What Kind of Baby Detergent Do You Use

I've never used any of it. It's the biggest rip off out there! If you want something without any dyes or perfumes, there are numerous options, so I would go with the least expensive. Arm and Hammer does a good job and has a free and clear option, although I've never used it -but I like their scented ones.

I never used baby detergent and never understood why I would want to. I used regular Tide. My kids didn't have sensitive skin or allergies. Those would be the only reasons to use a baby detergent, otherwise it's just another marketing ploy to mother's to 'protect' their children. Just use the free & clear detergents if it is what you need...

I used Dreft for all of like 6 months with my first.
Didn't use anything different with my second. my baby was going to be up against my clothes all day anyway so what was different from him wearing clothes washed in the same thing as mine. never had any allergic reactions.

When my youngest was born, I used the Free and Clear detergents (I use Purex Free and Clear still and he is going to be 12) - I was all of our clothes and linens in them.. Those "baby detergents" have perfume and stuff in them. There's really nothing special about them that make them baby friendly except the picture of a baby on the box/bottle, and it gets you to buy another product

I just used the same detergent I used for my own clothes since in the whole process of holding the babies and whatnot they'd be touching my clothes and my blankets and couch cushions. I used Tide with April Fresh Downy. I use coupons when I get it or buy it on sale (or both).

Hi Erin! I use Charlie's Soap, which is by far the best laundry soap I have ever, ever, ever used. I have used every soap that was mentioned by other posters (except Rockin Green and I have heard that it's AMAZING) and they just can't compare to Charlie's.
Charlie's varies from 8-12 cents per load and you can get it on amazon.com which has a free shipping option if you buy qualifying items totalling $25. Charlie's is also much safer than any other brand I have tried.

Good luck!

I still use Dreft for my 3 year old and 8 month old.

Hi Erin,

Be careful with any Tide product. It varies from store to store. (Notice the label that says "made especially for Walmart.") We use Melaleuca brand as it is safe for everyone in the family...even infants. It costs 16 cents per load...pretty good for a non toxic product.

Congratulations on your new little one!

M.

With my son I used Dreft. I used Dreft w/ my daughter only for the first few months and really only because someone bought it for me. We used to use Tide for everything but a year ago, I found something better. Better because it is toxin free, effective, cost-saving (costs me about half of what Tide did), and eco-friendly. It is called Mela Power 6.

Rockin Green, Charlies or Dopple. I also have friends who swear by soap nuts. All are cost effective- a tiny bit goes a long way.

My mother bought me a jug of dreft when my baby was first born and we used it up on full loads of laundry for the whole family. When it ran out, we bought our regular costco brand stuff.

The only reason to use a special dye or fragrance free detergent is if your child has sensitive skin or allergies. Mine had neither so it was much, much cheaper to use the regular stuff we always used to use. Any product that has the word baby in it, or is made especially for babies has a seriously jacked up price tag. It's a rip off.

I used Dreft when my first was born because someone gifted it to me, but only for about a month before it ran out. After that, and with my other three, I just used whatever laundry soap I was using for everyone else's clothes. Not only does it not make sense to me to use a separate detergent for the little ones (like someone else said, they are held against other ppl's clothes all the time), it also seems silly to have a separate load for only baby clothes. As a busy M., I barely have time to get the laundry done in the first place, let alone making an extra load!

You don't need Dreft unless your baby has an issue with other detergents. I never used it. My babies were fine.

I now use Method products because of my son's excema. When you first look at it, it looks expensive, but I have found that a little goes a long way, and there are so many stores that have sales on them.
I also use Rockin' Green Detergent. I love it because I can use it for my other cleaning. Right now it's in my Libman use your own cleaner mop. LOVE IT! Not the greatest as a mirror cleaner, but counters and stovetop it does wonders!

We use Kirkland brand "Free and Clear" liquid. Due to allergies we can not use anything with fragarance or dyes. Dreft is one of the worst triggers of my asthma! I have never washed my kids' clothes separate from the rest of ours unless it was something especially messy or they went through enough to have their own load anyway. 3 kids I"ve never had a problem, 2 of them have my sensative skin even.There is no reason to use all those special detergents honestly. Just another marketing ploy IMO.

Try Charlie's Soap
http://www.charliesoap.com/

This is very cost effective and free of all perfumes and fabric softeners. Great for sensitive skin. I bought a large bucket of it and it lasted me 2 years (and that was our regular laundry PLUS cloth diapers).

I use any sort of Free & Clear detergent that is on sale. I've washed our stuff in F&C for a long time, and I just throw the baby's stuff in with it. Unless your baby has abnormally sensitive skin and has a reaction, I see no reason to buy a more expensive detergent.

Also, I only use about 1/4 the recommended amount -- tests have shown it cleans just as well (I cloth diaper, and it's recommended to only use about 2 Tbs of detergent to clean the diapers ... if that gets my diapers clean - and it does - it sure can get clothes clean!). That will also help you spend less on detergent.

I use Kirkland brand (Costco) that's the Tide "knock-off." Never used baby detergent... It's EXPENSIVE. It's never been an issue...

