When can I wash baby clothes with mine? This is a question that many parents ask, and the answer is: as soon as possible! There are several benefits of washing your baby’s clothes with your own clothes. First, it means that the baby’s clothes are ready for other additions to the clothing wash such as fabric softener and dryer sheets. Second, it saves time and energy because you only have to run one load of laundry. Finally, washing baby clothes with yours helps to establish a routine for the baby!
Getting Started: Washing Separately
You will need to wash your baby’s clothes separately from your clothes until they are at least one year old. This is because your baby’s clothes may still have traces of urine and feces, and you don’t want those bacteria to spread to your clothes. However, once your baby reaches one year old, you can start washing their clothes with yours – just be sure to follow the proper laundering instructions!
The other reason that you need to wash your baby’s clothes separately is that detergents for adult clothes is too strong for baby clothes. It can cause irritate their skin and cause them to develop rashes. So, until your baby is at least one year old, it’s best to stick with washing their clothes in warm water with a gentle detergent.
Safe Detergent Options
There are plenty of options that you can use until your baby is old enough for you to wash your clothes together. We use dreft baby detergent on our baby’s clothes. It is a gentle detergent that gets the clothes clean without using harsh chemicals. You can also use baby-safe fabric softener and dryer sheets to keep your child’s clothes from getting too stiff or itchy.
Follow washing instructions
When washing baby clothes with yours, always make sure to follow the laundering instructions on the clothing tags!
Can you use normal detergent when washing baby clothes with yours?
If you decide to wash your baby’s clothes with yours, you will need to use a mild detergent that won’t cause irritation to their delicate skin. Detergents designed for babies are usually devoid of fragrance and dye because these substances contain harmful chemicals that can be harsh on their skin. It is also advisable to use non-bio products; this way, you’ll be sure any harsh chemicals have been removed.
Tips for washing baby clothes
Whether you’re doing combined or separate laundry, here are pro tips for washing baby clothes:
Keeping things organized
First, you want to separate socks and other small items from the larger ones before throwing anything into the washing machine. If your adult socks get lost a lot, chances are your tiny baby socks will disappear more often. If there are any fabrics with hook-and-loop fasteners, you want to fasten them to keep clothes from getting caught up.
Choosing the right detergent
If your baby is up to a year old, you don’t need to stress yourself seeking out the best baby detergent. Unless your infant has allergies or very sensitive skin, you can wash their clothes with yours using regular laundry detergents. However, liquid detergents are the preferred choice for baby clothes as they rinse out more easily than powder formulas.
To be on the safest side, wash one or two of your baby’s clothes with regular detergent to see how your baby’s skin reacts to it.
Treating baby clothes stains
The best practice is to treat stains while they’re still fresh. This will help remove more of the staining substance as they can become more difficult when dry.
Protein-based stains: to remove stains from milk, spit-up, feces, and food stains, soak the cloth in cool water with a stain-removing product. Try an all-purpose stain remover if the first step doesn’t work.
Urine stains: you need two steps for this. First, mix one tablespoon of ammonia in one cup of water and treat the stained area. Next, apply a stain-remover and then wash normally.
Baby oil stains: Check the care label instruction to know the hottest temperature safe for the fabric. Next, use a prewash stain removal product and wash in hot water. Ensure you air-dry instead of heat-drying. That’s because oil stains can seem to disappear when wet but set in again when heat is applied.
Stains from fruits and vegetables: Simply rinse in cool water to remove stains from fruits and vegetables from baby clothes. If that doesn’t work, wash the garment in an alcohol-water solution (1-to-1). For more stubborn stains, use a prewash stain removal product before laundering.
Pro tip: no matter how stubborn the stain is, never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar or ammonia when washing baby clothes. The fumes emanating from the mixture can be too dangerous for your entire household. Also, avoid fabric softeners. If the fabric is beyond rescuing, but you can’t bear the thought of tossing it away, repurpose it to be used as a rag, burp cloth, or washcloth.
Washing cloth diapers
Wash cloth diapers separately from another dirty laundry. First, do a prewash in cold water before soaking overnight. Also, you want to avoid detergents with fragrances and dyes due to their toxicity. It’s best to wash diapers every two days.
Washing your baby’s clothes with your own is a great way to save time and energy – you only have to run one load of laundry! It can also help to establish a routine for the baby. Just be sure to follow the proper laundering instructions on the clothing tags!
