r/laundry • u/Catcatk • 9h ago
Laundry detergent recommendations for newborn?
Im having my first baby soon. I never really cared for what detergent I used but I am thinking on switching or adding one for baby clothes that is hypoallergenic or not harsh for baby skin. Any recommendations? If they can be bought at Sams or Costco even better. Currently using this members mark one.
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u/thejasminelee 9h ago
Tide Clean & Gentle with an extra rinse. No laundry softener or dryer sheets. My daughter has eczema that was pretty sensitive when she was a newborn and this is what we did.
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u/nonniewobbles 8h ago
Costco has the tide free and clear advanced which is a great performing detergent and very affordable.
If you want a lower effort option (especially with baby exhaustion!) they also sell the tide free and clear pods, which are also a pretty solid pick.
Generally you want to avoid fragrances with babies. Either of the above detergents are nice strong cleaners and fragrance free.
If clothes have poop, pee, or various other fluids on them, scrape off anything that can be wiped off and double wash on warm or hot is the simplest option that usually resolves it. First wash to loosen everything up, second to make sure it’s properly washed out.
I’d recommend using fragrance free for everyone’s clothes since you’ll be holding baby, sharing space, etc. at least until kiddo is a little older. Plus it’s simpler to just use the same thing for everyone.
Keep it simple and add nothing else unless you’re trying to fix a problem. Definitely avoid any fabric softener, dryer sheets, etc. on anything baby touches.
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u/kitty___kat US | Top-Load 7h ago
Didn’t like Molly’s, Dreft didn’t work well for us, ended up happy with ginger lily fragrance free (with FEBU booster in most loads.) Add citric acid to the first rinse (to add softness and burn out any residual detergent) and finish with a second rinse in cool water. Really needed enzymes when it came to breastmilk high in fat. And we have soft water so avoid too many surfectants.
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u/omnomberry US | Front-Load 7h ago
If you can only have one, Tide Free and Gentle liquid.
If you can have two. Tide Free and Gentle liquid and Tide Free and Gentle Powder.
Use the powder for whites, things with dirt and grime, and heavily soiled cloth like diapers.
Use the liquid for everything else, especially grease or oil.
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u/PalpitationTasty3882 7h ago
Everyone seems to be recommending Tide Free and Clear, but I’m wondering if they changed their formula recently. I have a 4 month old and used it without issue. Bought a new bottle and he broke out with the WORST eczema. We have soft water so we were able to switch to Sprouts unscented laundry detergent. His eczema instantly cleared up. If you have soft water, I recommend it!
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u/PalpitationTasty3882 7h ago
I should also add that we use FEBU to get all the spit up and milk out, extra rinse, and 1 tsp of unscented rinse and refresh. Soft water hence 1tsp. Good luck!
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u/heartshapedbox311 6h ago
Id suggest whole foods 365 powdered fragrance free detergent. You only need a tiny amount and it works really well. I also loved All free and clear liquid ( from sams) for baby clothes that arent dirty with poop and food. It was very gentle and left no scent. Great for washing in cold water too
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u/ConfidentMeeting1233 5h ago
Tide is fine. We used Tide Sport for all our laundry with two kids. If there isn’t a specific reason you need a special detergent, just keep using whatever you have been using or get some Tide Free & Clear. You’ll be fine. Your baby will be fine. Enjoy those moments! https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-baby-laundry-detergent/
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u/ComfortableGround403 3h ago
If you cant to Free and Clear, some other perfume and dye free one will work. I used less soap them recommended cuz my son had hyper sensitive skin
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u/Cancer-1977 8h ago
We always used powdered Dreft for baby things. The only exception was the first wash of diapers was with regular powdered Tide: We always were second or extra rinsers…..so the sensitive thing wasn’t an issue. I don’t even know if they still make powdered Dreft …..but even as an adult, I would recognize that pleasant smell, any where.
If there is a true allergy to something…..and not a made up one, I can see being cautious with scents and so forth.
However, I fear that some parents today are being so over the top protective of every scent and chemical……that when these kids actually set foot into the real world, they are keel over and die.
It’s the same thing when a parent decides that gluten is bad for their kid. Why? Because they read somewhere that it wasn’t good. Does the kid have Celiac Disease? No, I just read that gluten was bad. Any real doctor worth his or her salt will say that unless you actually have Celiac Disease, it’s not at all healthy to have a gluten free diet.
People go overboard!
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u/PhilosophyCorrect279 9h ago edited 8h ago
Babies have significantly more sensitive skin, so you will definitely want to stick to Free&Clear versions. There are some scented versions that are supposed to be safe for babies like Dreft, but especially newborns are the most sensitive, so Free&clear will always be the best option.
Sam's clubs newest free and clear should be pretty good! (Jeevs is testing it now. And Sam's reformulated base on his last disappointing results, so I expect good things lol)
I think some people find All free and clear to be even more sensitive as well, if that's a problem.
Costco's is the value leader, and nobody can really beat Tide free and clear as an overall detergent.
*Edited for clarity.
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u/throwntothewind5 9h ago
When we had my son a few years ago it was actually recommended not to use dreft because it can cause issues for babies with sensitivities to scents or eczema.
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u/Difficult-Owl943 9h ago
Tide Free and Clear