21 Jul Why Natural Cleaning Products are Best for Baby

You’d never dream of using a harsh chemical soap to wash baby’s delicate skin – so why use a nasty synthetic detergent to clean your little one’s surroundings? Smart moms and dads know that the nursery, crib and playroom should be kept clean and hygienic using only the purest, most gentle natural cleaning goodies.

Understanding your baby’s skin makes it easier to understand just how important it is to keep your nursery natural. Let’s start with a few fascinating facts about your little one’s skin, and how it differs from your own:

1. IT’S MORE ABSORBENT 

A baby’s skin has fewer elastic fibres than an adult’s skin, so it has a looser structure that’s almost sieve-like. Also, a baby’s skin has fewer hemidesmosomes (microscopic seals between the dermis and epidermis). That means it’s much easier for substances to sink into your baby’s skin and into the fatty tissues underneath. Make sure anything you put on your baby’s skin is 100% pure and natural, to make sure no nasties get through that thin skin!

2. IT’S MORE SENSITIVE THAN YOURS 

Because baby’s skin is thinner, softer and more absorbent than your skin, it’s also more likely to be irritated by external factors. Soaps, lotions and powders made with synthetic ingredients will often trigger allergies and rashes, but that’s not all. The laundry detergent used to wash baby’s clothes, nappies, blankets and soft toys is often the biggest culprit behind skin irritations. Switch to an ultra-mild natural brand and your baby’s skin – and your own – will feel the benefits!

3. IT’S DRIER THAN YOURS 

While baby’s bottoms are often irritated by the dampness of wet diapers, the rest of their skin is actually much drier than that of an adult’s, which explains the higher rate of eczema in babies. This often disappears with time, as the sebum (oil) content of your little one’s skin becomes more balanced. Cleaning products and bath products made with synthetic ingredients will aggravate dry skin.

4. IT HEALS QUICKER THAN YOURS 

The good news is, your baby’s skin is immensely efficient at healing itself. It skin grows faster than a grownup’s, so new, highly efficient fibroblasts (skin cells) are always forming. With proper care, cuts and scrapes will often heal up beautifully with no scarring – great news for when baby starts toddling.

So with these facts in mind, here’s a look at the best green goodies to keep baby’s environment spotless and non-toxic.

OUR TOP GREEN CLEANING PICKS FOR BABY-SAFE HOMES:

• KiddieKix Germ Guard Antibacterial Spray

A family-safe antibacterial spray you can take anywhere and everywhere! With colloidal silver, lemon, tea tree and helichrysum oil to disinfect toys, car seats, changing tables, dummies and little hands.

• Fancy Pants Soap Nuts

Pretty amazing – this is actually a naturally foaming berry! Soap nuts are rich in a foamy soap-like substance called saponin, making them an excellent and completely natural detergent for cloth nappies and baby clothing.

• Mother Nature Netted Stain Stick

Made with natural plant oils, and perfect for washing or spot-cleaning little clothes, blankets and nappies.

• Pure Beginnings Gentle Baby Wipes

Biodegradable baby wipes made with ultra-soft pure organic plant viscose fibre with added soothing Aloe Vera; great for sticky hands and spills.

• Eco-Friendly Disposable Nappies

Our eco-nappies are made using sustainable raw materials and are either partly or fully biodegradable, giving eco-conscious parents a more earth-friendly alternative to conventional disposables. Eco-nappies have minimal chemical content, with no chlorine, optical brighteners or artificial fragrances, which means they’re much gentler on your baby’s sensitive skin.

Did You Know? There’s a wonderful upside to baby’s skin being so super-sensitive. Every time you touch, massage, hug or kiss your little angel’s skin, you trigger the release of oxytocin, the feel-good chemical also known as the “love hormone”. Every touch strengthens your bond with your baby!