After all the dreft was gone that we were given, I used ALL free & clear. Both of my boys have sensitive skin (eczema, etc). I have always used ALL and it's been great. I have also used Arm & Hammer for sensitive skin and that's been fine too. They are now 5 and 2 and we've had no problems.

I only use Tide Free, and my daughter with very sensitive skin didn't have any problems.

Both Tide and Arm and Hammer gave my son a rash all over his body:(
He's had no trouble with All.

I used the Tide Free and Clear, and my DD didn't have any issues... When she was about 7 months old, we started washing her clothes in the regular laundry with our soap (we use normal Tide) and she hasn't had any issues with that. (we've been doing it for 4 months now...)

Of course, my DD doesn't have sensitive skin AT ALL. She is turning 1 this week, and still hasn't had a diaper rash... So I think I got pretty lucky there. I would try out the All, if it's the least expensive. If it works, Great! If not, try something else. (You could always use the All on your clothes so you don't waste it...)

I can do 88 loads of laundry from a box that costs $18, plus shipping. This is used for the whole family.

It's a natural product, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, no phosphates and no chlorine.

When my son was a baby I did not buy special detergent for his laundry. I washed his clothes separately, but I used the same detergent for all the wash.

Now I make my own detergent and wish I had done it when my son was younger. It's inexpensive, simple to make, works wonderfully, and I know what chemicals are being put on our clothes and being transferred to our skin (or should I say what chemicals are NOT on the clothes).

I use the Tide Free and Clear with my 3 year olds and 8 month olds wash and it is great. It is cheaper than the Dreft and in my opinion works just as well.

Either Dreft or All Baby. Stay away from Tide for little skin.

I used Dreft when my son was first born, basically because I was given 3-4 jugs of it at a baby shower. Once I ran out I switched to All Free and Clear, no problems w/ rashes or any skin sensitivity to it, it's more cost effective and easier to use the same detergent for the whole family.

I've always used Tide Free. I never even considered buying special detergent.

I never used the baby soaps. It just seemed like a waste of money if your baby has normal skin.

Unless you and your children have allergies, there is no reason to use the expensive "baby" soaps. Any soap that is fragrance free should suffice. I like the smell of Dreft...but not the price tag. Also, Tide regular is fairly mild smelling, if you are just looking to stay away from the perfumey soaps. Also, I never washed my babies clothing separate from the rest of our clothing. That to me, is wasteful.

I used the Dreft that I got from my baby shower until it was gone, then started using the same thing I use. Everything was fine, and I didn't have to pay insane money for 'baby' soap. The only thing to look out for is to make sure it is totally rinsed out. If you have a second rinse cycle, use it, or use less soap. We don't need as much soap as most of us think we do! Use the least amount the bottle calls for and you will be fine.

I can't use Tide in my house - my oldest son gets a rash.

I used Dreft and Ivory.

Now I use Arm & Hammer Sensitive skin or All free and clear - the Tide free is still too harsh for my son's skin and he's 11

Good luck!

I started out using Ivory flakes and dreft, but soon realized it was too much of a pain in the neck to separate the babys clothes from our own. I began just throwing the baby stuff in with our regular wash... I was never too picky about my laundry detergents... didnt have any allergies to worry about.

We use ALL Free and Clear. And with this, I use it for everyone's clothes. A lot cheaper than buying a separate detergent for the baby. :-)

I used one bottle of dreft. I then washed 2 or 3 outfits in the ERA that we use and had her wear it to see if she reacted to it. No problems. So now all of her clothes are washed in the same detergent that we use. With baby #2 coming I will do the same thing. I don't feel that it is necessary to buy two seperate detergents if I don't have too. Dreft is great in the beginning to make sure that they are not allergic to anything. Try the tide in a couple of outfits and see what happens. Good Luck!

Purex for babies. It cost less than $4. Very good and last forever.

I use All all of the time and my daughter has extremely sensitive skin!She can only take showers and can only use 2 types of bath soap.I get the big one at Sam's Club for around $12,All also has a baby one but I have never used it.I also really like Purex and have never had any issues with it either.I have never paid the extra to buy Dreft with 3 kids,so I personally would just wash the baby's clothes in the Tide with your clothes.But if you are worried about it you could just use the Tide free and clear for everyone.

I always used the ALL, never anything else. It was the cheapest, and worked great! And no dyes or perfumes!

I used Arm & Hammer dye/perfume free (my husband and oldest son have sensitive skin and my second son has asthma and eczema). Now I make my own and love it--it is easy dirt cheap, effective (berry pie stains?), and environmental. You can message me for a recipe but you'll find tons online, too.

I've always used Tide. (I never even used those free samples M.'s-to-be often get in the mail.) It's what my M. always used, and I just kept buying it for myself. My kids have never had a reaction.

I think you should just wash baby's clothes with the rest of the families unless you suspect baby will have a reaction. Why spend the money or waste time on extra loads?

I used Dreft at first, but it is over-the-top expensive so I switched to All Free and Clear. Worked just fine.