Washing powder for baby clothes

[HandMini]

Possibly a very stupid question, but first time mother-to-be, so please be patient.

Is it non-bio or bio washing powder that one should use to wash baby clothes? Why does it make a difference / is it a real essential to use the right kind?

I've also been told to wash even newly bought items (I guess in case they have been mauled over in shops etc). Does everyone do this?

thanks

Non-Bio - much gentler on the skin. For anyone with any kind of sensitive skin, eczema, or even just a tendency for atopic allergies Bio washing powder is a no-no anyway - child or not.

We wash everything non-bio and always have done as I am allergic to bio stuff and our clothes are all fine with it.

As for washing new stuff - I would, but again - I would anyway, except for coats or other things not actually touching the skin really.

These ads on tv have to be the biggest scam ever to get mums to buy non-bio for babies unless they have a skin condition. To be honest ive used Bio powder for all 3 of mine, my mum did for us and DPs parents used them for theirs and nobodies died yet! You get lashings of free fabric conditioners in your bounty packs etc so use some of that with a bio detergent. If baby has a reaction swap. Bio gets clothes much cleaner and with a baby this is importaint i think.

I did wash new clothes as some of them are treated with a preservative to stop them going mouldy or getting moisture in. Didnt like the idea of these being on their skin.

Non-bio contains fewer products, so is less likely to provoke a skin reaction in babies or anyone else. As peachybums says, your baby might not react anyway - it maybe depends if your family have a tendency to have allergies, hayfever etc, whether you decide to worry about it or not.

I always use non-bio, as DH and DS both have skin which reacts to things quite easily.

I use bio for everything. In many countries there is no such thing as non-bio. I have read (somewhere...) that if you have a reaction to bio then it is more likely to be the fragrance or something that causes it, not the bio enzymes themselves.

I switched to bio after having DD as I found that non-bio didn't clean her nappies properly - they would come out of the machine honking of poo .

Thank you very much all. Sounds like I can just go with the bio that I've bulk-bought, but will keep an eye on baby's skin when it's using all these freshly laundered babygros etc.