When washing your baby’s clothes, you are best off hand-washing them in cold water with mild detergent. It is a good idea to wash your baby’s clothes before you use them. Your newborn’s skin is incredibly delicate. Therefore their clothes need to be washed to remove residues and allergens.
You should always read the care label on a garment before washing it for the first time. Avoid bleach on clothes as it may reduce the effectiveness of the chemicals and might ruin treated fabrics as well.
How to Wash baby’s clothes
Wash your hands
You should sanitize and thoroughly wash your hands before you touch your baby’s clothes, as the human hand is a source of bacteria.
Temperature of water
Checking the water temperature is essential when washing baby clothes. Washing clothes in very hot water can cause rips and tears to your baby’s clothes, not to mention, you may also burn your skin.
Rinse thoroughly
As bacteria can build up on your baby’s clothes, you should soak them in hot water for 30 minutes before washing and then in warm water after washing. This eliminates bacteria and dirt.
Choose your detergent wisely
Keep in mind that your body is vastly different from your newborn’s. Therefore, you may want to use a detergent that is approved for use on baby outfits. Further, ensure that the detergent is toxin-free and eco-friendly.
Using regular detergents may damage your baby’s delicate skin, cause allergic reactions, and possibly even cause them to get cuts.
Dry Completely
Make sure that your baby’s clothes are entirely arid out. Whenever possible, hang your baby’s clothes in the sunlight, and never wear damp clothes on them as it may cause fungal infections.
How to disinfect your baby’s clothes?
It is imperative not only to wash your baby’s clothes but also to disinfect them. Here are a few tips on disinfecting your baby’s clothes.
- Cleaning your baby’s clothes begins with identifying and removing any possible stains. Considering that most stains are protein-based, like meat or breast milk, and that protein attracts the most dangerous bacteria, this is of utmost importance. Ensure that this is done before soaking. Scrub the stains with disinfectants, which you may find in every pharmacy.
- Scrub away any drool, snot, and other bodily fluids as they may contain bacteria and serve as a breeding ground. Scrub and rinse thoroughly with a baby-safe detergent that contains disinfectants. It is recommended to do this before you pre-soak your baby’s clothes.
- You may want to pre-soak with white wine vinegar as it is a proven natural disinfectant. Simply add a cap or two of white wine vinegar in a bucket of water and then soak clothes for 30 minutes before washing them.
Precautions to take while washing baby’s clothes
- When washing your baby’s clothes, do not use fabric softeners as they may irritate your baby’s skin and reduce flame resistance.
- Avoid using chemicals on your clothes when drying them.
- Use only toxin-free and eco-friendly detergents.
- Ensure the diapers of your baby are washed separately from their clothes
- Sunlight is a natural disinfectant, so hang your baby rugs outdoors every week or two.
- For babies with skin allergies, you may want to consult your doctor about special requirements for washing their clothes.
- Read the instructions carefully before washing clothes to preserve their material integrity.
- Avoid using strong fragrances during the wash.
