Caring for your baby’s clothes is a part of childcare. It would be best to clean the cloth diapers, their bibs, pajamas, bodysuits, and everything else. Your baby’s skin is sensitive, and it needs special care when it comes to what they wear.
Sometimes it is okay to struggle with understanding how to take care of a baby’s clothes and how to wash a baby’s clothes, but here is all the information you need.
To all the parents looking for tips and tricks to keep their baby’s clothes soft and new, this is a super helpful guide for you. Here is how you can take care of baby’s clothes, clean baby cloth diapers, and everything you need. Are you ready to become an expert for everything your baby needs?
How to clean baby’s cloth diapers, T-shirts, bodysuits, and everything else
To wash your baby’s clothes, you need to take care of everything, from the preparation to drying to organizing, every step matters. Let’s start from the beginning; the preparation of washing a baby’s clothes.
What to use to wash a baby’s clothes?
The preparation for washing your baby’s clothes starts before the actual process. You need to get the right washing supplies and treat the stains. Here is what you should prepare for before washing the baby’s clothes but you don’t need to be perfect.
The preparation for washing your baby’s clothes starts before the actual process. You need to get the right washing supplies and treat the stains. Here is what you should prepare for before washing the baby’s clothes.
Buy washing supplies with care: Artificial fragrance is one of the most notorious allergens. Many detergents available in the market contain perfumes, colors, and artificial dyes. Your baby’s skin is sensitive, and you surely need to avoid these things.
You can take some time and explore products specifically made for kid’s clothing. If you can’t find one, you can go for detergents that are hypoallergenic and non-toxic.
And if you want to be extra careful. You can always consult a pediatrician or a dermatologist.
Stick to a good brand: After finding the right detergent, stick to the brand. It’ll help you get the same results that keep your clothes fresh and clean, and you won’t risk the chances of surprising your baby’s skin. Moreover, it’ll also avoid causing any new allergies to your baby.
Treat the stains: As a parent, you must be aware of a stain on your baby’s cute romper. A stain makes the clothes look not-so-presentable, and you may even want to toss the clothes into the trash. But you can always pre-treat the stain before washing the clothes.
When the stain gets on the clothes, rinse the cloth with cold water. Get your trusted stain removal solution and rub or spray it on the entire stained area from inside and outside.
Tip: Always check the garment’s label for washing precautions. Take a look at the label to check if the garment is flame-resistant. If yes, you should steer clear from using bleach on it to maintain the integrity of its flame resistance.
Now that the preparation for washing your baby’s clothes is done let’s move on to the next step. Just know there are a few things you need to do before actually washing the clothes.
Recheck the tags: You don’t want to spoil your kid’s cute little outfits by careless washing. The garment’s color can fade, it can shrink, and it can wear out if not washed properly.
That’s why you need to double-check the clothes’ label and washing instructions. So make sure you read the fabric care well.
Wash the clothes inside out: If your baby’s outfit has a design on it, you’d want to keep it popping. To keep the design bright, wash the clothes inside out. This little step keeps your baby’s clothes looking as good as new for longer.
Rinse the clothes a few times: If your washing machine has a rinsing cycle, you are familiar with this step. But even if you are hand washing the clothes, you should double or even triple rinse the clothes with water. It’ll help you get rid of any allergens.
Let’s get to washing the clothes now.
Baby’s cloth diapers
Millions of tonnes of disposable diapers end up in our landfills every year, and it takes hundreds of years to degrade. The benefits of cloth diapers are far beyond saving the planet to keeping your baby’s skin healthy. So when you choose a cloth diaper, you are choosing to make a difference everywhere.
But many parents either don’t choose cloth diapers or despise washing them. Here is the best way to wash cloth diapers so that they are clean and smell good.
Now let’s get to how to wash a baby’s cloth diaper?
First of all, to be extra cautious, you could check your cloth diaper’s brand and their washing instructions. These instructions could also be available on their website, and that would help you a lot. It’ll also help you extend the life of the diaper.
Now the first thing is to establish a system for the dirty diapers until you wash them, and there are a few options available for that. There are specific containers designed for cloth diapers, or you can add liners to your laundry bag. And a deodorant would be a great addition.
Tip: If you are out with your baby and need a diaper change, you can carry a waterproof zipper or a waterproof wet bag with a deodorant. You’ll be stress-free all day.
Here is washing cloth diapers for parents in 4 steps:
1. Remove any waste
Sometimes the baby’s poop needs special cleaning from the diaper, and sometimes it doesn’t. It all depends on the baby’s diet. So after you remove the diaper from the baby, you’ll need to clean the diaper anyhow. It can be with water, and it can require extra care, depending on the situation. To clean the diaper, you can use a spray, scraper, or a specific diaper sprayer.
2. Put the diaper into a laundry bag
You can toss the diaper in your laundry bag after everything is removed. And you can wash it later. With pee diapers, you don’t need any prep.
Many parents swear that if you wash these cloth diapers when they are damp, they get clean effortlessly. To achieve this, you’ll have to wash the diapers often. You can wash these diapers frequently and keep your other laundry routine the same.
