How To Wash And Care For Bamboo Baby Clothes

Tips On Maintaining Quality & Extending Life of Your Child’s Bamboo Garments

All new parents want their newborn's clothing to be feathery, soft, comfortable, and tender to the touch, so it's not surprising that bamboo is their popular pick. Bamboo is eco-friendly, buttery, smooth, cozy, and durable; it has natural antibacterial, thermoregulating, and hypoallergenic properties. However, to retain its qualities, when washing, you must make extra effort because bamboo requires unique care methods that prevent fiber damage and extend the garment's life.
 

The article below provides helpful advice on washing and drying bamboo baby clothes. You'll learn a few valuable tricks every mom should know, such as removing stains, choosing a machine setting, and properly storing bamboo items. In addition, you will discover what to avoid when caring for this fabric and how to minimize pilling.

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MA-MA NYC Sleepwear: A Cocoon of Comfort, Love & Security for Moms and Their Babies

MA-MA NYC is more than a NYC-based premium brand offering high-quality products for babies and moms; it's a heartfelt movement dedicated to making every mother feel acknowledged, appreciated, and empowered. Through our exceptional products and community-driven initiatives, we're building a supportive network that celebrates and uplifts moms everywhere, ensuring they feel valued and supported in their journey. We know that becoming a mom changes everything. It forges the way you see the world, the way you love, and the way you cherish every quiet moment. As a brand created for moms, we know that careful consideration and sincere emotion go into picking pieces that are gentle to your baby's skin and our planet. That's why we carefully handpick the best fabrics, ensuring every fiber and every stitch raises the bar for quality, softness, and sustainability.
 

At MA-MA NYC, we create sleepwear that embraces babies and their moms in comfort, confidence, and love. Crafted from luxuriously soft OEKO-TEX® certified bamboo and designed to nurture and support your family's welfare, our product line includes stylish and durable pieces such as baby footies, baby pajamas, and maternity robes. Our sleepwear is more than just pajamas – a cocoon of comfort that soothes and protects your little one, from sleepy bedtime routines to first morning snuggles. And for moms, our buttery-soft robes provide a gentle, breathable embrace, perfect for those first few days after bringing your baby into the world. Wrap yourself in high-quality robes to feel softness, support, and love while indulging in late-night cuddles and treasured moments of self-care.

What Is The Correct Way To Wash Bamboo Baby Clothes?

Washing baby apparel made of bamboo is simple. Still, it's essential to follow the manufacturer's instructions to make sure the items remain soft, clean, and in good condition. Bamboo fabric is famous for its exceptional softness, moisture-wicking, and hypoallergenic properties, making it a fantastic choice for baby loungewear, activewear, and pajamas.
 

Here are a few tips on how to correctly wash  bamboo baby clothes:

Read the label 

Before you begin, always read the care label for specific washing instructions. Different bamboo blends may have different wash and care instructions, so it's essential to follow the recommendations on the label.

Separate colors

To prevent color bleed, separate bamboo baby clothes by color. Wash light-colored fabrics separately from dark-colored ones.

Stains treatment

If there are stains on the baby's clothes, handling them before washing is advisable. Use baby-safe stain removers for the stain, or gently rub a mixture of mild laundry detergent and water. Avoid using bleach or other strong stain removal chemicals because they can cause redness, rashes, or even allergic reactions on sensitive baby's skin.

Choose gentle, baby-safe laundry detergents

It's important to only wash with detergents that are safe for newborns. They are dermatologically tested and usually have a label that says 'baby' or 'sensitive skin.' These detergents are formulated with minimal chemicals, dyes, and fragrances which can cause irritations or allergies. Remember that liquid detergents tend to rinse out better than powder detergents.

Use gentle cycle

When washing your infant's laundry, set the machine to a gentle or delicate cycle and cold or lukewarm water. Avoid heavy-duty cycles that churn the garments more aggressively and are very hard on fibers. If washed on heavy agitation or if treated with hot water, bamboo fibers may break down, shrink, or stretch faster.

Don’t overload the machine

Ensure the laundry machine is not overloaded so the clothes can move freely during the cycle. Overloading can cause poor cleaning or tearing of clothes due to lack of movement inside the drum. The clothes cannot move freely when the washer is jam-packed, leading to dirt and detergent residue buildup. In addition, clothes often get tangled if there's not enough space in the drum.

Wash clothes inside out

Turning clothing inside out before starting the cycle helps protect the outer fabric, minimizes color bleed, prevents pilling and helps preserve delicate prints.

Use gentler spin cycles

Avoid setting the machine on high-speed spinning, which can damage the fabric. Instead, choose a slower speed spin, which is less vigorous. Most machines have dedicated settings for gentle washing, such as 'delicate,' 'baby,' or 'wool,' with a slower spin. They protect fabrics from tangling and damage.

