Keep your baby’s clothes stain free, without resorting to toxic chemicals. We’ve rounded up the best stain remover for baby clothes, including stain remover sprays and laundry brightening boosters. Best of all? All these stain removers are baby safe, using safer ingredients for a healthier laundry experience.
Best Choice | Best overall | The Best on a Budget |
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Dapple Baby Stain Remover | Attitude Little One’s Concentrated Laundry Stain Remover | Babyganics Stain Eraser Marker |
Hello, Baby Laundry
When our daughter was born, I was surprised by how much laundry was involved. Pre-kids, we did laundry a couple of times a week.
Post-baby? At the beginning, there were some days we were doing laundry a couple of times per day.
I’m talking pee puddles, poop stains, breastmilk stains and spit up. And then there was that time my daughter puked all over me, while in the baby carrier, in a train station in Italy (we still had a 45-minute train ride to get home!).
Baby laundry is nothing if not glamorous in those early days!
Before you know it, breastmilk stains turned to mashed carrot stains. Yep – introducing solids and letting your baby wield their own spoon requires a whole new level of stain remover!
We loaded up on cute baby clothes while we were awaiting our baby’s arrival. So I must admit it was disheartening when said adorable clothes got smeared with guacamole and sundried tomato chunks.
Not willing to live with random stains, I started doing a bit of research. I was sure a baby safe stain remover, existed. But would it be effective?
I wanted a spray to remove stains that used mostly safe ingredients and was suitable for baby clothes washing.
As it turns out, there are a few great options out there.
At a Glance: My Top 7 Best Stain Removers for Baby Clothes
Just here for the info? Looking for the best stain remover for baby clothes and don’t have a lot of time to waste? We got you! Here are our picks for the 7 best baby safe stain removers:
Some Caveats About Finding a Baby Safe Stain Remover
Frankly, there is no perfect laundry stain remover. Finding something that works great is one thing. But finding one that’s innocuous for health and environmental concerns: major challenge.
That said, there are quite a few “better” options. I’m talking about stain removers that use safer ingredients that won’t irritate sensitive skin. They’re free from obvious ingredients like phthalates and VOCs. And they take care to protect human and environmental health. Those are the brands I’ve focused on in this post.
I use these safer stain remover sprays to pre-treat my daughter’s baby clothes or gear. I also use laundry brightener or bleach alternative when required. If I catch stains soon enough, I’ll often start with washing soda for an easy win.
I recommend using all spray-style laundry stain removers in a well-ventilated space. Don’t use them when your little one is around for maximum safety. Laundry boosters have fewer overall ingredients, as well as fewer harmful ingredients, than many of the sprays. So they are a good starting point.
And, of course, store all your laundry detergents and cleaning supplies away from your child’s reach. Childproofing is really critical. As your baby starts to explore more, the bathroom and laundry room can be quite hazardous.
With these caveats out of the way, here are some of the best stain removers for baby clothes I’ve found.
I chose these products because they work pretty well on different types of fabrics and stains. But they also contain mostly safe ingredients. I checked ingredients against the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning. It rates products and ingredients on a scale of A to F, making it easy to decide as a consumer.
I hope this roundup helps you figure out how to wash baby clothes a little more safely and effectively.
Best Stain Remover for Baby Clothes
Our Winners
I chose these laundry sprays and boosters as my winners because they contain safer ingredients and still work!
- Best Spray Treatment: Dapple Baby Stain Remover
- Runner Up (Spray Treatment): Attitude Little One’s Concentrated Stain Remover
- Best Laundry Marker: Babyganics Stain Eraser Marker
- Safest Washing Soda: Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
- Best Bleach Alternative: Grab Green Bleach Alternative
- My Favorite OxiClean™ Alternative: Ecos OxoBrite
- Best for Strollers, Pack n Plays, etc.: BuggyLove Organic Stain Remover
Best of the Rest
- Biokleen Bac Out Enzyme Stain Remover
- Ecover Stain Remover
- Seventh Generation Laundry Stain Remover
- Babyganics Stain Remover Spray
Best Stain Remover for Baby Clothes Reviews
Dapple stain remover earned an “A” with EWG and contains plant-based ingredients. It is hypoallergenic and has been paediatrician and dermatologist tested for safety.
I love that it’s a Clean Label Product Purity award winner, and that all Dapple products are USA made.
Add to that, it’s paraben, sulfate, phthalate, synthetic dye, fragrance, formaldehyde and chlorine free. And it’s never tested on animals.
It contains just 11 ingredients, each of which earn an A through C rating for safety.
Many reviewers comment that it works even better than big brands like Shout and Oxiclean, etc. And it even works on red and yellow sauces, which are often really hard to get out.
If you plan to use it on baby poop stains, understand this is no magic bullet. Yes, some parents have had great success in the poop stain department. However, others have struggled. Prepare to experiment a bit.