3. Time to wash
As mentioned above, you have to wash your baby’s cloth diapers more often than your baby’s other clothes. By frequently, every other day. Yes, it may sound excessive, but it is how you keep the diapers clean, stain-free, and fresh.
The longer you keep the diapers unwashed, the worse the stains will become. You’ll require extra wash cycles or a hand wash to get them clean. If you are not used to doing laundry this often, you don’t have to wash your other clothes on the same day; just wash the diapers.
Insight: You should buy double the number of diapers your baby will use in a day. This will ensure you have diapers to use even if you have a lot to wash. For example, newborns usually need changing more than 8-10 times a day, so if you wash diapers every other day, around 20 cloth diapers will be sufficient.
Dos
- To start washing your baby’s cloth diapers, run them in a cold cycle in the machine without detergent. Consider this your rinse to get rid of any excess dirt.
- Run the diapers through a warm or hot cycle; this time, include the detergent.
- Many parents who use cloth diapers swear by adding a scoop of baking soda and half a lemon juice cup to the second cycle to remove any stains from the fabric.
- Give the diapers an extra rinse. It will get rid of any residue and ensure the diaper is clean and fresh.
- Start potty training your baby at the right time.
Don’ts
- Avoid using bleach on cloth diapers as they can easily damage the fibers. Keep in mind it also cancels diaper warranties.
- Do not use vinegar to wash or add to the detergent while washing. It is strong and has the same effects as bleach. But if you decide on using vinegar, use the tiniest amount possible.
- Avoid using fabric softeners for the diapers. They work by adding a coat to the fabric, and in the case of diapers, this is not the best option. It may reduce the absorbency of the diaper.
How to dry the diapers
First of all, check the diaper’s washing and drying instructions. Follow the instructions to keep the diapers in good condition for the longest time possible.
But no matter how good your machine’s dryer is, it’d be better if you dry the diapers outside if you can. The clothes dry better, keeps your clothes fresh, and the warm sun fights some bacteria too.
If you can not dry the diapers outside, use any clothesline inside your room. It will air-dry your baby’s clothes and keep them happy and fresh.
And you won’t have to worry if your clothes are still a little damp. The best benefit of drying diapers in the air and sun is that it extends the diaper’s life.
You can dry your diapers in the dryer, but it can wear out the diapers quicker. The heat of the dryer also loosens the diaper’s elastic over time, and it can also reduce the softness of the fabric.
Now let’s talk about washing your baby’s other clothes.
Handwashing
Many people recommend hand washing a baby’s clothes instead of using a washing machine. It’s more gentle, and the clothes don’t wear out quickly.
But it isn’t the most effortless process. To help you, here are the steps you need to follow to hand wash your baby’s clothes properly.
1. Wash your hands
You touch a million things during the day, and you’re cleaning your baby too. Therefore your hands can be a great source of bacteria. Before you start washing the clothes, wash your hands first.
2. Get the water at the right temperature
Water’s temperature can make or break your washing results. If the water is too hot, it could loosen or wear out the clothes, and if the water is too cold, it won’t get the dirt off. So before you start washing the baby’s clothes, get the water lukewarm.
3. Soak the clothes
To get all the dirt off and remove any stains easily, you can soak the clothes in warm water. You can do this before and after washing the clothes for around 30 minutes, and you’ll be good to go.
4. Wash gently
Don’t use any scrubber on the baby’s clothes, and don’t rub the surfaces against each other. Be gentle and lather every part of the clothes carefully; warm water can help you with that. After, rinse the clothes thoroughly.
Machine wash
It’s recommended you hand wash your baby’s clothes. But machine washing is also a good and faster method to keep the garments soft and bright.
Many new parents are not used to washing baby’s clothes and it makes your job easier. If you want to machine wash your baby’s clothes, follow these steps.
1. Wash the baby’s clothes separately
Washing clothes together in the washing machine can transfer bacteria from everyone’s clothes to the baby’s garments. To avoid this, wash their clothes separately from yours. Even better if you wash the baby’s clothes before you wash any other clothes.
2. Pre-soak the clothes in detergent
Pre-soaking the clothes in warm water for 30 minutes before running the washing machine is a great way to ensure the clothes are clean. Add some detergent into the water and let it sit.
3. Rinse the clothes twice
As stated above, you need to rinse the clothes twice. It’ll get rid of any detergent residue, and the clothes will be softer. So go for the second spin!
How to dry clothes?
Drying your baby’s clothes is just as easy as drying your clothes. But you can follow these tips to be careful about that.
Ditch dryer sheet: It is hard to resist the freshness of dryer sheets, and you may be used to the good smelling clothes after. But this can be a source of allergies for your baby.
If you use a good detergent, the clothes will be clean and fresh anyway. So keep the dryer sheets away.
Be careful of the dryer time: No one likes their clothing to be damp, so going a little overboard on that dryer time may not seem like a bad idea. But your little one’s clothes are a bit more delicate, so you need to stick to the washing instructions. If you can’t figure out the drying time, take the clothes out early and lay them down to dry somewhere in the sun.
