Quick answer: Wash new baby clothes before the first wear, use an everyday detergent unless your baby's skin reacts, and follow the care label for water and dryer heat. Treat stains while they're fresh, close fasteners, use a mesh bag for small items, and never dry a stained piece until the stain is gone.
A single day with a baby can bring a diaper leak, two rounds of spit-up and a sweet potato smear. All that washing is what makes bodysuits fade and favorite outfits shrink before your baby has outgrown them.
The good news is that most of that wear can be prevented with a few habits. This guide pulls together what pediatric, government and cleaning-industry sources actually say about baby laundry, and turns it into a simple routine you can follow every week.
What this guide covers
- Whether you need to wash new baby clothes before your baby wears them
- How to choose a detergent, and when a milder one makes sense
- Common baby laundry myths that wear clothes out faster
- How to read care labels and laundry symbols, including water temperature dots
- Step-by-step stain treatment for poop, spit-up, formula, milk and oil
- How to load the washer, dry without shrinking, and store clothes between sizes
- Fabric softener and kids' sleepwear, plus laundry pod safety around children
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice. Ask your pediatrician or family doctor about any rash or skin change that worries you. If you think a child has swallowed detergent or gotten it in their eyes, call 911 or your local poison center right away.
Should You Wash New Baby Clothes Before Wearing Them?
Yes. The American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) says it's generally a good idea to wash all clothes before using them. Newborns have sensitive skin, and you don't know who handled a garment in the store, in the warehouse or on its way to your home.
The AAP notes one possible exception: outerwear such as coats and jackets, which doesn't have much contact with your baby's skin the way bodysuits and sleepers do. Always follow the care label on outerwear, too.
How to prep a new baby wardrobe
- Remove tags and stickers so they don't end up in the wash.
- Read every care label to learn which pieces can go in the dryer and which need to hang or lie flat.
- Sort by color (more on that below).
- Wash on the label's setting, not the hottest cycle just because the clothes are new.
- Put clothes away only when fully dry.
The same rule applies to gifts and hand-me-downs. If you don't know where clothes have been, a wash before the first wear is a simple habit.
Which Detergent Should You Use for Baby Clothes?
For most families, the detergent you already use is a reasonable place to start. The AAP notes that many, if not most, parents simply wash baby clothes with the rest of the family's laundry, and that you can switch to a milder detergent if your baby develops signs of skin irritation. The American Cleaning Institute agrees that regular detergent should be fine, and suggests a detergent made for sensitive skin or for baby laundry if you need one.
When does a fragrance-free, dye-free detergent make sense?
If your baby gets a rash where clothing touches the skin, laundry products are one possible trigger. Cleveland Clinic pediatric dermatologist Joan Tamburro, DO, explains that fragrances are often the culprits behind detergent allergies, and that dyes can also irritate sensitive skin. Her suggestions:
- Check labels and look for products designed for sensitive skin.
- Try a fragrance-free and dye-free detergent for at least three to four weeks to see whether the rash improves.
- Consider an extra rinse cycle, especially after switching detergents.
Cleveland Clinic advises seeing a doctor if symptoms continue or get worse after you switch detergents, or if the rash becomes widespread or painful. Other conditions, such as eczema, can look similar, so a health professional can help you sort out the cause.
What about soap flakes?
Skip them for sleepwear. The AAP explains that detergents in general don't strip away the flame-retardant properties of sleepwear, but soap flakes can. If you're unsure about a specific product, check the care label on the sleepwear and the instructions on the laundry product.
Myth vs. Fact: Which Laundry Habits Wear Baby Clothes Out?
Some popular laundry advice costs you money or shortens the life of the clothes you're trying to protect.
Myth: Baby clothes always need their own detergent and their own load
Fact: The AAP says washing separately or using a special "baby" detergent isn't strictly necessary for most families. Many if not most parents wash baby clothes with everyone else's without problems. A milder detergent is a good step if your baby's skin reacts.
