Safe washing: washing powders for baby clothes
Probably every young mother wonders which washing powder for a newborn baby will be the best and whether you can use the same powder for washing baby clothes as for the rest of the family. Wondering what to choose for baby laundry?
In the following article, Ewa Kamińska, an expert of the Institute of Mother and Child in the field of safety of using detergents for infants and children, answers the questions bothering parents: how and with what to wash baby clothes.
Why choose the right one washing powder for a newborn and baby is so important?
The skin of young children, especially newborns and infants, is very sensitive in the first months of life, so you should choose special detergents with gentle ingredients for washing. Why is this so important? Adult laundry detergents contain detergents that can cause skin allergies and irritation. By using baby laundry detergent, you minimize this risk.
Powders for washing children's clothes: ja kind of washing powder for a newborn to choose? What will be suitable for washing a baby?
Children's sensitive skin requires special protection, so it's recommended to use cosmetics and laundry products with specially formulated ingredients. Baby laundry detergent is more gentle and does not contain ingredients that can cause allergic reactions or skin irritations, such as fragrances containing allergens, irritating preservatives, or harsh bleaches. And if they do contain any, they are specially selected and non-allergenic.
When wondering which washing powder for a newborn to choose, remember that washing powders for babies can be safely used from the first days of life.
How to wash baby clothes?
Expert advises
Newborn underwear and baby clothes should be washed in the right detergents: always choose a baby washing powder with a safe composition. Temperature is also important - clothes should be washed at 60 ° C. Washing safely also includes rinsing and ironing - I recommend that you set your washing machine to a double or triple rinse program to remove any powder or liquid residue that may irritate your baby's skin.
During your baby's first few months, ironing is recommended —not only for clothing, but also for crib bedding, cloth diapers, blankets, and anything else that comes into direct contact with your baby's skin. This will reduce the roughness of the clothes, preventing irritation, and will also kill any microorganisms that may have developed during drying. However, the most important step is to rinse thoroughly , i.e., use a double rinse cycle.
Is hand washing safe?
Expert advises
I recommend washing in the washing machine for a simple reason - washing in an automatic washing machine is safer than by hand, because we are not able to rinse the latter so well. When washing children's clothes in the washing machine, the risk of incorrect dosing of washing powder for children is also reduced - the amounts are precisely described on the packaging. In the case of hand washing, it is usually done "by eye", so there is a risk that we will add too much liquid or washing powder for babies and it will not be rinsed out in the end.
Therefore, when buying baby clothes, it's worth paying attention not only to the appearance but also to the washing instructions on the label. We advise against buying clothes that should be hand washed.
Since when can the powder be used for the whole family?
Due to children's sensitive skin and the composition of common detergents, popular family laundry detergents should only be used after the child turns 3. Fabric softeners should also be avoided until then – they contain substances that remain in the clothing and come into direct contact with the child's skin, which can cause allergies and skin irritation. Such liquids can be used to rinse older children's clothes, provided the label states that they are also intended for children.
What about laundry for babies prone to allergies?
Expert advises
If the child is allergic, I advise against using powders for the whole family, even after the child turns 3 years old. A baby washing powder with a delicate composition will work much better. Often the effectiveness of such a powder is lower than that of products for adults, but we follow the principle that the health of our child is more important than perfectly white clothes.
Bleachers: can they be used on baby clothes?
The bleaching agent in baby laundry detergents is activated oxygen , released during washing from one of the powder's ingredients (e.g., percarbonate). Other bleaches should not be used on baby clothes. You can also buy special stain removers in stores. Only use those approved for use on babies and young children.
What washing powder for a newborn: the right dosage
Particular attention should be paid to the manufacturer's dosing recommendations on the packaging : baby washing powder may be concentrated or not.
If too much detergent is added, there is a risk that even during a double or triple rinse cycle, residues of the substance will remain in the fibers of the clothes and cause an allergic reaction or irritation when in direct contact with the baby's skin.
Better use washing powder or liquid for babies?
What form we choose - capsules, powder or washing liquid for babies - does not matter. Here you can be guided by individual preferences or habits.
The most important thing is the product's composition . So don't hesitate to choose baby laundry detergent or liquid. The most important thing is to check the ingredients.
Choose washing powders for baby clothes recommended by IMiD
When choosing a powder or washing liquid for babies, it is best to consider whether the product has an attestation, certificate or opinion of a scientific unit that assesses the safety of using products for children.
At the Institute of Mother and Child, before we start product usability tests, we carefully analyze its quantitative and qualitative composition, thanks to which a positive opinion is received only by those that contain amounts of ingredients that are safe for a child, including enzymes.
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