When I first became a parent, I got A LOT of unsolicited advice. Everyone had something to say about everything: from how to feed my baby to how to hold him and how to get him to sleep. Granted, some people did give me some solid advice, but most of it was stuff I already knew. I mean, I had just spent the last 9 months researching everything I could about babies; I was kind of an expert on the subject. But would they have understood any of that if I told them? Nope. So I just sat and listened to everything they had to say. 

I have to say, one thing few people talked about was how to properly clean my baby’s clothes. I think a lot of people just assume that to clean a baby’s clothes, all you have to do is wash them like you would everything else. 

This couldn’t be further from the truth, though. Doing your baby’s laundry is a skill that has to be learnt by anyone who wants to keep the clothes looking and smelling fresh. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to share everything I know about how to wash baby clothes in this post. 

Here’s my guide to washing baby clothes the right way. 

Choosing your detergent

While there are many brands to choose from, I highly recommend using a fragrance-free option to wash your baby’s clothes. My baby was highly sensitive to scented stuff and he always broke out in a rash whenever I used anything scented. Whenever he wore his babygrows, you could almost trace out where the fabric had touched his skin. So err on the side of caution and use no fragrant detergents. 

Should you wash the baby’s clothes separate from the rest of the family?

Some parents swear by this. I did too, at first. But let me tell you, doing multiple baby-only loads on top of your regular laundry loads is a lot of work. So I found a simple solution to this little problem: switching the entire family to fragrance-free, baby-safe detergent. 

There really is no point in separating the clothes because one way or the other your baby will come into contact with your clothes. You cuddle them all the time, don’t you? 

That said, here are special situations that call for washing your baby’s clothes separately: 

• If your baby has very sensitive skin or a skin condition like eczema
• If someone in the family works with dangerous chemicals
• If you like it when your clothes smell a certain way and you don’t want to change that
• If your baby goes through enough clothes and blankets daily to make up a daily load

Do you need to wash the baby’s new clothes?

Absolutely! Always wash new clothes whether they’re brand new or hand-me-downs. You can never really tell what might have come into contact with the clothes before you. Not washing new clothes will only make your baby more likely to get skin irritations. 

How to removing stubborn stains from baby clothes

Here are some of my personal favorite hacks for removing stubborn stains from baby clothes: 

1. Poop stains

First, rinse off the poop under running water. Then pre-treat the stain with a general stain remover. Let it sit for half an hour then toss it in the washing machine. 

2. Pee stains

Don’t let it sit for too long or it will be harder to remove. Rinse the stain in cold water then toss it in the washing machine. Do this as soon as you notice the stain. 

3. Formula stains

It is important not to leave formula stains to dry in the first place. When you first notice it, blot the area with a damp cloth to get rid of as much formula as possible. Then rinse the area under cold water. You can also soak the entire item in cold water for about 15 minutes. Next, gently rub some detergent into the stained part. Then toss it into the washing machine at moderate temperature (104F/ 40C). 

4. Spit up

Rinse the item in cold water. Apply some stain remover to the are. Finally, toss it in the washing machine. For bigger stains, start by soaking the item in warm water with some detergent for 15 minutes.

5. Food stains

Start by soaking the item in cold water overnight. Then rub some detergent into the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes before tossing it in the washing machine while following the washing instructions on the label.

Final thoughts

As you wash your little one’s clothes, be sure to always follow the instructions on the labels if you want them to last longer. Hopefully, these tips and tricks will make laundry days a little less of a headache. Good luck!