Help! What detergent to use for baby items in a high efficiency washer?

[jloukiss]

Hi all--
I've heard that you're supposed to use Dreft for all the baby's stuff--clothes, sheets, etc. But we have high efficiency washers in our building and Dreft doesn't yet make a HE version of their stuff. I've been told by some that we can simply continue to use ALL Free and Clear and just wash the baby's things separately. What's the DCUM consensus on this? Do we have to use Dreft? I thought it has just as many chemicals--in terms of perfume--as regular detergent. Is there something else in regular detergent that's bad for the baby's skin?

Thanks for your suggestions!
Jennifer

[Anonymous]

I saw this Method HE baby detergent in the Alexandria Wholefoods last weekend. Maybe this would work?

http://www.methodhome.com/products.php?cat=type&type=laundry&prod=HE_compatible_laundry_detergent&name=baby32oz_detergent

[Anonymous]

When I was still pregnant, we went to a new parent training workshop. The pediatrician said you can use regular detergent, just wash the baby's clothes separately and don't use too much detergent.

[Meconbear]

I'm a big fan of All Free and Clear. It's worked great for us.

[Anonymous]

We've used Dreft in our HE washer without any problems--just use a tiny amount. Or you can use something like Tide Free HE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've used Dreft in our HE washer without any problems--just use a tiny amount. Or you can use something like Tide Free HE.

I do the same. At what age can we stop using Dreft? Our son is 15 months and would love to wash our clothes together.

[Anonymous]

we've used dreft the past 17 mos -- just about half of the full amount and then i often will put it on a 2nd rinse.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you ever really need to use Dreft, although we did when both children were babies (stopped much sooner for the second one). I use a tiny amount of Tide Free HE, use the second rinse cycle, and then rinse 2 more times. Actually, now that I've written that, I'm feeling awful about the amount of water we use. I guess I better try to do the laundry less often.

[Anonymous]

Once you're pretty sure your child doesn't have sensitive skin, you can go back to washing everyone's clothes together with your regular detergent (or just wash everyone's clothes in Tide Free HE). I think we did within a few weeks.

[jloukiss]

Thanks for all this great feedback! Looks like ALL Free and Clear is our best bet since we can't control the rinse cycle (we're in a condo building and the machines are card-operated).

[Anonymous]

7th Generation makes a baby detergent for HE washers.

[Anonymous]

We got a free sample of Dreft when my son was born. I used it, then washed a batch of his clothes in regular detergent. He had no reaction, so I have washed his clothes in regular detergent ever since. He is now almost 3. We got a front loader about a year and a half ago and have just used the regular HE detergent since then. I have heard that if you use regular non-HE detergent (even in a small amount), it is not good for the washer. Here is something from the Soap and Detergent Association about using regular detergent in an HE washer (there is an association for everything!).

http://www.cleaning101.com/laundry/HE.pdf

[Anonymous]

We have used Tide Free HE. Its great - we use it for our clothes and our sons. #2 is on the way and we'll use that again...no need to buy Dreft!

[Anonymous]

I use and really like Charlie's Soap in my HE washer. It does a good job with baby poop stains.

http://www.charliesoap.com/

[Anonymous]

NO ONE NEEDS TO USE DREFT. EVER. Man, Dreft's marketing people must be proud of themselves. I mean, use it if you want to, but it's all full of additives like every other ordinary detergent -- not sure where how they can claim that it's specially made for babies.

Use ANY old fragrance/dye-free, low-sudsing detergent -- for all the laundry in your household. We used to use Trader Joe's brand (Cleanliness is Next to Godliness? something like that). Now we use Charlie's Soap and like it a lot.

I repeat, you do NOT need to wash your baby's clothes separately, with separate detergent. I mean, maybe if baby has some unusual skin problem or something that I'm not thinking about. But generally speaking, it's unnecessary and totally a marketing ploy to get you to buy Dreft.