We like our babies smelling clean. We even tend to think about throwing in some fabric softener while cleaning baby diapers and onesies and sleepwear. As it turns out, that makes us very bad mothers. Actually, most of us have already been warned about how perfumes can be harmful to a newborn. They can also be a harsh way to discover that your child has allergies. Follow these helpful hints to keep your child’s sleepwear clean without risk–again, assuming we all are already avoiding detergent that’s packed full of perfume and dyes:
In addition to the problem of perfumes, watch out for animal fat and other conditioners that can actually undo the flame-retardant aspect of your kiddie sleepwear. You still want to be able to get rid of stains, of course. Stains don’t come much stronger than baby food, either. (That’s because of all the protein.) You have to do some real maintenance on those onesies and other things that need to be washed. Scrape away as much as you can of the actual food. Also try to work out the stain while it’s still all yucky and wet. Don’t use hot water, though. You don’t want to seal the stain in through hot water.
Don’t be afraid to let the sleepwear sit in a tub full of cold water and detergent. It can soak for 30 minutes and then be put through a couple of washes in warm water. Use bleach, if you like, but be ready to scrub extra hard to remove any traces. And know that you have our respect for buying really nice onesies and other sleepwear worth salvaging. You’ve resisted the temptation to buy cheap and treat everything like disposables.