Rinse thoroughly

Ensure the laundry is thoroughly rinsed from detergent residues to prevent skin irritation. Optionally, you can rinse them twice.

Drying Bamboo Babywear

Proper drying is vital to maintaining the qualities of bamboo fiber. Below, we have compiled several essential strategies for drying bamboo baby clothes correctly.

  • Air drying - Whenever you can, choose air drying because it maintains bamboo's natural qualities such as durability, softness, shape, and color. Air drying also extends the garment's lifespan by preventing fiber weakening. To dry, hang on a drying rack or lay flat to dry in a well-ventilated area. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. If you need to speed up the drying process, flip the bamboo garment over halfway through to help it dry faster.
  • Don't use hangers – If you are air drying your baby's bamboo footie or other piece of clothing made of bamboo, it's essential not to use hangers as they can cause stretching and unflattering hanger marks.
  • Well-ventilated space – ensure dry babywear in an environment with good air circulation. Air-drying laundry in damp spaces can cause mildew, mold, and unpleasant smells. 
  • Low heat dryer setting - If air drying is impractical and you need to use the dryer, choose low heat or 'gentle'/' delicate' setting. This way, you prevent damage caused by excessive heat, like shrinking or losing shape.
  • Keep Your Clothes in Top Shape: Avoid Over-Drying  - To prevent damage, don’t let your laundry over-dry. Take your clothes out of the dryer right after the cycle finishes. Removing them while they’re still slightly damp is even okay—this helps cut down on wrinkles and keeps your clothes from drying out too much.

Folding & Storage

To keep your child’s bamboo clothing in optimal condition, you must fold and store them properly. It will prolong their lifespan significantly.

Folding

When folding babywear, your goal is to fold neatly to preserve the shape and prevent creasing. Before you fold, ensure snaps or zippers are fastened.

  • Tops, items with sleeves - Start by laying the garment flat and folding the sleeves towards the center. Finish by folding in half (or in thirds) lengthwise.
  • Pants, bottoms, items with legs - If the item has legs, after laying it flat (and folding arms inwards), move the legs up towards the sleeves (once or more times) and fold.
  • Socks - If you are folding socks, lay one on each other and roll or store them flat.
  • Onesies - The best technique for folding onesies and bodysuits is to fold sides inwards and the bottom side 2 to 4 times until you get a lovely square. 

Storage space 

Always store bamboo baby clothes in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated room to prevent mold and mildew growth. Storing them in drawers, fabric bags, or breathable containers is best. You should avoid hanging them on racks, as prolonged hanging can stretch the fabric. 

Here are a few helpful tips on storing and organization:

  • Always store in environments with good air circulation.
  • To protect the garments and separate them by category, use acid-free paper for lining.
  • Don’t be exposed to direct sunlight to avoid fiber damage and color fading.
  • Avoid storing in plastic or cardboard boxes.
  • Ensure you keep daily essentials easily accessible so it’s quick to grab them when needed.
  • To keep the space well organized, use baby closet dividers, next-size-up drawers, clip hangers (or clothespins with regular hangers), hanging baskets, door storage, and baskets for outgrown items.

How To Prevent Bamboo Clothes From Shrinking? 

As bamboo is a natural fiber, it will shrink if it is exposed to higher temperatures. However, you can easily avoid this mishap by choosing low-temperature settings. You should avoid washing it at high settings to prevent bamboo babywear from shrinking. For best results, wash either in cold or lukewarm water. The same applies to drying. Ideally, you should only air-dry bamboo fabrics. Avoid using high heat if you plan to dry them in a dryer. Following this recommendation will keep your little angels’ garments looking and feeling new for a long time.

Stain Removal

Dealing with stains is inevitable when you have small kids, so it’s wise to adopt effective techniques from the start, which will help you get rid of stains quickly and efficiently.
 

The trick is to handle the stain immediately because removing it when it’s fresh is easier. But even if you cannot treat it correctly, don’t worry; most stains can be removed eventually with multiple washes or treatments. For successful cleaning, use natural, baby-friendly spot removers that are suitable for sensitive skin and natural fibers, such as Attitude baby laundry stain remover, Dapple baby stain remover, ECOS stain + odor remover, BioKleen Bac-Out remover, and Puracy natural stain remover.

Light stains 

It’s best to treat the stain as soon as you notice it. Read manufacturer’s instructions for proper use. Most commonly, you will need to apply the remover directly on the stain, leave it to develop for a certain amount of time and then put it to wash. 

Tough stains 

Stronger stains are harder to eliminate and require longer treatment time. Leave the removal agent for several hours or overnight before washing. If the stain hasn’t been cleansed, you can try repeating the whole process or washing with warmer water. If that does not work either, use a different cleaning product. 

