Detergent question

julestony · May 2014

I've been reading that a lot of moms feel baby detergent (like Dreft) is a waste. What is your preferred detergent for baby's clothes and sheets?

Avion22 · May 2014

We use All Free & Clear for all of our laundry. Any dye and fragrance free detergent should be fine, but you could use a natural detergent or even make your own if you're that motivated.

ETA: You don't "have to" use any special detergent...a lot of people just use their same old regular stuff. If you do use a free & clear detergent, it makes sense to wash all household laundry in the same stuff. After all, the baby will be snuggled against your clothing too.

ASmallWonder · May 2014

You don't have to use anything special if your baby doesn't have sensitive skin. If the baby DOES, Dreft isn't the answer. It's a total marketing ploy because it's just as chemical and fragrance filled as your regular old Tide but you pay a lot more for it

charlotte1819 · May 2014

Sing2phins said:

I hate Dreft - I don't get it, either, since it's not frangrance-free (it stinks, IMO) - but we were given a big bottle of it at our shower, so we've been using it on her clothes. We do a double rinse, which helps with the smell. Once it's all used up, we'll just wash her stuff in the same All F&C we use for ours.

My general rule is, anything that specifically marketed for baby use (laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, blenders, etc) is a rip-off and plays on parents' natural inclination to want the best for their children.

^This, it is the same with thing marketed for weddings/bridal

We use All Free & Clear because we didn't want to wash everything for LO up to size 12mo plus all of his linens and then find out that he might have a sensitivity and have to start over. Also we noticed that some of the free and clear detergents weren't for High Efficient (front load and some top load) washers

HeatherSP13 · May 2014

I use Purex fragrance & dye free for baby stuff. I use Purex regular for our stuff. I probably will not buy the sensitive again but it was not expensive. Purex is super cheap & awesome.

jenb_99 · May 2014

I don't separate baby clothes or linens from adult clothes or linens. It all gets washed together in the cheap powder we buy in giant $15 buckets from Sam's Club. I think it's called Wind Fresh. It has a very mild fragrance. And we don't use fabric softener; I pour half a cup of plain white vinegar into the Downy ball instead to prevent mineral and soap buildup in the fabric, prolong colorfastness, and bring the pH back down.

We all have very sensitive skin and have never had any problems with our clothes causing irritation.

Kyllarae · May 2014

I'm also using dreft simply because it was given to me. Once it's all used up I will be using our regular tide free and clear detergent. I'm not separating baby's clothes from mine when I wash them either.

MadBloom · May 2014

I use Ivory snow for LOs clothes and no dryer sheet. I had very sensitive skin as an infant (and sometimes still do) so I just went with a gentler detergent. I got it at cost co for like 24 bucks (approx 100 loads). No more expensive then what we use for our own clothes.

ETA: in Canada so I'm not sure if we have the same brands! Never heard of Dreft personally.

julestony · May 2014

Thank you for your feedback, Ladies!

H&H2014 · May 2014

I try to look at the EWG ratings. They have a whole thing on laundry products here :

https://www.ewg.org/guides/categories/9-Laundry?grade=a&page=3

Saraeay · May 2014

I use All free & clear for my baby's stuff and my nursing tanks/bras and other items that get breast milk on them. Gain for the rest of the laundry.
I recently didn't have any clean baby towels and used a couple of our regular towels to dry LO after bath time and he didn't have any reaction but I will only do that in a pinch and will continue to wash his stuff fragrance free.

babym6705 · May 2014

I wash everyone's clothes together and don't use a special detergent. I just buy what's on sale that smells good, lol. My kids have never had any skin issues.

sschwege · May 2014

mjreilly2 said:

We use Tide Free and Clear — same as the rest of the house. All clothes are washed together.

I think Dreft spells disgusting. There is absolutely zero need for a detergent marketed "just for babies."

Same

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