Why iron children's clothes after washing? Should children's clothes be ironed? Secrets of proper ironing

Why iron children's clothes?

The question usually arises from those who perceive ironing solely to remove bruises. But ironing and steaming are one of the means of preventing diseases and maintaining the health of the body.

Beneficial effect on the skin

The skin of a newborn, unlike an adult, is not formed:

The epidermis consists of only three layers, the rest are formed later. The protective function is weak. Cells are less resistant to the penetration of dirt and infections.
Unlike adults, newborn skin has a more developed respiratory function. 8-10 times more oxygen enters the child’s body. At the same time there are microorganisms and infections.
The secretion secreted by the skin has a weak bactericidal effect and therefore does not resist microbial infections well.
There is practically no excretory function. Sweat glands begin to work after 3 months, and fully - by 3 years.
Poor synthesis of vitamin D, a substance necessary for a child’s growth and proper formation of bones and muscles.

Based on this, there should be no doubt whether it is necessary to iron a newborn’s diapers. This is a necessary procedure for caring for children's skin. Ironing and steam treatment reduces the likelihood of diseases and maintains the normal condition of the protective cover.

Disinfection and wound healing

It is recommended to iron bed linen, pajamas, and nightgowns after each wash. Dust and dirt are removed with hot water and powder, and some bacteria, linen mites and their larvae may remain on the fabric.

Especially if the wash was in accelerated mode, at a temperature below 40 ° C or together with adult clothes. As a result, the risk for the child’s body increases: microbes provoke internal diseases, bed parasites cause allergic reactions, skin lesions.

Therefore, a hot iron with steam is an effective way to kill larvae and bacteria. In addition, after ironing the fabric becomes softer, less irritating and less damaging to children's skin. Accordingly, it accelerates the healing of wounds and scratches, and prevents the penetration of infections through the pores.

Appearance

After a hot iron, the fibers of natural fabrics are welded together, becoming strong and smooth. Children's clothing is better resistant to dust and microorganisms. In addition, ironed products look more aesthetically pleasing and take up less space on shelves.

What is this procedure for?

If clothes are often ironed after washing, the fabric loses its softness and attractive appearance, the color fades, and white items turn yellow, so for long-term service of clothes it is not recommended to use an iron.

The need to iron baby clothes is due to the fact that in the first weeks of life, pathological microbes can get into the umbilical wound, which delay the healing process. Therefore, during this period it is recommended to carry out additional heat treatment of things that come into contact with the baby’s body. Ironing achieves the following positive effects:

disinfection of linen;
giving things a more aesthetic appearance;
providing softness to children's clothing.

How to iron children's clothes correctly

Ironing children's clothes will not take much effort and time if you organize the process correctly:

The workplace should be prepared in advance. To do this, allocate a part of the room for an ironing board near the outlet. Then you won't have to waste time on assembly every time.
It is advisable to purchase an iron with a steam function and a ceramic sole. With its help, the process of ironing even the most dry clothes will be accelerated, and the gentle coating will protect the material from scorching and damage.
Diapers, underwear, clothes are sewn mainly from natural fabrics. They wrinkle quickly and often dry out. Before ironing baby clothes for newborns and older babies, they should be sprayed in advance from a spray bottle and left for a while. The fibers will soften and be easier to iron. If the bruises are not very strong, then you can get by with a steam iron.
If there are no medical indications for ironing on both sides, then older children’s clothes can only be ironed from the inside out.
To speed up ironing, you need to sort your items by fabric type in advance. The right approach will allow you not to waste time reconfiguring ironing modes.
Before putting laundry and clothes into the closet, they need to cool naturally.
Before dressing or swaddling your baby, be sure to let the ironed items rest for 7-10 minutes so that the moisture evaporates.
You can reduce the operating time of the iron if you start ironing with items made of delicate materials, and then switch to a hotter setting.

Ironing is still important

Is it necessary to iron a newborn's clothes after washing? Any pediatrician will tell you that the clothes and bedding of very young children need to be ironed.

And that's why:

Ironing allows you to almost completely destroy bacteria, which, although in smaller quantities, still remain after the washing machine.
If we are talking about the things of a very young child who still has an umbilical wound, then ironing is necessary to avoid infection.
Even after the clothes have been washed with a special baby powder and rinsed well, particles of detergent still remain on them. The iron allows you to eliminate them, which means preventing the development of allergic reactions.
Washed clothes still become stiff. Of course, to a lesser extent, but for a newborn this can be an irritating factor. Once the clothes are properly ironed, this problem is completely eliminated.
The aesthetic side is also important. Ironed accessories look well-groomed. This means that a child in ironed clothes will look neater. This will help eliminate possible condemnation from the older generation, other mothers and doctors at the clinic.

It would seem that all the points are correct and the need to iron the child’s things is obvious. However, there is another side to this procedure.

Ironing faster with an ironing press

With better quality, and most importantly – 4-5 times faster, you can iron a newborn’s linen and clothes using a press. Moreover, both small and large products, folded 4-8 times.

To do this, they are placed on the bottom panel individually or in a row, the top panel is lowered, not reaching the products a few centimeters, so that the steam supply is turned on.

After processing, the press is placed closely on the items, steam generation is turned off. Things are ironed and dry in a couple of minutes.

The ironing press has several modes: for cotton, linen, silk, wool, nylon. Heating temperature, steam impact force, steaming with one or both panels are regulated by settings.

