Please enjoy this guest post while I’m working on a few things behind the scenes…. 

Baby clothes can be quite expensive, not necessarily because of the cost of each item, but rather because of how fast babies grow.

First-time mothers never know how fast the babies will grow, and even mothers who are on their second, third, fourth, or fifth child can never know for certain how long that baby is going to stay in any one size. As a result, it’s often more efficient economically to purchase used clothes, particularly when your baby is in the first few months of his life.

The challenge with buying used clothes from garage sales, online, or anywhere is the fact that you never know quite how clean they are. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for baby clothes to be covered in stains of some kind or another. But don’t let this keep you from buying them.

Here are some key steps are cleaning them completely:

An Old Fashioned Boil

You generally don’t have to worry about things like lice, bedbugs, and more when you buy baby clothes from the best baby stores. But those are actual risks when you buy them from a garage sale or online. However, an old pioneer trick can help you kill off just about anything. Unless the clothes specifically state that they should not be washed in hot water, you can place the clothing in a large boiling pot of water for approximately five minutes.

Bring the water to a rolling boil before you place the clothing inside. Then stir the clothing in the water. You can add two tablespoons of vinegar to help kill off additional bacteria. If there is something about the clothing that particularly concerns you, you can keep it in the boiling water for as long as 20 to 30 minutes. Just make sure you do not leave it unattended. Additionally, do not weigh it down so that is on the bottom of the pot. If you do, it will burn.

Baking Soda Scrub

For stubborn stains, another great solution is to make up a baking soda scrub and apply it to the stain. Using a toothbrush, rub counterclockwise, rinse, reapply baking soda, and scrub again. Then let this dry, and wash normally with a stain removing agent. The baking soda will break down the stain as much as possible. In some cases, you may not even need the stain removing agent. But if you use the baking soda at the beginning, it will make the stain removing agent more effective.

Cleaning used baby clothes is important to avoid passing on bacteria and viruses. Using an old-fashioned boil to kill most of the bacteria, lice, and whatever else might be in the clothes is a good idea. You don’t want to do this regularly, but for that first time, it’s a great remedy. You can also use a baking soda scrub remove or help to soften some of the more stubborn stains. You will need to wash it afterwards, but the baking soda will make it easier to remove the stain completely.

What tips do you have for properly cleaning baby clothes?