Post by winecheery on Mar 17, 2013 10:36:51 GMT -5
Leave your thoughts on different free and clear detergents AND softeners. I use softeners; don't try to talk me out of them I won't listen.
I was reading that All Free and Clear and Seventh Gen are the most popular/well liked, but I don't see what softener I'd buy if I used All. They don't make a softener that I see. I don't plan on using the popular Dreft when baby comes. I figured I'd just use a free and clear product on all of our clothes so that I don't have to wash separately.
Currently I use Target's up&up lavender scented line which I will sorely miss because I LOVE IT. The scent doesn't stay on the clothes really...it's so light and subtle. Target makes an unscented brand of laundry products, would that work for the whole family? Cost isn't truly an issue however. I want something that will work, and make the clothes smell "clean" and nice. Also FYI I have a HE washer/dryer and I use the liquid stuff.
I'd prefer to continue buying laundry supplies at Target. It's most convenient for me.
And as for sanitizing baby toys and wiping down things before baby uses them...I have zero clue what is best to do that. I use Method brand cleaning products in my home, or the clorox Green Line so anything mild and closer to natural is better.
Post by blindyswife on Mar 17, 2013 10:54:07 GMT -5
We have used All Free and Clear detergent since L was born. And in lieu of softeners (lol that I just said in lieu of) we use dryer balls on his laundry.
For his toys, I let them hang out in soapy water on one side of the sink, and then transfer them to clean/plain water to soak/rinse on the other side of the sink. I just use dish soap though, so this is probably not helpful to you at all.
Post by gogadgetgo on Mar 17, 2013 11:02:24 GMT -5
We use all free and clear detergent for all our clothes. I use tide for our cloth diapers. I used to use bounce free dryer sheets with DS's clothes and a scented one for ours but now I use the scented one for all.
As for toys, if they are plush without electronics, I've washed them on gentle or hand wash cycle if they get dirty. I've cleaned his other toys in a water and vinegar or a water and bleach solution and let air dry in the sun. I didn't worry about cleaning before first use.
I also only sanitized bottles and pacis before first use. I've only ever just washed them with regular dish soap afterwards.
We plan on using All free and clear. Mostly because that's what we use now anyway and I like it. Not sure on the fabric softener. I usually just use dryer sheets.
I use Tide free and clear. The Target unscented will work too. No dryer sheets though! Not for baby crap at least till they are out of the super sensitive newborn stage (4 months or so).
I use Tide free and clear. The Target unscented will work too. No dryer sheets though! Not for baby crap at least till they are out of the super sensitive newborn stage (4 months or so).
What about just regular free and clear liquid softener?
Adding fabric softener is really just adding chemicals to clothes (I swear, I'm not a hippie, just someone with really bad skin sensitivity who has had to see a million dermatologists over the years). Baby clothes are generally so soft, you'll be fine without.
Post by thejackpot on Mar 17, 2013 18:15:27 GMT -5
Less is better when it comes to babies ( and us too really). I would use a Free & Clear detergent and no dryer sheet. The baby detergents like Dreft are supposed to be very heavily scented, so I would avoid them if possible.
Yep, sorry winecheery, what Underwater said. You can keep using softener on your stuff even for when you're holding baby or whatever, but it just isn't good for their brand new skin.
If you're worried about chemicals, Free & Clear versions aren't much better than their scented counterparts. I'm just starting to research what we want to use, especially since we're cloth diapering.
We currently use Method Lavender and Cedar scent, I think we'll just switch to an unscented version, or they have a "Squeaky Green" version that's geared toward babies. For diapers, I think we'll use Charlie's Soap. No softeners for baby clothes here. I might get some wool dryer balls.
Post by winecheery on Mar 18, 2013 10:15:50 GMT -5
Damnit I don't care! I LOVE softener. I will not do it to baby things if it's unsafe, but I cannot be without it for myself! gah. Maybe I'll try the vinegar thing. Only I can't get excited about the smell of vinegar...on my clothes...
Damnit I don't care! I LOVE softener. I will not do it to baby things if it's unsafe, but I cannot be without it for myself! gah. Maybe I'll try the vinegar thing. Only I can't get excited about the smell of vinegar...on my clothes...
Like I said, the vinegar smell does not linger. Our clothes still smell like regular Tide after the wash.
If your baby has skin sensitives, you may have to go without softner on your own clothes. Baby will be touching your clothing quite a bit as well when you hold him/her.
Ah I missed that. I think I read "vinegar" and went "nooooo" haha TY
Like I said, the vinegar smell does not linger. Our clothes still smell like regular Tide after the wash.
If your baby has skin sensitives, you may have to go without softner on your own clothes. Baby will be touching your clothing quite a bit as well when you hold him/her.
Ah I missed that. I think I read "vinegar" and went "nooooo" haha TY
And I'm surrounded by blatant softener haters!
I use softener on my own clothes, but really, es no bueno for baby clothes and stuff.
I use Tide or All free and clear detergent and no softeners or dryer sheets for at least the first six months. I will also use this opportunity to plug Clorox 2 liquid detergent as a pretreatment for tough baby stains; it's available in a clear version as well.
I never heard of using vinegar as a softener, but I do use it when washing dark denim to prevent bleeding. I use 1 cup vinegar for a full load of laundry without any lingering vinegar odor.