Ok, i'll be having my 1st baby in around a month & i already bought some cute clothes for him but don't know how to wash them =S i know this is kind of silly but i'm serious!
Do i have to wash them by hand? or can i use the washing machine? If so what kind of detergent? Is tide & downy ok? i use this for my clothes... What about the dryer?? Can i use it? & the strips that go in the dryer with the clothes??
I know, lots of questions but please enlighten me <3
Thanx & God Bless
2007-12-12 07:13:31 · 16 answers · asked by ˚despeяate housewife˚ 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
I use All Free and Clear (detergent without dyes and frangrances) bc Dreft is too expensive in my opinion. Anyways, I turn all my sons clothes inside out and put the wash machine on warm/cold, then once they are done washing I put them in the dryer on low heat or delicated bc if you put it on high heat it ca shrink the clothes. Oh and I wouldn't use any fabric sheets or softeners until they get bigger bc it may irritate their skin.
2007-12-12 07:22:40 · answer #1 · answered by chichibaby 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would wash all your little one's cloths now while you still have the time and energy!
The first time you wash them (before they are worn) use the gentle or handwash cycle on your washing machine and use cold or warm water (not hot, you don't want them to shrink!). Use any kind of detergent that is unscented. Dreft is the best baby detergent but kinda expensive. The dryer is perfectly fine just make sure you fasten any velcro parts on the cloths or they will snag the other cloths. I wouldn't bother with any fabric softner or dryer sheets.
Now once your baby is born it's a different story! I wash my daughter's clothes (esp bibs) in the hottest water possible to help get the smell and stains out. Also I have a sanitary button on my washer so I use that as well as an extra rinse just in case. Drying it is the same as before tho. Good luck! I'm going to put a load in now =)
2007-12-12 07:49:59 · answer #2 · answered by Alexa's Mom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use your washing machine and dryer. There is no need to wash by hand at all.
You can buy "special" baby detergents like Dreft and Amaze. They are scented though and can still bother babies, and even you! Plus they are expensive and not necessary.
Your baby will be in close contact with you for most of their time, so I suggest switching your whole house's laundry over to a "free" detergent. Find something that is free of dye, perfume and enzymes. I personally like Tide Free.
Stay away from ALL Free and Clear. The "free and clear" part refers to dust mites. This detergent has tons of additives to rid the fabric of dust mites and the less chemicals, the better when it comes to baby clothes.
Also, don't use fabric softeners, dryer sheets or chlorine bleach on a babies clothes. You can use an oxygenated bleach like Oxy-Clean or Oxyboost if you want. White vinegar in a downy ball in the wash will act as a fabric softener, and will not leave any smell if you need to soften hard water.
2007-12-12 07:49:37 · answer #3 · answered by Alberta Mama 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Follow the label instructions, first, just incase there is something that can't go in the dryer, or whatever.
They make free and clear detergents that work the same as Dreft & Snow... the thing with infants is they have very sesitive skin. I've known those that didn't use it, and they were fine. It all depends on your baby's sensitivity. BUT if your baby is sensitive, I'd wash your clothes in it too. My MIL came over and was holding my 7 week old, and she had a rash break out on her face because she was allergic to nana's detergent. Every kid is different.
2007-12-12 08:18:55 · answer #4 · answered by justme 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of doctors, books, the infamous and all knowing "they" recommend using a baby detergent like Dreft that doesn't have dyes and certain chemicals. You can use the wash machine and dryer but don't use the dryer sheets because your baby's skin will be really sensitive and you don't how your baby will react to it. I did this for the first few months with my daughter and then switched to the normal detergent once I knew she wasn't sensitive to our detergent. Good luck!
2007-12-12 07:19:56 · answer #5 · answered by Precious 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use Dreft in the washing machine, no dryer sheets but the dryer is fine. You usually keep usually dreft until the baby is like 8 months then you can switch to regular detergant.
2007-12-12 07:18:51 · answer #6 · answered by ME 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We use either All Baby detergent or Dreft. Dreft is my favorite and smells so darn good, but it is a bit more expensive. I bought dreft for the initial cleaning of his clothes before he was born and then went for All for quite a while. I just recently splurged for the Dreft again. :) For dryer sheets use the dye free and fragrance free. Yeah, they smell awful, but they don't make your clothes smell like that. Monitor your baby's skin after a few months and when you feel comfortable you can try regular detergent. My son is 6 months and he showed skin sensitivity to a regular scented detergent so we are sticking with dreft.
2007-12-12 07:29:33 · answer #7 · answered by lysistrata411 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use dreft for my baby's clothes for the first year. Once they turn a year I use the detergent we use. Its probably ok to use what you use, but I got some from my baby shower and just continued to buy it as I didn't want to switch detergents right away. I dried them in the dryer, but used nothing in there with them...
2007-12-12 07:19:09 · answer #8 · answered by Tracy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
CONGRATS.
I had mine 6 months ago and i too am very cautious about everything about my baby. So, my way of washing her clothes (since birth) is, I use 'fragrance, hypoallergenic free' 'ALL' liquid detergent and i Do add softener but NOT in the second rinse but i add it along side the detergent. "ALL" detergent works good for her clothes and is fragrance free. Make sure you keep your eye on your babies for any allergic reactions for what ever soap you choose to use.
GOOD LUCK MOMMY, there is a life changing experience just waiting for you. Merry Christmas
2007-12-12 07:26:03 · answer #9 · answered by magical 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Washing machine...any fragrance free/sensitive formula detergent is fine...you're not really supposed to use fabric softeners on baby clothes, as it can affect the flame retardent they put into it. You can get those dryer balls...they soften fabric, get rid of the static, and last forever...they're about $20 in Canada, but they last for eons.
2007-12-12 07:18:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