How to wash baby clothes

Because baby clothes tend to be more delicate, you may want to wash these garments separately from the rest of your family’s laundry. Sort through your laundry and create a “baby-only” pile to prepare for washing.

Before you begin pre-treating or washing your baby clothes, always consult each item’s laundry label to ensure you’re using the correct washing cycle and temperature.

To tackle tough stains, pre-treat soiled clothing with either using detergent or a stain-remover. Gently scrub the stain with a soft-bristled brush, like an old toothbrush, to help break up the stain. Select Whirlpool^® washing machines feature the Pretreat Station that allows you to soak, scrub and wash all in one spot with a built-in faucet and pretreat brush.

Help protect your baby’s clothes from wear and tear by buttoning all buttons, closing all zippers and turning each garment inside out to protect the fabric and seams. Place small items like socks and bibs in a mesh laundry bag to prevent them from getting lost. Once your laundry is prepped, place the load inside the washing machine. 

Add a gentle, preferably unscented detergent to your washer’s soap dispenser. Baby clothes can usually be washed using warm water on a “normal” or “gentle” wash cycle depending on the fabric. Some materials, like cotton, can be better maintained with cooler water temperatures, so be sure to consult your laundry care tag before selecting a wash temperature. If your machine allows, select an extra rinse cycle to ensure soap residue is completely washed away.

You can streamline the process of washing your baby’s clothing when you select Whirlpool^® washing machines with the Load & Go™ feature. This feature lets you skip the step of adding detergent before every wash by storing up 20–40 loads worth of detergent.

Once the wash cycle has completed, place your baby clothes in the dryer. If the garment care tag recommends air drying, or if you are concerned about shrinkage, hang the item on a clothing line or a drying rack.