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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to throw baby's clothes away if soiled?

228 replies

inftup · 14/04/2023 11:28

Putting in the washing machine seems gross!! DH says most people wash anything a baby has used but I can’t think this would come out clean?! We have an eco friendly machine that doesn’t go higher than 60 degrees and below 90 just makes me even more nervous about it.

OP posts:
ditalini · 14/04/2023 11:29

Is this a joke?

SleepingStandingUp · 14/04/2023 11:30

Soiled as in covered in a bright yellow poonami or soiled as in baby dribble and some milk vom?

Flittingaboutagain · 14/04/2023 11:30

I rinse anything soiled by hand then put in a 60 degree wash. The sun will bleach the stains out in almost all cases if hung out wet. This also goes for my reusable nappies which obviously get super soiled!

Slaistery · 14/04/2023 11:30

Get a grip. If you’re really worried get a bucket and soak them in napisan before washing them. You realise you get shit on your hands every time you wipe your bum but you don’t boil wash your hands, do you?

Mydcchangedmyusername · 14/04/2023 11:31

What do you mean 'soiled'? Wee? Poo? Dirt? Food?

YABU. No, you can wash them.

Hazelnuttella · 14/04/2023 11:31

Do you mean if it’s got poo on it?

Rinse it off in the bathroom sink or bath and then put it the washing machine. I do all baby clothes at 30 because they shrink so much.

Washing powder is designed to clean clothes and you can get laundry detergent too if you really want to.

TheFormidableMrsC · 14/04/2023 11:31

What a ridiculous waste. Soak in vanish or equivalent would be my advice and wash normally. Anything pure white can be dealt with with Milton fluid.

PhantomErik · 14/04/2023 11:32

If something is heavily soiled I would hand wash or soak in cold water before machine washing.

You can put milton etc in the washing machine as well as detergent.

cobblers123 · 14/04/2023 11:32

Soak it first to get out stains then wash?

Be expensive if you keep chucking stuff out.

😕

SleepingStandingUp · 14/04/2023 11:32

I have to say there's been a few things over the years where it's gone right to the bin. But I mean absolutely covered in shit and we'll worn. But literally 3 or 4 and I've got 3 kids. Think was only with my first who was a poorly baby anyway so the vol or vomit and poo on clothes was high, so it says something for me to bid it

Thesearmsofmine · 14/04/2023 11:32

Stop being wasteful and put it in the washing g machine 🙄 you do know that a huge number of us use cloth nappies 😳

Skyeheather · 14/04/2023 11:32

Buy a bottle of Dettol Laundry Cleanser and add a capful to the wash, it kills 99.9% of germs even on a low temperature. Job done!

Meandfour · 14/04/2023 11:32

I bin heavily soiled items. YANBU.

AwkwardPaws27 · 14/04/2023 11:33

We use cloth nappies - the washing machine cleans those perfectly well, so it'll cope with some soiled clothes!
I'd pop the soiled stuff in on a rinse cycle, or a short wash. Then chuck in the rest of your baby clothes and run a normal long wash.
If there are any solids, then obviously flush those first.

Original poster
inftup · 14/04/2023 11:33

@ditalini ? How would this be a joke? I’m a first time mum and wouldn’t keep my own clothes in that situation so I wonder what others do.

OP posts:
Original poster
inftup · 14/04/2023 11:34

I did wash a few at the start but they were still a bit stained afterwards and I worried bacteria had remained on them! I am a bit anxious about cleanliness though.

OP posts:
CC4712 · 14/04/2023 11:34

Soiled with what exactly?

Do you only single use underwear? Throw out a shirt if you get sweat on it?
Do you have health anxiety?

Theprincessisblanketed · 14/04/2023 11:34

I remember having a conversation about this with a group of mums and all the mums who used disposable nappies admitted to having thrown away perfectly good clothes if they were soiled because they didn't know how to wash them.

It's one of the reasons I'm so pro-washable nappies, the disposable mindset is so wasteful.

Washing soiled things is and should be normal. Throwing them away should not.

Spiderboy · 14/04/2023 11:34

Just wash them. I’ve only ever binned things that have been exploded on that were passed their best anyway

Original poster
inftup · 14/04/2023 11:35

Sorry I meant poo. Sick or wee etc I am fine washing.

OP posts:
Pinkflipflop85 · 14/04/2023 11:35

I think we probably threw away a couple of items when the poonami explosion was so bad the clothes were easier to cut off the try and remove normally.

But throw away for a bit of soiling? No way!

We used cloth nappies and the washing machine coped perfectly fine with keeping those clean.

PurBal · 14/04/2023 11:36

I use our washing machine for reusable nappies… I wouldn’t put something really poo covered in with my clothes I suppose, but a rinse first and then wash will be fine. 60 degrees will be fine (nappies go on at 60)

Original poster
inftup · 14/04/2023 11:36

It’s because the stains remain that worries me

OP posts:
ObiWanKanobi · 14/04/2023 11:37

It will be incredibly expensive if you threw out an item of baby clothing every time it got soiled. Bung it is the washing machine.

If it was a poo explosion and the clothing was heavily soiled then I would probably just chuck it out.

NerrSnerr · 14/04/2023 11:38

It's just a stain, putting them on the line will help with that- it does work. I used to soak the worst of the dirty baby clothes (usually in a bit of Milton in water) and then chuck them in.

Would be awful for the environment just to chuck them all.

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