Washing your baby's clothes is almost a daily routine for parents, but do you really wash them in the correct way?
before starting the article,I would like to ask a question and Have new parents ever done this before?
- Throw the baby's dirty clothes directly into the washing machine for cleaning;
ย
- Put a lot of laundry detergent and disinfectant, thinking that the more you put, the cleaner the washing will be;
ย
- Before washing clothes, soak them for a long time, even all night or all day;
ย
- I bought new clothes, I can't wait to wash them and try them on again, so I put them on quickly.
Slow down! Even something as simple and daily as washing your baby's clothes may cause great harm to your baby's health if performed incorrectly for a long time!
So, what is the correct way to wash your baby's clothes? Let's take a look with today's article!
ย
1.How often should baby's clothes be washed?
Before talking about cleaning methods, the first thing is to know well: how often should the baby's clothes, bedding, etc. be washed?
Underwear and socks: Babies sweat easily, so wash and change them every day.
Mouth wipes: bibs, towels, sleeves, and gowns: wash them immediately if they become dirty. Keep a few extra sets and change them at any time.
Sweatshirts and thin jackets: wash them after wearing them 3 to 4 times, and just dry them in a ventilated place after each wear.
Sweater: wash it after wearing it 6 to 7 times, because too frequent cleaning will reduce the warmth of the sweater. Of course, if it does get dirty, such as accidentally spilling soup, etc., it needs to be cleaned in time.
Bedding: It is best to clean and replace adult bedding every half a month. The baby spends more time in bed every day, so it is recommended to increase the frequency of cleaning and changing.
Bath towel: It is recommended to wash it once a week and dry it before storing it after each use.
2.What will happen if your baby wear new clothes without washing them?
ย
There are so many different styles of clothes now! So do all new clothes have to be washed before they can be worn? Will not washing it be harmful to the child?
Hidden Problems in New Clothes In the process of clothing processing, we use various auxiliary agents during wrinkle removal, coloring and antisepsis. Here we will only talk about the most commonly used one - formaldehyde. Newly bought clothes will have a lot of formaldehyde and other chemical components attached to them.
However, the amount of formaldehyde remaining on new clothes is far less than the amount of formaldehyde that causes disease. Therefore, parents don't actually have to worry about formaldehyde remaining on new clothes causing illness.
However, for babies who are immature and whose immune function is not strong enough to resist these, wearing clothes with excessive formaldehyde for a short period of time may cause contact dermatitis and other diseases in the baby. Long-term exposure to formaldehyde may be harmful to the baby's respiratory tract and skin. Produce more severe irritation and cause more health risks.
The correct approach should be to perform deep cleaning before wearing the baby's upper body.
3.What to use for washing?
For daily washing, it is recommended that the baby's clothes can be washed with clean water. However, some stains, milk stains, etc. cannot be cleaned with just clean water. At this time, suitable clothing cleaning products which is like baby laundry detergent are needed.
There are three main categories of clothing cleaning products on the market: laundry detergent, laundry soap, and laundry powder. It is recommended that no matter which one you are used to using at home, you must choose a mild detergent for baby clothes.
We may encounter a misconception that cleaning products containing disinfectant ingredients are better.
Of course, the answer is no!
When choosing cleaning products for your baby, be sure to avoid those containing disinfectants.
The disinfectants we are talking about are not just special disinfection products such as Dettol, 84, and alcohol, but also include many clothing cleaners, hand sanitizers, etc. that contain bactericidal and antibacterial ingredients.
Because these disinfectant ingredients will remain more or less on the clothes or baby's skin, if they are bitten and eaten by the baby, both harmful and beneficial bacteria will be destroyed. This aspect can easily affect the child's intestinal flora disorder.
On the other hand, preventing the child from experiencing natural immunity will also affect the child's tolerance to some germs, easily inhibit the establishment of the child's immune system, and make the child more susceptible to infection and sensitization.
