We want our babies to stay fresh and clean so bath time is a compulsory item in a baby’s daily schedule. Baths relax the babies and make them comfortable. It is also a great bonding opportunity for the parent and the baby. But everything is sweet until you accidentally get soap in your baby’s eyes. You will remember the pain and burn of having soap in your eye and feel like the worst parent under the sun as your baby is suffering because of your mistake.
Getting soap in your baby’s eyes is a common occurrence when bathing a baby so it does not make you’re a bad mom or a dad. Babies are playful with water and soap can get into their eyes in a second while you try to clean them. Do not panic and follow the simple steps mentioned below to wash off the soap. In this article, I will also discuss what is dangerous about soaps and also what to consider in buying a safe baby soap for your baby.
CONTENT
1. What to do when you get soap in your baby’s eyes?
1.1 How to flush baby’s eye to wash off the soap
2. Is it dangerous to get baby soap/baby shampoo in my baby’s eye?
3. Is it dangerous to get normal / medicated shampoo in my baby’s eyes?
4. Is it dangerous to get dish soap in my baby’s eyes?
5. Can soap make my baby blind?
6. How to select a safe baby soap that won’t hurt your baby
1. What to do when you get soap in your baby’s eyes?
Nobody wants their baby in pain so getting soap in your baby’s eyes will worry you for sure. Soap is not something that can cause serious eye injuries. American Association of Ophthalmology, confirms that soap does not cause serious damages to the eyes. But you know how it burns when soap gets into your eyes and you have to relieve the baby from that discomfort as soon as possible. In addition to the burning sensation, soap can cause symptoms such as watery eyes, red eyes, reddening around the eyes as well as blurred vision.
When the baby starts to feel the burning sensation, he will try to rub his eyes to reduce the pain. You have to stop this rubbing to prevent soap from spreading and getting deeper into the eyes. Tears will help to naturally clean off the soap from the eyes. But you can’t let your baby cry till his eyes get clean off by his own tears. Follow these steps to wash out the soap from the baby’s eyes.
- Get a clean piece of cloth such as a towel and wet it with lukewarm water.
- Carefully wipe the baby’s eyes till the burning sensation goes away and the baby feels comfortable.
- An eyedropper or a syringe can also be used to gently wash off the soap from the baby’s eyes.
- If the above steps did not work, flush the baby’s eyes with a clean flow of lukewarm water for about 20 minutes.
- Seek medical advice from your pediatrician or an ophthalmologist if the symptoms persist or worsens.
1.1 How to flush baby’s eye to wash off the soap
If you get soap in your baby’s eyes or even in your eyes, cleaning your eyes as fast as possible can significantly reduce the impact of the incident on the eyes. Research proves that immediate eye irrigation, flushing using large amounts of water can considerably reduce the severity of potential alkaline burns to the eyes and cut off the time that will take to heal any wounds if there are any. Hence, flushing is a safe and wise technique to get the soap off your baby’s eyes. It is possible to clean the baby’s eyes quickly with a wet cloth, eyedropper, or a syringe, but if they do no work, flushing should be your next step.
- Fill a suitable container with lukewarm water.
- Pull the eyelid down and slowly pour water over the affected eye/eyes.
- The baby’s eyes should be open through the flushing process.
- You can flush the baby’s eyes with a faucet too. But make sure the water is at the right temperature and the flow of water is not too rough for the baby.
2. Is it dangerous to get baby soap/baby shampoo in my baby’s eye?
Soaps are simply salts and fatty acids which will act as surfactants and emulsifiers. They allow to wash off dirt easier which makes the soap a great cleanser. With a PH value of 9-10, soap is naturally alkaline. Eye irritations are a result of this high PH value which affects the PH balance of the human eye. Human eyes have a neutral PH value. The alkaline nature of the soap can cause redness, burning sensation, and irritation when gotten into the eyes. Depending on the nature of the ingredients and additives like fragrance, preservatives, the severity of the irritation may vary.
