Do Baby Clothes Need Special Treatment?

Every new parent worries about whether they arewash baby clothes with the rest of the family's laundry.
doing the right thing for their baby and which productsI think this must be a fairly recent worry as it was
are the right ones to buy. As there is now more focussomething I never even thought about when I had my
on allergies and how sensitive a baby's skin is theown children in the 1970s. Providing you use a mild
question many parents ask is "do I need a specialdetergent for the wash loads there should be no
detergent to wash my baby's clothes to prevent avoidproblems. After all you are cuddling and caring for your
an allergic reaction?"baby in the same clothes as you will be washing with
Having a baby is an expensive time with all thetheirs without causing any irritation!
equipment you need like a crib, stroller, baby clothes,There is one exception to bear in mind, though. If you
bedding, car seat, and diapers etc... not to mention theare using cloth diapers, separate washing is required.
cost of doctors fees, child care and extra activitiesUse the toilet bowl to rinse away any solid waste,
your child will do as they get older. So ways to avoidkeep them in a bucket of water until you have
adding extra expense to the family budget is essentialcollected enough to form a washer load and add a
like not having to buy special detergent for taking caretiny amount of tea tree oil to the bucket to deodorize
of your baby's laundry.and disinfect them in the meantime.
It may be worth using a gentle detergent on the wholeFabric conditioner is another item to consider carefully.
family's laundry including the baby clothes and bedding.If you use one it should be one that is manufactured
Choose one that has no added colors or perfumes.for anyone with sensitive skin, so find one that all the
And recognize the the so-called specially-formulatedfamily can use, including baby. Avoid any of the
products with baby in mind are frequently very littledetergents that claim to include a fabric softener if you
different than the normal brand, with just as muchhave any doubt at all about using it.
ability to irritate the skin on an adult as a child.Pay attention to how you tumble dry your baby
One approach that is recommended is to make sureclothes to avoid shrinking them. Use a low or gentle
you have removed any special finishes that theheat setting, otherwise you may find that your baby
manufacturer has used on baby clothes and beddingoutgrows them even faster than you expect!
fabrics by thoroughly washing them before first use.We are all now more aware of how delicate a baby's
And don't forget to do the same with any secondskin is but remember for many hundreds of years
hand clothes you are given by your friends and family.most babies survived perfectly well without the use of
This should eliminate the chance of your child pickingspecial detergents and having their clothes washed
up a rash - but if he does, make sure a medicalseparately. So unless your baby has major allergies
professional takes a look quickly.laundering all the family clothes together should not
Many new parents worry about whether it is safe tocause any problems.