What laundry soap do you use for newborns?

[americajane]

I'm having our first in 2 weeks and am trying to decide what laundry soap to use. We aren't starting out with cloth diapers (although we may move to that) but we do have an HE front loader washer.

Thank you for your thoughts.

[LeighB]

I use the stuff I make. But I think that anything without fragrance would be fine, it doesn't have to be the pricey Dreft stuff.

[allnaturalmom]

Hello and Welcome!

Dreft was awful for me... Ugh! The scent! Babies don't need scented stuff.

Anyway, we use Seventh Generation Free & Clear unscented. With very sensitive skin this works well for us. They also make a specific baby detergent, but I could detect a slight scent to it - not sure what it is, though. Seventh Generation detergents are becoming more available in grocery stores now, too. It's also HE and one bottle lasts forever. I use about a teaspoon per small load (we have soft water) in an HE front loader.

FWIW - I don't think it is recommended for cloth diapers, but I used it for prefolds and didn't have a problem.

hth

[Ola_]

I have heard very good things about Country Save. IIRC you can use it in HE machines and it's good for cloth dipes too. I like the Pinstripes and Polkadots chart as it lists which detergents have enzymes, softeners, dyes, etc. (stuff that can bother babies' skin) in addition to which work well for cloth diapering:
http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/he...entchoices.htm

[cristeen]

I've really been liking Country Save. Although I also used Bio Kleen Sensitive for a while, and I tried soap nuts, really liked them, but the local WF stopped carrying them.

[_ktg_]

For our boys (& me!) We used to use All Free & Clear, and then switched to 7th generation free & clear. Now they're a bit older we are using ECOS which is free & clear.

We've used this for our clothes, dipes everything, along with a scoop of oxyclean and some vingear (in lieu of fabric softner).

[BetsyS]

When I have a newborn, I use Arm and Hammer Free and Clear Essentials. I use it for all of our clothes, cause a newborn is usually cuddled up against one of us, you know? They don't just touch their own clothes.

It is scent-free, and it works great for clothes, cloth diapers, as well as all the kitchen and towel laundry, too.

[Drummer's Wife]

Dreft stinks to me -- to much perfume, especially on a tiny baby.

I would suggest either a free & clear detergent from the store, or Charlies soap.

[Jaxinator]

Agreed on Dreft, bleh.
I use All Free & Clear, and vinegar as a fabric softener.

[staceychev]

Dreft = barf. My DH has crazy sensitive skin and sensitivities to perfumes, so there was no way I was going to wash HIS baby's clothes in that crap. At the time DD was a babe, I was using All Free and Clear, and I used Downy Free for softening (I don't use fabric softener as a general rule, but did use it for her first year). I use 7th Generation Free now, so I'll probably continue to use that when Babe #2 is born in March. If I can't find a more natural fabric softener, I'll probably go back to the Downy.

[LemonPie]

I wash all our clothes in the same detergent. Baby is going to be in contact with the rest of the household laundry constantly--up against my clothes or DHs clothes, lying in our bedsheets, wrapped up/laid on bathtowels, swabbed down with a handy dishcloth when I don't have a burp cloth handy , etc etc etc.

We use the HE Tide Free here.

[fruitfulmomma]

Ecos F&C now because the 1yo has corn issues, but I was using Biokleen. Both work great for the whole family.

[artemis33]

Country Save

[mom0810]

I used Dreft. I love the smell and still miss it.

[LilMama23]

I wash everything in Seventh Generation unscented free and clear, and will continue to do so when this baby arrives in May.

[Jackies Ladybug]

i live in california and the only thing that gets my clothes clean is tide. sorry. i use the free and clear version of it sometimes, but my hubby really prefers the original scent so that is usually what is in the machine.
i know, i know, but no one has had an issue here and we all have crazy sensitive skin. i cant even go within 10 feet of fabric softener.

(i also use the tide for my dipes, only thing, again, that works. i hate hard water)

[noobmom]

Charlie's, but I'd like to try Country Save.