Taking care of your baby’s skin is important in the first few months of their lives.
When babies are born, the barrier of their skin has not matured, making it more sensitive and vulnerable than adult skin. Before the age of two, your baby’s skin is adjusting to life outside of the womb and it cannot retain moisture properly.
Part of taking care of your baby’s skin is being mindful of how you wash their clothes. If you want to avoid rashes, sensitivity, and discomfort for your baby’s skin, there are ways to wash baby clothes that can help.
Keep reading to learn about how to wash your baby’s clothes and keep their skin happy and healthy!
Preparing Your Baby’s Clothes for Washing
When washing baby clothes, there are a few things you must do first in preparation for the process. Washing baby clothes in a safe and effective way takes some preparation but it is important for their delicate skin.
Include New Clothes
You might have a big pile of new clothes for your baby after a baby shower and your own shopping. While it might seem that those are ready to put on your baby, it is important to wash new baby clothes before you use them.
In stores and during the production process, clothes are exposed to many different types of bacteria. When you’re preparing a laundry pile of your baby’s clothes, including new ones.
Ensure the Washing Machine is Clean
You want to ensure that your washing machine is clean and free of debris before placing your child’s clothes inside. You can turn on a rinse cycle beforehand and make sure to wash your baby’s clothes before the rest of the family’s laundry.
Soak Your Baby’s Clothes Before (and After)
Before placing baby clothes into the wash, soaking the load in hot water for half an hour is a good way to kill most of the bacteria build-up right before the wash. Soaking the clothes in warm water after the wash is also a great tip to get rid of excess cleaning product.
What to Avoid When Washing Your Baby’s Clothes
Ensuring that you have clean baby clothes also means that there are certain things to avoid during the wash. Using harsh chemicals and harmful washing practices can harm your baby’s skin and health.
These baby clothes care tips will help you know the proper precautions when washing clothes for your baby:
- Don’t use chemical detergents
- Avoid fabric softeners
- Don’t use products with strong fragrances
- Read the washing instructions on the label carefully
If your baby’s skin is showing signs of irritation, stop using the products immediately and consult your baby’s doctor. Quality clothing made from quality fabric can also help preserve your baby’s sensitive skin. Hanna Andersson baby clothes are made from 100% organic cotton and are free of harsh chemicals.
How to Wash Baby Clothes
Once you’ve prepared your baby clothes for the wash, and you know what precautions to take, you are ready to wash your baby’s clothes. When it comes to baby clothes care, getting rid of stains and sanitizing can be done in a safe and effective way.
Use an Eco-Friendly Detergent
One of the most important parts of washing baby clothes is the product that you use. Using non-chemical, eco-friendly detergent is a safe option for your baby’s delicate skin. While your skin is much tougher and can handle certain chemicals, be sure that you choose a detergent that is certified safe on baby skin.
Sanitize Tough Stains
Tough stains on baby clothes include breast, milk, formula, spit-up, and feces. Pre-soaking is important for these tough stains and you can also include a stain-remover in your pre-soak. After washing and rinsing the clothes, you can do another hot water soak to get rid of any excess detergent.
Remove Urine Stains
Let’s face it, urine stains are unavoidable on your baby’s clothes. To remove these, you can use a tablespoon of ammonia and water on the stain. Afterward, you can put the clothes into the wash as normal, using a baby-safe detergent.
Get Rid of Food Stains
Getting rid of food stains on baby clothes can be tricky but not impossible. For an organic option, you can pre-soak food-stained clothes in a mixture of water and white vinegar before the clothes go into the wash. This is not only safe for your baby’s skin, it is safe for your baby’s clothes.
Wash Baby Clothes Separately
While you might be tempted to throw all of the family’s laundry in the wash together, you might want to reconsider.
Clothes from other family members could carry harsher bacteria, and they could transfer onto your baby’s clothes. You may need to use a stronger detergent for the rest of your family’s clothes and a much milder one for your baby’s clothes.
Your baby is likely to soil many garments throughout the day, and they will go through enough blankets, clothes, onesies, and towels to make a baby-only load.
Everything You Need to know to Wash Baby Clothes
Taking extra care of washing your baby’s clothes is important for their sensitive skin and overall health. With this baby clothes care guide, you can feel well-equipped to wash baby clothes with safety, care, and precaution.
Remember to avoid chemicals, fabric softener, and strong fragrances. Opt for eco-friendly products, organic ingredients, and separate washing to get rid of common stains on your baby’s clothes.
If you’re a new mom and you found this article helpful, keep coming back to our awesome blog for all of your baby and mommy needs.