Let's face it, there is no such thing as a neat baby. As a time starved parent, I have frequently found myself deciding whether to throw away a piece of clothing away instead of washing it. However, if you are prepared with the right tools and quick processes, salvaging clothing will no longer feel as daunting. Promise. Below are some simple tips to help you increase the lifespan of your child's clothes.
1) Properly laundering your child's clothing is key to elongating the life of the garment. Since sustainability is important to me, I am constantly looking for Organic and Organic Cotton/Cotton blends. Remember, cotton will shrink. To launder cotton, I wash on the coldest temperature which will be 20-30 degrees C depending on your washing machine. I always hang dry clothing. Added bonus, if you have an outdoor area, hanging cotton outside in the sun can also have antimicrobial effects.
2) 90% of the time, I refrain from buying synthetic materials for the baby. There are some instances, however, where synthetic fabrics are better than cotton for longevity. For example, I will buy Recycled Polyester outerwear for my baby. Although polyester is pre-shrunk, I still launder it using the same methods to save on energy.
3) Be prepared for stains. My biggest tip is to have a designated system to get out stains. In the moment, after a long day, you are not going to put in much effort if you don't have a process. In my kitchen I keep a large bowl with a fabric brush, bottle of white vinegar and stain remover inside ready for action.
4) Don't throw away clothes in haste. If you have no itime, simply putting some dish soap on the stain and soaking it can make a difference. If you have a few minutes, apply some soap and scrub it in the stain. I sometimes will give it a quick scrub and then leave it soaking overnight if I'm busy.
5) If you have some time in the moment, there are plenty of non toxic and earth friendly stain removers you can use. I use the Ecover Stain Remover because it's plant based, small and comes with a brush at the top to scrub stains. Once i wet the stain, I apply the stain remover and use a brush to extract the stain. I will either leave it soaking overnight or throw it in the wash.
6) If you want to keep it tres naturel, soaking the garment in 1 part water, 1 part vinegar overnight will also do the trick.
Drop us a line with your baby clothes laundering tips and we will feature it on our instagram.
x The HDB Team