A guide for parents
How to wash baby clothes
What temperature, what detergent, and whether you really need the expensive stuff. You mostly don't.
What's in here
- Do you need special baby detergent?
- What temperature to wash at
- Washing new clothes before first wear
- The one thing to check on the label
- A few things that help
You're standing in the washing aisle holding a bottle that costs twice as much because it says baby on it, wondering if you're a terrible person for hesitating.
You're not. Here's what the NHS actually says.
Do you need special baby detergent?
Which is quite something, given that nearly every page you'll find on this says use non-bio, and nearly every one of them is written by somebody who sells non-bio.
Most babies
Whatever you already wash your own things in is fine.
No separate bottle, no separate load, no version with a rabbit on it.
Eczema, or skin that reacts
Non-bio and fragrance-free, which is what dermatology guidance recommends.
NHS eczema advice lists detergents and soaps among common triggers, so it's worth mentioning to your health visitor too.
As a precaution for every baby, just in case, there's nothing behind it. If your baby's skin is fine, save the money.
What temperature to wash at
| What | Temperature | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday clothes | 30 or 40°C | Plenty hot enough, and kinder to the fabric |
| Anything with poo or sick on it | 60°C | NHS advice, after you've got the worst off |
| Reusable nappies | 60°C, separately | Same reason, and they need their own load |
| Anything stained | Cold first | Heat sets protein stains. More here. |
Thirty degrees does the job for the everyday stuff, costs less, and doesn't wear the fabric out. There's no benefit to washing a milky sleepsuit at sixty, and a fair bit of harm.
Washing new clothes before first wear
Yes, and this one is genuine. Clothes pick up dust and dye residue on a long journey from a factory to a shop to your house, and a newborn's skin is considerably thinner than yours.
It also softens everything, which matters more than you'd expect. New fabric is stiff, and a few extra washes is exactly what occupational therapists recommend for children who find clothes uncomfortable.
Same goes for anything secondhand, for the same reasons and no others. A normal wash, and it's done.
The one thing to check on the label
Nightwear. Some children's sleepwear has a flame-resistant finish, and washing it too hot can damage that. The care label will tell you.
It's the only garment where the temperature is a safety matter rather than a fabric one, and it's worth a glance. More on nightwear rules here.
And check the label anyway
The number on it is the highest the fabric will take, not the temperature you have to use. Thirty is nearly always fine even when the label says forty.
A few things that help
| Do this | Because |
|---|---|
| Turn printed things inside out | Stops the picture on the front cracking after six washes |
| Don't cram the machine | Water needs room to rinse, and detergent left in fabric irritates more than the detergent ever did |
| Fasten poppers and zips first | Nothing snags on anything else |
| Dry outside when you can | Free, and daylight bleaches out the yellow that washing leaves behind |
| Wash the small things in a bag | Socks and mittens vanish into the drum otherwise |
On fabric softener: the NHS says there's no evidence it irritates skin either. It does leave a coating that makes towels and muslins less absorbent, so plenty of people skip it for that reason rather than a safety one. Your call.
I bought the special baby stuff for about eight months before I found out the NHS says it makes no difference. Two bottles, two loads, twice the money, for nothing.
🌱 While you've got the machine on
The things they've grown out of are worth more than you'd think. Swapaboo is a clothes swap: you photograph what they've outgrown, we check and value each piece, and it becomes credits you spend on the next size from another family.
Give them a wash before they go, and that's genuinely all the preparation needed. The clothes cost nothing, you just pay to have them moved.
We're opening a few families at a time and it's invitation only just now.
Common questions
Do you need special detergent for baby clothes?
For most babies, no. NHS guidance states there is no evidence that biological washing powders or fabric conditioners irritate a baby's skin. If a baby has eczema or visibly sensitive skin, a non-biological, fragrance-free detergent is recommended, and detergents are listed among common eczema triggers. As a general precaution for every baby, it is not supported by evidence.
What temperature should you wash baby clothes at?
Thirty or forty degrees is right for everyday clothes. Anything soiled with poo or sick should go in at sixty after the worst has been removed, and reusable nappies should be washed separately at sixty. Stained items benefit from a cold rinse first, since heat sets protein stains.
Should you wash baby clothes before first wear?
Yes. Clothes pick up dust, dye residue and other traces between the factory and your house, and newborn skin is much thinner than adult skin. A first wash removes those and softens the fabric, which many babies find more comfortable. The same applies to secondhand clothes.
Can you wash baby clothes with the rest of the laundry?
Generally yes, provided nothing is heavily soiled and the temperatures are compatible. Separate loads are often recommended but are not necessary for most families. Nappies and anything soiled are the exceptions and should be washed separately at a higher temperature.
Is fabric softener bad for baby clothes?
NHS guidance says there is no evidence that fabric conditioners irritate a baby's skin. Softener does leave a coating that reduces absorbency, which matters for towels and muslins, so many parents skip it for practical reasons rather than safety ones.
Do you need to wash secondhand baby clothes?
Yes, as you would with new clothes. A normal wash at thirty or forty degrees is sufficient. It removes anything picked up in transit or storage and softens the fabric further, which many children find more comfortable than new clothing.