How to Wash Your Newborn's Clothes (2024)

FAQs

How should you wash newborn clothes? ›

Baby clothes can usually be washed using warm water on a “normal” or “gentle” wash cycle depending on the fabric. Some materials, like cotton, can be better maintained with cooler water temperatures, so be sure to consult your laundry care tag before selecting a wash temperature.

In general, you can wash newborn clothes the same way you'd wash an older baby's clothes – in cool water on a gentle cycle setting with regular detergent. If you're worried about your newborn's sensitive skin, you can opt for a baby detergent or any dye- and fragrance-free detergent to start out.

Quite simply, the answer is yes. The key thing to remember when choosing a detergent for newborn baby clothes is to go for a non-biological detergent. This is because babies have very delicate and sensitive skin, which the stain-busting enzymes in biological detergents can irritate.

It is always best to wash brand new baby clothes before they are worn – this makes sure any possible impurities are removed before putting them next to your baby's delicate skin. Separate the clothes out into whites and colours as you would do your normal wash.

As for when during pregnancy you should pre-wash baby's clothes, Allison Cirillo, senior director of product integrity and technical design at Hanna Andersson, suggests doing so a couple of weeks to a month before delivery.

DRYING BABY CLOTHES

Delicate baby clothes or especially well-loved hand-me-downs may be better off with hang-drying or line-drying versus a machine dryer. For all other items, if the care label gives it the OK, you can use your machine dryer, but may want to use a gentle setting.

How long should I continue to use baby detergent? You can use baby detergent as long as you like. Dreft baby detergent covers all stages of your littles one's laundry, as well as the rest of the family for fresh and clean clothes that look good and smell great.

Laundry Detergents You Trust for Washing Baby Clothes

ARM & HAMMER™ Baby Liquid Laundry Detergent is a hypoallergenic washing detergent that's free from unnecessary chemicals. There are NO dyes, phosphates, added preservatives, brighteners, parabens, GMOs, or animal-derived ingredients.

Most baby clothes can be tumble-dried, but if you don't have a dryer or are trying to save electricity, perhaps you prefer to hang all your clothes to dry. Here are some tips for drying baby clothes on a clothesline.

Do this around 4-6 weeks before the baby is due. This is close enough to the date so that the clothes aren't sitting for months on end collecting dust. But it isn't too close to your due date when you should be focusing on rest and preparing for birth.

What happens if you don't wash newborn clothes? ›

“The clothes may contain manufacturing chemicals, which could irritate a baby's skin, and this is more likely to occur the younger the baby. However, life with a baby can be very busy, so it is OK to use clothes that haven't been washed if that's what needs to happen.”

Layers are crucial with newborns, as they struggle to regulate their own body temperature. Long-sleeved onesies and long-sleeve sleepwear are both good ideas. You can also match onesies with shirts. On average, it's best to have at least 14 newborn clothing options (two for each day of the week).

Some parents might feel compelled to seek out the best baby laundry detergent specifically for their infant's clothes. However, health experts say that isn't necessary, as long as your baby doesn't have allergies or very sensitive skin. If you have questions, talk to your pediatrician.

Experts suggest: A gentle detergent. You can opt for a baby detergent, but Dr. Ganjian says odor and dye-free detergents not marketed for babies are also safe.

When Should You Pack Your Hospital Bag? You should have your hospital bag ready to go between weeks 32 and 35 of your pregnancy, in case your baby comes a bit earlier than expected. A good time to start the packing process is around the 28 week mark, or at the start of your 3rd trimester.

When in doubt on what setting to use, wash baby clothes in cold water using the gentle cycle. This will still clean the clothes while at the same time preventing shrinking or color bleeding.

It is a common recommendation that baby clothes should be washed separately, using special “baby” detergents that supposedly leave fewer residues and are therefore less likely to cause skin irritation.

Wash and dry

Use cold water, a gentle wash cycle, and a low heat setting in the dryer. (None of this applies to cloth diapers, by the way—they have their own separate washing process.)