4.Four major elements for washing your baby's laundry
Due to the development characteristics of babies, babies will vomit milk, drool, and spill soup on clothes when eating. They should also be cleaned in a targeted manner during daily care.
Firstly, clean in time
Baby clothes are mostly made of cotton. If they are not cleaned immediately, the longer they are stored, the deeper the dirt will penetrate into the fibers of the clothes, making cleaning more difficult.
In addition, more and more bacteria and mold will breed on clothes, so it is recommended that your baby's clothes should be cleaned in time when they are dirty. You can first use baby-specific laundry detergent to focus on local stains, and then soak them.
If parents really can't keep their hands away and can't just wash them when they get dirty, they have to deal with special stains. Especially clothes stained with poop, be sure to clean up the dirt in time before regular washing.
Secondly, rinse thoroughly with clean water
Laundry detergent, laundry detergent and other clothes cleaning supplies are not always better. Parents should not think that the more they put in, the cleaner they will be. When the detergent in the water is saturated, the excess detergent will not make the clothes cleaner. It will increase the residue of harmful ingredients.
Be sure to use appropriate amounts and proportions to achieve better cleaning results.
Thirdly, baby clothes should not be washed together with adult clothes
Many parents think that washing the baby's clothes separately is too wasteful of water and electricity because they are small, and they will be mixed with the clothes of adults. In fact, this is very unhealthy.
Stains on babies' clothes are mainly caused by milk, saliva and food residues. Adults have a more complex activity environment and there will be a large number of external bacteria.
Also, your baby's outerwear and underwear should be washed separately. Washing them separately can reduce cross-infection and avoid irritating the baby's skin or bacterial infection.
5.How to easily clean the usual stains on baby clothes?
Many people say that it is very difficult to wash the baby's clothes. From the time of breastfeeding to the introduction of complementary foods around 6 months old, the baby's clothes are often accompanied by milk stains, juice, etc. Even now that diapers are easy to put on and take off, the baby still has to be put on the bedding. Or leaving traces of "poop" on clothes, which is also a headache to deal with.
ย
So, how can you easily remove these stains? The following laundry tips will help you easily get rid of all kinds of dirty things on your baby's clothes!
ย
Dealing with Different Stains on Baby Clothes:
ย
Urine/Stool Stains:
Immediately rinse with cold water and proceed with regular laundry steps. Avoid hot water, as it may cause proteins to bond with fibers, making cleaning challenging. For aged yellow stains, use a detergent with enzyme ingredients to break down the stains before washing.
ย
Milk Stains:
Rinse milk stains promptly with cold water, then follow standard laundry procedures. For caked-on stains, brush off dried parts before washing.
ย
Juice Stains:
If clothes are stained with juice, soak the affected area in vinegar for a few minutes before washing normally.
ย
Oil Stains:
For fresh oil stains, promptly scrub with dish soap to remove them. For persistent stains, apply toothpaste, add water, gently rub into a foam, and then clean as usual.
ย
Sweat Stains:
Soak clothes in detergent diluted in warm water (40ยฐC) for about 15 minutes, then wash as usual. During cleaning, rub the clothes to separate sweat stains from the fabric fibers.
Conclusion
When it comes to doing laundry for babies, it is crucial to choose a gentle yet effective detergent and wash clothes properly. A baby's delicate skin is sensitive to harsh chemicals, fragrances and residues in conventional laundry products. Using a specially formulated hypoallergenic andย gentleย laundry detergent can help avoid irritation and allergic reactions on a baby's skin.
Follow recommended wash cycles, avoid overloading, and rinse clothes thoroughly to remove all traces of detergent. This ensures clothes stay soft and comfortable next to baby's skin. Proper laundry hygiene also reduces the risk of babies developing skin conditions like eczema, rashes or infections. By being mindful of detergent selection and washing guidelines, parents can keep their baby's clothes fresh and safe for their gentle skin.