Baby Laundry Tips

There are several ways to do baby's laundry, but at the end of the day, how you do it will determine just how clean your baby's clothing gets. Doing baby laundry doesn't require a special skill set, but it does require you to understand which methods of laundering works best on removing the stains and dirt that cover your baby's clothing. Unlike in the Middle Ages when women did a thorough washing of their children's clothing by hand twice per year, today's mothers often do one load of laundry per day.

Removing Stains

Most stains in baby's clothing are a result of organic matter like food and formula, so use an enzyme-based stain remover that is designed to break down the proteins, carbohydrates and fat molecules found in organic materials. Enzyme stain removers take time to work, so apply them and let them sit for about 30 minutes before laundering.

If you're treating a blood stain, soak the area with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to remove the stain before washing. Pretreat ink stains with rubbing alcohol. For baby clothing that is soiled with dirt or grime, apply an all-purpose stain remover before laundering. For these stain removers to work effectively they'll also need to soak for least 30 minutes before washing so they can breakdown the stain.

Over time baby clothing can get a yellow tint and look old and dingy. Using color safe bleach can improve the appearance of yellowed or grimy looking clothing.

Because some babies have sensitive skin, check with your pediatrician before using chemically based stain removers. Specialty baby shops sell organic and all natural stain removers although these products may not be as effective as traditional stain removing treatments.

Laundering Methods

Using a washing machine is the easiest way to launder baby clothes. Sort your baby's laundry into dark and light colors before washing to achieve the best results. Look at the tags on your baby's clothing to see what temperature water should be used for laundering. A general rule of thumb is to wash your baby's clothing with warm water. However, the hotter the water is, the cleaner the clothing usually gets. The downside to using hot water is that it tends to shrink and wrinkle clothing. Delicate items should only be washed in cold water. Use a mesh laundry bag to hold delicates and smaller items like socks and bibs.

You may also wish to hand wash your baby's clothing. For hand washing to be effective, soak the clothing in soapy water first and then rub the clothing against a washing board. As an alternative you can move the clothing around in the water to loosen the dirt. Rinse hand washed clothing carefully so that no soapy residue is left on the garments.

Choose an enzyme based detergent that can remove organic matter from the clothing. If your baby has sensitive skin, you may wish to use gentle or organic detergent that is available where baby products are sold.

While using an electric dryer is the quickest way to dry clothing, hanging up clothes inside or outdoors will do the job.

References

• History of Washing Methods for Clothing by Proctor and Gamble

Resources

• How to Launder Baby Clothes