Doing your own laundry may seem like a simple task that requires a little thought. However, add tiny baby clothes and bedding to the mix, and suddenly you’re spending more time doing laundry than you ever imagined. Here’s everything you need to remember when you’re looking at all those laundry loads.
The road to better health
Newborns make big messes with their laundry and may require more washing because newborn clothes can be exposed to body fluids.
If you have a toddler in your home, keep these tips in mind:
- Use a baby washing machine. It reduces skin irritation.
- Wash children’s laundry separately from the rest of the household. This helps prevent the spread of germs or bacteria. If someone in your home is sick, you may want to consider washing their clothes in hot water or adding bleach if possible. Always wash your hands after handling this detergent.
- Treat the rash immediately. This is the best shot to remove the stain.
- Sort laundry by degree of stain and soiling. For example, if you use reusable diapers, separate them from other baby clothes.
- Keep all detergents and laundry detergents out of the sight and reach of children. Store products in their original containers with labels attached. In case of accidental exposure, call a poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
Diaper duty
If you use cloth diapers with your baby, you will treat and wash them separately from all other laundry. It can be intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, washing cloth diapers isn’t difficult.
First, check the manufacturer’s instructions for washing diapers and follow those recommendations. In general, you can divide diaper duty into three categories:
- Prepare diapers. Do this by removing any solid debris. You can also use diaper spray to help with this. Place the diaper in a pail or diaper bag until you are ready to wash it (plan to wash the diaper at least once a day).
- Wash diapers. First, run the diapers through the wash cycle. Then, you wash them according to the fabric’s instructions or the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Dry diapers. Cloth diapers last longer if you air dry them. Air drying also helps them maintain their waterproofing.
Hot steps
The best way to prevent blemishes is to get to them before they pop. This is not always possible – especially when you are caring for a child. Here are some tips for some of the most common baby laundry stains. Also, don’t put the garment in the dryer until the stain is gone. Otherwise, the heat of the dryer may set the stain.
- Baby oil. Removing oil stains from fabric can be difficult. If there is baby oil on the clothes, first soak the excess oil with a paper towel and remove the stain with a stain remover. Wash as soon as possible at the hottest temperature safe for the fabric (check the label).
- Breast milk/formula/spitting up. Perhaps the most common culprit of stained baby clothes, breast milk/formula/spit stains are difficult to treat. Your best bet is to remove the stain as soon as possible and then let the garment soak for at least 30 minutes. For old stains, you should soak for several hours. Then rinse.
- Another common stain for baby laundry, paper stains are a little easier to remove. First, use baby gloves to clean what you can, then wash the item of clothing in cold water with dish soap before washing. Do not put the garment in the dye until the stain is completely gone, as this may cause the stain to appear.
Laundry equipment for the whole family
The first thing to consider when doing laundry is hygiene. Every day, our clothes are related to many things, including the personal hygiene of our body. Body fluids, bacteria and sweat affect almost everything we wear, from underwear to tops and hats.
Clothes also come into contact with allergens such as mold, pet dander, and pollen.
Washing tips
Sorting out laundry is more than just sorting out dark and light clothes. You should also consider wash cycles and temperatures. Start by checking clothing labels and grouping your laundry accordingly. Almost everyone knows to check the label of clothes, but did you also know that you should read the label of your washing instructions? This will give you an idea of how much detergent you need (more is not always better!).
Things to consider
Washing clothes at the right temperature saves money and helps the environment. For example, using hot water to heat water uses more energy and affects your utility bill. So save hot water for washing when someone in the house is sick or immunocompromised. Also, remember to set your dryer to the proper setting. Not all clothes need to be dried on the hottest setting. This affects your utility bill and the environment. Different drying times are recommended for different clothes. Read your dryer settings before each use. Some items may even perform better or better when hung dry. And although hanging your clothes outside may seem like the most affordable method, it exposes them to allergens such as pollen. It is best to hang dry clothes indoors.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Can I get sick from wearing clothes that expose me to bacteria?
- Can detergent irritate my skin?
