How to Clean Desitin

Today, you will learn how to clean Desitin from many surfaces, so let's begin.

Desitin Diaper Rash Cream is a must-have for parents with children still in diapers. It does wonders at preventing diaper rash, but it can be incredibly messy if it gets on fabric.

Whether it’s furniture or clothing, you may wonder how you’re going to tackle the greasy mess. Thankfully, it’s easier than you might think. So let’s take a closer look at how to clean Desitin off furniture and clothing.

What are the ingredients in Desitin Diaper Rash Cream?

What’s in Desitin that makes it so messy? The main ingredient in Desitin is zinc oxide. If the ingredient sounds familiar, it’s probably due to the fact that it’s also one of the main ingredients in sunscreen.

Zinc oxide creates a protective barrier on the skin to keep the skin dry. This helps prevent diaper rash. Unfortunately, it also helps the cream stain your furniture and clothing.

Why is it Desitin hard to clean up?

The greasy nature of Desitin makes it hard to clean up. If you’re not careful, you can spread the cream while trying to clean it up, making the stain worse.

Think of how hard it is to get the cream off your hands. Unless you do it properly, you’re going to do more damage than good.

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How do you prevent future stains?

First of all, don’t put more than is needed on your child. You don’t want the cream squirting out of the diaper.

Second, make sure to work the cream into the skin so that it doesn’t just slide off.

Third, make sure to keep the cream away from children and keep the cap on whenever not in use.

This may be a pain, but it can help prevent sitting the cream aside on the couch and then accidentally sitting on it while you’re dealing with a squirming child.

Removing Desitin from Furniture and Carpeting

Furniture and carpeting are some of the worst areas to be stained with Desitin because you can’t just toss them out.

If you don’t get the stain cleaned up, you’re stuck looking at it or trying to hide it for a long time. Thankfully, you don’t need anything special to clean Desitin. All you need is some baking soda, water, dishwashing detergent, and laundry detergent.

In the event that the DIY methods for removing Desitin from your carpet are unsuccessful, consider seeking the services of pro dry carpet cleaning to ensure the stain is thoroughly removed without damaging your carpet.

Remove Excess Cream & Absorb Grease

The first thing you want to do is use a plastic spoon to remove the excess Desitin from the furniture. This will help prevent spreading it around. Use the edge of the spoon to carefully scrape up the excess but be careful not to push it into the fabric or carpet.

Next, cover the area with a generous amount of baking soda. The baking soda will help absorb the grease of the zinc oxide. Let the baking soda sit for 30 minutes before removing it with a spoon.

Clean & Remove Any Remaining Cream

Combine 2 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1 tablespoon dish detergent in a bowl. Stir to combine and then dip a clean cloth into the mixture and wring out the excess water. 

Clean the area with the damp cloth to remove the stain. Rinse with a clean wet cloth. Next, dilute 1 part laundry detergent with 20 parts water.

Dampen a clean cloth in the mixture and then blot the area until all traces of the stain are gone. Add more of the mixture as needed.

Rinse & Dry

Lastly, rinse the area with a clean wet cloth and apply a dry cloth to remove excess moisture from the fabric. Allow to air dry.

Removing Desitin from Clothing

You may be tempted to just toss that Desitin-stained piece of clothing in the wash, but you may end up just causing the stain to set into the fabric. A little work can help save your favorite shirt or pants. Let’s take a closer look.

Remove Excess Desitin

First, work to remove the excess Desitin from the area. You can do this by carefully dragging a paper towel across the fabric. You want to be careful not to rub the area or you’ll cause the Desitin to more fully set into the fabric and can spread the greasy stain.

Saturate with Dish Washing Liquid

Next, you want to fully saturate the area in dishwashing liquid. You want to add enough so that it completely soaks through the fabric. Choose a dishwashing liquid that is great on grease. Remember, it’s the greasy zinc oxide you’re trying to remove and you need something that can cut through the grease. Let the clothing soak in the dish detergent for 30 minutes.

Pour Hot Water on the Stain and Scrub

Once the clothing has set in the dish detergent, pour hot water (or warm water if the article of clothing will be damaged by hot water) and scrub the area with a small brush or even a toothbrush. You want to really work the dish detergent into a lather.

Soak in Hot Water for 2 Hours

Fill your washing machine with hot water and allow the garment to soak for 2 hours. Again, if the clothing can be damaged by hot water, use warm water.

Wash & Dry as Normal

Lastly, wash and dry the clothing as normal. You want to select the setting that has the longest pre-soak. Check to make sure the stain came out completely before drying. If it didn’t, repeat the process. If you dry the item, you risk setting the stain.

Desitin is a great product to have on hand, but you must be careful to properly clean up any spills or you could end up with some pretty bad stains. Thankfully, you more than likely have everything you need to clean up the mess on hand.