Tip: Wash on two rinse cycles to thoroughly wash out excess detergent. 

Grease

If you use baby products that contain oils, grease stains are inevitable. The best way to eradicate oil stains is by using baking soda. Rub it on the stain using fingers or soft toothbrush and let absorb for as long as possible. Lastly, remove the soda, apply a remover, and wash as usual.

Old stains

Stains not removed on time can be hard to eliminate; however, it's not an impossible mission. You may need to treat or wash them multiple times before eliminating them.  
 

Start by applying the remover and leaving the affected areas in direct sunlight, as UV lights present natural bleaching agent that disintegrates the chemical bonds and molecular structure of the stain and helps faster disintegration and fading. The sunlight method is most effective on white bamboo babywear because it brightens the clothes. Be mindful with colored clothing, as sun may cause the color to fade. 

Pilling Prevention

For busy moms, pilling can be pretty frustrating. Yes, it can be removed by using lint rollers or fabric shavers. Still, it’s yet another thing on your to-do list for an already packed day when, in truth, there are so many better things to do. Luckily, compared to other fibers, high-quality bamboo is less prone to pilling because its fibers are long. Keep in mind that lower-quality bamboo is more inclined to pill than higher-grade.
 

So, how do you stop your baby’s clothes from piling? Below are the steps to prevent the formation of small balls of fiber on the surface of your baby’s clothing items.

  • Always check the label and follow the manufacturer’s care instructions
  • Wash garments inside out to avoid fabrics rubbing against each other in the drum
  • Use mild detergents, free of bleach or fabric softeners, to keep the fibers strong and durable 
  • Wash similar fabrics together
  • Close zippers and snaps before placing them into the washing machine, as they can also cause pilling

Use baby-friendly enzyme-based detergents that smooth out fibers and minimize pilling.

Environmentally-Friendly Disposal 

At the end of bamboo baby garment life cycle, when the item is no longer usable, consider disposing of them in an environmentally friendly way:

  • Repurpose – Instead of discarding them, repurpose the clothes into craft fabrics or cleaning cloths.
  • Biodegradable disposal -  Find textile recycling facilities or compost at home to ensure minimal environmental impact.
  • Donate – Donate to charities or organizations that can distribute the garments to those who need them.

By following these simple steps, you can keep your baby's bamboo clothing soft, durable, and safe for their sensitive skin. With a little extra care, these garments will last longer while maintaining their incredible comfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I wash bamboo pajamas separately from other clothes?

It is not necessary to wash baby bamboo pajamas separately, but it’s advisable to wash them with similar colors. Wash lighter colors separately from bright or dark colors. Also stay clear of washing with abrasive fabrics or oil-stained items. This way you are preserving fiber’s integrity and color, and prevent color or stain transfers. A little extra care goes a long way.

Can I use fabric softener for washing organic bamboo baby clothes?

No. As a matter of fact you should not use fabric softener on any of your baby’s clothes because it may break down flame retardants which are used on most babywear. Plus, it can fade the colors of fabrics, so it’s best to avoid fabric softener altogether. Bamboo is soft naturally and you will notice that no softener is needed.

How often should I wash my newborn’s sleepwear?

The frequency of washing your infant’s nightwear depends on how quickly they get dirty. You don’t necessarily have to wash them after each wear. As babies sleep most of the time, it happens that sometimes they have naps in their sleepwear. The rule of thumb is as long as garments didn’t get dirty from diaper mishaps or food spills, it’s perfectly fine to wear them again.

Can I use bleach to remove stubborn stains on bamboo clothing? 

It is not recommended to use bleach, even if items are white. Bleach is strong chemical and it can potentially weaken the fibers and cause holes and snags in fabric. Instead of bleach, for very tough stains, try treating with effective baby-friendly remover in combination with sunlight. Optionally, try baking soda.

What should I use instead of a fabric softener to keep bamboo items soft?

To keep bamboo soft, use natural softener – white vinegar. Because vinegar is acidic by nature, it helps dissolve detergent or soap residues which may leave fabrics stiff and rough. Use about half a cup of white vinegar in your last rinse cycle to naturally soften bamboo.

What is the best way to remove milk stains and drool stains from baby clothes?

As both milk (including breast milk) and human saliva are protein and fat based, you will need to use an enzyme-based stain remover. Leave it for 15 minutes to break down the proteins, then wash as usual. 

Can I hand wash bamboo baby garments? 

Certainly! Remember to pre-treat stains before washing. Fill your sink (or large plastic basin) with lukewarm water and add a small amount of mild, baby-friendly detergent or soap. Soak the clothes and gently rub, focusing on dirtier areas and stains and ensure you don’t scrub too hard. Gently swish and carefully rinse and squeeze, avoiding wringing and twisting. Lay it flat on a towel to dry.