How To Wash Baby Clothes For The First Time

How to wash baby clothes for the first time sounds like a question every new parent would ask. This question isn’t spurned out of curiosity but out of love with the best interest of the new baby.

The newborn immune system is still immature, which makes them vulnerable to infections and diseases.

This is why as a new parent, why you need to be careful about how to help keep your child healthy, including how to wash his/her clothes for the first time. Read On…

Choice of Detergent

If there should be washing, the first thing that strikes the mind is dirty clothing, and to remove the stains effectively, the use and need for detergent become handy.

Detergents are efficient stain removers, and there are many brands in the market, but remember, not all of those brands are good for washing your baby’s clothing.

Wondering the best detergent to use in washing the clothes of your baby? Well, the answer isn’t farfetched. Any regular detergent would serve, but in choosing a detergent, you should go for a non-biological detergent.

And if you’re wondering why non-biological detergent is recommended, the reason is that your baby’s skin is still very delicate and extra sensitive and can be irritated by the enzymes utilized in the manufacture of biological detergent.

Another good way to ensure you use the best laundry detergent in washing baby clothes for the first time is by making your detergent. Many parents choose this option because it is cheaper than buying baby laundry detergents.

And most importantly, when detergent is homemade, you can be sure of its active ingredients.

Here is a video showing how to make powdered laundry soap for sensitive skin

Should I Wash My Baby’s Clothes Before Use?

Wondering if you should always wash your new baby before you use it? The answer is “YES,” and you should wash your baby’s clothes before using them.

It is easier for your baby’s clothes to pick up dust and dirt while still at the warehouse, and if they are not washed and put on your baby, it may irritate your baby’s delicate skin.

So it is in the best interest of yourself and your baby that you wash their clothing before use.

How To Wash Baby Clothes For The First Time: Preparation

Before cleaning and disinfecting your child’s clothes, you must understand how important washing your baby’s clothes for the first time is. You must make preparations to wash your child’s clothes for the time being.

While preparing your child’s clothes for a wash, you must remember to wash them for the first time to ensure they’re free of harmful bacteria before they wear them and not after.

Here are important tips to keep in mind when washing your baby’s clothes:

First, make sure you take a look at the brand label for washing instructions. This will guide understanding of the material and how it can react to a wash.
Be mindful of the kind of laundry detergent used. It is recommended to use non-chemical laundry soap specifically made for infants.
Pre-soak the material in water, especially if the cloth allows it. Pre-soaking the cloth in hot water helps kill a lot of germs.
Separate the clothes based on the color and them separately. This ensures the bacteria from the other fabric don’t interfere with the baby’s clothes.
After washing, soak the cloth in warm water. This helps to kill detergent and other allergenic bacteria.
Lastly, allow it to dry in the sun or heat. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. If possible, dry your baby’s clothes in natural sunlight. If not, ensure your baby’s clothes are dried in a clean, sterile, heat-filled room.

How To Hand Wash Your Baby’s Clothes

It is best advised to hand wash your baby’s clothes rather than using the washing machine. You may be wondering how I hand wash my newborn baby clothes. Well, here are easy ways to hand wash your baby’s clothes properly:

1. Disinfect and clean your hands

The first step towards hand washing your baby’s clothes is disinfecting and ensuring your hands are clean.

We all know human hands are a good hiding place for bacteria, so before handling your baby’s clothes, ensure you sanitize and wash your hands thoroughly.

2. Check the temperature of the water

Before washing your baby’s clothes, it’s important to check the water temperature. If you hand wash your baby’s clothes in extremely hot water, it could affect the integrity of the clothes causing rips and tears. Also, be aware that extreme heat water may cause your hands to burn.

3. Use mild detergent

Since our bodies are extremely different from that of newborns, therefore it is not recommended to use regular detergents.

This type of detergent could damage your baby’s skin, cause allergic reactions, and might even hurt your baby’s skin.

You must ensure you use a laundry detergent safe for baby skin. Making use of mild and eco-friendly detergent is an additional safety measure.

4. Soak before and after the wash

Bacteria can accumulate in your clothing before a wash, so to ensure you are bacteria-free, soak your baby’s clothes in hot water for about 30 minutes before a wash, then wash and leave them to soak in warm water after the wash.

5. Dry the baby clothes

You must let your baby’s clothes completely dry to avoid mold build-up. Allow the clothes to dry in sunlight (if possible). Avoid wearing your baby’s damp clothes. This can cause fungal infections.

