First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Wear rubber or disposable gloves and handle soiled items carefully without shaking them.
- Gently scrape off solids without pushing the stain deeper into the fibers.
- Rinse the stain with cold water as soon as possible; don't use hot water first.
- Wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
Poop is a protein stain on clothes, and heat is what makes a smear permanent, so cold water has to go first. A recent spot tends to give way to a rinse and a pretreat, though a stain that has sat and dried may need one or two long soaks, and a faint shadow can take several washes to fade. Soiled clothes can also carry germs, so gloves go on before you touch anything.
Lift off the solids with a spoon or paper towel before you rinse anything. Once they're gone, an enzyme laundry pretreater goes after what's left, on underwear or pants alike. If the poop stain on underwear still shows after washing, pretreat it again and keep it out of the dryer.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Disposable or rubber glovesKeeps soiled fabric off your hands while you scrape and rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Enzyme detergent or enzyme pretreaterWorks on the protein in the stain before the main wash. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid detergentUsed in the main wash after pretreating. (opens Amazon)
- Prewash spotGoes on the front and back of the mark before washing. (opens Amazon)
- Stain remover (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleach (non-chlorine)Used in the hot soak and the wash, and it's the bleach for items that can't take chlorine. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleach (white cotton only)Only for the final spot treatment on white cotton that the label allows. (opens Amazon)
- Powder detergent (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
How to get poop out of clothes
Step 1 of 7
Scrape and rinse in cold water
Put on gloves and scrape off any solids, lifting them away rather than pushing them deeper into the fibers. Then rinse the stain from the back of the fabric under cold water, so the mark drains out instead of spreading through the weave.
Tip. Work over a sink or tub so the rinse water has somewhere to go.
Careful. Don't shake the item or handle it bare-handed.
Step 2 of 7
Pretreat with enzyme detergent
Work a liquid enzyme detergent or enzyme pretreater into the stain, or make a paste of powder detergent and water and rub it in with your fingers. Rinse it out, then repeat if any mark is left.
Tip. Work the product in from both sides of the fabric.
Step 3 of 730 minutes
Soak in hot oxygen bleach
If the care label allows hot water, soak the item for 30 minutes in hot water with oxygen bleach. Rinse it once the soak is done before moving on.
Careful. If the label doesn't allow hot water, skip the hot soak and use a cold-water enzyme presoak instead.
Step 4 of 71 minute
Apply prewash remover front and back
Put a prewash spot and stain remover on the front and back of the mark, then let it sit for 1 minute. Keep the product on the stain itself rather than spreading it across the whole garment.
Step 5 of 7
Launder with heavy-duty detergent
Wash the item in heavy-duty detergent and oxygen bleach, in the hottest water the label allows. For items soiled during a stomach illness, use the longest available cycle.
Tip. Wash it on its own the first time so a remaining mark doesn't transfer to other clothes.
Step 6 of 7
Check before the dryer
Look at the spot in good light before anything goes near heat. If a mark remains, lay the item in the sun to help bleach it out, or soak it in oxygen bleach and wash again. For items from a stomach illness, the dryer waits until the mark is gone.
Tip. Check the back and seams too, since marks can hide there.
Step 7 of 72 minutes
Spot-treat white cotton with chlorine
Only for white cotton that the label allows, mix 1 teaspoon bleach in 1 tablespoon water and apply it to the mark for no more than 2 minutes. Flush the spot thoroughly with water, then check it before drying.
Careful. Chlorine bleach is never used on wool, silk or spandex.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for poop
Look for an enzyme pretreat or presoak, plus a non-chlorine oxygen bleach powder. Keep chlorine bleach on hand only if you plan to spot-treat white cotton.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Poop on every material
Carpet & rugs1
Clothes & laundry1
Furniture & upholstery2
Skin & hair1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
A fresh mark should lighten during the cold rinse and again after the pretreat, and a white towel should pick up color with each press. If it stays the same shade through two soaks and the towel comes up clean, the protein has set into the weave, so move to the old-stain section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White cotton can take the strongest option, but only after the cold rinse and pretreat have done their job. Heat locks protein into the weave, so keep the first rounds cold even on sturdy whites.
If a faint trace survives the wash, chlorine bleach is the last step to try on white cotton or linen, and only where the care label permits it. Dilute it to about one teaspoon per tablespoon of water, keep the contact to two minutes at most, and flush with plain water before anything else touches it.
Colors and denim
Colored fabric and denim get the same cold-first rinse, but chlorine is off the table for them. An enzyme pretreat does most of the heavy lifting, so give it time to work before you move on.
If a shadow is still there after the wash, oxygen bleach is the next option, but only after you've tested it. Wet a seam on the inside, press the product in, and blot with a white cloth; if any dye transfers, leave the bleach out and repeat the enzyme pretreat.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk, wool and spandex can't take chlorine bleach, so leave that bottle on the shelf for these pieces. Enzyme products are also a poor fit for silk and wool, so the cold rinse and a gentle blot will carry most of the load.