Myth: Hotter water is always better for baby laundry
Fact: The right temperature depends on the fabric and the mess. The American Cleaning Institute's Stain Removal Guide recommends cold water for regular stains and the warmest water the fabric can safely handle for heavy soiling or tough stains. It also warns that hot water sets fresh blood stains. The care label sets the upper limit.
Myth: The dryer will finish off a faded stain
Fact: It does the opposite. The American Cleaning Institute advises not putting an item in the dryer until the stain is gone. Check stained pieces before they go in, and repeat the treatment if needed.
Myth: Fabric softener is always good for baby clothes
Fact: According to the American Cleaning Institute, fabric softeners may reduce the effectiveness of flame retardancy on fabrics like those used in children's sleepwear. Follow the care label on each piece.
How Do You Read Care Labels and Laundry Symbols?
The care label is the single best guide to making a garment last. The AAP recommends checking care labels for washing instructions, not just for size and fit, especially for everyday outfits, bodysuits and sleepers that will be washed constantly. The American Cleaning Institute adds that the symbols on a label contain a lot of useful information.
What do the five basic care symbols mean?
According to the Government of Canada's Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols (Office of Consumer Affairs), five basic symbols cover the main care treatments:
- Washing, including machine or hand wash and the maximum water temperature
- Bleaching, such as "use any bleach," "use only non-chlorine bleach" or "do not bleach"
- Drying, including tumble drying heat levels, line drying, drip drying and drying flat
- Ironing, with low, medium and high temperature settings
- Professional cleaning
The guide also notes that bars help show how gentle a treatment should be. That's how a label separates a normal cycle from a permanent press or delicate/gentle setting.
What do the dots on a wash symbol mean?
A treatment's temperature either appears in degrees Celsius or is shown with dots. Here's how the Canadian guide defines the dots for washing:
| Dots | Maximum water temperature | Described as |
|---|---|---|
| 1 dot | 30°C | Cool |
| 2 dots | 40°C | Warm |
| 3 dots | 50°C | Hot |
| 4 dots | 60°C | Very hot |
| 5 dots | 70°C | Extremely hot |
| 6 dots | 95°C | Near boil |
Each temperature is a maximum, not a target. A label that says "not exceeding 30°C" means a cool wash is the limit for that fabric.
What do the drying and ironing symbols mean?
Drying symbols tell you whether a piece can go in the dryer and how hot. The Canadian guide lists low heat as not exceeding 55°C, medium heat as not exceeding 65°C and high heat as not exceeding 75°C. Other drying symbols mean "tumble dry no heat," "do not tumble dry," "line dry/hang to dry," "drip dry" and "dry flat."
Ironing symbols use low, medium and high settings too, plus "do not iron or press."
If a label uses words instead of symbols, follow the words. And if the label is missing or faded, wash on a cool, gentle setting and air dry until you know how the fabric behaves.
How Do You Get Poop, Spit-Up, Formula and Oil Stains Out of Baby Clothes?
Speed matters more than any product. The AAP notes that breast milk, formula, spit-up and poop stains come out most easily when they're fresh. Wipe or rinse off as much as you can right away, or soak the item in water and detergent if wiping isn't enough. It also suggests keeping a good stain remover in your laundry area and designating a place for soaking stained or soiled clothes.
The basic stain routine
The American Cleaning Institute's Stain Removal Guide gives a simple order of operations that works for most baby messes:
- Treat the stain as soon as possible. Older stains can still come out, but fresh ones are easier.
- Pretreat with a stain remover and let it soak in.
- Wash according to the care label. Use cold water for regular stains and the warmest water safe for the fabric for heavy soiling or tough stains.
- If the stain is still there, repeat the steps.
- Don't put the item in the dryer until the stain is gone.
Formula, breast milk and dairy stains
The American Cleaning Institute recommends pretreating or soaking milk and formula stains with a product that contains enzymes. Soak for at least 30 minutes, or several hours for older stains, then wash as usual.
Poop, diaper leaks and spit-up
The Stain Removal Guide doesn't list these by name, but its advice for bodily fluids applies: pretreat or soak with an enzyme product, then wash with a bleach that's safe for the fabric. Check the bleaching symbol first. If the label says "use only non-chlorine bleach" or "do not bleach," follow it.
