to not separate new born clothes?

[mindthegap01]

I never gave it any thought before, but a couple of people were surprised that I don't wash my baby's clothes separately from mine and DH's. AND I use fabric softener. Am I normal? What do other people do? Thanks!

[ChunkyPickle]

Oh! Except! DS2's skin reacted to something in mothercare babygrows so I had to wash all of those before he could wear them. Most of his other clothes were second hand though so I don't know if it was just something about mothercare or about all new clothes

[ChunkyPickle]

Never separated them. I do separate whites though (or at least I try to) because they seem to become instantly grey if not (even with stuff I was sure was colourfast).

I tend to wash towels and bedsheets separately, but that's because I wash them hot and sometimes add a bit of bleach (if I've been less than careful with the colour separating for instance). It's not a firm rule though.

I use bio liquid (the nice smelling stuff) and can't be bothered with conditioner.

[wonderingsoul]

i never washed new clothes ethier.. unless they where second hand from some oen i didnt know.

but surely the reason they tell you to do, is becasue of the chemaicals that are psrayed on it to keep them crinkles and clean free is the same stuff they use with dead bodys?

or has some had me going.. for like 7 years?

[wonderingsoul]

up will a year i alwasy put just babys clothes together.....

i dunno why.. just seemed liek the right thing to do .. but i fyou think about it it doesnt really make much differeance does it?

[AntoinetteCosway]

I wash towels and bed sheets separately but otherwise everything gets shoved in together, regardless of colour, washing requirements or owner!

[Pascha]

Ha. DS1 got his stuff washed in non-bio and pure conditioner as a baby. DS2 gets his chucked in with everything else washed using whatever's on offer at the time.

Can't remember the last time I even bought non-bio.

[GiveTwoSheets]

I washed my babies clothes separate although i could of washed them on my own tears amount of crying i did over the washing as baby was continuously sick.

Always use soften as I'm a loon who can't touch wet washing otherwise

[StuckOnARollercoaster]

Now can you get angel tears and doves in aldi?

Only separation here is by colour - darks, brights and whites. Will throw towels into those loads as well. Unless there's something delicate in there we do at 60 with non bio, no conditioner.
I know it's bad for environment but have been recommended that while we try to sort out DDs eczema in case she is reacting to dust mites which are only killed at 60 and apparently they exist even in a relatively clean house.

[SomethingkindaOod]

I did this with my eldest, in fact I went a little OTT in the first few months after he was born, everything sterilized and washed with the purest stuff available etc. it lasted until he was around 3 months old. 13 years and 3 children later everything gets bunged into the washer together!

[WhereIsMyHat]

How could you, your poor baby!

Only joking,baby clothes have had no special treatment here. I use the same biological (!!!) powder and fabric softner for everyone.

[MrsCosmopilite]

Never separated anything, although I only ever use non-bio powder and no conditioner. I never washed brand new clothes before wear either. Or sheets before use. And I only washed second-hand stuff before use if it was actually dirty.

[Melonbreath]

If there was a terrible poo explosion dds things would be washed separately with a couple of tablespoons of napisan.

[PumpkinPie2013]

I don't - just because I have terrible eczema so can only wash my clothes in fairy nom bio anyway so I just use it for all three of us.

[drspouse]

I have noticed baby clothes shrink quite a bit and no, it's not the baby growing - seems to happen after the first wash. I think it's partly that it's more noticeable. All our hand me downs are smaller for the same item/brand though, and I think it's just too many hot washes, as our clothes donor doesn't use a dryer.

There is no difference in delicacy, that's just bananas, they are all made of the same fabric as toddler and adult clothes.

[scantilymad]

We have one pfb and I vaguely remember doing his laundry separately for ooooh about two weeks. Then I just sort of forgot and now his clothes at chucked in with ours (non bio and fabric softener).

Although I will confess to still organising drawers and wardrobe on a sized by month system. (Right to left in the wardrobe if you really want to know.)

[TheDetective]

Nah, Next/Mothercare mostly, some supermarket - which wash terribly.

He didn't wear much in the way of denim. Lots of cardis and babygrows til walking, only now is he wearing more hardwearing stuff.

DS1 had similar - with similar problems, and that was 12 years ago. Although I really can't remember what I used to do about washing his.

[legoplayingmumsunite]

Only some PFBs get their clothes washed separately. All other children survive having their things washed with adults and other children's clothing.

[FredFredGeorge]

There's not a lot of point using fabric softener with baby clothes (all it does is make the clothes last longer which isn't an issue when it's grown out of so quickly) so it is a bit of a waste using of conditioner using it on the babies stuff.

We did separate, but only with all the other clothes that we also wash without softener (sports clothes, which you don't want conditioner in as it limits "breathability".)

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

Ive never noticed baby clothes ruining any quicker than anyone elses... honestly they seem to last longer as less wear and they don't do a lot in them. Most of DC4 clothes have been through at least 2 other DC and they look near new.

Are you buying paper baby clothes :D

[TheDetective]

I do separate washes for DS2. Only because his stuff would be utterly ruined otherwise.

Soft babygrows and vests? Baby clothes are fairly delicate - or mine are! I have had too many things ruined. So now everything is washed inside out, buttoned up, and in delicate bags.

I wish it wasn't. But I'm not having them ruined well, at least by the washer anyway!.

By the way - it's not my machine - I'm on machine number 4 in 10 years. They've all ruined baby clothes in their time .

I'm used to it now though, he's 14 months. He's got some toddler clothing now, which is more robust, so I guess when all his clothes are like that, I'll put them in with everyone else's washing.

[AlpacaPicnic]

Thanks whoknows....

So, let me think about this...
Bio stuff is a bit stronger but you need a colder wash or it kills the cleaning stuff.
Non bio stuff is gentler but you can use hotter water.
If that right? Or so completely wrong that I have to hand in my 'adult' card?

[SauceForTheGander]

What? Is this a thing? I would have done it for PFB because I was in a constant state of panic back then - but I'm on baby number 3 now and I barely feed him.

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

I am a terrible mother - I separate lights and darks but that is it, everyones goes in together - I use the cheapest Tesco value bio washing powder and softner AND I chuck a bit of BLEACH in the light wash... we all have skins of rhinos :D

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Bios have enzymes which break down biological stains such as food and therefore get stains cleaner. The enzymes are killed at high temps (higher than 40) so only any use for low temp washing. It used to be thought that the enzymes were more likely to cause eczema, so people with sensitive skin stopped using them but there isn't actually much evidence to support this apparently. I've stuck with non bio for years out of habit, but use bio for bad stains. DD and I have sensitive skin and bio doesn't affect us but perfumed things sometimes do, so we use non fragranced detergent (I hate the smells anyway)