How To Machine Wash Your Baby’s Clothes

Although we recommend you hand wash your baby’s clothes, unfortunately, this can be time-consuming and exhausting. If handwashing baby clothes aren’t your thing, here are a few steps to machine wash your baby clothes.

1. Wash the baby’s clothes first before washing yours

Washing machines can be a hiding spot for bacteria. To avoid transferring some bacteria from your clothes to your baby’s clothes, you must wash your baby’s clothes first.

2. Pre-soak using soap

One way of ensuring that your baby’s clothes run a full cycle is by getting a bucket of water at 35 degrees Celsius, then adding half a cup of mild detergent and allowing it to soak for 30 minutes before adding it to the machine.

3. Use the rinse option twice

You must run the rinse cycle twice to ensure the soap residues and the bacteria are fully removed from your baby’s clothes.

Do this with the detergent in your washer and another time with no detergent. For the second spin and rinse cycle, use only water.

For more references, you can also ask your doctor for guidelines for washing baby clothes in the machine.

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How To Disinfect Baby’s Clothes?

You must not only wash you should also disinfect your baby’s clothes. Here are a few steps to disinfect your baby’s clothes.

First, identify and pre-clean stain areas: This is very important since most stains are protein-based, such as meat or breast milk. This kind of stain attracts the most dangerous kinds of bacteria. Before you soak, scrub the stained areas with a baby disinfectant detergent. You should get this product in any pharmacy around you.
Scrape off any dried stain, snot, and other bodily fluid: This is a very important step because, like protein stains, bodily fluids are full of harmful bacteria. They often serve as a hiding place for bacteria and may be responsible for getting your baby sick in the past. This is why you must scrub the clothes thoroughly using a disinfectant detergent that is safe for the baby. Make sure you do this before you pre-soak the clothes.
Pre-soak using white wine vinegar: White wine vinegar is a natural disinfectant. Just add two cups of white wine vinegar with a bucket of water and then allow the clothes to soak for 30 minutes before putting it in the wash.

How To Wash Baby Clothes For The First Time: Precautions

Several precautions must be taken before and while washing your baby’s clothes. Here are a few things you must keep in mind while washing baby clothes:

Do not use fabric softeners while washing baby clothes
Avoid using use drying sheet with chemicals to dry your clothes
Avoid chemical detergents
Wash the baby’s diapers separately from their clothes
Dry clothes in the sunlight
If you notice any sign of allergies, consult your healthcare provider on special requirements when washing your baby’s clothes.
Always check the clothing washing instructions carefully before washing
Avoid using strong fragrance products during the wash

Folding Vs. Hanging Which Is Better?

Baby clothes are usually tiny, and hanging or folding them can be quite difficult! However, how you store them after washing is up to you.

Baby clothes are so small and light, so they won’t wrinkle much even when you fold them.

If you decide to hang your baby clothes, buying these smaller baby-sized hangers will be much easier. Whereas for onesies and socks, you can put them away in a dresser drawer.

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FAQ’s

What Is The Best Temperature for Washing a Newborn’s Clothes

It is best recommended that you use the temperature 30⁰C, and you will notice that you would be satisfied with the effects.

Sometimes you may be tempted to use the highest temperature your baby’s clothing can withstand, as the care label states.

Do not use such temperature unless your baby is sick and you want to ensure that any microorganisms picked up by the clothes from his or her skin are killed and inactive. There are some exceptions to this advice, as mentioned above, including cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers should be washed at a low temperature to remove stains and then again at the highest possible temperature to ensure they are safe and ready for re-use.

Can I Use Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets On Baby Clothes?

You should not use fabric softener on baby clothes. Fabric Softeners are formulated to make clothes softer and are usually used with detergents. It also contains chemicals that can hurt your baby’s sensitive skin.

Dryer sheets are used during laundry to reduce static electricity with clothes when dried in a dryer.

These sheets contain harmful chemicals that can affect a baby’s sensitive skin. You should dry your baby’s clothes in natural sunlight or hang them to dry out.

What to do if Baby has Skin Allergy?

If you notice your baby has some skin allergies, do not hesitate to consult your doctor to help you understand the reason for the reaction. Health experts recommend using a special baby detergent for babies with skin allergies. You can find these products in most pharmacies around you.

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Conclusion

We hope this article has given an in-depth discussion to answer the question of how to wash baby clothes for the first time.

Always do your research before choosing a laundry detergent to use for your baby’s clothes. And when you do, do not forget to follow the guidelines mentioned above and watch how your baby’s skin reacts to detergents.

Some detergents can use different ingredients that may react differently on your baby’s skin. By trying out these detergents, you narrow down and choose the best for your baby’s sensitive skin.