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Original poster

When did you stop washing baby clothes before use?

87 replies

0hMy · 23/04/2021 06:34

Exactly as the title says, really. I’ve searched other threads and can’t seem to find the answer (neither can Google, it seems). I know some of the chemicals used in manufacturing can be harmful to babies’ skin, but at what age does this pose less of a risk and washing isn’t necessary? Thank you.

OP posts:
Figgygal · 23/04/2021 07:41

I never did it - no issues

Clymene · 23/04/2021 07:43

I think I stopped at birth when I had better things to do with my time

JollyAndBright · 23/04/2021 07:43

DS is 14, I’m 35 and DP is 37... we always wash new clothes before wearing them, I didn’t realise so many people didn’t.

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Sparklingbrook · 23/04/2021 07:43

I wash everything before it’s worn, I always have. It’s my personal preference to.

MrsJBaptiste · 23/04/2021 07:47

I never do this. I love new clothes, you can never iron them quite as crease-free as when you first buy them.

DearTeddyRobinson · 23/04/2021 07:50

I still do (kids 5 & 8). Wash my own too, plus new bedding or towels. Our old nanny used to work at Dorothy Perkins and told us that the clothes are sprayed in some kind of chemical to preserve them while they're being transported in the container ships from Asia. Plenty of rats and other vermin in the containers as well as warehouses etc over here.
Add to that the questionable hygiene of anyone who touches the clothes while putting them on the racks/shopping/packing them... yeah I wash them.

DappledThings · 23/04/2021 08:03

When DC1 was about 3 months. Never started with DC2.

megletthesecond · 23/04/2021 08:07

I only washed second hand clothes before use.

FoxgloveBee · 23/04/2021 08:10

Never 😂 I wash all clothes before use.

OhToBeASeahorse · 23/04/2021 08:15

I do it for most new stuff - we tend to buy the children lots of clothes at once twice a year or so so I give them all a wash first

frumpety · 23/04/2021 08:16

I always washed second hand stuff, but washing new stuff wasn't on my radar, except for new uniforms as they are always a bit stiff, straight out of the packet.

oneglassandpuzzled · 23/04/2021 08:17

I have never washed clothes before they are worn.

SGChome20 · 23/04/2021 08:19

Never, I always wash all clothes before they’re worn, even mine.

KurtWilde · 23/04/2021 08:29

Never washed new clothes before my babies wore them.

SocraticJunkieWannabe · 23/04/2021 11:10

Can't remember ever washing clothes before wearing, for any age!

ohidoliketobe · 23/04/2021 11:14

Ex retail worker, and everything gets washed before wear!

GrumpyHoonMain · 23/04/2021 11:15

@0hMy

Exactly as the title says, really. I’ve searched other threads and can’t seem to find the answer (neither can Google, it seems). I know some of the chemicals used in manufacturing can be harmful to babies’ skin, but at what age does this pose less of a risk and washing isn’t necessary? Thank you.
DH hated washing them beforehand because it got rid of the ‘newness’ in his opinion. So we stopped around 3 months.
lovablequalities · 23/04/2021 11:16

I never washed them first. I don't take the tags of until the first wear. Especially with babies you never know if it's actually going to be worn.

Freshprincess · 23/04/2021 11:17

Once the babies arrived.

ThereWasThisBoy · 23/04/2021 11:17

We always wash new clothes before wearing, chemicals from manufacturing can be harmful.

FelicityPike · 23/04/2021 11:20

I still wash my own clothes before wearing and I’m in my early 40’s.

reluctantbrit · 23/04/2021 11:32

I wash all new clothes for all of the family. Most items smell strange, have a stiff feeling and after talking to a friend working at a department store I think I don't want to think too much how items are treated in the stock rooms.

Beamur · 23/04/2021 11:36

I always wash clothes before wearing them. They have a fabric dressing on many items to enable them to be folded and presented nicely (especially bedding) but it can irritate skin. Plus I don't like the idea that lots of people have potentially handled it before me! DD also doesn't like items that smell 'wrong'

Moonpeg · 23/04/2021 11:40

Mumof1andacat

Me either

mogtheexcellent · 23/04/2021 11:45

From day one. I also didn't use non bio. Midwife said so long as no rashes appear its fine.

Twas a bad day when mil decided to pre wear wash some things for me in non bio which stunk and made my HG worse. Took three washes in Bold and a lot of line drying to get rid of it.