your own clothes in to fill the machine up a bit more

PoppyWearer · 09/06/2012 21:59

I strip baby DS's clothes off for meals regardless!

RobinSparkles · 09/06/2012 22:00

Are you sure it's mould? It could be banana stains?

MrsBovary · 09/06/2012 23:33

To get rid of mould, I remember putting clothes in direct bright sunlight first (to fade and/or kill the mould). Then an overnight soak in one of those 'oxy' powder solutions, followed by as hot a wash in the machine as the clothing will allow.

And what Dilys said about the open-air basket.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 09/06/2012 23:36

Um... how on earth are you not generating enough laundry that you can leave a load for 3 days? Confused. Stick clothes in the laundry basket, then they won't get moldy. If you did a load every day it makes sense to shove stuff straight into the machine, but not if you're going to leave it for days. (ew)

Just wash with all your other clothes, use bio powder (allergies excepted) and wash at 40C. Bugger this 30C washing nonsense - it doesn't get stuff properly clean.

Original poster
CheshireDing · 10/06/2012 08:29

Honestly Jareth there are 3 of us and I only wash once a week, so I tell DH if it's not in the laundry basket it's missed it's turn! Tuesday is wash day of about 4-5 loads and drying then ironing then putting away.

Makes sense though about the laundry basket thanks. I was just thinking to put it in the machine then I know once it's a full load and can switch it on.

I reckon it is mould Robin because she doesn't really like banana that much Grin

I used our normal wash powder on her clothes about 6 weeks ago and she went all rashy except where her nappy was so I presumed it was that. I could start using the Non Bio for us all but not sure how effective it is for things like bed linen which I max at 60c!

Okay will try the direct sunlight (UK weather permitting) and the overnight soak with some Vanish (if that's an Oxy thing) and see what happens.

Thanks for everyones help :)

OP posts:
DilysPrice · 10/06/2012 08:42

A "wash day", how very 20th century of you Grin. That won't last once you get to toilet training (unless you have a very very trainable toddler), or indeed school (unless you buy five sets of everything).

mumblecrumble · 10/06/2012 08:52

We used to cover DD in muslin as they were so easy to wash and dry. One muslin round like a bib tied on and the other accross her lap,. DH was amazing at getting it secure and comfy....

In terms of washing. As we constantly had washing to do we just put edverything in the wash that comes from DD than top up with other washing. I found soap nuts were amazing for sensitive skin but am now using morrisons two in one capusule things and all sensitive skins seems fine.

Tis true you will only get more washing but I found doing it gets easier as they getiold. DD helps now!!!

BertieBotts · 10/06/2012 08:57

Well you could always do the bed linen separately if you already do it at 60.

I think your problem is probably leaving things in the washing machine, TBH. (Especially if you close the door) I don't wash every day, but I only ever have stuff go mouldy if I put it in a plastic bag and forget about it, but if you have a situation where there are mould spores present (and they are everywhere), dampness and a lack of air circulation, mould will grow! I do sometimes sling wet things in the machine if I don't have time to put a wash on, dirty dish/facecloths etc, but I leave the door open and only ever put one or two things in at once.

What you could do, perhaps, is to put everything in the machine at the end of each day and just stick it on a rinse cycle. This should get the bulk of the food off without doing a whole wash cycle, and then you can add extra clothing as it becomes dirty (clothing from the whole family) to put a full wash load on. This is what I do if DS has a wee accident, as otherwise I find that all of the washing smells of wee when it comes out - nice.

Definitely dry outside (or leave outside overnight/in the rain for a day or so) to remove/lighten food stains, but nothing IME gets mould out once it's set in. I did have to throw away some clothes.

However thinking about it, I had some bibs with mould on which I kept after they'd been washed at 60, they still had the mould stain there but there was no actual mould IYSWIM. So they must have been left bunched up rather than in plastic bags. I do seem to remember feeding DS naked apart from a nappy (and immediate post-dinner kitchen sink bath! :)) and/or replacing his nice t-shirts with a scratty old one just before he ate which I didn't mind getting stained, instead of a bib.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 10/06/2012 09:12

Ah OK. If they're really bad you could soak in a solution with bio powder overnight to see if that gets it out then wash in the usual non bio?

BananaPie · 10/06/2012 13:06

Do you wipe / scrub the worst of it off the clothes before you put them in the wash? That might help.

ceeveebee · 10/06/2012 13:19

I scrape food off and put all clothes in a nappy bucket with napisan and cold water in, then I put a wash load on at end of each day. No mould yet. I have DTs so do at least one wash load a day. Also I chuck a few of our clothes in if not full, or do a half load if nothing to wash ( v v rare occasion!)

PigletJohn · 10/06/2012 13:35

cool washes will not kill mould and fungus, so it will start growing again as soon as it is warm and damp.

BikeRunSki · 10/06/2012 13:44

As far as bibs go, my DD rips them off too, but the ones with an all round "over the head" hole (like a t shirt neck) stay put.

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