Protect her delicate skin

Even the products you use to wash your little one’s clothes can affect the health of his or her skin.

In fact, detergents with chemical components are likely to be harmful to an infant’s skin, as they contain surfactants and other petroleum derivatives that can settle on fabrics and subsequently penetrate the baby’s skin.

Therefore, it is better to choose eco-detergents based on active ingredients of plant origin and characterized by mild fragrances.

Here are some practical tips on how to handle laundry when a baby arrives in the house.

First washing of baby’s clothes

Before birth, it is useful to wash all the garments that make up a newborn’s layette so as to remove all traces of treatment substances used during the processing of the garments and also to remove any dust that may have settled before use.

Best to wash in the washing machine, possibly sanitized first with Percarbonate (about 150 gr. directly in the drum), with a vacuum wash at 60 degrees.

The ideal detergent for baby’s laundry is. an environmentally friendly detergent that is made from raw materials of natural origin, hypoallergenic (thus dermatologically tested), effective even at low temperatures and rinses off easily.

As soon as you finish the layette laundry, immediately lay out the garments to dry thoroughly and then store them in airtight bags.

Subsequent washes

It is a good idea to separate leotards and undergarments from those worn on top and wash them separately.

If you choose hand washing, pay close attention to rinsing to prevent soap or detergent residue from remaining.

In the washing machine, however, rinsing is certainly more effective because it is also possible to schedule a double rinse.

In any case, never exceed the dose of detergent and always use detergents that are easy to rinse.

Which detergent to choose

Remember to read labels well and-if you are in doubt-search the Web for any Information about the ingredients contained.

Possibly, avoid:

• optical brighteners and optical bleaches, which settle on fabrics and could therefore cause irritation when in contact with children’s delicate skin;
• Excessively intense scents, which could be the cause of contact allergies.

When in doubt, it is best to choose a detergent that is environmentally friendly and made from ingredients of natural, non-petrochemical origin.

How to sanitize children’s garments

Unfortunately, we must dispel the myth of baking soda as a natural sanitizer: the action of baking soda only mildly increases the ph of the solution to which it is added, without performing any bactericidal action. On the contrary, it can cause scale buildup on fabrics, hardening and damaging them.

Instead, to achieve sanitizing action and eliminate odors, it is useful to add a tablespoon of percarbonate to the wash and schedule the wash at a temperature above 40 °C, above which active oxygen is released. Only caution: use cloth only on light-colored or colorfast garments, because it also has a bleaching action, which is even more enhanced if you then lay the laundry out in the sun.

Fabric softener: yes or no?

What a dream to have laundry that is as soft and fragrant as your baby’s skin… Unfortunately, however, most fabric softeners on the market contain thickeners, pearlisers and petrochemical fragrances that can easily irritate your baby’s skin and trigger annoying dermatitis. Before buying fabric softener, therefore, check the labels carefully and always prefer products based on natural principles.

If you can’t find the right product on the supermarket shelf, we recommend the use of Citric Acid Anhydrous, an excellent descaling agent that neutralizes the alkalinity of the wash and brings fabrics back to a pH closer to that of children’s skin. Diluted in water to a 15 percent solution and poured into the fabric softener tub, it serves to soften water, soften laundry fibers and also remove detergent residue and any additives.