Who Knew Babies Could Have So Much Laundry?

Who Knew Babies Could Have So Much Laundry?

Babies are MESSY. Don’t be surprised if you have to change their clothes five times a day between spit-up, pee, poop, and breastmilk or formula. So here are some trusted tips for laundry success with your newborn.

1. Laundry detergent:  Babies tend to have sensitive skin, what works for one baby may not work for another. Sometimes you have to play with the detergent until you find one that works for your baby. A good sign that your baby is having a reaction to a detergent is a rash. Here are some options for detergents that are Free & Clear brands: Seventh Generation, ALL, Rockin’ Green, TIDE, or the pricey DRIFT brand. You can also use Pinterest to create a DIY detergent!

2. Velcro!: Babies clothes have so much Velcro. It may be time to invest in a wire brush, they can be found on amazon! Velcro those bibs together before you stick them in the machine, it will save all of your other items. 

3. Stains, stains, stains: Pre-rinse in vinegar and baking soda, throw stained clothes in bath water to soak while you lotion and dress the baby. The sun does wonders as well to remove those pesky stains, hang up a retractable clothes line or get a drying rack for your balcony. Use the handy dandy spot stain remover recipe: 2 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part dawn dish soap, spray this bad boy concoction and let sit. 

4. One load wonder: Use Shout’s Color Catcher to wash everything in one load, lights/darks/whatever your heart desires!

5. The magic diaper sprayer: Many moms swear by the magic diaper sprayer, especially if using cloth diapers. However, this handy sprayer works great on clothes and laundry as well. You can usually get one for about $35. 

6. Bag it up!: That’s right, laundry bags! Those pesky little socks and mittens and all tiny human clothes are viciously eaten by the laundry machine. Get a few bags to put all of those little things in! You can clip the bags somewhere for easy access such as the crib, pack and play, or laundry hamper. 

7. Last but not least, dryer balls!: Dryer sheets can cause waxy build up on your dryer and sometimes have toxic chemicals. Wool balls are fantastic! They typically reduce the time needed to dry clothes, they help reduce static, and are non-toxic! You can even put a few drops of an essential oil on them if you like a particular smell. There are wool balls through a few companies out there these days, just google away.

That’s it! We hope these 7 tips help you survive the mountains of baby laundry headed your way. Give us a call if you have any questions, or better yet let your postpartum doula do your laundry while you bond with your baby!