Along with the joy of having your first baby comes a myriad of extra chores. Perhaps the biggest of these is laundry. Just how do you wash your baby’s clothes? You’ll be relieved to learn that baby clothes are not much different than your own when it comes to laundry. With a bit of elbow grease and a dash of common sense you’ll keep those precious outfits looking as good as new.
Step 1
Read the labels of your baby’s clothes as you dress the baby. This will give you a head start if the baby spits up on her new frilly dress and you’re worried that it will stain.
Step 2
Sort baby clothes by color to ensure that the whites stay white and the colors stay bright. A three-sectioned laundry bin works great for infants, as you can sort the clothes as they are worn, putting whites, colors and delicates in individual sections.
Step 3
Treat stains as soon as they happen whenever possible. You can use the same stain treatment product that you use on your own clothing or purchase one made especially for baby stains.
Step 4
Wash the baby clothes in the hottest water recommended by the clothing manufacturer, using a laundry soap that is recommended for babies. Run the clothes through a second rinse cycle to be sure all the soap is removed.
Step 5
Soak delicate frilly dresses and outfits in a sink of cold water and gently wash by hand. Hang to drip dry or use the delicate cycle on the dryer.
Step 6
Soften your baby clothes with a softener labeled as safe for babies to ensure that there are no skin irritants in the product.
Step 7
Fold or hang your baby’s clothing as soon as they’re dry so they don’t get wrinkles or creases.
Warnings
- Use bleach sparingly on baby clothes and always use an extra rinse cycle (or two) if you do.
