One of the most fun things about being a new parent is picking out adorable outfits for them to wear. But, with adorable baby clothes comes the not-so-adorable task of doing loads of laundry for them. Babies can go through multiple outfits a day, especially as spills and other messes require multiple changes. And, the result is some surprisingly big loads of laundry that need to be done periodically throughout the week.
Unsurprisingly, new parents often wonder, how do you wash newborn clothes for the first time? Is it okay to wash baby clothes in the washing machine? Do baby clothes need to be washed separately, and can you wash baby clothes with any detergent? We’re going to answer all of these questions, to ensure that your baby’s clothes get properly cleaned, and with products that are safe, as well as gentle enough for a newborn’s delicate skin.
Washing Your Newborn’s Clothes
Washing a newborn’s clothes isn’t as intimidating as you may think. But, before we talk about doing loads of your baby’s dirty laundry, there is something else that we need to discuss: pre-washing. We strongly recommend that you wash new clothing before your baby wears it. Those clothes have sat in a warehouse, potentially collecting dust, which can be an allergen to your baby’s underdeveloped immune system. Besides that, people have likely handled them in a store, potentially introducing pathogens onto the fibers of the material.
So, how do you wash newborn clothes? First of all, always read the care label of any garment, as this will give you the information you need about how each piece needs to be washed. Some baby clothes need to be handwashed and some don’t, etc.
You will need to separate a newborn’s clothes just like you separate your own loads of laundry. This means separating lights from darks, delicates from non-delicates, and so on. Baby clothes are, generally, more delicate than adult clothes, with softer materials and details like bows and the like. So, button the clothes and turn them inside out to protect these details, prior to loading. Smaller items like socks, bibs and so on should go inside a mesh laundry bag.
Thankfully, the majority of baby clothes are perfectly fine going into a normal wash cycle (again, read the care label just in case). Same goes for the dryer, as many baby clothes can handle a normal tumble-dry.
Choosing the Best Detergent for Baby Clothes
A part of washing baby clothes that should never be overlooked is the detergent. In fact, it may be the most important part of all. That’s because a baby’s skin is extremely sensitive as it hasn’t yet developed resilience to the common elements we encounter as adults. Most laundry detergents on the market contain dyes, fragrances, and other harsh chemicals that are simply too much for a baby’s sensitive skin. This can lead to all kinds of reactions, including allergic reactions and respiratory reactions. Besides that, many detergents contain known toxins, including carcinogens, that you don’t want your baby to be making daily contact with.
What this means is that you should look for a detergent marketed just for babies. These detergents will contain gentler ingredients, and not include ingredients that are allergenic. Still, you’ll want to read the ingredients thoroughly, as companies can make “baby detergents” that do, in fact, contain harmful chemicals.
Ideally, the detergent should be as natural as possible. Don’t hesitate to look up specific ingredients to make sure that they’re truly baby-safe.
Combined vs. Baby-Only Loads in the Washing Machine
Because a baby requires a baby-friendly detergent, you’ll want to do a separate load just for their clothing. Besides, a baby’s load of laundry can be quite big, so they’ll probably require a separate load anyway.
Dealing with Stains on Your Baby’s Clothes
One thing that you’ll want to check before throwing baby clothes into the laundry is stains. Let’s face it – babies are messy, and stains are just par for the course. Food stains, urine stains, and spit-up stains are almost inevitable, and you’ll want to thoroughly inspect each item of clothing to make sure that it doesn’t need to be pre-treated for stains, as many stains can set if they’re thrown into the laundry and dryer before getting remedied.
Every stain requires its own process for treating it, and Grab Green Home has many blog articles about how to treat each common type of stain. The key is reading about how to treat a stain beforehand, as what removes one stain may set another stain.
Using Dryer Sheets/Dryer Balls for Baby Clothes
Most of us use dryer sheets or dryer balls when drying our own loads of laundry, to prevent static cling. But, are these products okay for a baby’s load of laundry? That all depends. Just like detergents, dryer sheets and dryer balls may contain fragrances, dyes, and other chemicals that are not safe for a baby’s skin. But, once again, you can find versions of these products made just for babies, which are far gentler.
Wash Your Baby’s Clothes with Grab Green Home
When it comes to your newborn, you want only the best for them. That includes clean, stain-free clothes. And, luckily, washing their laundry is actually pretty straightforward, and not all that different from how we wash our own clothes.
However, there’s another component, which is the products you use, like your detergent and dryer sheets. At Grab Green Home, we offer a variety of laundry products made just for a baby’s needs, which are free of commonly used chemicals that can be unsafe for their skin, as well as their overall health. Our products are eco-friendly, made with EPA-approved ingredients, to benefit the environment as well.
Grab Green’s baby laundry detergent, dryer sheets and other products are gentle, and rely on natural ingredients to take care of your baby’s clothing effectively, while being formulated with their needs in mind.