Most top brands have chemicals in their laundry detergent and liquid. These are extremely harmful to babies. Think about this. Clothes are always worn, hence they have constant contact with the skin. This, in turn, increases the exposure to chemicals which can be very harmful over the long run.
SLS, paraben, SLEs, Sulphates present in detergents have been acknowledged as areas of concern. This is not medical advice as I am not a doctor. As a concerned mom, I have researched a lot. I have myself suffered from allergies and rash on the skin. To be honest, I had no clue it was because of the chemicals I was exposed to day in and day out at home.
I started switching out the detergent, then the toilet cleaner liquid, then the floor cleaner and it has made a world of difference. Not only have I started finding relief on my rashes, but the air is much fresher. My son’s skin has balanced out and is no dry and itchy. My Persian cat no longer has that nasty rash over the skin. We tried so hard to get rid of that rash, many vet visits, creams, ointments, shampoo. Nothing worked until I made the switch.
Is laundry detergent safe for babies
No. This is my opinion only, and I cannot provide any scientific proof. My proof is from what I have struggled with as a parent and through trial and error. I always get emotional when I see babies suffering. I had to get the word out, even if it meant I get some hate comments. I personally feel that known brands of detergent which ridiculous claims are harmful. Some brands claim that they kill 99% germs, and glorify dirt ( saying our detergent can handle all the dirt).
I fell for these advertisements. I wanted these detergents which killed germs, made clothes super soft and smelled heavenly. But that was in the advertisement. In real life the clothes looked dead and dull, our skins started feeling itchy and sensitive.
This is why I shudder when I see the advertisments and worry to think how many parents are falling for them.
Can laundry detergent cause baby acne
Baby acne can be caused by many reasons. It could be food and other environmental factors. Harsh chemicals, fragrance present in laundry detergents can irritate gentle baby skin. They can aggravate acne and hence need to be replaced with a gentler non hypoallergenic detergent. In my opinion I would consider switching out to a gentler detergent.
Laundry detergent for Baby eczema
I had clean clear skin as a child. Growing up I started developing eczema. I did everything to control it but it persisted. Then I moved to the USA to pursue higher education. Literally, overnight every symptom disappeared. It was like a miracle and I never dared question why. I was happy that I had finally found relief. As a broke student you just prolonged washing clothes and things were going well. I started work and then got this obsession for detergents. That’s when things turned bad. Excema hit back again. We moved back to India and it worsened. My kids also started complaining of itchy dry skin.
This is when mom went into research mode.
I was definitely missing out something. The reason my eczema easened out in the USA as that there was no dust pollution. The reason the symptoms started back again aggressively were exposure to dust again and the switch to strong detergents.
When you notice the following signs be cautioned that something is wrong.
# Irritated skin
you notice a red rash on the skin, immediately after a piece of clothing is worn. Usually this happens when you put woolen clothing on babies. This can be easily addressed by removing the clothing.
# Allergic Contact Dermatitis
A red rash can show up on your babies skin. Usually, this rash will appear over time and it will persist. It means that something is irritating the gentle skin and usually this is due to prolonged exposure.
This could be due to exposure to laundry detergent and fabric softeners. Switch them out and check for a week or two if you notice any difference.
Between 2 kids and 2 cats, I have figured out many things over the years. I also suffer from sensitive eczema skin which can be really painful at times. This is how I tried to handle the situation at home.
# No chemical detergent
I use fragrance-free detergent. I also ensure that my detergent has no dye. This was very difficult for me initially. I have this obsession with clean smells. My brain is hardwired to think a fresh smell means clean. Little did I know that clean smell was causing the allergies on my babies skin and mine.
Even pet clothing ( the towels) I have stopped washing in the regular detergents. As I write this I have a packet of detergent lying around my house.
My husband is pleasantly shocked to find that I no longer go crazy over the laundry isles in shops.
Yes, I was addicted to the next clean and best detergent. When clothes did not look clean I assumed it was because I was not using enough detergent. I shudder to imagine how wrong I have been.
Learn from my mistakes as these have really caused our family harm.
#1. Use chemical free detergents
Read the labels, ensure that there no chemicals, no artificial dyes and no artificial fragrance
#2 Don’t wear clothes you purchase immediately
This was the rule at my house. All new clothes purchased were soaked in salt water ( preferably rock salt) for 15 mins.
Then washed in a separate wash either by hand or in the washing machine. The salt made the colours strong and removed anything harmful. The wash ensured that formaldehyde releasers present in new clothes are removed.
#3 Rinse out detergent well
Detergent residue left on clothing causes skin irritation. Some say it can penetrate the skin, especially soft baby skin. So rinse the clothes well.
#4 Dry in the Sun
Expose clothes to direct sunlight, this will kill all bacteria, and sanitise the clothes.
#5 Clothes looking Shabby or Dull
If your clothes even after washing with the best detergents are looking shabby and dull, then it means you are doing something wrong. I used to suffer from this a lot. Initially, I assumed it was because I was using less detergent so I started adding more powder. It worsened. I then read somewhere that the detergent leaves a scum or residue on clothing which is why they are looking dull. So I did the unthinkable I stopped using those detergents and switched.
Are all irritation caused by detergent?
Food, plants, insect bites, medicines can cause allergies in the skin. If the symptoms don’t go away with the removal of detergent it is most likely it might not be the detergent which is causing issues.
Organic Laundry Detergent for Baby
The following brands are in the market with organic detergents and you should try them. A few pointers
# Research the ingredients
Just because they are organic might not mean they are safe. Sometimes just one ingredient like a surfactant might be present which can cause loads of damage. So look at the ingredients and study them.
# Test the Detergent
I purchase sample packs if available. I test it for a few days and then only switch over. Even though it is organic and herbal, we still can react. Some herbs I react to, I noticed I also react to resins. So please test it out first.
My picks
# Krya
I have tested Krya detergent and it works well. I have not noticed any allergies or side-effects. I tried their 100 gms pack. t lasted I think about a month or maybe a little less than a month. It is easy to use and you need a very little quantity. I did not like that the product hardens with moisture in the air. I live near the sea, there is humidity in the atmosphere. If you purchase it, keep it in an airtight container.
Other brands in the market which I need to review yet.
# Dailydump
# Rustic art
# Bubblenut wash
# Azafran home care
So what aer your favourite brands you use and concerns? Please share below.
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