6 laundry tips for people with eczema
Washing clothes is simple these days. Just drop them into a washer with detergent and fabric softener, and you’re done! But the chore isn’t as easy for people with eczema (dermatitis)—a condition that leads to dry, itchy skin rashes on the face, hands, feet, and other parts of the body. Some laundry products have chemicals that can aggravate the disease, so patients must be cautious. Here are six laundry tips for people with eczema.
Buy the right laundry products
People with eczema are susceptible to skin irritation, which can worsen on using fragranced or dyed laundry care products. Therefore, one must use products devoid of fragrances or dyes. Patients should also double-rinse their clothes to eliminate any traces of harmful chemicals that remain. Using liquid-based products to wash the clothes can help reduce the chances of irritation.
Wash new clothes before wearing
New clothes have several chemicals that keep them crisp and fresh. One such chemical is formaldehyde—used for wrinkle-free clothing. If a person has eczema, these chemicals can adversely affect the skin. So, before wearing new clothes, it’s best to wash them with a double-rinse cycle. The double-rinse process is recommended for all new fabrics, including bed sheets and towels.
Follow label instructions
People often add extra detergent when doing the laundry, thinking that the clothes will become cleaner than anticipated. However, using too much detergent may result in soap residue inside the fabric even after washing. Such residue may cause skin irritation when the clothes are worn. Therefore, it’s recommended to use detergents and laundry products according to their label instructions to avoid complications.
Buy allergen-controlled products for kids
Labels that claim they are “hypoallergenic” or “dermatologically tested” are not always safe for children’s clothing. Parents should look for products with labels that read “allergen controlled” as these contain the least number of allergens possible. Such products are also free of preservatives like isothiazolinones and fragrances like linalool and limonene.
Avoid softening agents
People love washing their clothes with softening agents for soft and fragrant fabric. However, these products have chemicals that can lead to skin irritation in people with eczema. One should, therefore, avoid them. Instead, patients can quick-dry their clothes to get soft laundry without chemicals.
Dry indoors
We can wash all the clothes we want with allergen-free products and follow all the laundry tips for people with eczema, but our efforts may go in vain if we dry them outdoors. The air outside, especially during spring and fall, is filled with allergens like pollen. These allergens may aggravate eczema after the clothes are worn. As an alternative, people with the skin condition may use a dryer and hang the clothes indoors to reduce potential allergens from latching onto them.