Children may be the most unruly, uncoordinated, and messy beings to walk this earth. As their parents, you take on the responsibility of keeping them clean and happy at all costs (with plenty of sacrifices along the way). The biggest messes children make are in their diapers.
If your child happens to fill his diaper with waste while you're away from home, what do you do? Sometimes, accidents happen. If it's especially hot outside or if he has an illness that makes him extra gassy (which isn't his fault), then there's a chance that he might poop during naptime or while he's sleeping. And if he can't wake up fast enough to let himself out of his diaper before it becomes solidified into a hard poop, then you're going to have a huge mess on your hands.
Don't fret! There are plenty of ways to clean up the unsightly mess without having to replace your carpet or scrub away at it with harsh chemicals, which could potentially lead to health issues for both you and the baby.
How can you clean it up?
- Blot immediately - If the child has filled his diaper while you were out of the house, then there is a chance that he might soil your carpet before you can get home and take care of him. In this case, whatever absorptive material in the diaper (cloth or disposable diapers) will draw moisture from the padding and moisten them slightly.
This is where you want to blot up as much moisture as you can with a dry rag. When the diaper becomes moist, it's easier for the solid matter to adhere to carpet fibers. You might not be able to take out all of the waste, but at least this way, there won't be any wetness left behind to cause bacteria growth or molding. - Vacuum - When your child begins filling his diapers, you should actually vacuum more often than before. Bacteria live in moist areas and they've found that carpets are perfect places for them to set up shop. Keep your carpets clean by vacuuming weekly so that there aren't any leftover dirt particles lying around for germs to feed on after accidents occur.
- Use baby wipes - Baby wipes are great for cleaning away all of the soft stool that might be caked onto your child's skin after filling his diapers, but they work even better for taking out grime left behind in carpet fibers by feces or urine. This is especially effective if you're using cloth diapers because their material attracts moisture like a magnet. If you're using disposable diapers, then you can also use the dry side to gently scrape away any stains that might need an extra boost. Just remember to never place one-sided paper towels into your vacuum; it will cause severe damage to the motor and reduce its efficiency (and cleanliness).
- Cleanse with baking soda & vinegar - The combination of two very basic household items is able to cut through anything. This includes dirty carpets that have been stained by your baby's bowel movements. All you have to do is mix together 4 cups of water with 1 cup each of baking soda and vinegar in a bottle.
Shake, spray onto the affected area, let it sit for five minutes, then wipe away with a wet rag or sponge. You can repeat this process if necessary but there shouldn't be much left after the initial treatment. - Try an enzymatic cleaner - Diaper rash ointments are very basic when it comes down to their ingredients list because babies are more susceptible to chemicals than adults are. If you're not comfortable using organic acids found in lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, then try using an enzymatic cleaner instead. These cleaners are specially made to break down organic matter that has built up on surfaces, which is perfect for messy carpets. Mix the formula with water before you spray it over the affected area and blot until dry.
- Cover with paper towels - If any liquid was spilled onto your carpet, then there's a good chance that it will soak through its padding layers to reach the hardwood floor beneath it. You can prevent this from happening by laying out plenty of paper towels over the wet spot until they absorb all of the moisture. When no more liquid can be taken in, carefully roll them up into balls and throw them away. This is also convenient if you have wooden floors underneath your carpet.
- Utilize baby powder - The reason why your child's skin starts to get irritated after wetting his diaper is that the moisture causes his bottom to be exposed for too long. If you can keep him comfortable by keeping his tush dry, then he won't start to develop rashes (or worse) during any other time of day. Baby powder is mainly made up of talc which helps take away wetness by coating the baby's skin with a thin layer of microparticles. You should apply this to your child's entire tushy after each change; just remember not to shake it on top of his genitalia because it could cause serious irritation if swallowed.
- Dab with blood-heat water - When removing stains caused by an accident, it's important to prevent the discoloration from setting in. You can purchase a solution for this purpose by going to your local supermarket or baby store and looking for one that says "stain remover" on its label. Just mix some of it with blood-heat water (98° Fahrenheit) until it looks like milk, then use a cotton ball or swab to pat it onto any areas that have been stained. This is safe to use on most materials but always test it first on a less visible part of the carpet.
- Cover with petroleum jelly - Diaper ointments are meant to be applied on a baby's skin, not his hair. If your child's hair has been stained by a bowel movement, then you need to use a product that was meant for the eyes only. Vaseline is widely known for its hydrating properties because it contains petroleum jelly, which can soothe any irritation caused by the acidic material in poop. However, you should never use this near your baby's eyes because it could cause serious damage if accidentally rubbed into them.
- Dab with rubbing alcohol - Most stains will come out when dabbed with pure acetone, but this can be bad news for babies who are prone to having irritated skin. Rubbing alcohol won't irritate their anal area like other chemicals would because it doesn't have any acidic properties that would cause their skin to turn red. You can find some rubbing alcohol in your medicine cabinet, but if you can't then any type of vodka will work just fine. Just remember to test the affected area first using a cotton swab to make sure there's no allergic reaction before continuing with this process.
Prevent baby pooping on the carpet
The best way to prevent your baby from pooping on the carpet is by keeping him clean and dry. The longer it stays inside his diaper, the more uncomfortable he's going to feel, so you need to be sure that you're changing him as soon as there are any signs of bowel movements. You should also have plenty of waterproof pads around your home for easy access in case an accident happens.
This is especially important if you have other children who could make a mess on the carpet. Be sure to stay close to your baby whenever they are playing together because accidents can happen at any time.
No matter how careful you are, accidents will still occur every now and then, but that doesn't mean it's okay to leave feces stains behind. If an accident does happen, follow these tips for getting the stain out of the carpet as soon as possible so that it doesn't stick around for longer than necessary.
You should also be prepared in case this happens by having cotton swabs or Q-tips nearby so you can quickly use them to swipe up any residue left behind before it has a chance to spread.
If all else fails, you can always hire a professional to get the job done. However, you should know that these people tend to charge hundreds of dollars in order to come in and clean up a small mess, so this is something best left for when an accident occurs on a very expensive carpet.
If your child is still young enough where accidents are common, then having him go bare-bottomed might be one of the easiest ways for you to stop pooping his pants all the time. Just make sure he goes poop before putting on his clothes after each diaper change because this will allow it enough time to dry, reducing the chances of getting any stains on them when they play around.
Final word
Don't push your child to potty train before they are ready because this can cause them undue stress. They need time to adjust their bodies, so don't bother putting them through any extra stress until they start showing signs that indicate it's time. Doing so could make the process last longer than usual. You should also consider letting your child go bare-bottomed whenever you notice that he is able, even if there isn't anything in their diaper.
You now know almost everything about how to get the baby poop out of the carpet! Use this information wisely.