Detergent recommendation for excema and rashes?

[whatmess]

All 4 members of my household have recently developed excema and/or rashes.

Dd's is the worst with a prickly heat type rash up both arms and legs as well as patches of excema. She had bad skin anyway but the recent heat has aggravated it and she spends all her time scratching. Putting suncream on for a trip to the beach resulted in her in hysterics and a very angry looking rash. I had to put her in the bath to wash it all off.

My problem is patches of excema which I have never had before. It's extremely itchy. DH and ds both have the rash.

I have booked myself and her in to see the GP, but would like to see if a change in the detergent makes any difference. I find it strange that we are all suffering at the same time and wonder if it is something I'm doing like the laundry.

Please could you recommend a good detergent that will get the kids very dirty clothes clean without aggravating our skin. We are currently using Arial non bio and a fairy sensitive softener.

Thank you

[bouncinbean]

Have an eczema prone baby and we use aldi non bio tablets and am sure have seen others recommend them. Am pretty sure I've been advised not to use softeners but we never have anyway so that could just be in my head to avoid as much chemical products as possible!

[heritagewarrior]

We use Surcare liquid and softener as I have eczema and my kids have dry skin. Specifically formulated for eczema sufferers, works for us, and available in most big supermarkets.

HTH

[teacherwith2kids]

I use Ecover liquid. Never use softener.

Tbh, we had this propblem with DS when he was tiny, and the issue was not with the detergent, but with how well the washing machine rinsed the clothes.

So in your position, my first steps would be to
a) Give your washing machine a good clean - check the trap, run a 90 degrees wash with washing machine cleaner (best put straight in the drum), wipe away all gunge on the seal and as far as possible round and under the drum, check where the outflow comes out for any blockages - I do all this as least once a month, more if DS or I are itchy due to heat.

b) Don't use softener, and add an extra rinse cycle after the main cycle is finished - just manually reset the machine for a rinse and spin.

c) If that doesn't work, change the detergent.

I am always astonished by how much other peope's washing STINKS of washing powder / softener perfume. Ours, especially after an extra rinse, smells of very little at all (Ecover is vaguely lavendar, but well-rinsed very little of the scent stays on the clothes)

[whatmess]

Thanks everyone, the washing machine is currently having a good hot clean and I have ditched the softener and replaced the detergent with a Surcare one. I'll give that a go first as it was a third of the price of the Ecover one.

Fx this works as dd has been out of bed twice already complaining about the itching and our GP appt isn't until later next week.

[sonlypuppyfat]

When my clothes are rinsing I open the draw and poor in loads of fresh water so everything gets a really good rinse.

[talulahbelle]

DH has really sensitive skin, the only thing we can use is Ecover non bio. That and cleaning out the machine means it doesn't flare up too much.