I use omo sensitive, dissolved in a bucket of hot water before adding to the washing machine. And I also use a sensitive fabric softener (cuddly I think), but I water it down to about 50/50.
Im not from their but in the us most stores sell detergent specifically for babies
Any non-bio detergent is fine.
I used wool wash, im from Oz. perhaps dissolve it then add clothes? Fabric softner no good for washing machines makes the outside of bowl all grimey and clogs it up.
I didn't use anything specific. We already used a dye-free liquid detergent so we continued to do so. In the US there is a brand called Dreft that people use for babies. I personally don't have time to wash different load of clothes. So dye-free it is :)
I washed my oldest's in the same stuff I wash mine in. Seemed to do fine
They advise you to use non bio
Just checked my fabric softener, it's cuddly ultra sensitive. I'm in Aus too.
Look for sensitive skin, dye- and fragrance-free detergents. In the U.S. so don't know what the specific brands are there but especially at first baby's skin is really sensitive, but any sensitive-skin detergent should work. At the baby stores they usually sell both detergent and dryer sheets safe to use with the baby.
I just washed all my kids clothes in the same thing I use for my bf and me. They'll have to get used to it eventually.