Is it a total sin to...

wmramsel

wash baby stuff in regular detergent?  I didn't think about getting dreft and washed the baby stuff I already have in our regular detergent minus softener.  I thought that the only time you needed to use special detergent is if baby has an allergic reaction, but my mom said you use dreft to make sure baby doesn't have a reaction.  

Should I rewash all the stuff I washed or just continue and see if baby reacts? 

steffwd124

i was wondering the same thing actually. I found out last week that there is such a thing as special baby detergent. I had no idea! my personal thoughts... see if the baby has a reaction... but i have no idea what the "right" thing to do is.

branlynn

I already use All Free & Clear because of my allergies, so I'll probably just use that? Let's hope that's good enough haha

juliane2004

I still wash DD's clothes in infant detergent, and shes almost 10 months.

tfarabians

I have always just used a free and clear detergent.  You don't HAVE to use something like dreft.

stbmittleman

You can use the free and clear stuff instead of Deft. Deft is pretty pricey, but you can find the free and clear stuff everywhere. In fact, my regular detergent is the free and clear from Costco, because it's cheapest.

alliecarrie41

branlynn:

I already use All Free & Clear because of my allergies, so I'll probably just use that? Let's hope that's good enough haha

 ditto!  i hate dyes and fragrances so i never use these; i assume baby detergent is similar. 

MichelleL1118

I don't plan to use a baby detergent like Dreft.  I'll be using the same detergent for baby that I use for DH & my clothes, which is a free & clear, hypoallergenic detergent.   

Molluskwrangler

Like PPs I already use free and clear b.c I have sensitive skin,  (I don't know what you use but Tide is one of the harsher detergents)  I don't plan on buying something special, just going to keep using what I am using.

jmcfrost

Purex also makes a baby detergent that is like 1/3 of the cost of Dreft. I just got some today but haven't tried it out yet.

daintydoxie

i have never used dreft.  i started out using the free and clear detergent with DS and now i just use any variation of Seventh Generation detergent.

wmramsel

LovingBaz:

Like PPs I already use free and clear b.c I have sensitive skin,  (I don't know what you use but Tide is one of the harsher detergents)  I don't plan on buying something special, just going to keep using what I am using.

Yea, I usually use the tide cold water.  This past time it was the tide loads of hope because it was on sale and there was no tide cold water.  I'll have to look into the free and clear! 

WestCoastMommy

No I never used dreft. You will know if your baby has a reaction to it and then you can change. DS never had a problem with regular detergent.

*sallymad*

I have never used dreft for dd's stuff. But I have always used (even before dd) free and clear stuff. 

kazpin

MichelleL1118:

I don't plan to use a baby detergent like Dreft.  I'll be using the same detergent for baby that I use for DH & my clothes, which is a free & clear, hypoallergenic detergent.   

Ditto this!  DH has sensitive skin so we use a free and clear....

DaniGirl0517

I asked a similar question on the EFF board a few months ago since I make my own laundry detergent.  I had a reaction to all the "hypoallergenic" brands I tried so there is still something there and the only solution was to make my own.  Anyway they said that you have to use a different formula without an actual soap (mine is bar soap based) because the soap will reduce the fire-retardantcy of the fabric.

However since most laundry "soap" is actually a detergent (man made, not natural bases) and not made from real soap you should be fine I would think.

nygirl07

All the free baby stuff I've gotten so far from stores has had a sample of the ALL free n clear so I'll be using that.  Dreft is expensive and just a way to make you think you HAVE to buy it b/c it's meant for babies.

pawcall

wmramsel:

wash baby stuff in regular detergent?  I didn't think about getting dreft and washed the baby stuff I already have in our regular detergent minus softener.  I thought that the only time you needed to use special detergent is if baby has an allergic reaction, but my mom said you use dreft to make sure baby doesn't have a reaction.  

Should I rewash all the stuff I washed or just continue and see if baby reacts? 

I think baby detergent is a crock of crap, personally.  If your kid has seriously sensitive skin and has a reaction, you can look into what changes you can make, but babies have gotten along just fine for years without the benefit of Dreft.

We use All Free&Clear for our clothes anyway because I have skin allergies.  That's what we'll continue to use for the baby.

ETA: just read all of the responses.  Wow, we are a society of sensitive skin-havers 

Give the Free&Clear a try.  A few different companies make them, I think.  I know All has always been good for us, is inexpensive, and is easy to find coupons for too.

Mrs.LD813

I already use a detergent free of dyes and perfumes (seriously sensitive skin over here), so I would think that would be OK for baby? But I don't know, I guess I'll have to look into that. 

mrsseguin

We have always used our regular detergent.  We use kirkland free and clear.  I think your fine to leave it.

Tracy6450

I'm one of those people who doesn't quite get the hype over stuff like baby detregent.  If it comes out that LO has a skin allergy then I'll switch to something like Free & Clear but DH and I don't have any type of sensitive skin and I know tons of people who wash their LO's clothing in the same detergent they use for themselves and their LO's are just fine. 

CAB'smommy

branlynn:

I already use All Free & Clear because of my allergies, so I'll probably just use that? Let's hope that's good enough haha

I use this.  I bought Dreft for DS once.  I think it's a waste of money.  My kids have uber sensitive skin and they were always fine with regular detergent.   

honey740

I have really sensitive skin, Tide os the only brand I can use, so this is what I will continue to use. Soaps too, Dove is the only one that doesn't make me break out. I think Dreft is a crock too, just another thing for people to spend $$ on

sandylou

As long as it's hypoallergenic I think it will be fine. Personally I would rewash the items. An allergic reaction to detergent is one less thing I want to worry about when it comes to being a brand new parent and bringing home my newborn.

eminen

Here is a website comparing detergents for use with cloth diapers since you don't want your diapers to repel but it also lists which ones have perfumes etc. Interesting to check out since some labels can be misleading!

https://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

Missbollinger

I bought a regular free and clear dtergent and just programmed an extra rinse cycle to wash the baby's clothes.  Tide and some other detergents are known to irritate DH's skin so I avoid those and we just use free and clear and the extra rinse.  Works for us.

HTH 

IncogNeato

You don't need Dreft. Just get a free and clear detergent with no dyes or fragrances. I would do that, though, and wash them again. I'm not big on chemicals and fragrances are believed to potentially be harmful to all of us, actually.

Nickey22897

tfarabians:

I have always just used a free and clear detergent.  You don't HAVE to use something like dreft.

Ditto - it is totally up to you to rewash or not. 

alisonjoy80

branlynn:

I already use All Free & Clear because of my allergies, so I'll probably just use that? Let's hope that's good enough haha

This is my plan too. I think it's fine. When I searched for baby detergent on Amazon (just to see what options were), All Free and Clear came up. 

AmericaMowry

Another thing I haven't even begun to think about!

I too use free & clear detergent to avoid the dyes & fragrances, so it sounds like that'll be just fine:)

UrbanHippieMama

Dreft is such a marketing scam anyway.  It is full of chemicals and perfumes.  If you're using a free & clear, or something natrual (like 7th Gen), it's totally find to use on baby clothes. 

Ceefome

If you're using a regular detergent OR something like Dreft, make sure you use an extra rinse cycle.  If you're using a free and clear, you may be able to skip the extra rinse. 

I know Dreft is a scam, but I will buy one bottle of it, because I love the way it smells like baby.

Stellabella125

Definitely not a sin, however both my kids were sensitive to the perfume detergents and dryer sheets so we use tide free (or the free target brand detergent) and free dryer sheets and that works fine. Much cheeper than Dreft.