Attitude has managed to create an effective stain remover that contains only 10 ingredients. What’s missing? Harmful chemicals that can stick around on your kiddo’s clothes.
It is also hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, receiving the best rating possible for skin irritants.
Moreover, EcoLogo certified it as eco-friendly. It’s also never tested on animals, earning it a vegan and cruelty-free stamp.
This is a great choice to tackle stains immediately. Spray, scrub and wash. This spray really isn’t suited to soaking. Spray it on and leave it for just a few minutes.
Past customers have found it works well on stains like strawberries and blueberries and grass. While it will help with baby poop, it likely won’t completely lift the stain. You may also have to add Washing Soda to a normal wash or pre-soak in Ecos OxoBrite.
This product has 10 ingredients, with individual ingredients scoring between A and C.
Babyganics formulated these sticks specifically for baby-related stains. Plant-based, it’s an efficient and quick stain remover. It contains no chlorine, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, dyes or fragrance.
The size and method of this stain remover make it perfect for travel. It will easily fit in a baby bag, mom’s purse, or in the car glove box for on the go solutions. Furthermore, it works to remove the stain on-the-spot and doesn’t require any extra washing.
Paediatrician and dermatologist tested and cruelty-free, it contains just 8 ingredients.
This powder is highly effective with only one ingredient. You can dissolve some in warm water to pre-soak stained clothes. You can also add it to your regular detergent as a booster.
Washing soda is also great around the house as a safe all-purpose cleaner.
It’s made of only one ingredient, rated A by EWG. That makes this one of the safest options for your family.
Grab Green Bleach Alternative has a very impressive “A” rating from EWG, with hardly any ingredients that are concerning. It comes in single-use pods that are free of phosphates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, perfumes and chlorine.
Made in the USA with plant- and mineral-based ingredients. And never tested on animals.
They also work in both HE and standard washing machines. They seem to perform best when washing with warm or hot water.
These pods contain three ingredients: two rated A, and one rated C.
I love that Ecos makes all of their products in the USA using sustainable ingredients. Just as great? They use carbon and water neutral facilities. And those facilities are 100% powered by renewables.
OxoBrite is fragrance- and chlorine-free. Like GrabGreen’s Bleach Alternative pods, you can use it as a safer alternative to bleach.
It gets an “A” rating by EWG, and the mineral-based ingredients work well with HE washing machines. You can also use it on tile, grout and carpet.
It contains just 3 ingredients – 2 rated as A, and 1 rated as C.
The most convenient thing about this stain remover is that you don’t have to wash the clothes you treat with it. You can simply spot-clean the soiled area and then let it dry, making it ideal for strollers, car seats and on-the-go accidents.
It received an “A” from EWG, guaranteeing its safety for people who have sensitive skin. It has 12 ingredients rated A through C.
This is really more suited for stroller and stroller organizers, footmuffs, car seat, crib mattress, and pack n’ play upholstery than for clothes. This is really a baby accessory stain remover.
Touted to handle all kinds of stains from baby accidents to a glass of wine, Biokleen contains no fragrances, dyes, chlorine, ammonia, phosphates or brighteners. Concentrated for efficiency, it doesn’t need any dilution before use.
This enzyme based cleaner works great on both laundry and the carpet and is effective on odors as well as stains. It is recyclable, made in the USA and never tested on animals. EWG gives this product a “B” rating and it’s backed by years of positive feedback from customers. It contains 9 ingredients, rated from A through C.
The EWG rating for this product is a “C”, meaning there are some concerning ingredients. However, it is highly praised as being effective on stains.
It is biodegradable and comes in a recycled bottle, and it is never tested on animals. It does contain fragrance which is something to keep in mind if your little one has sensitive skin. Generally, we try to avoid fragranced products in our house, but I know different families have different thresholds.
This product is free of fragrance and dyes and is made of mostly plant- and mineral-based components. It has a “C” rating from EWG and is very transparent about what is in each bottle with a detailed ingredient list.
The most convenient aspect of this stain remover is that you can spray-treat a soiled spot and then let it sit for up to 24 hours if you aren’t ready to wash a load of laundry right away.
It is cruelty-free and 100% biodegradable.
Babyganics makes this spray without ammonia, bleach, phosphates, phthalates, sulfates, fragrance or dye. As such, it’s a much more skin- and allergy-friendly version of mainstream alternatives.
It has a “C” rating from EWG and is cruelty-free. Spray it on a stain just before you throw it in the washer. You can also use it on upholstery and carpet.
Final Thoughts
For my money, I like Dapple’s Baby Stain Remover as my top “spray treatment” choice, and combine it with the Babyganics Stain Eraser (for on the go), as well as Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, Grab Green Bleach Alternative, and Ecos OxiBrite as laundry boosters and overnight soaking solutions. When you have an incident in the cat seat or buggy, check out BuggyLove Organic Stain Remover.
I hope my research has helped you out! If you know a parent or grandparent looking for baby safe stain remover, please share this article with them!
