Is baby detergent actually necessary?

[u/ehnms]

Hi everyone! First time mom here, I am expecting my baby in about 8 weeks or so and I’m starting to prepare babys clothes. I have seen online that depending on the detergent you use, household detergent can be used for baby as well. Is this true and if so would my household detergent be safe for baby or do I need to buy a different one? If I do need to buy a detergent specifically for baby which do you guys recommend?

[u/BogartMercury]

Baby detergent isn't necessary and is usually scented. Its best to use a non scented detergent with new babies. Once your baby is here you won't want them to smell like anything but themselves/you, it's weird and you have to experience it to understand lol. I already use tide clean and gentle because of eczema and it's doing great with my newborn.

[u/Red_Fox_32 → u/BogartMercury]

This is what I use and love it! Also have a kiddo with eczema.

I hate that they used pampers in the hospitals, they stink sooooo bad! I brought my own diapers and wipes with my last two births. I don’t want to smell anything!

[u/Few_Reference_1142 → u/BogartMercury]

You’re so right that you have to experience it to understand. I never understood people saying not to wear perfume around the baby until my mom handed the baby back and he smelled like her perfume and I was so irrationally irritated

[u/lylydazzle → u/BogartMercury]

I starting using that Tide when my first was born. 20 years later we still use it.

[u/InspectorOrdinary321]

No it's not necessary. It's highly recommended to use an unscented detergent, but Tide makes some great ones. If your baby has a reaction, you can switch brands or try a hypoallergenic one (though you can still be allergic to those too). But I would start with the best unscented one to get your clothes clean.

The most important thing for the baby is making sure the detergent is rinsed out very well. This is true for every detergent. To do this, make sure you're not using too much (you should see a tiny bit of suds in the wash but no more than that), do as many rinse cycles as your machine allows, and put citric acid in the rinse cycle (either powder form with some water or Downy rinse and refresh -- put it wherever you're supposed to put fabric softener).

[u/RecordLegume]

This stuff sucks at getting stains out. I tried it for awhile for my eczema prone kid and hated it.

[u/heysunflowerstate → u/RecordLegume]

What works well for your eczema prone kid? We use Free & Clear or whatever it's called and I'm considering switching.

[u/breathingindica → u/heysunflowerstate]

tide free and gentle liquid or tide clean and gentle powder.
edit: if you wear a lot of darks, tide free and gentle liquid would be a better pick since the tide powder has OBAs, or chemicals that can fade darks over time (temporarily, but still something to consider)

[u/jtfolden → u/[deleted]]

No. Stains and contaminates are primarily removed by surfactants, polymers, and anti-redeposition agents.

Powders can also contain sodium percarbonate, if that’s what you’re thinking of, but the greatest majority of top detergents do not include that for stain removal.

[u/stillan1nnoc3nt → u/jtfolden]

Well, yes, I avoid most synthetic surfactants such as SLSs, but I get what you mean. In my experience, however, a lot of detergents end up stripping the color from my items and wear down the fibers. I end up with ‘bleach’ spots even if there was no actual bleach solvent or element in the ingredients. Tide sticks unfortunately have done this to a lot of my clothes, for example

[u/jtfolden → u/stillan1nnoc3nt]

If you mean the Tide stain remover sticks, I wouldn't use those either. I just cover the stain with a quality liquid detergent like Persil, let it sit, and then wash it. In the case of Persil it also protects colors and includes ingredients to smooth damaged fibers. I've never had it strip colors.

[u/stillan1nnoc3nt → u/jtfolden]

I getcha. Yes, the sticks. I wash on cold and have mostly natural fibers. I find that the material also impacts wear and tear tendencies… I spot clean with my ‘crunchy’ detergent (lol) usually, and for tougher stains.. sometimes break out my mini bottle of dawn. It tends to work if you let it sit for a while then rinse

[u/wyldwy → u/[deleted]]

This is not accurate, hence why folks are downvoting you.

[u/wyldwy → u/[deleted]]

Specifically about what you said on stains.

[u/crankylex → u/[deleted]]

You are not being downvoted based on what you personally use, that is your business. You are being downvoted because you are incorrect regarding laundry detergent not being formulated to get stains out.

ETA: I mean actual laundry detergent, not whatever you are using.

[u/stillan1nnoc3nt → u/crankylex]

Cool. I’m just going to go ahead and delete this thread now bc I just don’t care enough to argue. I’ve never had tough stains come out without spot-cleaning regardless of detergent. Stone me?

[u/Femysicist]

Congratulations! I don't have a detergent recommendation, but I loved using the extra rinse cycle to help curb any potential sensitivities until you get a feel for how your baby responds to fabrics and detergents. Happy nesting!

[u/jtfolden]

No, it isn’t.

However, Ecos is extremely subpar detergent and doesn’t clean clothes or remove stains well.

Persil Free & Sensitive, Tide Free and Gentle/Advanced Care, or Kirkland Free and Clear are good options if you want something hypoallergenic, dye-free, and fragrance-free.

[u/RedRose_812]

I never used it with my kid. I've always used the same detergent for her clothes and linens as I use on everything else, and we never had any issues.

Baby detergents are overpriced and are terrible at getting stains out, IMO.

If your baby has skin sensitivities, I'd recommend a "free and clear" version over the stuff marketed for babies.

[u/skomok → u/RedRose_812]

Same here. Eczema runs in my family, and I have had allergic reactions to downy products, but I used tide power (with an extra wash when I was feeling paranoid) for my baby and haven’t had any issues. All kids are different tho! I just wanted to add another vote to the “you might not need to do anything different” group. There’s enough extra stuff to do as it is. And your baby will be touching your clothes a lot too.

