Should I wash all newborn clothes before born?

[bhs652]

I know this sounds silly, but I am a first time mum and due in a months time. I've bought brand new packaged clothes for my baby, but a few people have recommended I hand wash every single item before I put it on my baby, I completely understand why.. but did you do this and feel it was necessary? I have hundreds of items now..

I did wash beforehand (in a machine) but only for the stuff before she was born. New things after that I never did and it did her absolutely no harm.

And don’t hand wash! Jesus. Just stick them on a normal 30 degree wash with fairy non-bio or something for sensitive skin.

I wash my stuff before I wear it and would for a baby.

You don't need to hand wash it though, it'll be fine in the machine. (unless it's wool or very delicate stuff!)

No, didn't bother. If you've got stuff new and it might be within the return period I'd keep it in case you want to swap for a different size or style.

However if there is sensitive skin in your family it might be a good idea as apparently clothing tends to have a lot of pesticides added to it for international transport, which isn't washed off when it is displayed in store.

You can however just wash baby clothes in totally normal detergent at normal temperatures, I put them in with our stuff, no special treatment at all.

Keep it packaged *

My friend said to do it for up to a year as there is so much starch in new clothes that it can really irritate their skin ... so done it so far for all clothes ... I guess for first few sizes do it and then judge by how your baby is sensitivity wise x x

Yes I agree you should wash first, especially when they are very little.

The only caveat OP is that you’ll have to take labels off to wash clothes ... but you don’t know what size your baby will be. For example if you wash all your 0-3 month clothes but then your baby is very big or particularly long, you’ll get no/ limited use out of them ( happened to me).

So yes, I agree with washing, but maybe only a few things at first in case you need to return items or pass them on.

It's a good idea to wash the stuff beforehand - some things shrink a bit anyway, and if people give you clothes that are the next size up and you wait until your baby is big enough for them you can get caught out otherwise when you wash them and they shrink!

I shove all new baby clothes into the washing machine and wash at 30 degrees with non bio. Even if you have hundreds of items they're all so small it doesn't take up much space. Like you, I was umming and ahhing about doing it, but as a precaution that takes so little time and effort - why not? Let's face it, even if it is completely unnecessary, it means you go through all the baby stuff again and get all excited by how cute it is! (well I did anyway... 😂)

I washed, dried and ironed everything for dc1, up until she was about 4 ish, she wore nothing new until it had been washed.
Dc5 got things thrown at her straight from the packaging.
There is no difference in their skin at all, neither were bothered, and I'm not sure why I did it for dc1!
Nothing was handwashed though, all in the machine.

Yes, definitely. Wash in non bio, an age range at a time, fold and put away. It's so nice! Also, they're supposed to be washed before they're worn- you don't know what's gotten on to them during manufacturing and packaging and baby skin is so delicate.

Yes, they need to be washed beforehand due to chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Don’t bother hand washing though, just bung them in the machine with a non allergenic detergent for sensitive skin.

As others have said, don’t wash them all as you don’t know what size baby you will have so you may want to return/pass on/regift items where you won’t get use of the size (or use for very long compared to the quantity you have).

I've machine washed - although I havent bought much as don't know if boy or girl yet.
I'd say wash. Weeks worth - then you can keep stuff returnable (or giftable, rather than just handing downable) unless you are actually going to use it- so many people have told me lots of stuff went unworn.

I did wash it all before DS was born BUT in a washing machine on the baby setting with non bio liquid. Sure as hell not by hand.

As an aside, you said you have 100's of clothes, if lots of it is in the same size I wouldn't delabel it all yet. You dint know what size or shape baby will come out, how much stuff you'll get from friends and family. If it's got the store label most places will allow you to swap it for a diff size / onto a card to spend generally.

Yes, but only wash neutral! I did it all in the machine using non bio.

I found my “boy” was actually a girl at 36 weeks. All the boys clothes I washed and had dried them couldn’t be returned. It cost a fortune and all our gifts were unable to be used!

Why wouldn't you just put them on her??

I always did, because I once bought a new bra and put it straight on. I reacted to the dye, badly, and ended up covered in a blistering rash from my chin to my hips.

I am not sure if that was dye, or something the bra had been treated with (they are sometimes sprayed with antifungal/insectoid/starch etc to transport them on shipping containers) but since then I always wash new fabric!

I washed all 3 of my DC's baby clothes before they wore them for about 6 months.

I washed and had dried them couldn’t be returned. It cost a fortune and all our gifts were unable to be used

I'd have just used them anyway tbh, it's not like a baby girl will explode if you put her in blue. How much does it realistically matter if the occasional random stranger gets the sex wrong?

I didn't! My DC are 8&9 now.
I feel like a dreadful mum. I thought I was in the majority

@As476 there’s no reason you couldn’t have used the clothes though.

I assume it was the risk of her daughter catching Growapenisitus from blue clothes.

Or maybe I'm just jealous of being able to essentially throw away possibly hundreds of pounds worth of clothes for being the wring colour.

yes you should wash them.
but together with other stuff in washing machine is fine.
I agree with pp. only wash a few bits first as it's a guessing game what fits newborn best.

fabrics are treated with chemicals to make them easier to sew.
the fabric is handled by countless people.
finished garments are treated with pesticides and funghicides (or they would arrive black and full of holes after weeks in a shipping container.
stock warehouses and shop floors are filthy places...

Yes you should. Clothes can be subject to anti-fungal treatment, finishing starch and a range of other things depending on where you are buying. Stick with non-bio and no fabric softener.

I never did with my DD. Never occurred to me to do so. Feel like a proper terrible parent now