Rinse from the back in cold water and press the spot with a clean white cloth instead of rubbing. If the mark survives that, a dry cleaner is a safer next step than another round of home products.
Dry-clean-only items
When the label says dry clean only, water and home removers are the wrong tools, so keep the job to blotting. Lift what you can with a dry white cloth and leave the rest for the cleaner.
Bring it in quickly, and name the fabric along with the fact that it's poop. A mark the cleaner sees while it's still fresh is simpler to treat than one that has dried into the fibers.
Underwear
Underwear fabric varies, so check the care label before choosing between the steps above and the chlorine spot treatment. If the label is missing or the fiber is unclear, skip the chlorine and stay with cold water, the enzyme pretreat and the oxygen bleach.
Check the crotch and inside seams before the item goes near the dryer, since marks can hide there. Underwear is small, so a quick rinse and pretreat is often enough to start.
Baby clothes and cloth diapers
There's no separate method for baby poop, so the same order applies: scrape, rinse in cold water, pretreat, then wash. If a mark stays, use an enzyme-based detergent and sun-drying, as there is no separate method beyond that.
For cloth diapers, check the fabric label before using any bleach, and skip chlorine if the label is missing. Pretreat the whole soiled area, not only the visible mark.
Old, dried or set-in stains
For an old stain, scrape off any crusted matter first, then soak it in cold water with a detergent or enzyme presoak. An enzyme product can need several hours to loosen an aged mark, so give it that time rather than rushing the wash.
Dried stains may need several rounds of treatment before they're fully gone, so repeat the soak and wash rather than expecting one pass to finish the job. Some stains need a soak of 1 or 2 days, stirred now and then, before a final wash and air-dry.
If the dryer has already set a mark, don't expect full recovery in one go; a sun-dry or an oxygen-bleach soak before the next wash is the best next move. If the mark is still there after the soak and wash, air-dry the item and treat it again rather than drying it on heat.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on poop?
Most home remedies don't suit this stain, and oxygen bleach is the one that does the job. Skip the rest; an enzyme detergent and a prewash remover handle this stain.
Works1Skip5
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub the stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it can make a fresh mark harder to lift. Use a liquid detergent or enzyme product for the pretreat instead.
Don't use full-strength bleach
Undiluted bleach can weaken fabric so it tears or wears out sooner. Over-soaking can also leave yellow marks that can't be removed, so keep to the times given.
Don't skip the hidden-spot test
Oxygen bleach and other strong treatments can change the color of dyed fabric. A hidden seam tells you more than a guess about the dye.
Don't shake the item before you scrape
Shaking spreads loose solids and germs across the fabric and onto nearby clothes. Lay the piece flat on a towel, keep your gloves on, and lift the solids off with the dull edge of a spoon.
Don't toss it in with clean clothes
A soiled piece in a load with clean laundry can spread germs and smear the mark onto other items. Rinse it alone in cold water and pretreat it first, then add it to the wash once the mark is gone.
Don't assume a faint shadow is gone
A light ghost of a mark often means protein is still dried into the weave, and heat will lock it in further. Repeat the pretreat and press a white towel on the spot, and skip the dryer until the towel comes up clean.
When to call a professional
Take the piece to a dry cleaner if the label says dry-clean only or the fabric is silk or wool, since the home steps aren't safe there. If a washable item still shows a mark after several rounds of soaking, a cleaner can take a stronger approach, so mention that it's poop, how old it is and which products you've used.
Questions
Can you get a poop stain out of underwear?
Yes, in most cases. Scrape, rinse in cold water, pretreat and wash as in the steps above, then check the underwear carefully before it goes in the dryer. The care label matters most for whether chlorine is an option.
How do you get baby poop out of clothes?
Use the same steps: scrape, rinse in cold water, pretreat with an enzyme product and wash in heavy-duty detergent. An enzyme-based detergent and sun-drying are the usual fallback if a mark stays. Keep chlorine out unless the label allows it on white cotton.
Does borax or an oxygen bleach work on poop stains?
An oxygen bleach works, and it's the one used in the hot soak and the wash here. Yes, an oxygen bleach works, and it's used in the hot soak and the wash. Skip baking soda, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide for this stain. Borax isn't needed for this, so use the oxygen bleach instead.
Why do poop stains show up on underwear, and how do you prevent them?
Prevention comes down to handling the stain quickly: rinse it right away in cold water and pretreat before the wash. Never dry the item until the stain is gone, since heat from the dryer can make a leftover mark more permanent.
Do poop stains come out, and are they dangerous?
Most fresh poop stains come out with the steps above, though a very old stain may need more than one round. Soiled clothes can carry germs, so wear gloves, avoid shaking the item, and wash your hands afterward.
Should I use hot or cold water on poop stains?
Cold water is for the rinse and the pretreat. Hot water comes later, in the soak and the wash, after the stain has been rinsed and pretreated and only where the care label allows it.
Why did my poop stain turn yellow?
Brown is the usual color of a poop stain, and it lifts with the steps above. A yellow mark is often the result of too much bleach or over-soaking, so keep to the amounts and times given.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.