How To Get Desitin Out Of Clothes | 5 ways to clean zinc cream!
If you have little ones then you’ve probably had a kid with a diaper rash at some point or another. Diaper rashes are a common issue affecting young children, but luckily they’re easily treatable.
All you have to do is break out the Desitin – or any zinc oxide cream- and your child will be cured in no time! However, you’ll also find that Desitin can leave stains on your child’s clothing, causing you a whole new problem.
Luckily, you can easily get Desitin out of clothes with one of these 5 methods: liquid dish soap, a de-greasing agent, Goo Gone, rubbing alcohol, or white vinegar.
Method 1: Liquid Detergent
The first and easiest method for getting Desitin out of your fabric is to use liquid detergent. Before you start, however, make sure to wipe all excess Desitin off the fabric first.
Once you’ve got any extra cream off the fabric, pour liquid detergent on the stained area. Make sure that you select a liquid detergent that’s designed to cut through grease.
After completely covering the stained area, let the detergent sit on the clothes for about half an hour.
Next, pour hot water on the fabric. Use your fingers to work the liquid detergent into a foamy lather and then scrub the stain using a toothbrush to get the detergent into the fabric.
Once you’ve got a strong lather going, allow the fabric to soak in a bucket of hot water for a couple of hours. Then, launder your clothes in the washing machine with a setting that has a long pre-soak option.
When the cycle is up, hang dry the clothes.
Method 2: De-Greasing Agent
Many diaper creams, Desitin included, contain greases which is what stains the fabric on your child’s clothes. To get these oils out of the fabric, you’ll need a heavy-duty degreasing agent.
Degreasing agents help you get the Desitin stains out of fabric much more easily than dish soap because they cut through even thick layers of grease.
For this method, start by wiping any excess Desitin off the fabric. Then, apply the degreasing agent to the ointment stain. Make sure to carefully work the degreasing agent into the fabric so that you can lift the stain.
After you’ve worked the degreasing agent into the fabric, let it sit on the stain for about ten minutes. This will allow it time to work properly.
Once your time is up, rinse the fabric under cold water to get rid of the degreasing agent. Then, wash the clothing on your laundry machine’s cold cycle.
Note that degreasing agents often have a strong smell associated with them. You can throw some natural soaps into your washer or add essential oils to help get rid of the unpleasant odor.
Method 3: Goo Gone
A third method you can use to get Desitin out of clothing is Goo Gone. Even though Goo Gone is typically used to get sticky glue off clothes, it can also be great for getting diaper rash cream out of clothes!
For this method, apply a small amount of Goo Gone to the stain. Gently work the Goo Gone into the fabric and work it around the stained area. Rubbing it into the stain and the surrounding area helps it get even deeper into the state.
After you’ve rubbed the Goo Gone into the fabric, run the stain under hot water to remove the Goo Gone. As you wash the Goo Gone off your fabric, you’ll notice that it removes the Desitin stain with it.
As soon as you’ve removed the Goo Gone, wash the clothing in your laundry machine. When you remove the clothes, hang dry them to finish the job and start using them again.
Method 4: Rubbing Alcohol
If you’re using a Desitin cream that lists zinc oxide as a key ingredient, you may want to try cleaning the stain with rubbing alcohol. To do so, simply cover the stain with rubbing alcohol.
Then, work the rubbing alcohol into the stain. Once the fabric is fully damp, rinse the stained area and rub it while running cold water over the stain.
Next, add a bit more rubbing alcohol if the stain still hasn’t lifted and repeat the process.
Once you notice that the stain is lighter, throw your clothing into the laundry machine with your favorite laundry detergent. Once you remove the clothing, allow the fabric to hang dry to remove lingering odors.
Method 5: White Vinegar
Last but certainly not least, you can try using distilled white vinegar to get diaper cream out of clothes.
For this method, start by applying a small amount of dish soap onto the Desitin stain.
Once you’ve rubbed the dish soap in, soak the item in a solution of one part water and one part distilled white vinegar. Allow the item to soak for thirty minutes.
Next, place the clothing in the laundry machine and set it to a normal wash cycle. Add ½ cup of baking soda to your washing machine to help get the vinegar smell out of the clothes.
The clothes should come out free of stains! Just hang dry them or throw them in the dryer to finish the job and start using them again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a few more questions about removing Desitin stains from clothes? Let’s take a look at some answers to a few commonly asked questions.
How do you get Desitin smell out of clothes?
Desitin can leave quite a strong odor in clothes. To remove the smell, try adding Dr. Bronner’s or another natural, scented soap to your laundry machine when washing the clothes.
How do you remove Desitin?
If you’ve got Desitin on your clothes, gently wipe the cream off the clothes using a paper towel. Then, use one of the above methods to remove any stains that remain on the clothes.