You do not need to use a deep cleansing soap or shampoo on your baby. Baby soaps and shampoo are made with a PH value close to the PH value of our skin and eyes to assure the safety of the babies. In general, they do not consist of strong fragrances and other unnecessary chemicals that can harm your baby.
Hence, it is less likely that your baby will be hurt from getting these baby products in his eyes. Baby soap and shampoo can also be tear-free which indicates that it does not irritate the eyes of the baby in any manner.

3. Is it dangerous to get normal / medicated shampoo in my baby’s eyes?
Normal shampoo, soap, or body washes are not as gentle as baby products. They may contain additional chemicals respective to their targeted purposes such as antibacterial, odor-control, anti-aging, or exfoliation. Therefore, these products can create stronger eye irritations than baby soap or shampoo.
The medicated shampoo includes more added chemicals to treat special conditions like dandruff. Your baby might be prescribed a medical shampoo for cradle cap and getting that shampoo in his eyes will cause worse irritations than that of baby shampoo. Staying away from anti-seborrhea shampoos as well as antifungals and steroid creams are recommended for the cradle cap. You can gently brush the flakes off your baby’s head instead of using a medical product and wash them off with tear-free baby shampoo. You can also use mineral oil/ petroleum gel to soak the skin flakes before brushing them and washing them with mild baby shampoo.
4. Is it dangerous to get dish soap in my baby’s eyes?
Like normal body cleaning products, dish soap is also made to wash off oil and dirt. Most of the dish soap products are no more caustic than other body soaps in the market. But they can include additional chemicals that can hurt your baby through stronger irritations. Dish soap is not recommended for body care because of its lack of conditioning properties which can dry the skin.
In case you get dish soap in your baby’s eyes, follow the same procedures as a normal soap got into your baby’s eyes. If the dish soap contains, Bleach, Ammonia, high concentrations of Sodium hydroxide, or physical abrasives clean the eye well and be extra careful about any symptoms of eye damage.
5. Can soap make my baby blind?
According to research, soap cannot cause severe damages to the eyes but they need to be removed from the eyes as soon as possible to relieve the discomfort and potential injuries. Serious eye damages such as loss of vision, corneal scarring, glaucoma, and cataracts can be caused by strong household cleaners such as drain cleaners so such harmful chemicals should be stored out of reach of the babies and children.

6. How to select a safe baby soap that won’t hurt your baby
There are many baby soaps, shampoos and body wash in the market which will not hurt your baby if they accidentally get into the eyes. There can be other chemicals that cause discomfort when gotten into the eye except for the alkaline nature of the soap itself. Please avoid baby body care products with the following ingredients for the safety and comfort of your baby.
- Fragrance
- Essential Oils
- Parabens
- Preservatives such as formaldehyde
- Active ingredients such as pyrithione zinc
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
7. Recommendations
I know you want the best for your baby so I have listed down some products I loved to use on my babies and found useful. This list also includes products that I consider as good for your baby considering their ingredient.
Dove’s Tip to Toe Baby Wash and Shampoo has been approved by ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and pediatricians. This product do not include dyes, parabens, sulfates, or phthalates and are tear-free and hypoallergenic. I would call this the favourite bathtime product of mine
Mustela Stelatopia, Cleansing Oil, Baby Body Wash is recommended for sensitive, eczema-prone skin. It is dermatologist and pediatrician tested. This product is made of 98% natural ingredients and is free from parabens, steroids, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, and fragrance. To make you further interested, it is completely soap-free, using oil to gently cleanse the skin.
Mustela Cradle Cap Foam Shampoo for Newborns is recommended shampoo that specifically treats and reduces the occurrence of cradle cap. Unlike many other medicated shampoos, this product has a tear-free formula. It is also dermatologist and pediatrician approved and free of parabens, phthalates, phenoxyethanol, dyes, and fragrance.
The Honest Company Perfectly Gentle Sweet Orange Vanilla Shampoo + Body Wash, Tear-Free Baby Shampoo formula does not have phthalates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, dyes, formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate, or sodium lauryl ether sulfate. The product is a hypoallergenic, tear-free formula that is good for the baby and for the entire family. They also have a fragrance-free option for extra-sensitive skin.