Product Review of Dreft

Dreft is the first laundry detergent designed with babies specifically in mind. The company is the leading laundry detergent producer for children for the last seventy years and all of its products – ranging from laundry detergent to stain remover – are uniquely developed to serve the needs of babies. Most importantly, Dreft has no harsh chemicals added that may irritate your baby’s skin, no additives that may cause allergic reactions and no compounds that reduce the flame resistance of children’s sleep ware. These are all of the company’s claims, but does Dreft Laundry Detergent surpass your expectations once you use the product?

For the most part, it is a terrific product. Using Dreft rarely causes the color in clothes to fade even after many months of washing – a major plus since we all know how dirty baby’s clothes can get and how often they need washing. The clothes will stay new looking despite frequent washes. However, it comes in at a poor second when compared to other products, such as Tides’ Free & Clear and All, with regards to actually removing dirt from clothes. Although Dreft claims to effectively remove “stains, odors, spit-up, food, urine, diarrhea and more,” the stains often remain and even after repeated washes the blemish does not go away.

Many other competing products, Ivory Snow and Gain, for example, are just as gentle on babies’ skin. In fact, many parents have commented that they prefer these products because they are more effective and less expensive. Furthermore, there are over sixteen laundry detergent products available on the market, so it is surprising that Dreft has been able to remain competitive when it’s price tag starts at $12.00 for the smallest bottle.

The primary reason that Dreft has been successful is because it markets itself very well . It portrays itself as a motherly product and if you visit their website you will not only be able to order their products, but also the “New Mom’s Guide” and other parental booklets. Dreft has also participated in a long running campaign to promote its products by offering free 4oz samples, which can be obtained from most stores and requested via its web page. It has been long thought of as the only baby detergent available and was recommended by pediatricians and parenting books. Mothers are perhaps being conned into thinking Dreft Laundry Detergent is the best and only safe product for their children. This is not true.

So despite offering a small amount of product for quite a high price, it still sells.
There are some aspects of Dreft that does set it apart from the rest of the detergents that are available. Dreft is still the only product guaranteed not to cause allergies (but you should still read the label before use), unlike its competing products. This, combined with its gentleness could make it worth the extra cost. Once, however, children reach a certain age parents should try out cheaper, competing products, which are arguably better at removing dirt as well as being gentle.