From the NEA Community: 15 Tips on Making Laundry Eczema-Proof

We asked our community what they do on laundry day to help sensitive eczema skin. Here’s what they said:

1. 1. We use laundry detergent that has no perfumes or dyes. I always double rinse when using bleach. I also use dryer balls instead of fabric softener or dryer sheets. They work great and are cheap!
   2. Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent — Free & Clear has done wonders for me.
   3. I do a double rinse, and skip the fabric softener.
   4. I just started making my own laundry detergent with washing soda and borax. It is scent free, dye free, and cheap. I save tons of money, and even my most sensitive child no longer has problems.
   5. I wash all clothing, bed sheets, towels, et cetera, in liquid detergent that is free of dyes and fragrance, then I rinse by adding white vinegar to the load. Sometimes I’ll just use baking soda with vinegar. No fabric softener. If I use bleach, I wash the clothing twice, the second time with baking soda with vinegar.
   6. I use straight white vinegar instead of detergent.
   7. I use Tide Free & Gentle, Clorox 2 Free and Clear, Clorox Gentle Bleach, as well as free and clear dryer sheets and fabric softener.
   8. Purex Natural Elements works best for us. I double rinse and only use dryer sheets. I want to try dryer balls though!
   9. We use ECOS Free & Clear laundry detergent.
   10. I run an empty cycle before washing my son’s clothes to rid as much leftover detergent as possible from previous loads. I also use the “sanitize” cycle on my dryer. No dryer sheets.
   11. Tide Free & Gentle or Arm & Hammer work for us!
   12. Dreft or Purex Baby Laundry Detergent have done well for my son — all are fragrance free.
   13. I use homemade laundry detergent made from borax and washing soda.
   14. We have used XTRA since we found out my girls have eczema. I use liquid softener, never dryer sheets. The biggest thing we’ve found that helps is putting Eucerin cream on as soon as they get out of the shower; it helps my girls when they put clothes on so it’s not as irritating.
   15. We wash the sheets in hot water to kill dust mites.