Detergents for children's dishes

Children's dishes require different care than adult dishes. Children's bodies are extremely sensitive to various harmful chemicals. Of course, children can be exposed to these chemicals from other sources, but as parents, we must do everything in our power to protect our children from these harmful influences for as long as possible.

First of all, you should use a special baby dishwashing detergent to regularly clean plates, cups, pacifiers, bottles, breast pumps, and other utensils that children come into contact with. This article will discuss these types of detergents.

A variety of products for caring for children's dishes

At any large hardware store, you'll find a wide selection of detergents that are ostensibly suitable for cleaning children's dishes. It's become fashionable lately to use "eco-friendly" chemicals that are harmless to the human body. But can you really trust such products to clean your child's dishes? To get a better idea, look at the ingredients of the detergent; it shouldn't contain:

• parabens;
• phthalates;
• phenols;
• sulfates;
• formaldehydes;
• phosphates;
• petroleum products.

Also, before purchasing, smell the proposed baby dishwashing detergent – ​​it should not have a strong fruity or floral scent, and certainly not have a strong odor of acetone, alcohol, phenols, and the like. The chosen product should be relatively easy to wash off with both hot and cold water. The product must contain a safe disinfectant component that will help combat germs.

Please note! Don't read too much into the large print the manufacturer places on the front of the label; this information may not be accurate.

The wide variety of detergents designed for children's dishwashing can be divided into three large groups:

1. detergents for washing children's dishes by hand;
2. detergents for washing children's dishes in automatic mode in a dishwasher;
3. Home remedies for caring for children's dishes.

Each of these groups includes a wide variety of cleaning gels, powders, suspensions, and tablets. Let's examine each of these groups and see what comes out of them.

Review of hand washing products

In the vast majority of cases, young mothers choose to wash their baby's dishes by hand. Only a few wash their baby's dishes in the dishwasher, although automatic washing has recently become increasingly popular. Judging by the reviews, many young mothers, even those who have dishwashers, prefer hand washing. There are several reasons for this.

• Children's dishes are usually small, so there is no point in loading the dishwasher.
• It is much easier and faster to wash several items by hand, which will take about 5-7 minutes, whereas the fastest wash cycle in the dishwasher is 20-30 minutes.
• It's difficult to stockpile children's dishes for the dishwasher because a child may have one favorite mug, one favorite plate, and will demand that it be washed and immediately given back to him.
• When washing a baby bottle or cup by hand, you have the opportunity to scrub them thoroughly with a brush; a dishwasher cannot clean these accessories in the same way.

Important! Hand-washing detergents are more economical. You'll only need one drop to wash several baby items, but if you're washing them in the dishwasher, a single drop won't be enough.

We hope the general gist of the above is clear, now let's address this question: which hand-held baby dishwashing detergents are considered the best, naturally among those more or less readily available on the Russian market? There are several.

1. Nuk. A special detergent suitable for washing all baby items, from bottles to toys. This German-made gel detergent is sold in 380 ml bottles. It's very economical, cleans dirt effectively, and, most importantly, is completely eco-friendly. You can use it with complete peace of mind. The average price is $3 per bottle.
2. Molecola. This product is not specifically designed for washing baby dishes, but it is excellent for this purpose. It is completely environmentally friendly, so the manufacturer allows you to wash fruits and vegetables with it. The main ingredients: glycerin, citric acid, water, and xanthan gum—are safe for both adults and children. One drop of the product is enough to clean approximately 12 items. It comes in a 500 ml bottle; one bottle lasts for a family of three children for six months. The average price is $1.70 per 500 ml bottle.
3. Saraya Arau Baby. This high-quality, eco-friendly detergent from Japan is suitable for both adult and baby dishes. Made with soap plants, it's very thick and economical. It can be diluted 50/50 with water. The average price for a 300 ml bottle is $4.30.
   
4. Palmia Expressiva. An eco-friendly dishwashing liquid made in Russia using Italian technology. A universal detergent, it's also suitable for baby dishes. It contains natural food flavors such as pomegranate, orange, and red poppy. One drop is enough to hand-wash 20-30 baby dishes. A 500 ml bottle costs $1.22.
5. Meine Liebe. High-quality dishwashing detergent for children's dishes, as well as toys, bottles, and breast pumps. It can be used on wood, plastic, rubber, and metal items—there are no restrictions. It's also suitable for washing fruits and vegetables. This gel-based product is made in Russia using German technology. The average price for a 485 ml bottle is $2.

Important! We previously included the product "Eared Nanny" in our review, but since laboratory testing revealed harmful components, it has been excluded from the review.

