Washing Baby Clothes

It is a known fact that baby clothes tend to get dirty more often than any other household clothing item. The reason for this is that babies do not differentiate between dirty and clean places. They tend to crawl to dirty places and mud more happily than to any neat place. Moreover, they often spill milk which leaves a stain. The early baby foods like mashed banana, etc, can also leave a permanent stain on the clothes if it is not washed immediately. Leaking diapers is also one of the reasons the clothes become dirty and need immediate washing.

Washing those cute little clothes is easy, but it is not done in the same way as adult clothes are washed. The reason for this is that babies have softer and more sensitive skin than most of the grown-ups. They tend to develop skin rash more easily if strong detergent is used, or if the detergent is not properly removed from the fabric. Also, some detergents may be good in removing stains, but they may damage or stiffen the delicate fibers.

To machine wash the little clothes, pour some mild detergent in cold or lukewarm water.  Always avoid hot water as it may damage the fabric. Mix water and detergent well and then add the baby clothes. Use gentle washing cycles. Rinse the clothes well with water in order to remove the detergent properly.

If you feel that the detergent has failed to remove the stains, you can use oxygenated bleach, but chlorine bleach should never be used.

Once you are done with washing, pour half a cup of white vinegar in water and soak the clothes in it for a few minutes. Vinegar removes detergent residues and leaves the fibers soft with a nice fresh fragrance. Wriggle the clothes gently and dry them in sun.