Detergent Safe For Baby

Laundry detergent is a necessity for any household. Fortunately, there are many different types of laundry detergent available, so you can find the right one for your specific needs. One of the best kinds of laundry detergents is baby-safe laundry detergent. This type of detergent has been specially designed to clean cloth diapers and other items that babies wear without irritating their sensitive skin or harming them in any way.

laundry detergent

A common question that parents have is “What laundry detergent is safe to use on baby clothes and diapers?” While many people are under the impression that they need a special laundry detergent for babies, most of the time any old detergent will do. In fact, there are only two things you need to be careful about when washing your baby’s clothing: using the right temperature setting and using enough water.

If you’re using regular laundry soap in your washing machine, go ahead and set it at warm or hot water settings (some people prefer cold). However, if your machine doesn’t have a setting for hot water or it’s just not getting hot enough even after setting it on high—or worst case scenario: it doesn’t heat at all—then I recommend running one or two loads with plain white vinegar instead (no need for fabric softener). The vinegar will effectively kill germs and neutralize odors without leaving residue behind like traditional store-bought brands do!

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So, you’re thinking about buying some baby laundry detergent. Great choice! The first thing to decide is whether you want laundry soap for babies or powders.

• Laundry soap for babies: A liquid detergent that comes in a bottle with its own pump dispenser and has the word “soap” or “powder” somewhere on it (like Ivory Snow Powder). It’s usually safe for newborns and babies over 6 months old, but check the label before using a new brand of baby detergent on your little one. Be careful if your child has sensitive skin because some of these products can be irritating—they’re designed for adults’ clothing, after all!
• Baby laundry powder: This is what you get when you combine water with sodium carbonate (an alkaline substance) and add other ingredients such as fragrances and colorants to make it smell nice while washing clothes (agents like sodium chloride might also be added). You can find this type of laundry product under many different names at grocery stores—the most common ones being Tide® Free & Gentle™ Liquid Laundry Detergent or Arm & Hammer Ultra OxiClean™ Power Crystals™ Powder Laundry Detergent.

laundry detergent for baby

The first step to finding the right detergent for your baby’s laundry is finding a brand you trust. This will help ensure that you’re buying a product that won’t irritate your child’s skin, or cause any other negative side effects. You can also look for baby laundry detergent at places like [store name] or [best place to buy baby clothes].

Some parents prefer non-phosphate free detergents because they think it makes their children smell better, but this isn’t true when it comes to baby laundry detergent brands—the scent of most mainstream brands comes from fragrance oils and fragrances added during production rather than the ingredients themselves. In addition, many parents find that using phosphate-free cleansers can cause irritation on their babies’ skin because acids in these cleaners are too harsh for sensitive areas like faces and hands (and yes: even if your child has outgrown diaper rash). If you find yourself needing something more gentle on their delicate skin then stick with something like [brand name] which contains no phosphates whatsoever.

Best Overall: Seventh Generation Natural 4X Concentrated Laundry Detergent Pack of 2

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Who else recommends it? Best Products also picked the Seventh Generation Natural 4X Concentrated Laundry Detergent.¹

What do buyers say? 91% of 8,500+ Amazon reviewers rated it 4 stars or above.

The Seventh Generation Natural 4X Concentrated Laundry Detergent earns our top spot because it will get all types of baby and adult stains out. A USDA-certified biobased product, this laundry detergent is 4x concentrated for extra stain-fighting power while remaining green and gentle. It contains no artificial dyes, fragrances, or brighteners.

Its plant-based formula makes it especially well-suited to babies’ clothing, towels, and bedding. The liquid formula gets a “C” rating on EWG’s list, but the powder gets an “A”, so if you want purer, and your water and machine can handle powder, you might want to opt for the powder version.

Best for Eczema: All with Stainlifters Free Clear Detergent

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If your baby is prone to eczema, or you yourself have it—looking for a formula that gets a stamp of approval from a dermatologist is key. All, a lead laundry detergent manufacturer has done extensive testing on their Free Clear formula which is the #1 recommended brand from dermatologists for sensitive skin. It’s free of perfume and dyes which can irritate your little one’s skin.

Of course since every baby’s skin is different the reviews here vary on what has worked for their household. Some rave that this is the only product that has worked on their baby’s eczema prone skin while other’s say this made their reaction worse.

Best for Newborns: Dreft Stage 1: Newborn Laundry Detergent

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Look no further if you’re searching for a detergent designed specifically for newborn babies. This detergent is hypoallergenic, making it safe even for the little ones with sensitive skin. 

Dreft has been on the market for more than 85 years and is great for washing all your newborn’s delicates, like towels, sheets, burp cloths, and more. The detergent can be used in both high-efficiency and standard washing machines. Many parents and caregivers say it’s also perfect for the whole family.

Best for Sensitive Skin: The Honest Company Baby Laundry Detergent

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This hypoallergenic laundry detergent is specially made for babies with extra-sensitive skin. Its formula consists of plant-derived ingredients and four stain-fighting enzymes for those tough stains that are bound to happen. 

There are no fragrances or dyes in the detergent’s formula and it’s even dermatologist tested. Reviewers say it’s a great detergent for not only their babies but their own sensitive skin, too.

