Do you wash baby clothes before putting them on a newborn?

I just wondered whether it is common to wash and iron new clothes for a newborn baby before the baby wears them for the first time? All the women in my country do that but to me it seems pointless if the clothes are brand new. They say a baby needs a sterile environment in the first weeks of his life, but to me it just seems like a bit too anxious behaviour.Do you wash baby clothes before putting them on a newborn?
absolutely - you don't know where they've been or who has handled themDo you wash baby clothes before putting them on a newborn?
brand new clothes often have harsh starches and chemicals in their material so it's important to wash them before use, especially before use for a newborn since they have delicate and sensitive skin.





puting a capful of white vinegar in the rinse cycle will take out all harsh residue from previous chemicals in the fabric.





i think ironing newborn clothing is something people find enjoyable because the clothes are so TINY and CUTE. But i don't like ironing, so don't do it.
I never bothered to wash new clothes and have never had any problem with my son reacting to them. He was 6 weeks old before anyone told me I was supposed to prewash them!


Keeping a babies environment sterile in the first couple of weeks is actually dangerous as it prevents them from building up an immunity to germs while they still have the immune buffer of their mothers antibodies.
I wash all clothes before wearing them, not just baby clothes. Sensitive skin runs in my family and new clothes give me a rash, so I wouldn't chance it on my babies. My sister worked at Stitches, and she said they're clothes had something coated on them to give them a good look in the store. So maybe all clothes do. I always use either Tide Free or a all natural detergant on my baby clothes. Tide Free is cheaper though and does a better job. I wouldn't bother with the ironing though. That seems like overkill. Unless it needs to be ironed because it is wrinkly.
You should wash them in a baby detergent or a hypo-allergenic detergent before they wear them. That way IF there are any chemicals or any other harmful substances on them it will wash away. Then you can rest assure knowing that your little one will be comfy and not all itchy or breaking out into a rash from it.
I would wash them, but not iron them.


The new clothes could have some sort of chemicals on them to preserve them in the storage factory. I wonder at who has touched them too.


Ironing is not necessary for baby clothes and would make them less fluffy.


If you can dry them on the washing line, this is good as sunlight is a natural way to kill bacteria.
it is best to wash new and used clothes before using them


the new ones need to be washed to remove any left over dye and chemicals on the clothing that could irritate the babies skin ..


As far as a ';sterile environment '; is concerned ... im not going to keep a newborn in a plastic bubble ...


nothing is ever completely sterile so it seems a bit pointless to me to .


i dont iron my sons clothes , thats a waste of time lol


and i dont sterlise my sons bottles either .. just hot soapy water ...


germs are good .. they help to build up the imune system
yes you don't know what the materials might have been treated with in the country of origin ,, or if the persons involved in manufacture or packaging might be carriers of disease or germs ,, Lots of garments are produced in third world countries where standards of hygiene etc, are not as great as in UK for example . so lots of mums don't want to take any chances ,, Also some fabrics might contain stiffening agents or preservatives which washing will remove .
My baby is 6 months and I still was all her clothes before she wears them. Most of the clothes are made in China and other places and you really don't know who has handled them or where they have been before they are transported overseas, stored and then into the shops.
Washing your new borns clothes before the 1st wear is important to me. It softens the fabric making it smell beautiful and much more comfy! Not only that but you never know what gets on the clothes before they are shipped into shops. Bugs and grubby hands... You just don't know. Washing the clothes is much nicer!
You should....they're covered in stuff to protect them from damp and insects...that's because a lot of clothing is imported and has to travel by air....sterile is not necassary but avoiding chemicals which may harm the baby is good...
I washed all my daughters clothes.


They were all bought in a store, hanging on hangers, people walk around the shop, sneeze and cough all over the place, and I just didn't want to expose my daughter to all those germs.
It's best to wash babys clothes in a non-biological washing detergent. This helps protect sensitive skin.
for sure wash them. You dont know if the store workers dropped them on the floor then walked on them. Who knows what could be on them
they say you should wash the clothes before putting them on your baby.. ironing them its going a bit far i think. But i never washed any of my babys clothes before putting them on her and shes fine.
Of course you should wash them first! Ironing is not necessary though.