Everything You Need to Know About Baby-Friendly Laundry Detergents

When it comes to caring for your baby, choosing the right laundry detergent can be critical. With still-growing skin barriers, babies are especially susceptible to irritation—and traditional detergents often contain harsh chemicals, dyes, and sulfates that pose a threat to anyone’s wellbeing, let alone the extra-sensitive skin of your little one. By opting for a baby-friendly laundry detergent, you can help keep your baby's skin healthy and happy. Bonus? They’re usually better for the planet too.

The Risks of Traditional Detergents

While traditional detergents appear to clean well, they’re usually packed with harmful ingredients that stay in and on clothes even after washing, rinsing, and drying. For example, sulfates—used to create suds—are known to strip natural oils from our skin, causing dryness, itchiness, and increased sensitivity.

These ingredients transfer to our skin when we wear our clothes, and though you may not always notice the effects, babies typically have significantly more sensitive skin than adults, making irritation or allergies much more of a risk. Fragrances are also a common issue—often prompting the question, “Is fragrance bad?”—as they can trigger allergic reactions or worsen conditions like eczema.

What to Look for in a Baby-Friendly Laundry Detergent

Choosing the right baby laundry detergent can be tough because there are so many choices. A good rule of thumb? Choose one that puts your baby's sensitive skin first and the environment a close second. Typically, they’re one and the same.

Understanding Labels and Ingredients

Navigating the world of baby-friendly detergents starts with understanding the labels. Knowing common terms and certifications can help you make safer choices.

Look for callouts like hypoallergenic, free from dyes, fragrance, VOCs, chlorine, ammonia, bleach, parabens, and phthalates—and certifications that verify these claims, like EPA Safer Choice, Leaping Bunny, Cradle to Cradle, and B Corporation.

It’s also crucial to comb through the ingredient list, but we know labels and long ingredient lists can be overwhelming. Generally, the shorter and easier to read an ingredient list is, the safer a product is. When in doubt, use our handy guide for reading labels here.

Free from Synthetic Additives

When choosing a laundry detergent safe to use around babies, it’s important to avoid synthetic additives like artificial fragrances, optical brighteners, and harsh chemicals. These ingredients can cause skin irritation and trigger allergic reactions. A detergent made with simple ingredients will provide a gentle yet effective clean that’s safe for your baby’s delicate skin without sacrificing performance.

Suitable for Sensitive Skin

As mentioned, baby skin is thinner and more absorbent than adult skin, making it more vulnerable to irritants found in harsh detergents. Choosing a detergent that is suitable for sensitive skin is crucial to prevent rashes and dryness.

Eco-Friendly & Plastic-Free Formulas

Once you have a solid understanding of labels and ingredients, the next step is deciding which type of detergent works best for you and your baby’s needs. While traditional jugs and pods are familiar and seemingly convenient, often hide harmful toxins and microplastics. Not to mention, lugging a bulky detergent jug is a chore in itself, and plastics are harmful to the environment.

For the convenience of a pod and the efficacy of liquid detergent, tablets offer a solution that is easier on you and often safer for your baby. Find more low-waste tips for expecting families and new parents to benefit your baby and the planet at once. 

What Age Can You Use Regular Detergent for Babies?

Unless your baby has allergies or particularly sensitive skin, there is no set age when you must use a separate detergent—or wash their clothes separately. In most cases, you can safely wash your baby's clothes with the rest of the family's laundry, as long as you're using a detergent that is free from harsh chemicals, synthetic dyes, and strong fragrances.

Why Blueland is the Best Choice

If you're looking for a detergent that works for the whole household—including your baby—without compromising on safety or sustainability, there are options that make the choice easy. Our recommendation? Blueland’s first-of-its-kind, 100% plastic-free Laundry Detergent Tablets. Blueland tablets are:

• 100% plastic-free and easy on the environment

• Made from clean ingredients that are gentle on clothes and skin

• Easy and convenient to store and use

• Proven as effective as other leading brands

With a low-irritant formula and no unnecessary additives, you can simplify your laundry routine without compromising your baby's comfort.

Choosing family-friendly cleaning products that are safe to use around your children and sustainable for the planet is an easy win. Make the switch and explore our full laundry collection today.

Sources: 

• National Library of Medicine. Time to Protect Our Children From Liquid Laundry Detergent Packets.

• National Library of Medicine. The Infant Skin Barrier: Can We Preserve, Protect, and Enhance the Barrier?

• PLOS One. Laundry detergent promotes allergic skin inflammation and esophageal eosinophilia in mice.

• Kids Health. Laundering Your Baby's Clothes.