Before you treat a poop stain, scrape or rinse off as much as you can into the toilet. The less there is on the fabric, the less the stain remover has to do.
Oil, butter and greasy food
Baby food, diaper creams and butter can leave greasy marks. For light oil stains, the American Cleaning Institute suggests pretreating with a prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent or a liquid detergent booster, then washing in the hottest water safe for the fabric. For heavy oil stains, place the stain face down on clean paper towels, apply cleaning fluid to the back of the stain, and change the paper towels often. Let it dry, rinse, then wash in the hottest fabric-safe water.
For massage-oil spills and set-in grease, follow our step-by-step guide on how to get baby oil out of clothes. For more everyday tricks, see our stain removal hacks for kids' clothing.
How Should You Load the Washer So Baby Clothes Last Longer?
Small loading habits prevent snags and lost socks.
Sort by color and by how dirty things are
The American Cleaning Institute recommends washing whites separately, pastels and medium colors together, and brights and darks by themselves. It also suggests sorting by how dirty things are, since lightly soiled items can pick up dirt from a heavily soiled load.
Bag the small stuff
The AAP suggests putting small items such as socks in a mesh bag for washing and drying, and the American Cleaning Institute mentions garment bags for keeping small baby and child items together.
Close fasteners before washing
The AAP advises fastening Velcro tabs, such as those on bibs, before they go in the wash so they don't snag other clothes. Apply the same idea to zippers and snaps: closing them before the wash means fewer exposed edges to catch knits, lace or delicate trims.
Should you turn clothes inside out?
Some care labels say "wash inside out," often on printed pieces. When the label gives that instruction, follow it.
Don't overload the machine
The American Cleaning Institute reminds us not to overload the washer, because clothes need room to move. Baby clothes are small, so it's easy to cram in too many.
How Do You Dry Baby Clothes Without Shrinking Them?
Match the dryer heat to the label, and skip the dryer for pieces that can't take it.
- Use the label's heat setting. If the label says "tumble dry low," don't use medium or high to save time. "Tumble dry no heat" means air only, and "do not tumble dry" means the piece should stay out of the dryer.
- Air dry what tends to shrink. The American Cleaning Institute recommends air drying delicates and items prone to shrinking.
- Line dry or dry flat as directed. The Canadian care guide lists separate symbols for line drying and for drying flat.
- Clean the lint trap. The American Cleaning Institute recommends cleaning the dryer's lint trap regularly.
- Check stains before drying. Pull out anything that still shows a stain and treat it again before it goes in the dryer.
Can You Use Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets on Kids' Sleepwear?
Check the care label first, and be cautious. The American Cleaning Institute's Laundry Basics notes that fabric softeners may reduce the effectiveness of flame retardancy on fabrics, like those used in children's sleepwear. The AAP adds that soap flakes can strip the flame-retardant properties of sleepwear, even though detergents in general don't.
The simple rule: for sleepwear, follow the care label exactly. If it says not to use fabric softener, skip softener and dryer sheets for that piece.
For other clothes, if you do use liquid fabric softener, the American Cleaning Institute says to dilute it rather than pouring it directly onto fabric, since undiluted softener may cause staining or spotting.
How Should You Store Baby Clothes Between Sizes or for Hand-Me-Downs?
Good storage means the next baby, cousin or friend gets pieces that still look good.
- Treat stains before storing. The AAP notes stains are easiest to remove while fresh, so don't pack away marked clothes.
- Make sure everything is fully dry. The American Cleaning Institute advises folding and storing clothes only when they are fully dry.
- Sort by size and season, and label bins with the size range so the next size is easy to find. Leave care labels attached for whoever wears the clothes next.
- Wash again before wearing. Clothes that have been stored, or hand-me-downs from someone else, should get a wash before the first wear, following the same habit as new clothes.
For space-saving methods, see our guide on how to fold baby clothes.
