What Do I Wash My Baby's Clothes In?

Updated on September 20, 2010
L.D. asks from Bath, ME
25 answers

Some people say they use a regular detergent but some use a speacial one.. I was just wondering cause I don't want to bring clothes to the hospital for my little girl to go home in and have her skin get irritated. any advice would help. thanks!

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C.C.

answers from Tampa on

I use dye/fragrance free detergent and no dryer sheets for all the clothes in the house. They don't smell fantastic like other laundry, more like nothing, but no one itches. So there's that.

3 moms found this helpful
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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Baking soda. Cheap AND so much healthier. So many of my friend's kids had reactions to Dreft. Alos, I have used the same detergent (up until I swtiched to baking soda and sometimes adding distilled vinegar) for 30 years and 3 weeks after I bought a new box of it, we all started getting skin stuff. I was confused....and then realized they must have changed the formulation. Stick with the basics.

PS I also wash my face with baking soda - no methylparabens, parraparabens, etc and it cleans it so well. I even have brushed my teeth with it and at first it was gross, but I did this for 2 weeks and then went back to toothpaste and I almost gagged. I hadn't realized how gross regular toothpaste is!

2 moms found this helpful
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A.X.

answers from Hartford on

I use All free and clear. My husband has very sensitive skin and can only use All free and clear or Tide free. With that said I was worried about dd having the same sensitivities. I asked the pedi prior to dd being born and he said to use whatever, the most important part is the rinse cycle. So I use All free and clear and do an extra rinse.

1 mom found this helpful

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

Any thing that is free of dyes and scents, many brands make one. Look for the white bottles.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from New York on

My favorite... All Free and Clear.

1 mom found this helpful
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P.O.

answers from Harrisburg on

Dreft or plain water & baking soda

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

I've always used Dreft for my home daycare's laundry and for my daughter's laundry. I've never had an issue with it irritating tiny skin and I've had some kids with eczema and other sensitive skin issues. It costs the same as Tide and you can buy it anywhere. Dreft's stain spray is also one of the best on the market. It gets out EVERYTHING! Good luck and congrats on becoming a mom!

1 mom found this helpful

K.C.

answers from Dallas on

I did wash his stuff in Tide without the perfumes before he was born...but it's too expensive and so I use whatever's on sale. he has never had a problem and i can wash his clothes with ours.

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F.O.

answers from Boston on

I have been using Dreft from the beginning. It's light, and goes a mighty long way, you barely use a cap full because it lathers richly. I don't like the strong scent of Tide and think it's too harsh for newborns. But all babies are different.

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R.M.

answers from Boston on

The cheapest detergent contains the same ingredients that expensive ones do - nothing but the absolute basics to clean the skin. I used the cheapest detergent I could find for my daughter's cloth diapers (and still do). Should contain only ionics and anionics. No perfume, no nothing. A lot of the baby detergents smell like baby powder which actually irritated my daughter's skin in the hot summer (we had a free sample).

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A.B.

answers from Boston on

I wouldn't waste your money on Dreft or any other chemical detergent for that matter. Dreft is not much different from say Tide, it still has the same fragrances and chemicals in it. We use a much cheaper, more effective, and completely non-toxic powder on all our clothes and cloth diapers, Charlie's Soap. We love it and would never ever go back to detergent that just masks dirt with whiteners and brighteners instead of actually cleaning clothes. :) Hope that helps! It also lasts a really long time and goes a long way, I sell it through amazon at my store:
http://astore.amazon.com/ecobaby0f-20/detail/B0018B15FE
This is their website: http://www.charliesoap.com/

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D.P.

answers from Seattle on

My son has sensitive skin and we use Tide Free and Clear or the Costco brand "unscented" variety. Same goes for fabric softener - unscented Downy, and extra rinse every time. Dreft is good, too, but very expensive!

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I never had any problems with Dreft. I washer has an extra rinse cycle, so all baby clothes were rinsed twice so I had no soap residue.

M.P.

answers from Provo on

anything for sensitive skin. I liked the Dreft, but that was freaking expensive. I am about to start using Rockin' Green detergent. It's AMAZING stuff. It's natural and safe for everything. I'm on their facebook page and tons of people use if for cleaning carpets, bathtubs, and other cleaning needs. Here is their page, and you can buy some samples.
http://rockingreensoap.3dcartstores.com/Hard-Rock-20-Samp...

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J.O.

answers from Chicago on

If you do not use a harsh detergent and fabric softener then you can wash the baby cloths with yours. I have five kids and have always used the same detergent that I use and never had a problem. I have used Tide Free and use Lifetree Concentrate now. Hope this helps. Congrats on the new baby!
J.

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M.C.

answers from Boston on

We used All Free and Clear at the beginning, like only the 1st couple of washes and now just use Tide.

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J.E.

answers from Boston on

I've always used regular detergent for my kids. I once heard as a "rule of thumb" that you should just use regular wash and if your child presents an irritation then to use the more mild detergents but using regular should be just fine. It also saves you $ so you don't have to buy more than one type/kind of detergent. However if you still want to go the route of washing w/ "special" detergent, Dreft would do or Target also has an Up & Up brand of baby wash. :)

L.M.

answers from Dover on

My family always used Dreft for our infants. However, in my household I don't use regular store bought detergents (or other household products). I use Mela Power and it is safe for everyone. I get it and all my household products for an online/telphone catalog...safer products, effective and save me money.

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J.S.

answers from Boston on

I tried Dreft and thought it didn't even clean the clothes, plus very expensive. I had always used Tide and so I use Tide free & clear with no issues. I've also used other brands "free and clear" products with no issues. when she was really little I washed all her clothes separately and did and extra rinse but after a few months started mixing in with the family laundry, again no issues. If my husband has really gross stuff I do his separately. congrats

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S.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

We started with All Free & Clear but it just wasn't getting the clothes clean. I've used regular detergent ever since and neither of my kids have had a problem with it. I've heard good things about Tide Free & Clear, but I've never tried it. The only way you're going to know if she has a problem with regular detergent is to wash a few things in it and let her wear them. She might never have a problem. If she shows an irritation, then get a free & clear detergent. You can also make your own, which is super cheap and it really works.

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A.C.

answers from Boston on

I used Ivory Snow for about a year, and then just used my regular Tide.

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H.M.

answers from Detroit on

i just used an unscented one, without perfumes and dyes, all the major brands make one i think.

B.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

Dreft fades clothe sand is full of dyes and perfumes, its very harsh.

anything 'free and clear' has optical brighteners and is harsh on skin.

We use Rockin' Green or Charlies Soap. They are both natural, wash clean, and leave no scent behind.

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D.M.

answers from Boston on

For the first year, I used the Target brand of DREFT, then after that I used regular detergent, but still wash my girl's clothes separately. My husband is a contract painter and I didn't want any contamination of any sort with her clothes.

Good luck!

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