Baby Laundry Basics
Along with feeding and sheltering baby, clothing and cleaning top the list of basic needs. But basic doesn't have to be boring or even overwhelming with the amount of laundry that caring for baby can require. With a few guiding principals you can set up a system that works for you while keeping baby clean, happy and well cared for. Here are Baby Laundry Basics to get you set up for success in the laundry room. Bet you never thought you'd hope for that! We've presented solutions that are easy on baby's skin, easy on Mother Earth and easy on you, both caregiver and laundry slayer.
Hamper Time Start by setting up a hamper and pre-sorting system that will save you time in the long run. Opt for a multiple-bag hamper if you have the space or upcycle medium sized baskets to catch baby's dirty laundry. You can set up one for normal wash, one for stained wash and even a third for dedicates if you need. For small items such as socks, booties, scratch mitts and more try Satsuma Designs' Wash Bag. The unique tray shape lets you cinch the drawstring and pop items in, then wash, dry and sort and fold in a matter of minutes.
Fighting Stains When working to lift stains from baby's clothes always start by soaking articles in cold water. Sometimes this is all the formula, drool, or first foods stains may require. If that's not enough, try some natural solutions that don't require harsh chemicals and get the job done. Mix a baking soda paste - 1 part baking soda to 1 part water to make a paste. Rub or brush it into the stain, let dry and then machine wash.
When and How to Wash Choose a detergent that's gentle on baby's delicate skin and be sure to test laundry when you begin and if you switch to a new wash detergent. Try Dreft for early days and move to a low impact natural detergent without fragrances and dyes when moving into toddler-hood. To brighten the whites of an entire load, add a 1/2 cup of natural white vinegar to the wash cycle. Avoid using bleach when washing baby's clothes and gear.
Dryer Days Read clothing care labels and follow instructions for heat or line drying. For finer garments, line dry as indicated. For daytime and play clothes follow dry heat indications for durability and to protect the life of the item. To shorten drying time and save on energy costs consider using all natural woolen dryer balls that help speed up drying time. Use these for all family laundry too!
Folding and Final Details Avoid my personal pitfall and try to fold and put away as soon as humanly possible. The benefits to folding just as baby's clothes are dry include warm and cozy clothes plus no wrinkles. Make life easy and create dresser or basket zones for baby's clothes by age and type if you can. Putting baby's little things away will be that much quicker and easy. Choose time saving products like our Wash Bag to make sorting a fold pairs fast and easy. Also great for lingerie, socks, nursing pads and more.
More Ways to Slice Time off of Doing Baby's Laundry Reuse items - without sparing cleanliness it's okay to reuse that bib, turn it over and keep using. Find a new corner on the burp cloth. Turn that jersey hat inside out. Stop sorting! Wash everything, but cloth diapers in warm and call it a day. With the exception of red and navy items for first (or first few) wash, toss all baby items together for wash and dry cycle. Toss small paired items into a wash bag before they hit the hamper. Add an S-hook to one of Satsuma Designs' Wash Bag's and hook it to the laundry hamper. Add booties, socks, mittens and nursing pads to the bag as you go.
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