I Had A Severe Allergic Reaction To Dreft

by SR101 Reader

An SR101 reader has shared her experience with Dreft detergent causing an allergic reaction.

SR101 Reader says:

My mother used Dreft when I was a baby. Of course it was the powdered kind. It evidently wasn't rinsed well out of the clothes as everywhere the garment touched me I broke out in a rash.


Sixty years later I was in Belgium and the only detergent name recognized by our fellow travelers was Dreft (liquid this time). I remembered the story my mom told about Dreft and thought I had probably outgrown my sensitivity to it.

At the coin operated laundry I got a bit of Dreft on my fingers and there was nowhere to wash it off. Two hours later I started itching and breaking out in hives. My lips and eyes swelled and I was starting to feel my throat get tight.

Luckily a local doctor made house calls and he gave me Mozollen which is not available in the states. It started to work right away and I was fine 30 hours later.

I don't know what there is in Dreft that I am allergic to, but I know I will never use it again.

Taylor says:

Wow, sorry to hear about your severe allergic reaction to laundry detergent. Those of us of who suffer from these allergies have to be very careful, so we don't accidentally even touch a fabric that has been washed in something we are allergic too.

I've always said it was my son that had the allergies, but recently I've tried a couple of scented products, which I hadn't done in years, and they started to bother me too. Not as severely as what you describe, but perhaps it is also I that suffer from laundry detergent allergies.

I don't know if the formulation of Dreft is the same in Europe as it is here in the United States. If some one knows this, please comment about it. However, I know in the United States Dreft is marketed as a safe and gentle detergent for babies, but yet it has a perfumy scent.

I know some people love scent to their laundry, but fragrance is one thing that is most likely to cause an allergic reaction, so it is interesting that the detergent contains it for baby's sensitive skin.

Has anyone else used Dreft laundry detergent, either to wash your own clothes, or for your children? If so, I would love to hear your experiences with this detergent too. You can share your Dreft detergent review here, or read other reviews already submitted.

***Update: I've added more stories from others below who've also experienced allergic reactions to this detergent. In addition, a reader has shared photos of what his face looked like after a severe allergic reaction to this detergent. The pics are family friendly, but still not to pleasant to look at, so proceed with caution!***

Dreft Detergent {Referral Links}

Baby Allergic To Dreft And Now I Can't Get The Smell Of It Out

by SR101 Reader

A SR101 reader shared her experience with Dreft laundry detergent, and unfortunately it was something I was concerned could happen with this detergent, since it contains a scent.

SR101 Reader says:

I used Dreft on a large batch of baby clothes. It turns out the baby is allergic to it. He got hives and the clothes make him sneeze.

I washed the batch over and over. I have tried everything I can think of... hot hot water, dish soap, vinegar, soaking in vinegar, oxy clean... with no results. The smell persists.

It is this baby-powder smell that people think means something is clean. I understand it masks cat urine and other tough odors, but I do not want to mask odors, I want to have NO odors.

I am searching the web looking for a solution to removing the Dreft smell from the clothes, but I suspect I will have to give them away and never make that mistake again.

Taylor says:

Sorry to hear that about your baby's clothes. That can turn into an expensive mistake, since baby clothes aren't cheap.

I would try baking soda in the wash and then the rinse, since it can help rinse the clothes of additional detergents and can absorb odor. After all these treatments and washes I'm not sure it will help to remove a smell this "permanent" but it couldn't hurt, and baking soda is gentle on clothes and sensitive baby skin, so it may be worth a try.

Anyone else got any suggestions for her?

In addition, has anyone else experienced an allergic reaction to Dreft detergent themselves, or their baby? If so, please share your experience here.

Photo by Sellers Patton

Dreft Left Me With Rashes All Over My Hands

by Analese
(California)

Analese has also shared how this detergent caused her to have an allergic reaction.

Analese says:

I bought Dreft to wash baby's clothes. Luckily I did this a few months before baby was born.

I washed two full loads of the baby's laundry, folded it and put it away... Next thing I know my swollen hands had rashes all over them.

Had to rewash everything in All free and clear... No fun...

Taylor says:

Analese, I'm sorry to hear you had this problem. Having an allergic reaction to laundry detergent is never fun, but especially when pregnant. I hope you start to feel better soon.

That is an issue I have with this, the most popular baby laundry detergent on the market, at least in the U.S. -- it is not hypoallergenic. Instead, it has scent, which seems strange to me since you never know if your child will have a laundry detergent allergy or not.

Does anyone have a good suggestion for Analese for baby laundry detergent (or adult detergent that you also use for your baby clothes)? You can share your laundry detergent review here.

I will confess I never used baby detergent, but instead just used the detergent I used for everyone else in my family and it worked just fine for me!

In addition, I would love to receive more reviews of Dreft laundry detergent. You can share your Dreft detergent review here, or read other reviews that have already been submitted.

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