Preserving Your Crib Bedding

New parents have such high expectations when waiting for the birth of their newborn. We plan, decorate, and prepare ourselves the best way we can for that miracle of life. One of our tasks is to decorate the nursery and make it an enchanted haven for our new baby. We shop until we drop and gather all the nursery accessories for that special room. One thing we forget about is all that special crib bedding and nursery accessories are vulnerable to formula stains, spit-up, and leaky diapers.
While many people will tell you "you've got to have a laundry detergent formulated just for babies", that's not always the case. You don't need to buy specialty detergent to wash newborns crib bedding. Several detergent companies have created dye-free and fragrance-free detergents that can be used on quality crib bedding. Just make sure you finish off the wash cycle with an extra rinse to make sure all the soap is out.
Things you can do:
Before pre-treating, or washing any garment, always refer to the care label instructions first. Colored items must be protected by pre-testing the effects of stain removal techniques on a hidden area of your crib bedding, crib sheets, crib pillows, bumper pads, etc. Make sure you rinse as soon as possible with cold water to dilute the stain.
Things you shouldn't do:
When you're washing or pre-treating a stain never rub a fresh stain with a bar of soap, it can set many stains. Avoid excessive rubbing as this can spread the stain and cause damage to your crib bedding or the colors to fade. And last don't tumble dry your crib bedding if the stain hasn't been removed after washing.
Although you may have to experiment with several different pre-treating products until you find one that works well for you. Preserving your baby's special crib bedding as much as possible will keep that enchanted haven you created looking great for years.