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Babies get dirty quickly. Sometimes they crawl through mud and wet grass, sometimes they spill red juice on themselves, and diaper explosions happen more often than you'd like. When the piles of laundry start piling up at home, you instinctively want to reach for the strongest detergent and a nice-smelling fabric softener to get the stains and smell under control. But you should be careful here, because the wrong products can trigger allergies, asthma and neurodermatitis and cause lasting damage to clothes. We give you tips and tricks on how to wash baby clothes properly and show you how to avoid harmful chemicals and get everything clean at the same time.
Before washing baby clothes: Make conscious purchasing decisions
Only the best is good enough for the baby. This applies not only to washing the laundry, but also to the baby clothes themselves. Because when you buy clothes, you can consciously choose clothes that are free from harmful substances and of high quality. This protects the skin, protects against allergies and ensures that the clothes last a long time. You can recognize good baby clothes by reputable seals and certificates such as GOTS , Oeko-Tex or IVN Best.
The practical aspect is also important when choosing baby clothes. Sensitive fabrics such as merino wool and silk are natural and feel great, but because they deform or break, they often cannot even be hand-washed in the washing machine. If, on the other hand, you choose baby clothes made of organic cotton such as our Cosy Roots collection , you can wash them in most cases at 30 to 60 degrees or in the delicate wash program of your washing machine. This saves you a lot of time and effort.
Wash clothes before wearing them for the first time?
Rompers, leggings, T-shirts and pajamas: Many textiles come into direct contact with sensitive baby skin. Since industrially manufactured clothes often have residues of chemicals or dyes, they should definitely be washed before being worn for the first time. GOTS-certified clothes such as our Cosy-Roots baby clothes, on the other hand, deliberately avoid harmful substances and use at least 75% organic natural fibers. Here you can be sure that your baby will not come into contact with harmful chemicals, pesticides or other pollutants. Here too, however, we would recommend that you wash the baby clothes after purchase to be on the safe side, so that possible bacteria and dirt are removed.
These detergents are gentle on baby skin
There are many different detergents and it is not always easy to make a decision. For baby clothes, we recommend that you only choose organic products. You can find these in most organic supermarkets and many drugstores. With reliable seals of approval such as NCP (Nature Care Product), Ecocert and Ecogarantie, you can be sure that the product is low in pollutants. Soap nuts are also an organic way to clean your baby clothes.
However, you cannot rely on washing powder or liquid detergents labeled “sensitive” or “fragrance-free.” Since these terms are not protected, the detergents can still contain harmful ingredients such as preservatives, perfumes, surfactants, phosphates and microplastics.
Can fabric softener be used?
Fabric softeners contain a lot of chemical ingredients and can trigger or encourage allergies. We therefore recommend that you avoid using these products on baby clothes. If you don't want to do without them, you can also use organic fabric softeners, which are hypoallergenic and do not contain any harmful substances. But you can also soften the clothes without using any special products by ironing them after drying.
The optimal washing temperature for baby clothes
To ensure that baby clothes are not damaged or shrink when washed, you should always follow the manufacturer's instructions on the laundry label when choosing the washing temperature. There you will find temperature information and information on the type of wash. Most items of clothing can be cleaned easily at 30 or 40 degrees if you pre-treat difficult stains. This also uses less energy and protects your family's clothes. If you have delicate baby clothes made of knitwear or silk, it is best to wash them by hand or in the delicates program on your washing machine.
Baby bedding should be washed at a minimum of 60 degrees. At this temperature, germs and bacteria are completely removed. If your little one is allergic to house dust, boiling at 95 degrees is recommended so that mites are completely killed.
Remove stubborn stains
Stains on baby clothes are a tricky thing. While milk is easy to remove at first, when you start to eat solid foods, complicated stains like tomatoes, carrots and strawberries become a problem. Stubborn stains can be easily removed in the washing machine at 60 degrees. But laundry made of organic cotton or wool/silk does not tolerate high temperatures well. Natural stain removers like gall soap or lemon juice can work wonders here. Simply rub the stain into the stain beforehand, allow it to take effect and then wash it in the washing machine or by hand as usual. Many stains are also bleached out by direct sunlight.
Tips and tricks at a glance
In families with several children and babies, the piles of laundry pile up every day. To help you keep track of everything and save time when doing laundry, we have put together a few extra tips for you:
- Sort all textiles into baskets according to color and washing temperature. For example, if you wash baby and children's clothes together with your own things, you can sort your laundry into four baskets: white, colored, hand and 60 degree wash. This way you always have an immediate overview of which basket is full and needs to go in the washing machine.
- A dryer uses electricity and puts a strain on clothes. If possible, hang the laundry out to dry in the fresh air. This is also the best way to make washed clothes smell.
- Only use organic detergent for clothes. When washing baby clothes, you can do without fabric softeners, hygiene rinses and disinfectants.
- Clothes are not always dirty. Babies do not sweat as much and can wear clothes several times. If the clothes are free of stains and do not smell unpleasant, you can hang them up in the fresh air and wear them again. This also increases the lifespan of the clothes.
Good quality for long durability
If you are looking for the best possible quality and comfort for your baby, but don't want to spend hours washing clothes by hand, organic cotton is the right material for you. High-quality clothing made from this natural fiber, such as our magical Cosy Roots baby clothes, can withstand a lot of stress, is soft, healthy and environmentally friendly at the same time. While the sensitive skin of babies and children often reacts to rough materials, organic cotton is hypoallergenic and contains no chemical residues, so itching and skin redness do not occur.
At the same time, the high-quality clothing is easy to clean. Stains can be pre-treated and the baby clothes can be washed in the washing machine using a gentle organic detergent on the normal and delicate cycle. This saves you a lot of time and at the same time gives you magical baby clothes that are long-lasting and pamper your little one's skin.
