How to Clean Fecal Matter From Fabric

Remove the clothing immediately and scrap off the feces. Apply an over-the-counter stain remover immediately. Treating stains early, and as quickly as possible, will help prevent the feces from staining the clothing. Allow the stain remover to sit for up to 10 minutes.

Fill a large bucket with cold water and allow the item of clothing to sit in the water for up to 30 minutes. Warm or hot water will set the stain into the clothing.

Read the clothing tag to understand the washing instructions. Dry-clean only and hand-wash only items should not be washed in the washing machine; however, if there are no special instructions then toss the item, solo, into the washing machine.

Add detergent to the machine and bleach. Ensure the label states that the item can be bleached using either plain bleach for white items or color-safe bleach for items with color. Bleach will kill bacteria and other smells associated with the feces. In addition, the bleach will help to remove any stains that may have set during the pre-wash process.

Remove the item of clothing before transferring it to the dryer. Check the area to verify the stain is gone. If you are unsure if the stain is gone or not, let the item of clothing lay flat to dry and then check the area. Once you toss the item of clothing into the dryer, the heat will set any remaining stains.

Rewash the item if it contains traces of fecal stain. Add 1-cup of white, distilled vinegar to the wash to help remove any unwanted smell and lift the stain.