Why use non-biological washing powder for babies' clothes etc?

[calpolicella]

Sorry if it's a stupid question. Apparently you are supposed to wash baby clothes and nappies in non-bio powder, but why? Don't you need the biological powder to get rid of poo, wee, milk and sick stains? Or is it something to do with skin irritation? Any advice welcome please.

You are right, it is to do with skin irritation, no horrible enzymes to trigger eczema etc.

i think the enzymes in bio powder can be an irritant.
you can always put some napisan or ace or vanish in your wash for stains, etc if you want.
also, i believe some people use bio occassionally but do an extra rinse.
may i take this opportunity to get my soap box out and recommend ecover washing products???????(but not with any vanish, etc obviously!)

Or eco balls?

Sorry, I have nothing sensible to add - but I just wanted to have a little at your name

I use non biological for everything, even more I had DD. I find my skin can be a bit sensitive to harsher detergents.

ooh, yes! calpolicella is a good name!

I used Fairy for the first few months with DS as their skin is so sensitive in those early days. Any poo/sick stains I rinsed out first. After a few months I switched to the normal stuff as I found clothes were not not coming up as white. Thankfully, DS didn't have any skin probs as was already a good few months old. I do use the fabric softener for babies though

I've always used non-bio and it does just fine. Better for the environment too. IME only sunshine will get rid of poo stains on nappies. Any lingering food stains (tomato is an absolute sod!) will also fade nicely in sunshine.

its do do with their senstive skin...

BUT i have washed babies clothes in bio colour powder from about 4 months... baby is fine

its only a problem if they sensitive to bio! some babies are not and it doesnt seem to matter!

I used Fairy for first 12 months. Then changed to Surf all ok, just started using the fabreeze effect one and LO seems allergic.................

Agree with NannyL. Have always used Persil bio powder with my two with no probs (but there is no real family history of exzema or other skin probs in either mine or DHs families).
As with everything, is your choice at the end of the day.

My dd1's skin tolerates no washing powder at all, occassionally I can get away with Surf Sunshine for really stubborn stains, but mostly I use the ecoballs. Have just got soapnuts (!!?!) from lakeland to try but v.expensive, yet to try them out on dd1's skin. DD2 on the other hand has skin like a rhino, could probably tolerate neat bleach - takes after her father.

Corriedale.... im just wondering... is non bio really better for environment?

why?

(im interested btw, not disputing it!)

I think it's various things, mainly the enzymes, but biological washing liquid harms marine life and I think doesn't biodegrade as well as non bio

jellysmummy; ebay sell soap nuts - perhaps cheaper than lakeland?

Thanks PinkiePie, I'll check it out

Thanks everybody! I can't remember what I washed my first baby's clothes in as it was 3 years ago! I will try non-bio and see how it goes. But I did wonder what the point of non-bio was when all baby stains are biological and the stuff gets rinsed out anyway!

As regards soap nuts, I've been using these for a while and they are much cheaper from independent health food stores (ie not H & B)than Lakeland. Also, you can use them up to 5 times, or until they disintegrate. You can add essential oils to make the washing smell nice. In between washings I store mine in a little jar with enough water just to keep them moist and about 6 drops of geranium oil. You could also use lavender or anything that smells fragrant. I think soap nuts are pretty good for cleaner washing but wouldn't use them for nappies or really yucky stains.

we use nonbio for all washing, clothes are still v clean and white!