Don’t overload the dryer: If you think that overloading a dryer will dry more clothes in less time, you may be wrong. The thing is, it’ll take the clothes longer to dry, and it can increase the load on your machine, causing it to break down. So keep the dryer load in control and have freshly dried clothes.
Insight: Want to make your baby’s clothes feel new again? Use these brilliant tips from the and make your clothes happy again!
How to store your baby’s clothes?
As they say, “A place for everything and everything in its place” after your clothes are washed and dried, you need to take care of their organization too. If you store and dry your baby’s clothes in the right way, you won’t need to rescue them later. So here are some organizing tips that might come in handy to keep your baby’s clothes in good condition.
Closet ring dividers: When you are changing your baby’s diaper or getting them out of the shower, you need to quickly clothe your baby. Even when you’re going out, you don’t want to keep digging for the right jacket just to find it crushed under a pile of clothes.
You can save yourself from this confusion and protect your baby’s clothes from getting ruined too. You just need a few closet dividers, which you can DIY.
You can get plain clothing rack rings or multicolor door hangers. Label them according to clothes type, size, or necessity, and voila!
You’ll be good to go. It also makes everything look nice too.
Use plastic dividers: Another easy way to keep your baby’s clothes tidy and in good shape is by using plastic dividers. They keep your drawers sorted, and you can keep your little one’s clothes in good condition.
You can add cute labels if you like; it will help you divide the clothes into any category you want. Instead of sorting through a mixed pile of clothes, you’ll have folded and neat sections.
Section your baby’s clothes: After buying dividers for your drawers, you need to section the little one’s clothes. Try to keep similar clothes together, so it gets more comfortable for you to find them.
If you are stacking up clothes on top of each other, try to keep frequently used clothes on top and the rest towards the bottom.
Buy clothespins: You might have seen those hangers with little hangers-on them to hang cute baby clothes and accessories, but they cost a fortune. If you want to hang your baby’s clothes, get some small clothespins instead. Transform your regular hangers by clipping these pins to the garment over the hanger, and you are done!
Install shelves: To keep items like bibs, bath towels, and baby shoes that need a little air from time to time, you can get an airy solution. Install shelves on your walls to keep these items.
It’ll make them quick to reach and keep airing them to avoid dampness and smells. It can be the right destination for your baby’s diapering essentials (add diapering link) when you are on the go.
FAQs
Are you still confused about some things? Or do you still have some answered questions? Find the answers to frequently answered questions about washing, drying, and taking care of your baby’s clothes.
1. Do I need to wash brand new baby clothes before using them?
Yes, it is a good measure to wash even new clothes before using them. The clothes may have been exposed to the store’s bacteria, particles from the production line, and who knows what. To be on the safe side, wash the clothes before using them, even before the first time.
2. Is it safe to use a fabric softener?
No. A fabric softener isn’t a necessity in your baby’s clothes washing routine. Fabric softeners often contain a lot of chemicals to make your clothes softer and smell better.
You don’t want to expose your baby’s delicate skin to so many potential allergens.
3. What to take care of in case of babies with skin allergies?
The best thing you can do is consult a doctor, a pediatrician, or a dermatologist, regarding a situation like that. Start by knowing the root of your baby’s allergies and the things you should avoid. Then you’d want to ask for the right detergent and use that for washing the clothes.
4. How to remove stains from a baby’s clothes?
These are four popular methods of getting rid of stains from your baby’s clothes.
- Try the area with the stain with cool water.
- Dip it in a 1:1 solution of rubbing alcohol and water, followed by a regular wash.
- Use a stain remover pre-wash and follow with laundering.
To tackle stubborn stains, soak the cloth piece in a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water, and wash after.
5. Should I line dry my baby’s clothes or use the dryer?
There are benefits and drawbacks of both line drying and machine drying.
- Machine drying: When you machine dry your clothes, they dry faster. It is a good option for busy times, but there are more drawbacks than benefits. If there is more load in the dryer, the clothes stay damp. Regularly using dryers can loosen your baby’s diaper elastic and wear any fabric out faster.
- Line drying: Line drying your baby’s clothes may take more time, but it has more benefits. If you dry your baby’s clothes in the sun, the clothes will dry better and fresher. It also ensures that the clothes dry correctly. But make sure you don’t dry the clothes in the harsh sun; it ensures the colors of your clothes don’t fade.
6. Should I hang or fold my baby’s clothes?
How you wash your baby’s clothes and store them is totally your preference. They are so tiny you can fold or hang them as you like. If you decide to fold them, they won’t wrinkle much.
And if you want to hang them, get hangers for baby clothes, and you’ll be good to go. Although, smaller items like socks, baby bibs, and cute baby bodysuits are easy to fold and toss into the drawers.
And that is a wrap on every essential thing you need to take care of your baby’s clothes. Remember they have very sensitive skin, and to keep them happy, you need to make the right choice from washing products to the technique.
Once you use these techniques to clean cloth diapers and wash your baby’s clothes, you’ll never look back. And you can always save this article to refer to and share.
Like you, we also care for your little one. Check out these informational articles on baby’s skincare, baby clothes for all seasons, and potty training your baby every parent should read.
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