Review of automatic car wash products

Washing three children's plates and a sippy cup by hand isn't that difficult, but what about dozens, even hundreds, of children's toys? Children lick them, so they need to be washed frequently. Hand washing is quite difficult, as you have to bend over, rinse each toy, and then dry them all. It's much easier to load the dishwasher with toys, run a quick wash at 40 degrees Celsius, and go about your business.

Agree, it's convenient, all that's left is to choose a good baby dishwashing detergent, because the one you use every day won't do. Even in good modern ones Finish dishwasher tablets There are plenty of chemicals that shouldn't be allowed into a child's body. Our experts recommend the following dishwasher detergents, which are suitable for washing children's dishes and toys.

• ECO LIFE detergent. A special product designed specifically for washing children's dishes and toys in the dishwasher. The manufacturer claims its detergent is free of any harmful substances, although some ingredients are a trade secret. It's quite economical to use, although the cost is not comparable to that of a hand-washing detergent. A 1.1 kg package of detergent costs an average of $5.
• Jofure, a concentrated, environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent from Japan, is perfectly suitable for children's dishes, as it contains no harmful ingredients. Even the fruity fragrance used in this powder is made from plant-based ingredients and does not have a strong odor. The product is very effective and cleans dishes well, so it's worth considering using it for all your dishes. The price for a 600g package is $7.
  
• Ecover dishwasher tablets are environmentally friendly and Belgian-made. They are free of chlorine, phosphates, sulfates, and other harmful chemicals. They are safe to use for washing baby dishes, toys, breast pumps, and more. The tablets are easy to use, clean dishes perfectly, and come in biodegradable packaging. After using Ecover tablets, dishes are sparkling clean. The only downside is the price. A pack of 70 tablets costs an average of $17.

Please note! Experts consider Ecover tablets to be among the most expensive (elite) products; approximately 30% of the cost is for the brand name, the rest for quality.

• Klar is a high-quality dishwasher powder from Germany, suitable for washing baby dishes. Its unique feature is its odorless nature and excellent odor removal. The powder is made from plant-based ingredients and safe chemicals and does not cause allergies. There's no white residue left on dishes or toys, and the powder rinses out easily, dirt and all. A 1.4 kg package costs an average of $11 and lasts for approximately 55 uses, though it can easily be extended to 70 uses—tested.

Home remedies for cleaning children's dishes

You can find a good, affordable detergent from a reputable manufacturer and wash your children's dishes with peace of mind. But you always want to save a little money while also being confident in the natural ingredients of the detergent. In that case, making your own detergent will leave you absolutely certain that your product is completely natural and safe for your health. Here are a few recipes for such homemade detergents.

Important! Using household dishwasher detergents regularly is quite risky; you can ruin your dishwasher, especially if you use mustard-based products.

A homemade solution made with baking soda, borax, and citric acid. Take 1 cup of washing soda, mix it with ½ cup of the finest purified table salt, and add 1 cup of borax powder. Add 100 grams of citric acid, mix everything together, and you've got a high-quality and safe baby dishwasher detergent.

Next, let's look at a recipe for a homemade dishwasher detergent using baking powder. Take 1 cup of baking powder, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of borax. This makes a decent and safe powder. It doesn't store very well, though, so calculate the amount of mixture you prepare so that it lasts for about a month, no more. If you store the mixture for more than a month, it loses its beneficial properties. The baking powder-based mixture is very effective at removing biological dirt, making it ideal for children's dishes and toys.

Now here's a recipe using glycerin. Take 25 g of liquid glycerin, 50 g of lemon juice, a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, and three tablespoons of hot water. Mix all the ingredients, pour the mixture into an opaque container, and use within one month. We don't recommend storing the mixture any longer. This product is suitable for hand washing children's dishes and toys; it should not be poured into the dishwasher.

In conclusion, we'd like to point out that the market today offers a truly vast selection of specialized detergents for children's dishes, toys, and other utensils. However, you need to choose carefully, as unscrupulous manufacturers sometimes add random ingredients to their products while marketing them as safe. Read the ingredients carefully, be vigilant, or even make your own detergents—then you'll be sure to be fine!

   

1 reader comment

1. March 12, 2017 at 6:17 PM

   Katerina:

   Why bother making a homemade solution? Although, if your child has allergies, it's certainly worth the effort. I have Aqua Baby baby dishwashing liquid in my sink; I can use it to wash my dishes at the same time. I don't use regular baby dishwashing liquid; it's too harsh, in my opinion, and not healthy. Aqua uses mild surfactants and doesn't contain dyes, parabens, phosphates, or other harsh chemicals. It rinses dishes well, and the gel doesn't stick. It's also suitable for cleaning fruits and vegetables; I also apply a drop of the liquid through the dispenser, wash them, and rinse them off under running water.

   Answer