Need help...DS is getting filthy at preschool and I can't get the stains out!

[MelissaTC]

The younger classes at DS's preschool (I almost typed DH...lol) each have their own playground. Well, it is not so much grass as it is dirt exposed because of all the play on it. Here in NC, dirt = clay and it is a PITA to get out stains in the wash. Today was the worst. He came home with his pant legs covered in grass stains and clay stains. I read on-line to use molasses to get out grass stains but the clay is very stubborn. All of his pants are getting really worn at the knees and I am praying now that I am getting the clay stains out as we speak (pants are in the wash...again). I don't know what to do. He likes to push the trucks and cars around outside and gets on his knees. No one else's child ever looks this dirty and it is kind of scary to me to think that if I can't get the clay stains out, his pants will really be ruined to the point that I will have to toss them. I can not be throwing out pants everyday! I was so excited too since I found these LE climber pants at our local consignment sale and was thrilled with the fit and reinforced double knee (we need it!). I don't want to spend more money on these pants if they are going to be ruined. I am not exaggerating either- they look AWFUL to the point that they should be thrown out. What do I do? I can't tell the teacher to not let him play. I understand that he is a 2.5 year old boy and that he will get dirty; this is not my complaint. It is the sheer mass of dirt that is scaring me. Anyone?

[raynjen]

I pretreated all my daughter's school clothes with Scotch Guard fabric protector and that has prevented almost everything from staining (in fact I can't think of a stain yet that hasn't come out from paint, to glue, to pizza, to grass stains). It won't help the already gummed up pair of pants, but you could try it out on his other clothes.

Also, if you have a local craft/fabric/hobby shop you can buy patches that iron onto his clothes. Hopefully the larger sizes sizes would cover most of the stains. They come in a lot of different colors and styles so you could either try to match his existing pants, or add a distinctive accent...

Hope that helps, wish I had thought to Scotch Guard ALL her clothes, and not just her school ones!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who just turned three, Noelle!

[MelissaTC]

WOW! What a great idea! Thank you!!! :)

[RhondaSue]

Scotch guarding is such a good idea! I will have to keep that in mind when spring rolls around and dd starts playing outside again.

For the stains that are already set in, you could try Oxy Clean spray stain remover. It's not bleach, I've used it on colors, but it works amazing on stains. What I usually do is spray the stain, wash and if it doesn't come out, while the garment is wet, I spray again and hang it on a line to dry, then rewash. It's always worked for me.

Good luck!

[luvbeinmama]

For the dirt itself, I have had better luck with Zout and some hand scrubbing than with OxyClean. Our soil here tends to be a bit clayish, too. Personally, I would just designate some of his pant as preschool pants and send him in those all the time, stained or not. I buy a school shirt for my kids each year for just that purpose. I know they paint (esp DD!) and get dirty in the clothes, and if I can get all the stains out, great... if not... that's okay, too, because I know it'll just get dirty right over it next time around.

[alaible]

My MIL watched DD one night a week and she was always managing to get something on DD's clothes. She would feed her without a bib - stuff like sweet potatoes that I always had trouble getting out, chocolate etc. I finally just started dressing her in old clothes or clothes that were already stained and I never dress her in a nice good outfit to go to MIL's. I would look at preschool the same way. I would send him in old clothes or clothes that you can't get the stains out. If he is just going to stain them again why throw them out and get new ones.