Video: How to quickly iron children's clothes using an ironing press? [Viewing time ~ 6 minutes]

Tips and tricks

Often, when ironing clothes and diapers for a baby, parents encounter all sorts of troubles and difficulties. Very often they are associated either with not ironing certain areas of the baby’s clothes, or with an increased risk of “burning the item.” How to avoid such unpleasant consequences?

There are a few tips to consider that will make the process much easier.

Tip #1. If you are unable to iron some areas, you should moisten them with plain water from a spray bottle. At the same time, the structure of the fabric will become softer and more manageable for the surface of the iron, and not a trace will remain of clean water. Over-dried items lend themselves well to steam treatment. Many irons have this function, which can greatly facilitate the work of housewives and kill harmful microorganisms on clothes.
Tip #2. Small parts, such as socks, do not need to be ironed. At the same time, you will save your time, and baby socks are not always worn and not on sensitive areas of the skin. Carry out the ironing process itself in a room with good lighting; if this is not possible, install a small lamp nearby.
Tip #3. Before starting the process, test the temperature of the heated iron on a small piece of fabric or ironing board. If you neglect this, you can leave a burn on the delicate fabric from the first touch of the iron and ruin the entire appearance. Therefore, take your time, otherwise the consequences of the procedure will not be the most pleasant.
Tip #4. Before starting the process, the washed wardrobe should be sorted. To begin with, it is worth ironing thin and delicate items, since the surface of the iron is not yet very hot and the risk of damaging the fabric is minimal. Then you should gradually move on to processing thicker and more durable things. At this point, the temperature of the iron becomes the most optimal, and all kinds of folds and bruises can be ironed quickly and without much effort.
Tip #5. When ironing diapers, move the iron slowly over the surface of the fabric, thereby creating optimal conditions for the death of pathogenic microorganisms. It may take much more time, but then the clothes will be as safe as possible for the baby and pleasant to touch.

By the way, in addition to the above tips, it is worth paying attention to the condition of the ironing machine itself (iron). It should also be as comfortable and lightweight as possible. Only in this case will you be able to easily achieve the desired result.

At what age should children's clothes be ironed?

The need to iron clothes for newborns and older babies depends on age and health status. In each case, individual indications must be taken into account. General recommendations:

First 4 weeks. Ironing with steam on both sides is mandatory for hygiene and maintaining skin health. In addition, you need to focus on the condition of the umbilical wound: until it heals, the procedure should be mandatory. It is also necessary if the child has undergone BCG.
2-4 months Immunity is being formed. To avoid illness, it is advisable to continue ironing.
5-9 months Sweat and sebaceous glands are in the process of formation, so children's clothes require increased care.
9-12 months The child's body learns to independently regulate body temperature. However, excessive parental care often leads to overheating. Dust, dirt and sweat actively settle on the fabric. Particular attention should be paid to ironing the inside of clothes.
12 months - 2 years. The child is being raised at home, special attention should be paid to the hygiene of the bed and underwear.
2-3 years. Clothing requirements if the baby goes to kindergarten should be stricter. Due to immature immunity, children are susceptible to infections, so things need to be ironed or steamed.

If the child does not have health problems, then, starting from the age of 3, things can be ironed in the same mode as for adults. However, during the period of vaccination, epidemiological risks or illness of the baby, it is worth renewing efforts.

When deciding for yourself the question of expediency and at what age you should iron things, you need to proceed from the benefits for the child’s health. If this is one of the main ways to maintain immunity, then why neglect it?

What happens if you don't iron it on both sides?

During the period of caring for an infant, it is dangerous for a mother to burden herself with unnecessary work. Postpartum recovery, hormonal changes, daily household chores - all this contributes to the accumulation of excessive fatigue.

If the child is healthy and developing well, there is no need to carefully iron the linen, especially on both sides.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to clean the stove grate

And if you use modern technology, ironing can be a pleasure. Knowing the basic rules for washing and drying things will help you completely forget about ironing.

The only disadvantage of refusing to iron children's clothes is possible condemnation from relatives, loved ones, and friends. Some mothers find it difficult to bear this moment.

Although pediatricians advocate ironing baby diapers and clothes, they also agree with some negative aspects of such an event:

Ironed bedding or clothing can cause heat rash in a child, as it loses its ability to absorb moisture to some extent. Therefore, you should not try to iron your child’s things too carefully and for too long.
Germs are present everywhere around children and adults. If a child’s underwear is over-disinfected, the young body will not develop natural immunity and resistance to harmful environments. This can lead to the baby getting sick often.

Therefore, there is no need to try too hard to disinfect and iron children's accessories. Everything should be in moderation.

It is believed that in the modern world it will be enough to iron only the wrong side of clothes and diapers, and not, as in the good old days, on both sides.

Ironing secrets

A few simple rules will help the baby’s mother significantly save time on the ironing process, protect the linen from drying out and thinning, and keep the baby and herself healthy.

If you steam and moisten the diapers with warm rather than cold water, the absorption time will decrease and the fabric will become much softer.
When the baby is one month old, the diapers can be ironed only on the side that touches the baby’s skin. The outer side of the laundry no longer needs to be processed.
It is important that the height of the ironing board is comfortable for ironing while sitting. There is no need to perform this process while standing: the back is already under stress while carrying the baby.
The iron should not be too heavy, but should have a comfortable handle and a good steaming system.

Video

Many housewives, despite the large amount of advice and recommendations they have heard, never heed them until they see everything with their own eyes. For such wonderful mothers and others who wish, here is a link where you can watch a useful video about organizing ironing items of clothing for a newborn baby.

After looking at the material on this resource, you will find answers to all questions regarding the organization of this simple process.