Washing baby clothes is different from washing regular clothes. There are multiple factors you need to consider—from detergent, water temperature, and even the methods of washing and drying. Your child’s immune system is important, and one overlooked thing is how your kid can catch diseases from their clothes. In this article, you will learn about how to prepare washing your baby’s clothes and, of course, the two ways of how to wash baby clothes. It is best to master these guides to keep your baby safe and healthy.
Prepping for Washing Baby Clothes
If it is your first time washing your baby’s clothes, it requires careful preparation. You need to do certain things first before you hand wash or machine-wash your little one’s clothes.
Choosing the Detergent
The first step you need to learn how to wash baby clothes is choosing the right detergent for the different baby clothes. My advice is that you stick with detergents that have no fragrance. You also must consider detergents that are not too harsh to your skin—if they are harsh on yours, how much more on your baby’s? Some babies may even have bad reactions. You can even opt to make your detergent to be safe.
Combined or Baby-Only Laundry?
The second step you must familiarize yourself with learning how to wash baby clothes is deciding whether to do baby-only laundry or combine them with your regular laundry. Most moms, I am one of them, chooses to do baby-only laundry. This way is to keep your baby safe from detergents or chemicals you use for your regular laundry. Doing baby-only laundry also prevents infection from family members that have skin problems, like rashes or eczema. Other moms do combined laundry, but a smart move they do is use baby-safe detergent to all their clothes. It saves up lots of water use.
Handwashing or Machine-Washing
The quick and simple answer to this dilemma is this: handwashing if you are only doing baby-only laundry and machine-wash if you are doing combined laundry. It is a complete waste of water and electricity if you use your washing machine to wash separate baby clothes.
Handwashing Baby Clothes
Now, you are ready to learn how to wash baby clothes via handwashing. As mentioned, you only opt to handwashing baby clothes if you are doing baby-only laundry. Here is a simple guide to handwashing your baby’s clothes:
Clean and Disinfect Hands
Our hands are hotbeds of bacteria, so before handling and washing your baby’s dirty clothes, wash your hands with soap and disinfect them.
Check Water Temperature
Before putting the clothes in the washing basin or bin, check if the water is too hot or just lukewarm. Washing your baby’s clothes in hot water can change the fabric’s quality and weaken it, leading to rips and tears. Not only that, but you will also get your hands burned.
Use Baby-Safe Detergent
As mentioned, regular detergents can cause problems for your baby’s delicate skin. Always use baby-safe detergent.
Soak Baby Clothes
Soak your baby’s clothes in warm water for thirty minutes before and after washing to remove most of the bacteria.
Hang Dry
After washing, hang the clothes outside under the sun. Sun-drying is the best drying solution for baby clothes.
Machine-washing Baby Clothes
If you do not like the time-consuming way of handwashing, you can always opt for machine-washing—but you can do this with the combined laundry to save up water and electricity. Here is the brief guide:
- Wash Baby Clothes First
Always wash the baby clothes first using the baby-safe detergent. You can then use the water for the other regular clothes. - Pre-Soak Baby Clothes
The best way to eliminate bacteria is to pre-soak the baby clothes in warm water for thirty minutes before putting them in the washing machine. - Rinse Twice
Using the rinsing option twice is the best way to remove soap completely from the baby clothes’ fabric. The water drained can be used for your regular clothes after. - Hand Dry
After rinsing, hang the baby clothes outside under the sun.
Disinfecting Baby Clothes
It is also an important step to disinfect your baby’s clothes. Here are a few ways you can disinfect your baby’s clothes:
- Identify and Remove Stains
Check the baby clothes for stains from breast milk and meat. They attract bacteria. Scrub them off using a disinfectant baby detergent before washing them. - Scrape Off Using Detergent
Same with the first step, scrape off the drool, snot, or other bodily fluid stains using the same disinfectant baby detergent. - Pre-Soak in Vinegar
Once you have done both steps, use white wine vinegar to disinfect the baby clothes further. Just mix one cup or two of white wine vinegar into a bucket of water. Soak the baby clothes for thirty minutes before washing them, via handwash or washing machine.
Other Tips and Tricks
Here are other few tips and hacks in washing baby clothes:
Wash New Baby Clothes
Always wash new baby clothes before letting your child wear them. New clothes have lots of bacteria on them. It is dangerous if you immediately let your kid wear their new clothes.
Dealing with Stains
Always deal with stubborn stains first before washing them properly. If you wash stained onesies, some of the stains may not come off.
Sun-Drying
Drying baby clothes, or any clothes, is best done under the sun.
Conclusion
Now you know how to wash baby clothes, whether by handwashing or machine washing. As a mom or as parents, the only thing left for you to do is to apply what you have learned to make sure your baby stays healthy and safe from bacteria in clothes. Just remember that you can do many safe ways of washing and cleaning your baby’s clothes without ruining the quality. Just familiarize yourself with the guidelines in this article to have a successful washing of baby clothes. Always keep the safety of your baby the priority. Know more about baby clothes.