After birth, children’s immune system is not sufficiently developed, so their body is prone to germs and bacteria. Washing things for newborns should follow several rules. No less responsibility should be taken when choosing detergents. They should not contain harmful substances for the baby. Let’s figure out how to wash children’s clothes and what washing temperature to follow.
Assortment of detergents
Clothes and diapers for babies cannot be washed with ordinary powder. A large content of aggressive chemicals can harm the health of the baby. For washing baby things, you should choose suitable detergents.
Baby soap
Some doctors recommend using baby soap for washing. It has a number of advantages:
- the composition does not contain aromas, dyes and other dangerous chemicals;
- easily rinsed from the fabric;
- contains natural antibacterial components (for example, chamomile or sedum extract);
- absolutely safe for the child.
The disadvantage of children’s soap can be called low efficiency. It may not cope with heavy pollution. If the child is fed with mother’s milk, in the first month things are easily unwashed, especially if they are soaped and soaked in warm water immediately after contamination.
Household soap
You can wash a newborn’s underwear with household soap. It contains at least 72% fatty acids, so it does an excellent job of removing even old stains. At the same time, it is able to destroy bacteria and microbes.
Household soap made of natural ingredients is completely safe for children, but now manufacturers often add flavorings or bleaches to the composition. It is better to refuse to buy such soap. Disadvantages of household soap include a not very pleasant smell, but it goes away after thorough rinsing. Some mothers note the inconvenience of use, because you need to soap every little thing. You can simplify the task if you grate the soap and dilute it in water, although this also takes time.
Importantly! Soap in shavings, specially designed for children’s washing, is now sold on the market. Buying such a tool will save time and achieve a good result.
Powder and gels
Children’s underwear is allowed to be washed only with special powders. The fact is that their components easily get stuck between the fibers, so they should be harmless to the child. The inscription “For children” is not yet a reason to buy the product. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the composition. It is desirable that there are no:
- Phosphate additives. They are able to destroy the hydrolipidic protective layer of the skin, and when they get into the bloodstream, they have a negative effect on the blood formula.
- Surfactants (surfactants). They effectively remove pollution, but when they enter the body, they have a negative effect on biochemical processes.
- Chlorine. Causes irritation and itching, as it dries the epidermis.
- Optical brighteners. They are not completely rinsed from the fabric, they can cause severe allergies.
Washing powders allow you to get rid of even old stains, but you need to choose only products with a safe composition. Can be used for hand or machine washing.
Children’s things can be washed with special washing gels. Their assortment on the market is quite large, so when choosing, as in the case of powders, you need to study the composition when buying. The difference and advantage of the gel compared to the powder is that the active components in it are smaller and therefore easier to wash out from the fibers.
Soap nuts
The fruits of the soap tree are an ecologically safe and natural remedy. They contain natural surfactants that do not harm the child’s health. Convenient use of nuts in machine washing. The fruits are placed in a fabric bag, and then sent to a drum. The disadvantage of the tool can be called low efficiency in removing stains.
At what temperature to wash
You can wash things for newborns by hand or in a washing machine. The second option allows you to significantly save time, which is very important for mom. In each case, washing has its own characteristics.
Machine wash
When washing in a machine, follow several important recommendations:
- If there is a “Baby wash” mode, select it. The main feature of the program is a fairly high water temperature (60-80˚C), which allows you to wash away complex dirt with intensive rinsing.
- If there is no special mode in your machine, choose the program with the highest temperature. When washing delicate items, select the appropriate mode.
- Use a double or intensive rinse to completely rinse out detergents.
- Apply the powder according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Do not increase the dose.
Importantly! Household soap is also used for machine washing. Pre-grate a third of the bar on a grater and send it to the powder compartment.
Handwash
It is impossible to wash by hand at a temperature of 80˚C, so the water temperature should be around 40 degrees. Gloves should be used to protect your hands from damage and irritation.
To remove stains, it is recommended to wash things with soap and soak them in hot water. Leave for a couple of hours. Then rub with your hands and rinse well. For this, the water is changed 3-4 times.
Recommendations and advice
2-3 weeks before the maternity hospital, the purchased things for the baby must be washed, ironed and put in an airtight bag. New things cannot be used for a newborn, as they may contain bacteria, mold, dirt and other substances dangerous for the baby.
A few tips and recommendations from experienced mothers:
- If you are washing things for the first time, study the label (recommendations on temperature regime, type of washing, etc.).
- Before washing, remove feces and food residues from clothes.
- Always wash children’s clothes separately from adult clothes.
- The use of bleaches and stain removers with aggressive chemicals is strictly prohibited. The air conditioner should be abandoned.
- It is not recommended to dry the child’s underwear in high humidity, as well as outdoors.
To remove old stains, things can be boiled with household soap. A simple, effective and safe method will help whiten the clothes and diapers of a newborn at home. Take 6 liters of water, 2 tablespoons each of baby powder and baking soda, 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Boil the baby’s things in this mixture.
If you care about the baby’s health, approach the choice of washing products and the procedure itself with responsibility.