Laundry Methods and Products for Sensitive Baby Skin

Just like adults, some babies have sensitive skin, and some do not. If your baby does have sensitive skin, you may need to use special products or methods for doing baby laundry. You'll probably go through some trial and error figuring out what works for you and your baby. Here are some ideas.

The first thing you'll probably hear about is Dreft. It's the classic baby laundry detergent and it's been around for over 75 years. It claims to be specially formulated to be extra gentle for sensitive baby skin. If you have a new baby, you'll probably get at least one free sample and maybe a bottle or two as a baby shower gift. In fact, you may get the impression that all baby clothes should be washed in special detergent.

Dreft is nice; I've used it before. It smells good, and works as well as most detergents. It may help some babies with sensitive skin. But it isn't necessary for all babies. If you do have a baby with sensitive skin, give it a try, but if it doesn't work, you may want to try another option. Many stores also have generic versions of Dreft. You can find Dreft and the generic versions in the laundry detergent aisle at most stores.

Depending on how sensitive your baby's skin is, you may be able to get away with just using your family's normal detergent. The key is to get the clothing and bedding completely rinsed out. Conventional laundry detergents often leave a residue in fabrics after washing. To minimize the residue, use a smaller amount of detergent and an extra rinse cycle. You can experiment with the amount of detergent until you find an amount that both gets the clothes clean and rinses out. Some people use as little as one tablespoon!

Selecting a dye-free, fragrance-free version of your normal detergent is another solution. You can use these detergents for the whole family's laundry with no problem, so you won't have to wash the baby's laundry separately. These detergents are available in many brands, including All, Tide and Cheer.

For many people, natural and organic laundry detergents help protect sensitive baby skin. Seventh Generation laundry detergent is widely available, even in mainstream grocery stores, and does a reasonably good job getting stains out.

Do be sure to wash all new baby clothing and bedding before using it, because it may contain chemicals used to make the fabric look nice in the store. These chemicals could irritate your baby's skin.

Finally, don't use commercial fabric softeners. These contain perfumes, dyes, and other chemicals that can irritate a baby's skin. If you feel you need a fabric softener, try 1/8 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle instead.