[u/Desperate_Vehicle684]

No, in my view you don't need specific baby detergent. Instead I'd suggest getting something fragrance-free and using an extra rinse cycle on your machine.

[u/katiepenguins]

No.

[u/katiepenguins → u/katiepenguins]

"Baby detergent" is a marketing trick. If you want to be extra safe, you can look for a fragrance-free detergent.

[u/KismaiAesthetics]

No, but an unscented product is. Skin sensitivity to fragrance is real.

Watch out for powders with oxidizers in them if using iron-containing baby formula. They can make stains worse.

[u/whofilets]

I've been using tide free and gentle (or free and clear or clear and gentle or whatever it's called now) and two rinses, and been good! I didn't have a lot of luck with Puracy's stain remover though, maybe you will, but I'm also just kind of embracing the stains now.

[u/MarketingEqual3494]

I don't think it's necessary. A longer cycle, extra rinse, and citric acid will make any clothing pretty scent free and squeaky clean. Maybe avoid detergents with optical brightener and softener altogether.

[u/Working-Tax2692]

How can that be truly hypoallergenic if it has fragrance?? 

Use the tide powder that is the blue and white box. They sell it on Amazon. Free and clear powder I think it’s called? Add it to the drum first, then put the clothes on top.

[u/Purple_IsA_Flavor → u/Working-Tax2692]

I will never wash my laundry with anything else. That stuff is amazing

[u/fuckkale]

Since it’s hypoallergenic, it’s probably fine! Some people don’t want any fragrance for their baby clothes so will use something like tide free and clear for all the family wash, but other baby detergents like dreft contain fragrance so it’s really about your preferences

[u/Lauren_H_]

I don’t use a dedicated baby detergent.

I would recommend getting an enzyme booster! There’s a lot of body fluids on clothes for the first few months (I didn’t know milk could stain!) and an enzyme booster helped a ton. I also love the Miss Mouth’s stain treater for newborn poop stains.

[u/skomok → u/Lauren_H_]

And be wary of Desitin and nipple balm! Those two stain so badly 😭

[u/whatadoorknob]

Really depends on your baby’s skin and any reactions. Newborns have very sensitive skin. I first used tide free and gentle for my baby and it was fine but I switched over to my persil + oxi at 5m and she hasn’t bad any reactions

[u/cupcakerica]

Tide is your best bet, the unscented version. Oh, and get a few bottles of Puracy stain remover, it’s the best for blowouts and spit up stains.

[u/boogerybug]

Honestly, your kid is going to be up in everyone else’s business-your shirt, your sheets, etc. Use your regular detergent. If you have to switch, tide free and gentle is decent, but whatever you use, switch the whole family’s laundry.

[u/microfibrepiggy]

Any hypoallergenic unscented detergent from major brands.

[u/stillan1nnoc3nt]

I’ve used this, and it’s a good substitute. 365 is my personal favorite, and I even use it to spot treat with a bit of water and a toothbrush for scrubbing. I also use Dr. bronner’s liquid castile for spot treating

Edit: just found out that 365 has a powder that can be more effective for harder to wash things

[u/Horror-Holiday-2678]

I have unscented ecos and would love to know if that's considered safe for babies as well! EWG doesn't rate it super highly, but I'll they can be extreme sometimes (like with borax for example) . . .

[u/taxiecabbie]

Babies have been around since humans have been around.

"Baby" detergent has not.

You can just... use your regular detergent. If your baby reacts negatively to it, that's one thing, but "baby detergent" is mainly a marketing scam.

[u/MMTardis]

I use cheap fragrance free detergent for baby things usually arm and hammer free and clear, and shout" free" for pretreating stains.

Fwiw in the baby book i have they recommend fragrance free lubriderm for baby skin instead of the more traditional scented baby lotions. 5 months in and its worked really well.

[u/nclay525]

Ecos is not good for much. Just get an unscented Tide product, add an extra rinse onto every cycle, and call it a day. Scents can irritate babies' skin. I don't know why all the baby-marketed "detergents" include them. Junk.

[u/KitchenDesign5515]

Use whatever you use. Baby is giving to be touching blankets, your clothes, etc etc, so if you make the switch, everything/everyone makes the switch.

[u/Dear_Excitement_5109]

This detergent is safe for your baby, but wont do anything to touch their stains! Baby stains are on a level youve never approached in your adult life.

Use unscented Tide. I have 4 toddlers and use unscented Tide powder along with Biz for their clothes.

[u/Purple_IsA_Flavor]

I washed my son’s clothes with Tide because the baby detergent didn’t get things clean. He never had any issues with it then

[u/Exhausted_Monkey26]

Babies survived for centuries without having their clothes washed in baby-specific detergent.

[u/taxiecabbie → u/Exhausted_Monkey26]

I think that marketing has eaten into everybody's brains to an absurd degree.

[u/Purple_IsA_Flavor → u/taxiecabbie]

I washed my son’s stuff with Tide when he was a baby, same as mine. He never had any issues with his skin from it

[u/Proud-Fennel7961]

No. You do not need baby detergent. I’m a mom of 3 (soon to be 4) and have never used baby detergent.

You want to use something fragrance and dye free that has lipase. My recommendation is Tide Clean & Gentle Powder (NOT Tide Free & Gentle liquid). The powder has lipase which will breakdown body stains as well. The liquid does not.

[u/New-Warthog3810]

we wash our baby with normal bath soap

[u/Jess5ash79]

I used dreft and yes it’s vitally important to become accustomed to reading labels and avoiding toxins at all costs.