When your baby moves up a size, choose pieces you can wash easily at home. The AAP suggests checking the care label for washing instructions before you buy, not just size and fit. That's worth a look whether you're shopping baby girl clothes for 0–36 months or baby boy clothes for 0–36 months.
Are Laundry Pods Safe to Keep Around Babies and Toddlers?
Health Canada warns that packets can look like food or toys, so children may put them in their mouths. Swallowing the contents can cause nausea, vomiting, coughing, choking, trouble breathing and stomach pain. Contact with the contents can also irritate skin and eyes. Health Canada notes that a packet can burst in the hand with only a small amount of pressure, and that the membrane can dissolve quickly with moisture.
How to store and use detergent packets safely
The AAP's Laundry Room and Detergent Safety guidance and Health Canada recommend:
- Store packets out of sight and reach of children, ideally up high in a locked cabinet, not on top of or under the washer and dryer.
- Keep packets in their original container with the original label, and close it tightly.
- Leave packets in the container until you're ready to load the machine.
- Handle packets with dry hands.
- Never let children handle or play with detergent packets.
- If children age 6 or younger live in or visit your home, consider traditional detergent instead of single-load packets.
What to do if a child gets into a laundry pod
In Canada, Health Canada says to call 911 or a poison control center right away if you think someone has been harmed by a laundry detergent packet. In the US, the AAP says to call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 if a child swallows the contents or gets them in their eyes. Save your local poison center number in your phone before you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to wash baby clothes before my baby wears them?
The AAP says it's generally a good idea to wash all clothes before use, because newborn skin is sensitive and you don't know who handled the clothes. Outerwear such as coats and jackets may be an exception.
Can I wash baby clothes with the rest of the family's laundry?
Yes, for most families. The AAP notes that many parents wash baby clothes with everyone else's laundry without any problems. Switch to a milder detergent if your baby shows signs of skin irritation.
What water temperature should I use for baby clothes?
Follow the care label, which shows the maximum temperature. The American Cleaning Institute recommends cold water for regular stains and the warmest fabric-safe water for heavy soiling. Use cold water on fresh blood stains, because hot water sets them.
How do I get formula or milk stains out of baby clothes?
The American Cleaning Institute recommends pretreating or soaking with an enzyme product for at least 30 minutes, or several hours for older stains, then washing. Don't put the item in the dryer until the stain is gone.
Can I use fabric softener on my baby's sleepwear?
Check the care label first. The American Cleaning Institute notes that fabric softeners may reduce the effectiveness of flame retardancy on fabrics like those used in children's sleepwear. The AAP also notes that soap flakes can strip flame-retardant properties from sleepwear.
How do I keep baby clothes from shrinking?
Wash at or below the temperature on the care label and use the dryer heat it allows. The American Cleaning Institute recommends air drying delicates and items prone to shrinking. Line dry or dry flat when the label says so.
Are laundry pods safe to use if I have a toddler?
They need careful storage. Keep packets in their original container, up high and locked away. The AAP suggests considering traditional detergent if children age 6 or younger live in or visit your home.
Bottom Line
Making baby clothes last isn't about special products. It's about a few consistent habits: wash new clothes before the first wear, use an everyday detergent unless your baby's skin reacts, and let the care label decide water temperature and dryer heat. Treat stains while they're fresh, close fasteners, bag small items, and never dry a stain you haven't removed. For sleepwear, follow the label on fabric softener. And with a baby or toddler in the house, keep detergent packets locked up and out of reach.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Cleaning Baby Clothes (adapted from Heading Home With Your Newborn, 2nd Edition)
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org: Laundry Room and Detergent Safety (last updated April 2024)
- Health Canada: Laundry detergent packets (modified January 2023)
- Government of Canada, Office of Consumer Affairs: Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols
- American Cleaning Institute: Stain Removal Guide
- American Cleaning Institute: Laundry Basics and Cleaning for Babies and Small Children
- Cleveland Clinic: How To Tell if You're Allergic to Laundry Detergent (Joan Tamburro, DO, August 2025)
