Silly question re: washing newborn clothing

[supergolden88]

I seem to recall that you need to wash newborn baby clothes in Non Bio detergent. Quick question: do you wash all clothing even brand new clothes fresh from the shop? And do you end up washing all your laundry in Non Bio - after all you will be holding baby etc.

Having a slow freelance day and trying to compile lists of things I need to buy/do before baby and I swear my brain is not working.

[randomv]

Hi there

I washed ALL newborn stuff before putting it on my LO..definitely less slack nowadays, BUT he got a sore chin over the weekend and I traced it back to the Vanish I'd put in the wash (with non-bio detergent). Once I stripped his sheets and duvet and changed to the stuff that hadn't beeen washed with Vanish, the soreness cleared up, literally overnight..so even at 2 years they can still be sensitive to bio detergents in my experience.

[louiseneilan]

I'm no expert, but I'd say yes and yes. Definitely wash all new clothes before baby wears them (I think it's in case any germs/dust etc have got into them in transit), and you should avoid biological detergents because of their sensitive skin so it's probably just as easy to non-bio for all your washing - can't think of a downside.

[candj]

I washed all items, sheets, towels, blankets and clothes before letting a newborn use them in non-bio detergent. We tend to use nonbio in the house, but with toddlers and older children also have bio for those really pesky stains and/or very dirty muddy clothes. I don't think you have to go crazy, ie, because your baby is touching you that you have to wash your own clothes in non bio, but as louiseneilan says, it can't hurt.

[Sanne Panne]

I'm not sure it's so much about germs when it comes to new clothes - the smell of new clothes makes me think there's some kind of chemical (a fabric conditioner) on it when it comes from the factory and that this could irritate baby skin. I think non bio is milder on the skin too and apparently soap flakes/tablets leave less residue than liquid soap but that's getting very picky ;-)

[sillywoman]

On the other hand, I didn't wash anything that wasn't dirty (passed down from older sibs) before mine were born. It didn't seem to make a blind bit of difference. They didn't seem uncomfortable or get any odd rashes. they certainly didn't complain! And no-one pointed a finger saying "OMG you haven't washed those new baby clothes before you put them on the baby, call social services!". I would say; wash them if you want, don't if you're not fussed but don't feel pressured into it by anyone else. It's very easy to get a bit too precious over these things for no good reason. But I'm a lazy moo so I would say that.

And when I did wash I used non-bio, though I don't really know why? Less itchy on the skin people say? Never seen any research though - Fuschia, over to you . . . .

[Saffron]

I find that biological washing powder (Ecover is a good one) washes better, but for newborn clothes I just gave them an extra rinse cycle.

Oh how blessed we are these days, just to be able to turn the machine over to an extra cycle. My mother was reminding me of her days growing up. Her mother made their own soap on their farm, and their washer was the manual crank-handle type with a ringer over the basin!

[candj]

Saffron - but I bet your grandmother's soap was really great for the skin as it probably didn't contain any additives or harsh chemicals!

[GinaG3]

I always wash with non-bio anyway as I have sensitive skin, definitely wash baby clothes in non-bio too. Always wash things fresh from the shop, you never know how far its been kicked round the floor etc even if it doesn't look like it has, also germs from other people looking and holding the garment.

[The Nappy Lady]

A few years ago Bristol University carried out a study into washing detergents, based on the fact that we are the only country in Europe to have non Bios yet the ratio of childhood eczema & skin sensitivity is no lower here than elsewhere.

What they discovered is that the bleaching agents they put in the non bios to get stuff clean are just as aggressive on the skin as the chemical enzymes in the bios. The crucial point seems to be HOW MUCH you use rather than what you use. We all tend to put way too much detergent in our washes, which leads to a build up of detergents in the fabric which your baby is then likely to develop a sensitivity to. Oh some liquid non bios don't have bleaching agents in, but you need to be a chemist to decipher the list of ingredients!

So, check your packets and use HALF what they recommend. For me' Vanish has never caused a problem, but if course different skins react to different things. I find a tiny amount of bio gets our clothes clean most effectively, with a spray of vanish if needed on any bad stains.

I used to have a link to the Bristol Uni report online but I'm not sure it's still there, will have a look.

So, wash new stuff too if you want, but just a short cycle with water alone, or a tiny amount if detergent should do.

X

[kerry.finlay]

good advice Molly. sounds like the extra rinse is good whichever detergent you use!

[snowboarder]

Umm - I am obv v lazy - I never pre wash (I think I may have the first couple of things I bought before baby was born, but never again) - and we use bio as non bio just doesn't seem to do the job. But then I guess we are lucky and his skin doesn't seem too sensitive.

What's the deal with fabric conditioner and tumble dryer sheet thingies - are they baddies too?

[EmmaCC]

Have to say that due to baby coming 5 weeks early, we hadn't washed ANY of the clothes we'd bought for her! She was in the special care baby unit at Kings and I explained this to the nurses there who thought I was mad to worry about that and told me it wasn't necessary to wash it at all! This advice relating to a baby who was ill at that point means I can't believe it can be that bad if you don't wash anythiny...saying that, am pregnant with 2nd one now and am sure I will wash everything just to be sure!

[supergolden88]

In that case I may take it easy - wash the stuff that goes right on the baby's skin but not necessarily everything. I am relunctant to wash baby knitwear because if memory serves it's very easy to shrink them to unwearable sizes

[The Nappy Lady]

I think that's fine supergolden - I always put hand-me-downs through a wash without any detergent simply to get rid of any existing built up in them that my girls might react to (as different from what we use), but new stuff I have to say I didn't bother with 2nd time around.

In all honestly I think most of us worry too much, to a greater or lesser extent, mostly down to marketing by companies that want to sell their products (non bio detergents, 'actifit' nappies (snort), oh - the latest one that had me laughing a handwash that comes in an automatic dispenser so you don't have to touch the - potentially bacteria covered - pump...but er...if you were to touch the pump you're about to wash your hands right...so the problem is.....?????? I was sitting there thinking 'what a clever idea' and then realised how daft it was (assuming you are thorough when washing your hands of course).

Snowboarder, I haven't heard anything dreadful about fabric conditioners or sheets, so I'd say that if you are using them without problems you are probably OK. You could try doing a Google, but it may strike fear into you, be careful what you Google is my rule of thumb these days!!!

[Saffron]

Instead of using dryer sheets, try dryer balls for a no-chemi approach.

http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/ecozone/dryer-balls/

I bought similar at the eco shop on LL. They work well, except for sometimes getting lost in the bottom corners of duvet covers.

[ludoscotts]

I think either way the baby will be fine. I washed all of the clothes that I had bought for my daughter before she was born in non-bio but didnt pre wash anything that she was given as a gift after she was born!

in post baby brain frazzle it just didnt occur to me and actually still hadnt until I read this thread-oops!

but she didnt get any rashes etc so guess either way would be fine.

[womanofdulwich]

Re non bio- I have used for 18 years Fairy snow non bio and this has done teenage boys apart from cricket whites -but you do need to wash whites at 60 degrees.