After the birth of a kid in any family, parents become jubilant and content beyond any doubt. However, the arrival of a child is not only about making merry and celebrating- it also brings a lot of added tasks and responsibilities. Some of them are part of daily chores- but very important for well being of the infant nonetheless. As the baby grows up, the amount of clothes and accessories also keep growing! From frocks to socks and small gloves, you will have to ensure each and every dress used by your little bundle of joy is taken care of and washed properly.
Guidelines to Wash Baby Clothes in the Best Possible Way
While washing baby clothes is not drastically different from washing regular garments, you need to be cautious. The baby garments and innerwear are made of delicate fabric and you need to be careful about any kind of infection, apart from stain removal.
Below listed are a few handy tips that will aid you in washing baby garments properly:
- Before Washing The Clothes – You should always wash the clothes of an infant separately. Keep in mind, babies tend to have delicate and sensitive skin and that can react to allergens more than others. Mixing baby clothes with that of adults in a wash load is not a good idea. Wash the clothes of your baby in a separate cycle. It would be a prudent idea to wash the baby socks and small items in a mesh bag. Like you do for your clothes, wash the whites separately.
- Reading Wash Care Instructions – This is something you do before putting your own garments into the washing machine as well. Some delicate baby clothes may be suitable for hand wash. You will also find some baby garments that are not suitable for use in a dryer. Keep those items separate. It would be prudent to store the baby clothes for wash in a separate laundry basket or bag. That way they will not get mixed up with other clothes and risk of getting allergens will be reduced.
- Choosing The Right Detergent – This can be somewhat tricky. While most parents feel they should wash the infant’s clothes using a specially formulated baby cloth detergent liquid, that is not always required. Unless the infant is a few days old or so, you can wash his or her clothes using delicate liquid detergents. However, it is better that you choose organic detergent fluids that do not have harsh chemicals and skin irritants. You may keep the clothes dipped in a liquid antibacterial solution before washing them for safety. This is better for clothes stained with body fluids and foods in particular.
- Choosing The Right Wash Cycle/Method – Some washing machines, inclining front loading models have a separate baby wash cycle. If your washing machine lacks such wash modes, opt for the gentle wash cycle. It is prudent that you choose a warm water temperature for washing baby clothes. This ensures there is no germ. You may also opt for an additional rinse cycle when washing baby clothes, as this ensures the detergent residues get washed completely.
- Dealing With The Stains – Like the clothes you wear, the clothes of your baby can get stained in several ways. From milk and food stains to urine marks, you may find the baby clothes with deep stains and they may not be used in regular wash completely. Had it been your own clothes, you could resort to bleach, but for the baby’s clothes- it is not a good idea! You may pre soak the stained baby clothes in water and mild detergent to loosen up the stains. Some deep stains may fade completely after 2 or 3 washes and so you should have patience.
- Drying Infant Clothes – Baby clothes tend to be delicate and you should ensure the drying process should not take a toll on them. Imagine, how will the baby feel if he or she is made to wear clothes that are deeply wrinkled and squeezed by drying? So, ensure you choose the lowest drying speed (RPM) for the infant clothes. Selecting the anti crease wash cycle of your washer also makes sense here.