what to do with outgrown childrens clothes which are....

[diamond]

I know nice ones can be saved for future children be sold etc. But what do you do with the massive amonts of play clothes which have stains from play or are not resellable? It does not feel right to donate stained clothes. What else do u mamas do? Use them as rags etc. Any ideas r helpful. Ty

[kijip]

Shirts become rags, pants become shorts.

Sometimes I list stained clothes (clearly stating they are such) on freecycle because some parents will want them for play clothing or for painting/gardening stuff.

[abh5e8]

if they have stains or holes, i throw them away. i keep my favorites and give the rest away, either to friends or (usually) the thrift store.

[TwoBees]

Give or throw them away. Donate shirts to a daycare center to be used as smocks. I still keep lightly stained ones for future use as play clothes and daycare spares.

[wellyes]

I throw them away. It's not a sin to discard items that have reached the end of their useful life.

[Melaine]

I still donate them to the thrift store. Someone who needs clothes would still use them. Some stains don't deter me, my kids will still wear stuff with light stains and if they are more heavily stained they could be upcycled or will get cut into rags at the store.

[Jo..]

I donate. I grew up wearing used clothes with stains. Someone who is wearing even worse clothes might appreciate a pair of stained jeans for 25 cents.

[brittone2]

Offer on Freecycle or CL (disclosing stains/play clothes condition) and if no one wants them cut into rags or trash.

I do make an effort to try to remove stains if I think they'll come out with the boiling water/oxyclean combo. Sometimes I can get out stuff and if you are going to trash it anyway, there's nothing to lose. If the stains come out I'll donate.

[Melaine]

Offer on Freecycle or CL (disclosing stains/play clothes condition) and if no one wants them cut into rags or trash.

I do make an effort to try to remove stains if I think they'll come out with the boiling water/oxyclean combo. Sometimes I can get out stuff and if you are going to trash it anyway, there's nothing to lose. If the stains come out I'll donate.

How do you do the boiling water/oxyclean? Please and thank you!

[kijip]

will get cut into rags at the store.

No, most big thrift stores either trash them if they are truly awful (which is a huge expense to them) or sell them by the pound to resellers who take them overseas for sale in third world countries. Either way, it still may get used.

[Melaine]

No, most big thrift stores either trash them if they are truly awful (which is a huge expense to them) or sell them by the pound to resellers who take them overseas for sale in third world countries. Either way, it still may get used.

All the goodwills near me cut them into rags.

[abh5e8]

i'm curious on the boiling water and oxyclean too!

i have found that soaking with oxyclean, then washing, then soaking, then washing, etc will get most stains out. i usually have a few in my "stain pile" that get rotated through with all the laundry and eventually they either come clean or i send them on. i should say too, i have send clothes with minor wear/stains to the thrift store, bc i know they will toss them if they feel they won't sell. and i keep a good stock of PLAY clothes around, for times like painting or playing in the mud.

[kijip]

I throw them away. It's not a sin to discard items that have reached the end of their useful life.

No, it is not a sin. However, I think that many people consider things trash that really still can be used up. No harm in finding ways to fully utilize something beyond it's initial purpose or just passing it on so someone else can do so without trash picking or dumpster diving.

[brittone2]

How do you do the boiling water/oxyclean? Please and thank you!
THat's an old BBB trick!

I have found some things will bleed (like red stripes onto white stripes, or sometimes silkscreened prints bleed for me), so it is best used if you aren't getting the stain out by conventional means. When I took the older kids' stuff out of the attic for baby #3, some things that didn't previously appear stained had yellow staining (from spitup, etc.) show up over time. Boiling oxyclean and then sunning them out got probably 75% of the clothes stain free.

http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=227560
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=404476&highlight=boiling+oxyclean

Just beware that it can sometimes cause bleeding and other issues, but if it is something you aren't having luck with using other methods, it can really help. And if the item isn't a bright color that will bleed, doesn't have a screen print, etc. most of the time IME there is no problem using this method.

[kijip]

All the goodwills near me cut them into rags.

Goodwill has shifted their policies- in most areas of the country they remove unsold stuff after 4 weeks and ship it out to an outlet and then it is baled and sent overseas. I have a friend that oversees this process locally and they are expanding it rapidly. It is a huge source of their revenue now. I can't imagine it will take long for it to reach all levels of the association.

http://www.ourcoloradonews.com/englewood/news/new-goodwill-outlet-world-sells-merchandise-by-the-pound/article_420b80da-25c2-537f-b488-bb46da498479.html

[Jo..]

THat's an old BBB trick!

I have found some things will bleed (like red stripes onto white stripes, or sometimes silkscreened prints bleed for me), so it is best used if you aren't getting the stain out by conventional means. When I took the older kids' stuff out of the attic for baby #3, some things that didn't previously appear stained had yellow staining (from spitup, etc.) show up over time. Boiling oxyclean and then sunning them out got probably 75% of the clothes stain free.

http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=227560
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=404476&highlight=boiling+oxyclean

Just beware that it can sometimes cause bleeding and other issues, but if it is something you aren't having luck with using other methods, it can really help. And if the item isn't a bright color that will bleed, doesn't have a screen print, etc. most of the time IME there is no problem using this method.

The boiling water and Oxiclean has saved MANY garments for me. So far the only stains I cannot get out are Sharpie marker and outdoor paint. I even BUY stained clothes on swap, knowing that 99% of the time I can get the stain out.

[AnnieW625]

If they are overly stained and I can't get the stains put even after boilibg with Oxyclean they usually go to the thrift store. If they have holes they go in the trash.

[crl]

I have posted them for free on CL or local moms group, clearly stating condition. I have had people take them for camping clothes and such.

Also I have given them to friends as hand me downs for play clothes--I alway tell them condition and offer to have them look the clothes over before accepting them.

What's left gets turned into rags if the fabric works for that.

One hundred percent cotton can be composted.

The rest, I throw away.

Catherine

[maestramommy]

Our transfer station (town dump) has a donate bin. And they literally will take clothing and shoes in any condition. I gather it goes to developing nations where it can no longer be worn at all the materials are used for other purposes.

[m448]

send it with my mom to FL where her BIL gathers it for his brother who makes regular trips to a couple of countries in latin america. He begs her to bring anything in any condition since it will be used.