Baby
How To Wash Baby Clothes
Preparing for a new arrival in the family is an exciting but sometimes nerve-wracking time for expecting parents. There are so many things to learn before you have a baby – whether it’s what the best toys for their development are, what kind of foods help them grow or even something as seemingly simple as washing their clothes. When preparing for your new addition, you’ll often be given a slew of adorable baby clothes, from baby rompers to baby bodysuits and beyond – you may be wondering how to wash newborn clothes.
Washing baby clothes sounds like it should be quite simple. However, there are a few tips and rules that are best to stick to, to ensure that your baby’s skin doesn’t become irritated. Infants have extremely sensitive skin, and while a regular laundry detergent generally should be fine to use on baby clothes, there are always precautions new parents can take to ensure that their little one’s skin remains irritant-free.
What Kind of Detergent Is Best For Baby Clothes?
What to wash baby clothes in is one of the first questions you may have when learning how to clean your baby’s clothes. There are a few options to consider when it comes to laundry detergent for baby clothes or laundry liquid for baby clothes.
The difference between liquid and powder is something that needs to be considered when choosing the best laundry detergent for babies. Powder is ultra tough on stains like dirt and is excellent at keeping white loads looking their best due to their bleaching agents. The bleaching agents and tough chemicals used to treat stains can mean that some powders have harsher chemicals as opposed to a liquid laundry detergent.
Liquid laundry detergent not only performs better on things like oil and food stains, but it generally contains less chemicals as the liquid form isn’t able to keep the chemicals shelf stable for as long as the powder equivalent can. So, the best baby clothes detergent for doing baby laundry is a laundry liquid.
Knowing the form of detergent you’re looking for is a great place to start. However, there are more factors to consider when doing laundry for baby clothes. Baby skin is sensitive, but that doesn’t stop them from playing, crawling and coming into contact with common germs throughout the day, so looking for the best laundry sanitiser, hypoallergenic washing powder or disinfectant baby detergent is able to help rinse the day off properly.
Can I Wash Newborn Clothes With Other Laundry?
Although you might be wary of washing your clothes with your little one’s clothes, it's not necessary to buy a washing machine for baby clothes; almost everything you already use for your laundry is perfectly fine for baby clothing too.
Washing powder for baby clothes is generally no different than washing powder for kids and adults. Choosing gentle, hypoallergenic formulas can ensure that no harsh chemicals are coming into contact with the baby's skin, and it's best to avoid products with heavy stain removal and bleaching properties, as these are often harsh on sensitive skin.
To naturally kill germs, washing baby clothes on a warm water cycle is best, just don’t forget to check the care label on baby clothing, as it will occasionally have specific care instructions around water temperature that must be adhered to in order to keep them intact.
Is It Better To Wash Baby Clothes By Hand?
While baby clothing can be delicate, often it’s okay to machine wash. However, to ensure that you’re keeping the clothing in good condition for as long as possible, hand washing the garments can be beneficial. When hand washing, you’re able to control exactly what touches your baby's clothes even better, with natural detergents and stain removal agents being able to be used.
Some new parents want to remain as environmentally friendly as possible, all while avoiding irritants to bub’s skin,so learning how to wash baby clothes without detergent can be a process worth your time. Following the care label instructions, you can hand wash baby clothes with cold water or warm water, and use household items that you’ll have on hand, like baking soda, bicarb, or white vinegar. All of these items have different antibacterial properties and are natural stain-removing products. They are also gentle on the baby’s skin.
When it comes to items such as a cloth diaper, hand washing is essential. You cannot wash cloth diapers with your regular laundry, as it needs to be thoroughly cleansed and treated with antibacterial laundry sanitiser. You may be wondering how to wash baby clothes with poop, which is where products like Dettol shine. Dettol antibacterial laundry sanitiser is perfect for washing cloth diapers as well as any stained clothing items and is perfectly suitable for hand washing.
Another method for hand washing is using lux soap flakes. This product is made from pure, mild soap and is excellent for hand-washing delicate garments, including baby clothes.
Washing baby clothing doesn’t have to be scary or difficult, but it's great to know exactly what you’re doing when you’ve got a little one on the way!
