washing baby clothes

Pre-wash baby clothes

It’s a good idea to wash your new baby clothes before they are used. The reason for this is because there could be contaminants or dust on the items from being on the shelf or in storage.

Handling stains

It is always a good idea to pretreat stains before placing the item in the washing machine. A positive to soaking baby clothes for 30 to 60 minutes prior to washing is that it helps to kill certain bacteria.

Using the washing machine

A washing machine can be used to wash baby clothes, but it is advisable to separate them from other items so that nothing (such as bacteria) from other clothing items can transfer. Generally baby clothes are washed using cool to warm water on a normal or gentle cycle – fabric dependent. It is a good idea to do an extra rinse to ensure that any soapy residue is washed off. Another tip is to use a mesh laundry bag for small items such as socks.

Some fabrics don’t do well in a washing machine, so read the tag beforehand to ascertain if certain items need to be handwashed.

Note: Wash nappies in a separate laundry load – advisable not to mix with clothes.

Detergent

There are baby-specific detergents that can be used, although regular detergents should not be a problem as long as your baby does not have allergies or sensitive skin. Liquid detergent is a better option to a powder one as some powder detergents can leave behind residue that might irritate baby’s skin.

A tip if you are worried about using regular detergent as opposed to a specific baby detergent is to wash a couple of items first and check for any skin irritation on your baby. Experts advise when using a general detergent to opt for one that is fragrance free, gentle (designed for delicate items), has no bleach and has no fabric softener.

Drying

Handwashing

With the amount of baby clothes piling up with spills, handwashing can be a bit tiresome with so many other baby responsibilities. However, clothing that states on the tag “handwash” should be handwashed. Other than that it should be fine to use a washing machine. But if you are handwashing here are some tips:

1. Fill a bucket with cold or room water temperature

2. Add detergent

3. Stir it around to create bubbles

4. Soak clothes in it for a bit

5. Handwash

6. Rinse thoroughly

It is recommended that you hang-dry baby clothes as some baby clothes are prone to shrinkage. You can opt to use a dryer but ensure that you switch it to a lower temperature setting or use the “delicate” setting. 