How important is baby laundry detergent? 6 major things to consider before buying

As parents, our kids’ health and well-being are our number one priority, but we sometimes overlook the less obvious threats that can affect their safety, such as ingredients found in most mainstream laundry detergents and other household products. If you’re a new parent, chances are baby laundry has now become an integral part of your daily routine. On average, Canadian families wash between 9 to 15 loads of laundry per week, equating to about 17.5 billion cups of laundry detergent annually. Now that’s a LOT of laundry detergent!

But with this extra ‘load’ (no pun intended!) comes an increasing need for an effective, reliable, and most importantly, natural baby laundry detergent that is suitable and specifically formulated for your baby’s precious sensitive skin.

Here are 6 things to keep in mind next time you head out to buy laundry soap for your baby.

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1. Not All Laundry Detergents Are Suitable For Your Baby’s Sensitive Skin

Opting for a hypoallergenic baby laundry detergents will protect your baby’s soft sensitive skin and help prevent skin conditions and rashes like baby eczema. The best natural detergents for babies are free of dyes and fragrances. Baby laundry detergents that boast plant and mineral-derived cleaning agents with no enzymes are always a good option. Aim for products that are certified, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, free of phosphates, optical brighteners, and are never tested on animals.

2. Most Laundry Detergents Leave Unwanted Residues On Your Clothes

While the vast majority of laundry detergents do a great job at cleaning your clothes and removing stubborn stains, they also leave an invisible residue on your garments after being washed. Harsh fragrances and ingredients remain on your clothes to prolong that ‘false’ feeling of freshness and cleanliness. This residue can cause eye and skin irritations (even more likely to appear on a child’s delicate skin), allergic breakouts, and skin rashes due to common laundry detergents. The plus side: using a natural, vegan laundry detergent will make your clothes last much longer over time. Harsh detergents can eat away at the fabric, by stripping away the garment dye and/or leaving streaks on your clothes over time. Just like our little ones, our clothes also deserve some TLC. Switching over to a more eco-friendly alternative is the way to go. Your clothes - and the environment - will thank you for it!

3. Your Laundry Detergent Can Also Affect Your Baby

Just because you‘re using a natural laundry detergent for your baby’s clothes doesn’t mean he won’t be exposed to chemicals on your clothes. Your baby will rest on you the majority of the time and is going to come into contact with the detergent you use. It’s as important to switch detergent for you as it is for baby. So don’t just use natural detergent for your little one, use it for the entire family. We recommend washing fabrics that come in direct contact with the baby's skin including wearable blankets, bedding, mom's and dad's shirts, and basically -- everything.

4. Most Common Detergents Contain Cancer-Causing Chemicals*

Contaminants are by-products resulting from the manufacturing process. Because they are indirect, they do not need to be legally written on the list of ingredients. Other harmful products such as phosphates and EDTA, brighteners, bleach, synthetic perfumes and stabilizers, are all ingredients of concern to watch out for*.

5. Detergents Can Cause Skin And Allergic Reactions

Newborns’ skin are extremely delicate and their developing systems are prone to allergic reactions. Their bodies aren’t capable of dealing with contaminants in products. Synthetic fragrances can also add to your baby’s allergic reactions. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known sensitizers. It’s crucial to choose a hypoallergenic baby laundry detergent that’s natural and non-irritating. Generally speaking, the best natural baby laundry detergents will dramatically decrease allergic reactions and skin-related conditions.

6. Natural Detergents Are As Effective As Regular Detergents

You don’t need a harsh detergent to get stains out of baby clothes. From applesauce to milk formula, spit-up and diaper blowouts, natural, eco-friendly baby laundry detergents are very effective and prepared for the worst. Some brands even include baby stain removers in their arsenal for the even the toughest of stains. Our detergents are extremely delicate on skin but tough of stains, breaking down whatever your baby leaves behind.

What Makes ATTITUDE Laundry Detergent Good For Your Baby?

You can rest assured that our detergents are carefully manufactured with enzyme-free and good ingredients that are well rated on the EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning, and Ecologo certified. Our baby laundry detergent for sensitive skin is also certified by the National Eczema Association (NEA). ATTITUDE detergents do not contain any synthetic fragrances, dyes, artificial brighteners, enzymes or synthetic preservatives, making it perfect for people with chemical sensitivities. We proudly certify that our bodycare and household products contain no cancer-causing contaminants, allergens, mutagens and endocrine disruptors*. As a safety precaution, our suppliers provide an official document stating that it is free from known harmful substances. Our ATTITUDE body care and household products are then sent to an independent laboratory to verify that they contain no carcinogens such as 1,4-Dioxane. Our soft-smelling, hypoallergenic fragrances like the soothing floral aromas found in the Sweet Lullaby Baby Laundry Detergent also offer a range of fragrance-free detergents and fabric softeners to cater to every need. *According to EWG

So is using a baby detergent really necessary? We definitely think so, and we hope this article will help you next time you have to buy laundry detergent for your baby.