Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Washing all baby clothes in preparation for birth...

36 replies

Bellyrub1980 · 01/10/2014 20:06

What is the advice on this?

Wash all new clothes before putting on baby?

Any temperature wash ok?

I always use fairy non-bio anyway so will continue to use this for baby clothes. But what about the fairy conditioner? A no no for new borns?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ruth1104 · 01/10/2014 20:15

Yes I think so (thats what I've done) because of chemicals shops use to stop clothes getting mouldy etc so I dont think the temperature matters too much. I havent washed everything in new born sizes (except mamas and papas because they seem to be big sizes) in case they're too small and I need to change them but everything else. Sorry I never use fabric conditioner so I dont know!

NovemberRainbow · 01/10/2014 20:17

Yep all new clothes are covered in pesticides and chemicals to make them look crease free for hanging in the shop.

Non-bios fine, I wouldn't bother with conditioner

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 01/10/2014 20:17

I never pre-washed anything. I also left tags on til I used them so I could swap them for bigger sizes if they didnt get worn. I bought the baby a laundry basket and all of her stuff went into it and got washed when there was a load full (we dont separate colours in this house). Used our usual daz laundry powder and softener if we had any in.

Figster · 01/10/2014 20:21

Dunno never bothered doing it myself

springbabydays · 01/10/2014 20:27

I did and I still do now he's a toddler. I'll probably always do it for him, but usually don't bother for me! I use comfort fabric softener but avoid the coloured ones, just use the white one (less irritant).

Nospringflower · 01/10/2014 20:32

I never did. Didn't know you were meant to. My children had eczema though so did wash everything with non-bio.

bagofsnakes · 01/10/2014 20:32

I did first time around because I was excited and I liked feeling like I was doing something to prepare. I washed everything in Ecover or Method. I probably won't this this time as I have a two year old and more than enough bloody washing to do! :-) think it's down to personal choice really.

Bartlebee · 01/10/2014 20:36

I never did, and once worn never used non bio either.

applecatchers36 · 01/10/2014 20:36

Washed half her newborn clothes and didn't wash the others and didn't notice a difference..she seemed fine...

McBear · 01/10/2014 20:45

I was told to so being on mat leave and bored waiting for my arrival I did. I remember folding all the teeny tiny sleep suits up and it becoming real and very exciting.

I generally wash everything at 40 but obv use non bio!

Zara8 · 01/10/2014 21:19

For wee baby period (less then 6 months) I washed new clothes in advance. Used normal fabric softener and bio liquid tho. How else will poo stains come out without bio liquid?! Luckily no eczema or other skin issues in our house though.

GingerSkin · 01/10/2014 21:24

I wash all new clothes before we wear them I'm a bit strange though. I hate the thought of putting on a 'new' top and wearing it all day when it has probably been tried on by 8 people before I brought it, potentially gone through logisitcs in the UK and handled by a few people this end and then prior to that come from a factory from a Country in Asia and had chemicals put on it whilst within the manufacturing process.... I hate the smell of new clothes too

ChippingInLatteLover · 01/10/2014 21:28

Clothes are full of chemicals, so yes, it's best to wash them before you put them on a brand new baby :) (Or anyone!) Non bio 40 deg is fine.

But you only need to do the basics now, see what size the baby is then you can shove a wash in then!

minipie · 01/10/2014 21:36

I never did any pre washing. No time. DD was 6 weeks prem and the clothes never irritated her skin

hartmel · 01/10/2014 22:12

I washed everything except new cloth. I left tag on just in case they were to small..

As DS had skin problems (not eczema) I'm washing his cloth separate from ours! In a special sensitive powder!

And now with dc2 on the way (due in 3 weeks) I got a lot of second hand cloth and I pre-washed everything like DS clothing..

Greenstone · 01/10/2014 22:54

I washed nearly everything but the few bits that escaped did actually seem to leave a little red rash on newborn dd's skin. The rash faded v quickly though, not serious. This time I'm rewashing all the hand medians from storage but using up normal bio powder as we have loads and can't justify expensive new Fairy til we use it up!

By the way - poo stains, milk stains and tomato sauce etc stains come out beautifully if line-dried in bright sunshine for a few hours. Can be hard to come by much sunshine in winter though!

Greenstone · 01/10/2014 22:54

Hand me downs, not hand medians...

MyOneandYoni · 01/10/2014 22:58

Aaaahhhh! Lickle tiny baby clothes...

You're so lucky.

Enjoy enjoy enjoy...

ToniWol · 02/10/2014 09:33

I'm going to wash the newborn items we got from the nearly new sale, but leave the new items until we see what size baby is. Have been given some newborn items as gifts so definitely not taking tags off. But will probably risk washing the new 0-3 months items.

RiverTam · 02/10/2014 09:36

I wouldn't bother with fabric conditioner. We have always used Fairy and the clothes come out soft enough (we're in a hard water area).

I don't bother these days (DD is 4) but I did when she was wee. New clothes can have a bit of an odd smell about them...

moggle · 02/10/2014 09:38

I am planning to wash the newborn basics we've bought for DC1 - like others have said it seems like a nice thing to do on materntity leave and I really want to see all the tiny sleepsuits and vests on the line :-) Also I want the baby to smell of our washing powder (ie the same as us!) instead of funny shop smell. I doubt I'll carry on with it afterwards though or wash any of the bigger sized clothes we have / will be given. Only planning to use the same washing stuff as us (non bio, with fabric conditioner. but need to get some bio for the poo as Zara says...)

CorporeSarnie · 02/10/2014 10:14

I've always washed all of DC1's things since before birth, have done so for the few extra new things (and all the old baby stuff) for DC2. I am very far from a perfect housewife type (I don't do ML prior to 38 weeks, it seems like a waste of time if you're feeling well and still enjoying work), but it doesn't seem that much effort. I always use non-bio (but nothing special non-bio-wise) except for stained stuff, when I prewash in bio, and use the white non-scented conditioner as our water is very hard. Didn't escape eczema though... DC1 gets patches on hands due to wet play at nursery.

specialsubject · 02/10/2014 10:16

you are of course washing them in more chemicals.

clothes are made of chemicals.

watch out for the old dihydrogen monoxide - kills more people than any other chemical put together.

OOAOML · 02/10/2014 10:18

I did - new stuff because I don't like the 'rigid' feel you get on a lot of clothes when they are new. I also rinsed through the stuff my sister gave me because it had been stored for a few years and I felt it needed a quick freshen up. I can't remember if I used fabric conditioner - I tend not to. We used cloth nappies so I think I'd stocked up on white vinegar and was putting a slosh of that in the fabric conditioner section.

princesscupcakemummyb · 02/10/2014 10:30

yes i washed everything new before being worn i also still do this with all of my kids clothes dislike the smell of new unwashed clothes lol

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread