New Parents: How to Wash Baby Clothes
There’s nothing quite as exciting as finding out the gender of your baby. Other than buying the clothes, that is! With both my kids, the second I found out their gender, I rushed to the store to pick out the cutest baby clothes I could find. With my son, I bought far too many baby girl clothes, but that’s a story for another time!
An issue that many new parents face, including myself, is how to wash baby clothes. When you have your first child and are preparing to leave the hospital, it all becomes so real. Sure, they teach the basics of how to change their diaper and how to give them a proper burp, but what about the million other things that come with caring for a baby?
Washing their clothes is an important part of their care. They need to be clean and safe for them to wear (sensitive skin rashes so easily). Fear not. As listed below, there are some things I wish I has known the first time around when it came to washing baby clothes.
Should You Wash Clothes Before Your Baby Wears Them?
It seems like there’s a debate that some people wash their new clothes before wearing them, while others don't. Some people are more than happy to rip the tags off and wear them immediately (I’m guilty of this).
When it comes to your baby, on the other hand, it might be beneficial for their clothes, new or used, to be washed before they wear them for the first time. This just helps ensure that the clothes are clean and free of irritants that could have gotten onto them before coming into your care. It will also give you peace of mind that they are clean and ready to be used by your sweet baby!
Wash the Baby’s Clothes Separately
When your baby is small, their clothes should be washed separately for multiple reasons. The first reason is that their clothes are so small they will get lost in the rest of the laundry. One time, my daughter’s onesie as a newborn got mixed in with ours, and I found it in a pant leg. Could you imagine if you mixed a whole load of your newborn’s laundry with yours? If you think about finding matches for your own socks, think of what it would be like to try to find little baby socks!
Another important reason that your baby’s clothes should be washed separately is that you want to avoid strands of your hair getting caught in your baby’s clothes. The smaller they are, the more risk they run of accidentally having a hair tourniquet. This is when one of your hairs gets caught around their finger and tightens, causing lack of circulation. If your baby is unusually fussy and will not settle, check all of their fingers and toes.
Pre-Treat Any Stains
If there’s anything that babies are notorious for, it’s stains! Whether it be spit-up, formula, baby food, or poop, baby’s clothes almost always end up with at least a few stains. So, what do you do if their favorite outfit has a stain on it?
The good news is that as long as you don’t wash and dry the clothes immediately, you can usually get rid of a fresh stain. My favorite way to treat a stain is by putting blue Dawn dish soap on the stain and gently rubbing it in. I let it sit for a little while and then throw it in the laundry with the rest of the clothes. It almost always takes the stain out!
Use Scent and Dye-Free Detergent
Babies' skin is notorious for being sensitive to most dyes and fragrances. The detergent you use should be free of dyes and fragrances for this exact reason. There are detergents marketed specifically for babies that you can use, but if you are looking to save a few dollars, there are plenty of detergents out there that are acceptable alternatives, such as All-Free and Clear.
Avoid Anything Other Than Detergent
You want your baby to be as clean and comfortable as possible. This means avoiding using unnecessary dyes and fragrances. Additionally, this means avoiding other washing products such as fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and bleach. This is because newborns may also be sensitive to chemicals.
An important note is that fabric softeners can also diminish the effectiveness of flame resistance in children’s clothing. Stick with plain old detergent!
Track Your Baby’s Health with Baby Connect
Keeping your baby happy and healthy is one of your top priorities as a parent. Between feedings, diaper changes, laundry, doctor’s appointments, and cuddling, it feels like there isn’t enough time in the day! It’s all too easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and forget some things.
Baby Connect has revolutionized parenthood. Instead of relying on your tired brain to remember important details, such as how many ounces your baby had at their last feeding, you can now document every aspect of your baby’s life in one convenient app. Download the app and try it out for yourself – we bet you’ll be wondering how you ever got along without it!