Best Budget: Molly’s Suds Unscented Bulk Laundry Detergent Powder

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Molly’s Suds Laundry Powder includes 120 loads, making it a highly affordable detergent option. It’s also perfect for babies, as it’s organic and eco-friendly, with no harmful or irritating dyes, fragrances, perfumes, brighteners, filler, petrochemicals, phosphate, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), or sodium Laureth sulfate (SLES). Molly’s Suds also received an “A” rating from the EWG and is cruelty-free and certified vegan.

Molly’s Suds laundry powder is perfect for high-efficiency washers and can be used on virtually any material (baby’s as well as yours). Parents love the natural, clean feeling and the peace of mind of the five organic, earth-based ingredients. They also say it helps with eczema and other sensitive skin-related issues.

 The 10 Best Cloth Diapers of 2022

Best for High-Efficiency Washers: Biokleen 21 Laundry Detergent Liquid

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Biokleen Laundry Liquid Free and Clear is ideal for environmentally conscious parents. Packaged in a recyclable or compostable bottle made out of used cardboard and newspaper, Biokleen Free and Clear is great for high-efficiency washers, 3x concentrated, and enzyme- and fragrance-free.

Plant-based surfactants and grapefruit seed extracts do the job here, rinsing baby clothes clean with no residue or funk. Biokleen has earned an “A” rating from the EWG for its all-natural, safe, nontoxic ingredients. Parents who use hard water and high-efficiency washers often say Biokleen is their go-to detergent, even though it’s pricier than some of its competitors.

Best Eco-Friendly Detergent: Eco-me Plant Based Concentrated Laundry Detergent

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Fragrance-free Eco-Me Natural Laundry Detergent is especially concentrated for a green detergent. It comes in a small bottle, but many parents are surprised that they only need 1-2 capfuls of the liquid for a small to medium load of laundry, making it a perfect choice for baby laundry in particular.

Eco-Me is toxin-free and plant-based and works for both high efficiency and standard washing machines. It’s cruelty-free (no animal byproducts and no animal testing), and free of fragrances, sulfates, phosphates, dyes, and parabens. However, you should note that for big messes or intense stains, you’ll need to pretreat your load of laundry, as with many green and organic laundry detergents.

 These Are the Best Crib Sheets for a Safe and Comfortable Baby

Best for Cloth Diapers: Rockin’ Green Classic Rock Laundry Detergent Powder

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Rockin’ Green Natural HE Powder Laundry Detergent declares itself “perfect for cloth diapers.” Many parents agree that this plant-based, all-natural, vegan, and baby-safe detergent is a lifesaver for cloth diapers. It’s powerful enough to get the stains out without leaving behind any residue or smell, and its clean-washing formula rinses each diaper completely with just a small amount of detergent.

Some parents do find the Rockin’ Green laundry detergent scent (though it’s not artificial) a little overwhelming or strong, so be forewarned if you don’t like or can’t tolerate intense smells.

Best Organic: Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap

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 If you are going for pure look no further than this organic and vegan castile soap that can not only clean your little one’s laundry it can also be used in their bath, clean dishes, and even mixed with other ingredients to create all-purpose cleaners around the house. Dr. Bronner’s website is very informative on the correct dilutions to use to whip up various different recipes to help you get the whole household clean in a green way. The EWG also rates this an “A” so you know it has safe ingredients for your growing family.

Reviewers rave about the many uses they can do with this, with many claiming they were impressed with how well it cleaned their laundry.

Best Plant-Based: Noodle & Boo Ultra-Safe Laundry Detergent for Baby

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This plant-based detergent is designed to be gentle on your baby’s skin as well as the environment while being tough on pesky stains and odor. Thanks to the stain-fighting enzymes in the formula, the detergent is designed to power through any stains and odors your baby may leave behind.

Aside from being environmentally friendly, it’s also safe for baby’s skin as it’s hypoallergenic and pediatrician tested. It’s compatible with both conventional and high-efficiency washing machines, so you don’t have to question if the detergent will damage your washing machine.

 The Best Baby Washes to Get Your Little One Squeaky Clean

Final Verdict

If you’re wanting a laundry detergent that’s affordable and even eco-friendly, check out Molly’s Suds Laundry Powder (view at Amazon). Parents and caregivers love the natural, clean feeling and the peace of mind of the five organic, earth-based ingredients.

For those who want a detergent for the whole family, the Seventh Generation Natural Detergent (view at Amazon) is great for babies and adults. Its plant-based formula makes it especially well-suited to babies’ clothing, towels, and bedding while still fighting out any adult stains and odors.

What to Look for in a Baby Detergent 

Hypoallergenic 

When shopping for a baby detergent, one of the best things to look for is a detergent that is made with a hypoallergenic formula. Typically, hypoallergenic detergent formulas are gentler for sensitive skin types since they’re made with fewer allergy-producing substances. 

Dye-free

Along with hypoallergenic formula, many parents and caregivers should check out dye-free detergent. Many detergents are free of dyes, meaning they’re clear or colorless and perfect for washing those sensitive items, like baby’s clothes and bedding. 

Fragrance-free

It’s important to realize fragrance-free and unscented are not the same thing. Fragrance can still be present in the detergent, but the unscented just means it’s simply hidden. For those with sensitive skin, fragranced laundry detergent can sometimes cause rashes, so to be safe, skip it altogether. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope that this article has helped you understand how to choose the best laundry detergent for your child. While there are many different brands and types out there, we recommend purchasing one that is safe for babies as well as yourself. We also recommend reading the instructions on how to use detergent before purchasing anything!