It's no secret that the skin of the newborn and the infant is not the same as that of the adult. Also, spontaneously, we tend to think - and the marketing is doing what it takes to remind us - that you have to buy a special laundry to wash baby clothes.
But now, once arrived in the department, parents face a huge choice of detergents, slogans all more catchy than each other. Should we rush over the laundry "special baby"? Answer: yes and no.
Babies do have sensitive, fragile and reactive skin because they are not yet fully equipped to deal with external aggressions. Also, some ingredients and substances used in the detergents may cause them redness, irritation, itching or allergic reactions to contact with laundry, even after a good rinse.
But beware of conventional wisdom: the title "baby" is not necessarily mandatory in the choice of a laundry for linen infants. Some detergents that claim to be specially designed for baby laundry still contain undesirable substances.
Baby laundry: ingredients and mentions to spot
The important thing is especially the mention "hypoallergenic" because it means that the laundry has been subjected to extensive dermatological tests not to trigger allergies. Special "sensitive skin" detergents are usually used, but the word "hypoallergenic" must be written in black and white. The term "dermatologically tested" is usually misleading, because it only evokes irritation tests. Beware also that covers the term "hypoallergenic", because it happens that, to deceive us, the manufacturer indicates "hypoallergenic perfume": if the perfume is, nothing indicates that the rest of the composition of the laundry the be too. So be careful!
On the composition side, it is advisable to avoid detergents containing preservatives known for their allergenic potential, especially benzisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone, better known under the name of MIT, or its close relative, methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCIT). Proof of this is that MIT is now banned in all non-rinsed cosmetic products since February 2017. However, it remains present in shampoos, shower gels and detergents, since these products require rinsing. These preservatives, which worry dermatologists and allergists, may be less allergenic in adults without particular skin problems, but should be avoided for sensitive skin such as babies or people with atopic skin, subject to eczema, etc.
For the choice of baby laundry, we must therefore turn to products that do not mention in their list of ingredients the compounds ending in "isothiazolinone", such as benzisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, methylchloroisothiazolinone, or octylisothiazolinone.
Prefer detergents containing washing agents of natural origin, no synthetic perfume, or no perfume at all. Avoid brightly colored detergents as they usually contain chemical dyes.
In terms of labels, we can only advise you to opt for organic and ecological products, with the "Ecolabel" label certified by the European Union or "Ecocert". For a brand of laundry to obtain this type of label, it must comply with a number of prerogatives, including that of limiting the use of hazardous substances and reduce products from petrochemicals. And this, while ensuring efficient washing and significant biodegradability.
Another interesting label is the "ac" label, to signify the presence of allergens controlled by allergy doctors.
Know also that liquid laundry, because it is less well preserved, contains more preservatives than laundry powder. But the latter has the disadvantage, when applied directly to the laundry, to impregnate it. The ideal is to dilute it in water before starting the washing machine rather than sprinkling the dirty laundry.
As for the softener, it is rather inadvisable, because most of the products on the market contain here too undesirable substances for the skin of baby. To soften the linen in a natural way, you can pour a few centilitres of alcohol vinegar, or white vinegar, in the drum or in the laundry compartment. It will soften the laundry by limescale, which is also a good point for the maintenance of the washing machine!
Baby clothes: other precautions to take
Once baby laundry has been chosen, other precautions must be taken to ensure that the baby's laundry is the least loaded with aggressive products.
It is therefore recommended to wash new baby clothes before wearing them, because this first wash eliminates dyes and a large part of toxic substances (benzidine, chromium 6, formaldehyde ...), irritating or even endocrine disruptor effect.
To be sure that baby laundry does not contain any laundry residue, use long rinse cycles or with special program "fragile skin", and put the least laundry possible. Most detergents are concentrated, specially designed for high efficiency even in small quantities.
If you can fully wash baby clothes with the rest of the family, this involves washing the laundry at 60 ° C, to eliminate as much bacteria as possible. Clothing with a label indicating washing at 30 ° C may not like it too much.
Finally, note that the best baby laundry is undoubtedly the one you do yourself. Because a few crystals of soda, baking soda and / or Marseille soap chips are enough to make a homemade laundry. Be careful however with essential oils as perfume: most are not recommended for infants and pregnant women.
As for the nuts of washing, these fruits coming from Sapindus Mukorossi, tree native of the Himalayas, which naturally contain saponin, natural soap, they are without any danger for baby, but perhaps not effective enough when the linen of baby is very dirty. Your turn to try !
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