During the toddler stage, your little girls clothes are going to have to endure more spills and spoils than any other phase of her life. You will have to sit back and watch as she feeds her clothes more than her mouth, wipes her grubby little fingers on her new clothes and then more than likely gets the last bit of mush all over your clothing. That's just while teaching herself to eat. Almost all food stains are however easy to clean as long as you act promptly. The important thing to remember is that stains will become embedded in the fibers of the fabric if the stain is not attended to before it sets.



It is advisable to always check the garment for color fastness before attempting to remove any stains. Try the stain removal procedure on an inconspicuous area of the clothing to test for color fading before applying to the stain. Follow wash instructions on labels of garments and most importantly never apply heat to a stain as this will reduce your chances of removing the stain. Take care not to tumble dry or iron your little girl's clothes before the stain has been removed completely as this will allow the stain to set permanently making it almost impossible to remove the stain.

* Tomato-based stains

Children love tomato dishes, especially spaghetti bolognaise but unfortunately as this has a tomato base it does tend to stain little girl's clothes. You can remove fresh tomato stains by applying a small amount of dish soap to the stain and then gently rubbing both sides of the fabric together. Rinse the soap out with cold water and repeat if necessary. Once the stain has been removed wash the clothing as usual and air dry. Only tumble dry clothing once you are certain that the stain has been removed as heat will set the stain.

If the tomato stain has dried on your toddler girl clothing then wet the stained area with cold water and gently rubbing dishwasher detergent into the stain. Next rub over the stained area with an ice cube and then blot the area with a clean cloth moistened with vinegar. Once the stain has been removed wash as usual and air dry.

* Juice Stains

If your little girl messes juice on her clothes try to clean the stain immediately. If this is not possible and the stain dries then rub glycerin on the stain before starting with the treatment of the stain. Make a cleaning solution by mixing one part vinegar to three parts water or alternatively add a quarter cup of baking soda to two cups of cold water. Blot the soiled are with a clean cloth. Do not rub as this will cause the stain to spread. Work from the outside of the stain towards the center. Once all the excess juice has been removed moisten a clean white cloth with the cleaning solution and blot it onto the stain. Repeat the process with the cleaning solution, using a clean cloth with each blotting episode until the stain has been removed. Wash the clothing in cold water and air dry making sure that the stain does not re-appear when the clothing is dry. Do not tumble dry any soiled clothing before you are satisfied that the stain has been removed as the heat from the dryer will set the stain and removal will be almost impossible.

By the age of three most little girls are potty trained and have advanced to wearing dainty little panties. Its getting there that your toddler girl clothing is going to take the beating. Potty training can, and often is, a longer process than what we anticipate. There are going to be the odd accidents and her clothes are going to be soiled. By this stage you have probably found a stain removing solution that works best for these particular stains.

Learning to walk

The other big hurdle that your little girl will be faced with is teaching herself to walk. This is no mean feat for your little girl who has so far spent her life relying on others to get her where she wants to be. Now soon she will be able to walk, climb and before you know it she will be tumbling and inevitably falling. Unfortunately this will bring its fair share of stains to your little girls clothes.

* Mud stains

Always allow mud to dry before treating the stain. Never try to wipe wet mud off clothing as this will only spread the stain. Once the mud has dried completely gently scrape off the excess dirt with a plastic knife or spoon. Gently brush the dry stain with a small brush or old toothbrush. Place a drop or two of liquid dish soap onto the stain once all the excess dirt has been removed and with your thumb and forefinger gently rub the soap into the stain. Now add a few drops of water and using circular motions briskly brush both sides of the fabric. If the stain is not be removed with your first attempt repeat the process or alternatively apply a spot remover. Once the stain has been removed the garment can be washed in the normal way. Always make sure that the stain has been completely removed before placing clothes in a dryer or ironing the clothes.

If you find that any of the above remedies has failed to remove the stain completely then the stain should be pretreated with a spot remover prior to washing the garment in the washing machine. It may be necessary to repeat the spot removing process before the stain is removed completely.