How to Get Poop Stains out of Underwear – Goodbye Skid Marks!

Okay, I literally cannot believe I’m writing this blog post but listen… We have been in the TRENCHES of potty training and, well, my little guy is struggling to get down pooping in the potty. And it turns out that underwear is expensive these days! When toddler underwear is like two bucks a pair, I’m not going to toss a pair of underwear every time my soon has a poop accident. So I have been trying ALL the things to get those poo stains out of his little pairs of underwear. Also, we have a baby so I am no stranger to baby blow outs and scrubbing baby poop clothes.
These tips should be helpful for cleaning baby clothes, removing underwear stains, getting stubborn stains out of your clothes, cleaning period stains, and even getting rid of annoying dirt stains! You don’t have to be a professional cleaner to use these tips. Most of these ideas include things you most likely already have at home in your pantry.
Take care of the stain right away
Poop-stained underwear is not something you want to leave to deal with at the end of the day. I have definitely been guilty of throwing my toddler’s poop-stained underwear into a plastic bag and tossing it in the laundry room, thinking I’ll deal with it later. I know it seems gross but dealing with the stains when they are fresh will be easier and faster to clean than letting the stain dry and possibly set. Be brave, grab some gloves, hold your breath, and deal with those stains right away!
Soap and water in the sink
I’m a simple girl. I’m not here for complex methods with extra steps so my go-to for the fecal stains is just washing the underwear by hand in the sink with soap and water. Not going to lie, this method isn’t for the weak of heart (or stomach). The first step is to prepare the area. I usually just use a scoop of laundry detergent and apply a little to the stain. I run it under the sink water (I usually use warm or hot water but you can also use cool water) and scrub the affected area. I apply as much laundry soap as I need until the stain is gone. At that point, I feel good about throwing the underwear in the washing machine through a wash cycle to get all the way clean.
Stain remover spray
One of the simplest and best ways to remove brown stains is simply a spray bottle of your favorite stain remover spray! Personally, my family really loves Shout laundry stain removal. It’s effective and affordable. You can grab a bottle for fairly cheap off of Amazon. Using an enzyme-based cleaner will help ensure you are getting a thorough cleaning of the soiled area. For stubborn stains, you may need to do a little bit of scrubbing to lift the stain but for a light poop mark, I’d feel comfortable just spraying the stain with an enzymatic cleaner and throwing the underwear in the washing machine.

Baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are a great combination and popular method for removing stains AND smells. Use equal parts baking soda and vinegar to make a paste. You can use one cup of white vinegar to one cup of baking soda or for a smaller batch, just one tablespoon of white vinegar to one tablespoon of baking soda. The vinegar has acetic acid that acts as a disinfectant and the reaction with the baking soda works to lift undesirable stains. This is one of my favorite, effective household tricks because I always have white vinegar and baking soda in my pantry!
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide works as a mild bleach. Be sure to spot test on colored fabrics before using hydrogen peroxide to treat feces stains. You can make a spray with dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda to treat the stained area. Let the spray sit on the stain overnight and then wash underwear in a lukewarm water or cold water wash cycle. Hydrogen peroxide is gentler and more environmentally friendly than chlorine beach so give this method a try!
Bleach
Honestly, chlorine bleach would probably be my last resort for removing the most stubborn poop stains. However, if you are looking to preserve colored fabric then you might want to use a different method because bleach isn’t ideal to use on colored fabric. However, if you have white underwear you are trying to make look good as new, bleach would be a good choice! You can treat the stain directly with bleach or wash in the washing machine with bleach added to the cycle.

Whether you are struggling with all the accidents of the early days of potty training or some kind of medical condition with fecal incontinence, I hope you find one of these tips helpful! I know that cleaning poop-stained underwear isn’t ideal but it is possible. You don’t have to just throw them out, you can remove those stubborn stains and clean them good as new!
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