How should you wash new baby clothes to remove chemicals?

All new baby clothing should be washed at least once, ideally twice, before the first wear. Use a fragrance-free, dye-free liquid detergent specifically formulated for babies. Wash in warm water (not hot, which can set some chemical finishes) and run an extra rinse cycle to ensure all residues are removed. Avoid fabric softeners and dryer sheets, which leave chemical coatings on fabric.

This pre-washing removes surface-level chemicals including excess dye, sizing agents, and free formaldehyde. However, as with adult clothing, bonded resins and PFAS treatments cannot be fully removed by washing. For this reason, choosing clothing that was never treated with these chemicals in the first place is more effective than trying to wash them out after the fact.

For maximum safety, choose GOTS-certified organic cotton or OEKO-TEX Class I certified baby clothing that starts chemical-free. Wash these items with other baby-only laundry to avoid cross-contamination from adult garments that may have different chemical treatments. ONDU recommends building a baby wardrobe around certified natural fibers so that pre-washing is a precaution rather than a necessity.