Washing newborn clothes in Tide powder.. Is it OK?

firstkid · January 2014

Hi all.... I am due in a couple of weeks and haven't yet washed my baby's clothes. Do you think I would need dreft / baby detergent or can I use what we have now - Tide powder ( I guess it's original scent). Also does it matter if its hard water or soft? How would I know? Thanks !!!

a4smith · January 2014

Every baby is different...my children are fine with the detergent we use so we never had to buy any of the special kinds. You never know how your baby's skin will react...sorry I am not much help!

dglvrk2 · January 2014

I agree. You will not know how your baby will react to a detergent until he/she is born. Most babies, to my knowledge, are fine with regular detergent. I'd just wash with whatever you're using now. If LO has a skin reaction when she/he is born, then take action. Happy nesting!!

flkong · January 2014

I wouldn't wash a newborn's clothes with Tide powder. It makes some adults itch, so I wouldn't use it for a newborn. You're planning to buy baby detergent anyways right? Just buy it now and wash with that.

ddembinska · January 2014

I wouldn't. Baby's skin is so new and sensitive.

ncbelle · January 2014

Dreft is a scam - full of stuff I wouldn't want on baby's skin! I personally would use a free and clear as the scents aren't great for anyone's skin - but regular tide free and clear would be fine.

ktpaladino · January 2014

I actually hated the smell of Dreft! You would think a baby detergent would be free of perfumes but the scent really bothered me for some reason. I've been using Babies R Us detergent but as PP's have said, any free and clear detergent is probably your best bet. I did run out of baby detergent a few times with my first baby and used Tide and he seemed fine with that, which is surprising because he is really sensitive to things like bath soaps and shampoo. (Breaks out in itchy rashes) Every baby is different so you could give it a try and make the switch if your LO seems to have a problem with it. I personally just feel better keeping the baby laundry loads separate from the adult loads until they are a few months old.

roo1oo · January 2014

I use Method free and clear for all clothes now and occasionally throw in a Tide Free and Clear stain packet. We used to use gain but I've been on a no perfume kick since DS was born and much prefer how my clothes smell with the free and clear detergent.

dairygirl19 · January 2014

I use Tide and just do a double rinse. Never had a problem. Every kid is different though.

It's not any less safe than baby detergent like pps said.

ddembinska · January 2014

Baby detergents are a marketing ploy and a waste of money. Any "free and clear" unscented detergent is fine for most kids.

It's a lot easier to use the same detergent for everyone anyway. I mean, your kid will be rubbing up against whatever you wash your clothes in whenever you pick him up anyway.

This is true. I only use free and clear stuff anyway, but the scented tide wouldn't be a good idea.

InLovewSB · January 2014

We can't use Tide in our house. It gives and has always given my 5 year old son hives across his torso and face.

But like other posters have said - you can't know until you try. We are a family with sensitive skin so we do all the sensitive skin wipes, diapers, detergents. I wash laundry in ALL Free and Clear (no oxyclean - that gives my daughter hives).

RebeccaY1 · January 2014

I actually am very allergic to Tide and a few other detergents. I find the most success with Purex free and clear. It's a lot less expensive than Tide and does just as good a job. I don't think I'd chance my detergent unless the baby had some sort of reaction.

Mama-Bear · January 2014

It's fine as long as your baby doesn't have sensitive skin. Dreft isn't any better, we used All Free & Clear when DS1 was a baby, we used whatever we normally used when our twins were born.

my1stbabyat23 · January 2014

I would buy baby detergent at least for the first 3 months. They are so sensitive that maybe the baby detergent won't trigger any reaction. There's a legit reason why they make them. When they mature a little more then I'm guessing you can go ahead and give it a try.

notreal2 · January 2014

my1stbabyat23 said:

I would buy baby detergent at least for the first 3 months. They are so sensitive that maybe the baby detergent won't trigger any reaction. There's a legit reason why they make them. When they mature a little more then I'm guessing you can go ahead and give it a try.

Truthfully to make money. As people mentioned, many of the baby deteregents are more fragrancey than the non-baby ones. I'd stick with a regualr, fragrance free deteregent, cheaper and most likely less irritating to the skin. Good luck.

InLovewSB · January 2014

My son breaks out in hives from Tide detergent - down his torso and on his face. My daughter reacts to Oxyclean with a rash. So I use the ALL Free and Clear without the oxyclean. And they aren't kids will other allergies, just the detergents and, ya know, springtime pollen. But as was already said... each kid is different.

Alli0322 · January 2014

I never understood the big deal about Dreft. It's expensive and unless you're going to wash baby's clothes, bedding, blankets, your clothes, and your bedding all in it.... it's pointless because the kid is going to come into contact with all that stuff too. Use whatever detergent you would normally use and if there's a reaction, then change it. Save yourself time and money!

PB102012 · January 2014

It all depends on your LO. We use arm n hammer sensitive and LO has no issues (she ended up having baby eczema so I don't stray from the sensitive stuff just in case).

cindyjrich · January 2014

Use something like tide free and clear

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