HE-492
IT ALL COMES OUT IN THE WASH
Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Lafayette, Indiana
September 1967
Elkin M. Minter, Home Management Specialist
TAKING CARE OF BABY’S CLOTHES
Clean Soft Diapers
Usually a baby is happy when he is well fed and clean. He lets us know when he needs another diaper; he also lets us know when a diaper is hard and scratchy to his skin.
What you do before laundering is important in keeping diapers looking good. As soon as you remove a diaper, rinse it in the toilet, holding onto the diaper while the water flushes. Then put the diaper in a large covered container. The container should be two-thirds full of a solution of water and two or three tablespoons Borax or Diaper Sweet.
When you have a machine load of diapers, drain off the solution, put diapers in the washer and pre-rinse them in cold water.
Wash diapers for ten minutes in hot water with an all-purpose detergent. Bleach may be used in this suds if you feel it is needed. Powdered bleaches, used regularly, are usually satisfactory for whiteness and are least likely to irritate the baby or damage the cloth. One-half cup per washer load is enough. If you prefer a liquid bleach, put eight tablespoons in one quart of water, mix well and add when the suds cycle is about half through. Bleaching, disinfecting or boiling are the only ways to insure bacteria-free
garments for your baby. For more information about disinfectants, see "The Right Detergent for You, " HE-491, in this series.
Is Your Baby's Skin Sensitive?
Use one or more extra rinses. Perhaps you should use soap and a water conditioner (such as Calgon and Spring Rain) in both the suds and the rinses. If water is mechanically softened, the conditioner will not be needed
If you use oil or petroleum jelly on the baby you may find small black grease balls on the diapers after washing. Several things can cause this -- using too little detergent, a neutral soap that simply cannot cut oil or grease, or water temperature too low. Even if baby has sensitive skin, more detergent or a built soap, such as Fels Naptha or Rinso, and hot water will be needed to cut the grease. In some machines extra rinsing may be needed to remove all the wash product.
Very hot water, plenty of detergent or soap, and extra rinsing will keep skin irritations to a minimum.
Fabric Softeners
To keep all of baby’s clothes soft and fluffy, you might use a fabric softener (as
Trade and brand names are given with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no indorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.