Baby Laundry: Tips for Washing Baby Clothes

Washing baby laundry can be a stressful chore for parents. However, there are some tips for washing baby clothes that can help new parents adjust to the sudden surge in laundry.

BHG shared some of the most effective ways in dealing with this task. Discover the proper preparation for washing, choosing the best detergent, removing stains and preventing irritation on the baby's skin.

1. Preparation for washing baby clothes

All clothes should be washed before putting them on your baby. This is due to a baby's very sensitive skin that can easily become irritated.

Proper preparation for washing baby clothes include placing socks and other small items in a mesh bag while washing and drying; fastening all hook-and-loop fabric fasteners to avoid damaging the baby clothes; making sure to inspect the clothes' label on how to properly care for the clothes; and avoiding bleach when washing flame-resistant fabrics.

2. The right detergent

If your baby do not have allergies or over-sensitive skin, buying a baby detergent is not necessary, according to health experts. Therefore, parents can use ordinary liquid detergent in washing their baby's clothes. Powder detergents are less preferable because these are not as effective as liquid detergent in removing flakes and stains on clothes.

3. Removing stains

The first tip in removing stains is to treat them as soon as possible. By doing so, parents will have an easier time completely removing the stains.

Food stains, milk stains, spit, vomit and feces can be removed by soaking the baby clothes in cold water using an all-purpose stain remover or a detergent with enzymes.

For urine stains, the affected are of the clothes should be treated with a diluted formula of one tablespoon of ammonia mixed with one cup of water. Afterwards, the baby clothes can be laundered normally with the use of a stain-removal product.

For fruit and vegetable stains, the first step is to rinse the clothes with cold water and rubbing alcohol. "If that does not remove the stain, soak the garment in a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water," the article shared.

4. Washing cloth diapers

One of the most important tips for washing baby clothes involves cloth diapers. These kinds of diapers should be washed separately from the other baby clothes, according to Baby Center. BHG also advises parents to not use detergents with dyes or perfumes as well as fabric softeners while the use of hot water to rinse the diapers is recommended.