Can you wash baby clothes with regular detergent?

The short answer to this question is yes. You can wash baby clothes with regular detergent. In most cases, using regular detergent to wash baby clothes will not create any problems for the parents or for the baby. But in some cases, some parents might find that their regular detergent can be too strong and cause damage to the baby’s clothes or might be allergenic for the baby, causing rashes or other lesions on their skin.

Is baby detergent necessary?

As seen above, the answer to this question is yes, it is necessary for some babies, and no, it is not necessary for other babies. A good way to see it is to think that the logic behind baby detergent is to have the detergent that is less detergent-y possible. In other words, baby detergent’s formula should be as mild as possible while still being able to clean clothes. This differs from the logic behind regular detergents, which can have other goals such as achieving the perfect white, removing grease, or helping prevent the color from washing away.

The important thing that parents should remember is that there has been, even if they did not notice it, a period of adjustment in which they found the detergent that best addressed their needs. Even for young parents that just recently moved in together and decided to use the detergent used at their own parents’ house, the selection period of the right detergent still happened, just that it was probably not them the ones going through it. An Example of this selection process is the trial and error process of changing your detergent when you realize it damages the clothes with the softer fabric you recently decided to start using during warm weather, for example.

Put simply, a baby brings new factors to be considered in that selection process. They might have sensitive skin that reacts to certain components in detergents to which the majority of people’s skins do not react to. They might outright be allergic to one of such components. They might not be affected (as, again, most babies and people are not) by the components of the detergent per se but by the one used to add the scent to it. The idea of using a baby detergent is to jump ahead of those possibilities and avoid having to find out that your baby actually needs to use it because it had some sort of reaction to regular detergent.

Pros of baby detergent

• It smells nice: All laundry detergents smell nice, which partly helps make the mental association to cleanliness. But baby detergents have a particular smell, one that people will not usually be accustomed to. As parents use the baby detergent, they will start associating it with the baby’s clothes. Imagine holding a baby that just took a bath and has on a fresh onesie. If the baby detergent is only used for the baby clothes, the particular smell will be forever associated with that moment!
• It is hypoallergenic and generally safe: As mentioned above, in the unlikely case that a baby has sensitive skin up to the point that it will react with normally-used detergent components, using baby detergent will prevent that condition from manifesting in the first place.

Cons of baby detergent

• The price tag: Being hypoallergenic and safe but still able to clean definitely impacts the price of baby detergent. There is a great variety of detergents out there, both regular and baby-focused, but baby detergent will most likely be more expensive.
• Keeping tabs on two products: Having two types of detergent means that parents must ensure they are well-provisioned for two different detergents. There are lots of new things that parents need to keep an eye on with a new baby, so small things like making sure you have enough of yet another household product do add up.
• Availability: Parents should check the availability of baby detergent where they live. Since it is a product destined for a smaller market, it might be harder to find in some places.

How to choose a detergent for a baby?

Some factors to consider when determining which baby detergent to choose:

1. Components: This might prove hard for parents, as one does not typically understand the complicated names that can be found on a label. A good rule of thumb is to be on the lookout for components that either of the parents normally stays clear of.
2. Price: Baby detergent helps avoid possible problems with the baby’s skin as it matures, so it is best to plan to buy the same one for as long as parents have decided to use it. This requires choosing one that can be included in the family’s budget. If a parent changes the baby detergent after using one for a while, it would probably have been simpler to try the household’s normal detergent and see how the baby’s skin reacts to it.
3. Doctor’s recommendations: Pediatricians have lots and lots of experience, not only with medical issues but with the day-to-day decisions parents must make. A good source of information is your baby’s doctor, as they will most likely have had patients before who have used the different options of baby detergent out there.
4. How easy it is to find: Again, the goal with using baby detergent is for parents to maximize the chances that the first detergent they use agrees with their baby’s skin. If parents choose a baby detergent that is hard for them to find later, they will have to buy a new one and risk again trying new components on their baby’s skin.

When can I start using regular detergent?

As with other baby-related things, there is no clear-cut answer as to when they are ready to transition to regular detergent. A possible timetable for trying to start using regular detergent is at three-month intervals - three months, six months, nine months, and so on. It is important to remember that if a baby is allergic to a detergent’s component, it does not matter how mature their skin is, as they will always have a reaction to it. A good way to transition to regular detergent is to wash one item of clothing and have the baby wear it during the day. If there is no reaction of any sort, it is most likely the case that their skin has matured enough not to be affected by the household’s regular detergent’s components. Avoid testing this at night, as it is best to be able to notice any possible reaction and act accordingly, as opposed to finding out in the morning that something was not right.

What to consider before washing baby clothes?

Some factors to consider are:

• Do separate loads (if you can): It is best not to mix the baby’s clothes with the clothes of other adult family members, at least in those first months. Adults are part of the world and go out and live in it, and so do their clothes. For the first months of a baby’s existence, it is best not to expose them indirectly to anything adults might bring in from the outside world. Once the baby starts going out regularly, this becomes less important. Also, the soap and water used in the wash should be enough to clean all filth, so it is not the end of the world if some parents cannot take this extra precaution for whatever reason.
• Further separate clothes that will be in direct contact with the baby’s skin: If baby detergent is limited, making loads of only clothes that will be directly in contact with the baby can help parents optimize the baby detergent they do have available.
• Always wash before using clothes: It is important to always wash clothes before the baby uses them. This will ensure that the baby only wears clean clothes and that if the baby has a reaction after wearing any given item, parents can easily attribute it to an internal factor, such as the detergent, and not to something the item could have brought from the store.
• Laundry areas are not for babies: Parents need to keep their babies away from the laundry area. Detergents and other products used to do laundry can be poisonous to humans, so babies should not be in close contact with them at any point. Parents should thoroughly clean any spills of these products, especially if the baby is mobile and can reach the laundry room’s floor alone.

Thoughts from new parents on baby detergent

In most cases, baby detergent is a luxury. But it is also true that a newborn brings many worries to new parents, so if baby detergent is within your possibilities, it is most definitely worth the investment. By using it, you reduce to the minimum the chances of your baby’s skin suffering a reaction and possibly save yourself from the extra work and worries this would entail.