Dreft

[rebekah]

Hello everyone! I was reading the previous posting regarding washing baby's clothes and was curious as to where I can find "Dreft". I have never heard of it and would love to try it out. Is Dreft also the name of the company or just a type of detergent? Please advise. Thanks.

[kerriflan]

Dreft is the name of the detergent and it can be found in your grocery store with all the other laundry soaps. Atleast it is where I buy mine. I love it cuz it smells sooo good!

Kerri

[daisymommy]

Yes, It's a white bottle with pink labeling and a bunny picture. I have found that Walmart is the cheapest place to buy Dreft (still expensive though.) 100 oz or 32 loads at Walmart is $8.97. It's $1-2 more at Target and BRU. I think that's the main reason most mommies here advise ALL Free & Clear (free of dyes and perfumes that irritate babies skin) because the same size bottle of ALL is only $3.97 at Walmart! HUGE difference! Also, check out new Downy Free (same Downy softness without dyes and perfumes). I got mine at Wally-mart as well.

[newbelly2002]

I thought I had heard some not good things about Dreft---to perfumed for a baby? Maybe I'm misremembering.

What about something like Ivory Snow--gentle care. I use it in place of Woolite for my clothes. Would it also work for a baby's wardrobe (using the wardrobe term generously because I can't quite bring myself to say "layette" )?

Paula
due 8/7

[mspacman]

There's also a "baby" version of All called All Baby Soft or something like that (white bottle with pink cap). It costs slightly more than regular All (60 oz bottle costs the same as 100 oz bottle of regular) but is still less than Dreft, which I think is outrageously priced, and actually smells better IMO. Also, you can use All coupons, and All frequently goes on sale in grocery stores around here.

[daisymommy]

The only thing I have heard about Dreft and ALL Baby Care that people didn't like was how strong the scent was. I guess some people have a more heightened sense of smell (especially if you sniff it while pregnant!) but you might also try using less detergent than reccomended. My mother said when my brother and I were babies the big detergent pushed by Pediatricians was Ivory snow (not Dreft). So I'm sure that would be great to use too!

[egoldber]

Items like Dreft and All Baby are not really better for babies. They are just marketed for babies. Marketing shows that people buy a detergent and stay loyal to it because of fragrances. I took a very interesting marketing seminoar once in which people described why they bought the detergents they did and it almost always centered around their sensory experience with the product, not its cleaning power! People think a detergrent with a baby on a package and that smells "like a baby" is better for babies, but it is really just clever marketing.

If your baby is sensitive to perfumes, dyes, etc., then you won't be able to use Dreft or Ivory Snow, since these are quite scented. Most babies are not sensitive, but some are, and you should be alert for that. If they're not, then you can use whatever detergent you like.

FYI, Ivory Snow used to be a "soap" vs. a "detergent". Soaps and detergents are different chemically (although I am not sure how), and soaps are less harsh than detergents, which is why they used to say wash baby clothes in Ivory Snow. Soaps also don't get clothes as clean as detergents do, so that's why people stopped using Ivory Snow and why Ivory Snow is now also a detergent.

HTH,

[suzska]

Don't some labels say not to wash in one of them (can't remember if it's soap or detergent)?

Anyway, that's interesting about the seminar. I stay brand loyal when they DON'T have a scent. Or at least not a noticeable one. I'm somewhat sensitive to smells. My husband had to stop using Tide w/Bleach because of it (he would wash the sheets in it, and I couldn't sleep/breathe because of the smell). Now we just use Tide Free Liquid. When we were on vacation my husband decided to use the resort's laundry facilities before packing to go home. Rather than buy detergent, he used up what my aunt had bought to do her laundry. It was awful! I can't remember what it was, but I couldn't go too near my husband if he was wearing one of the t-shirts he had washed in it. Boy, was I glad I hadn't washed my clothes or Evan's before leaving! I even have to keep my own dispenser of hand soap at my mom's house because I can't stand what she has. My nose goes nuts and my head starts to hurt. And when I was working I had to go to the kitchen to re-wash my hands using dish soap because of the smell of the stuff in the restrooms--of course that was when I was pregnant so it probably bothered me more.

Anyway, I'll stop babbling now....

[22tango]

We were told in our Lamaze class that the reason for using certain "baby detergents" like Dreft is because they are low in phosphates. Apparently that makes them less likely to wash off the flame retardency of infant apparel. Perhaps thats what they mean by "soap" vs "detergent". Does anyone know if this is true?? I'd prefer to use the All Free and Clear which I like to use on my own clothes...

[egoldber]

If a detergent (or soap or whatever) is not intended for use with chemically treated children's sleepwear, then it will say so on the bottle. My bottle of All Free&Clear specifically says it does NOT harm the flame retardency of polyester children's sleepwear. The Dreft website (http://www.dreftbaby.com/index.html) says the same thing.

BUT, if you are using regular cotton sleepwear for your infant like Carter's sleepers (like everybody has), then it doesn't matter. The Consumer Product Safety Commision says that cotton sleepwear is appropriate for infants and children as long as it is tight fitting (not loose and baggy).

Here's a link to sleepwear info on the CPSC website:
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML98/98087.html

If you're REALLY bored (or have insomnia) here's the complete federal regulation for children's sleepwear standards (this can take awhile to load if you have a slow internet connection):
http://www.cpsc.gov/BUSINFO/frnotices/fr96/frsleeplg.pdf

Sorry, I worked in regulatory in a medical device company for years and have a passion for the details of boring federal regulations. Sad, but true. :)

HTH,

[mom2be]

My brother is a pedetrician. He recommends all free and clear, or really any clean and clear detergent. He has a newborn himself. He told me that Dreft is okay but not necessary. Baby's skin is often times sensitive. The clean and clear detergents don't use perfumes. I have problems with detergents but since I switched I've been fine. We actually use Purex clean and clear. I plan on washing my babies things using Purex clean and clear. I do know that you aren't suppose to really use fabric softner, for the previously stated fire hazards others were talking about. HTH.

Bren
edd 12/10

[Rachels]

For what it's worth, we use Tide Free, which seems to get things cleaner than All. It doesn't have dyes or perfumes, and my daughter has been just fine with it.
-Rachel

[MichelleL]

Just thought those of you who buy Dreft might want to know that it's on sale this week at Target. I know prices vary from market to market but here in So-Cal it's only $8 for 100oz. This is better than the Wal-Mart price. Hopefully it's on sale in your area as well. If in doubt check their flyer in the paper (I think it's also available online too). The last day it's on sale is Saturday.

Michelle L :)