Difference between revisions of "Wash Baby Clothes"

[[Category: Washing Delicates]]

#Read the instructions. The fabric of your baby clothing might require special treatment for best washing, or may be washable with your normal laundry.<ref name="rf1">https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Cleaning-Baby-Clothes.aspx</ref> Check the tag on each article of baby clothing and note washing temperatures, drying procedures, recommended detergents, and so on.

#*Pajamas and sleepwear are sometimes made of fire retardant material. This material usually requires special cleaning to preserve its flame retardant properties, so be extra careful to check tags on sleepwear.<ref name="rf2">http://www.pediatricsafety.net/2009/10/childrens-pajamas-and-flame-retardants/</ref>

#Sort your baby clothing. Divide all articles of clothing into smaller loads of white, light, and dark colors.<ref name="rf3">http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-wash-baby-clothes/#WashingBabyClothes</ref> Keep any flame retardant garments separate to ensure you do not wash these with the regular laundry, as this can ruin the fire-resistant properties of those clothes.

#*You should always wash cloth diapers in a separate load, though you might consider washing these with towels to help balance the washing drum of your washer.<ref name="rf4">http://www.babygearlab.com/a/11105/Cloth-Diapering-Laundry-Basics-Helpful-Hints</ref>

#Set your washing machine. Now that you've checked the tags on your baby clothing and know the recommended settings you should use, set both the temperature and washer cycle.<ref name="rf3" /> Then turn your washer on and allow it to fill with water. If garments don't have labels, wash these in warm water ''except'' for:

#*Cloth diapers, which should be washed in hot water to improve sanitation.<ref name="rf5">http://realdiapers.org/wash</ref>

#*Flame retardant garments, which should be washed in cold or warm water to preserve their flame retardant features.<ref name="rf6">https://www.flameresistantuniforms.com/fr-garment-care.html</ref>

#Add detergent to the water.<ref name="rf3" /> Babies have very sensitive skin, so be sure you use a detergent formulated for infants. Strongly scented detergent, too, should be avoided, as these can be overpowering to very young children. Measure the correct amount of detergent based on the size of the load according to tag and label directions.

#Make your own detergent. You can make your own baby-friendly detergent by combining 1 cup of castile soap flakes, 1/2 cup washing soda, and 1/2 cup borax.<ref name="rf7">http://wellnessmama.com/462/homemade-laundry-detergent/</ref> Add 1 cup of the mixture to your washer and you're ready to launder!

#Load your washing machine. Scatter the load of clothes you are washing into your washer. Submerge each garment into the water and make sure weight of the clothing is distributed equally throughout the washer. Be careful to not overfill your washer.<ref name="rf3" />

#Rinse your baby clothes again. Any remaining soap in the fibers of your baby clothing can irritate your child's skin. To be extra sure this does not happen to your child, you should set your washer to run the clothes through a second rinse cycle.<ref name="rf3" />

#Identify proteins stains. Some might think "meat" when thinking of protein, but for a baby, this category includes breast milk, most kinds of formula, spit-up, blood, and most kinds of baby food.<ref name="rf8">https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/laundry-washing/how-to-wash-baby-clothes</ref> Protein can bind with the fibers of the clothing, making these stains difficult to remove.<ref name="rf9">http://www.getridofthings.com/household/get-rid-of-blood-stains/</ref>

#*If the stain is fresh, wipe away the excess protein that has gotten onto your baby clothes and soak it right away in cold water. This is best way to prevent the stain from setting into the fabric.<ref name="rf8" />

#Remove any dry residue. If your stain has already dried and left a film, crust, or excess matter, you should try to remove as much of this as possible before proceeding. This will prevent the spread of a stain and lead to the best results when cleaning.<ref name="rf8" />

#Pre-soak your protein stained garments. Heat or chemicals can cause a protein stain to react in such a way that it binds to the fabric you're trying to wash, which can leave a permanent stain.<ref name="rf9" /> Soak these stains in cold water to help loosen the proteins from your fabric, agitating the soaked garments for best results.<ref name="rf10">http://www.kidspot.com.au/MySpot-home-8-facts-about-stain-removal+3588+173+article.htm</ref>

#Pre-treat the stain. Now that the clothes have soaked in cold water and the protein stain loosened from the fabric, apply a dab of baby-safe detergent to the afflicted area. Allow the detergent to set for a while, and then you are ready to wash.<ref name="rf8" />

#Check tags and set your washing machine. You should check and make sure the clothes that you are washing are safe for a cold machine wash. You should use cold water to keep the protein from binding with fibers while the cleaning agents in your detergent lift the stain.<ref name="rf8" />

#Wash your baby clothes according to the label.<ref name="rf1" /> After finishing your pre-soak and pre-treatment, you can add baby-safe detergent to your washing machine and run the laundry through a cycle. While waiting for the load to finish, you might prepare the next load of laundry, accomplish other chores around the house, or take a short break.

#Allow another rinse. To ensure that all potentially skin irritating detergent is removed from your baby's clothing, you should allow the load of laundry to go through one more rinse cycle.<ref name="rf3" /> Once this cycle is finished, you can remove the clothing and dry according to the garment tag instructions.

#Remove excess excrement. Cleaning dirty cloth diapers can be highly unpleasant, but these are an economical solution to expensive disposable diapers.<ref name="rf11">http://www.diaperjungle.com/why-use-cloth-diapers.html</ref> Before doing anything, you should wipe or scrape all excess from the soiled spots on your diaper for best results.<ref name="rf1" />

#Utilize a dry pail. You won't be able to wash every diaper the moment it's soiled, so you'll need a container to hold dirty nappies while awaiting laundry day. A plastic pail with a lid is excellent for this purpose, though you may want to prop the lid open slightly to prevent the buildup of potent ammonia smells.<ref name="rf4" />

#Pre-soak your nappies with white vinegar. You should fill a basin or soaking container with cold water and add a few tablespoons of distilled white vinegar to it.<ref name="rf8" /> White vinegar is a natural cleaning agent that is effective at brightening whites and erasing odors, making it a solid choice for cleaning cloth diapers.

#Dab detergent to pre-treat bad stains. Remove your cloth diapers from the cold water and dab the remaining stained areas with your child safe washing detergent.<ref name="rf8" /> Allow this solution to set in the fabric for about five minutes before putting these in the washing machine.

#*Urine stains can be more efficiently treated with an ammonia/cold water solution. Dilute one tablespoon of ammonia in a cup of cold water and saturate your stain with it, allowing it to set for five minutes before attempting to wash.<ref name="rf8" />

#Set your washing machine and insert your clothing. Most cloth diapers are suitable for washing on the hot setting of your washing machine, but if you are uncertain about this you should consult garment tags.<ref name="rf4" /> Add your baby safe detergent to the water and then put your baby's dirty nappies in as well.

#*Some modern manufacturers of cloth diapers use synthetic fibers or water resistant fibers that require special washing procedure. If you have bought modern cloth diapers, consult its packaging or tags before washing.<ref name="rf4" />