Laundering undergarments during the nine days

Question:

1. Can underwear be laundered for children under bar/batmitzva age?
2. Would it be better to buy them new underwear?
3. Could socks be laundered for an adult who is treating a very bad fungal infection in their toes? (They were told by the doctor that they should change their socks throughout the day?)
4. Would it be better to buy them new socks than to launder?

Answer:

Hello,

1. It depends on the age of the child. It is permitted to wash the clothing of very young children who are constantly getting their clothing dirty. However for older children, we should not be doing their laundry during the nine days. See the following post https://dinonline.org/2023/07/20/ironing-before-during-the-nine-days/  which discuss this topic.
2. It is not better to buy them new clothing, as buying new clothing is also restricted during the nine days. When one doesn’t have a choice, according to a number of poskim, it is better to wash them than to buy new ones. This would also apply to question 4.
3. It is permitted as it is not for pleasure rather for a medical need.

Best wishes

Sources:

ע’ צהר חי”ד עמ’ נ”א פסקי הגאון רבי מהראל יאב גוטסמאן זצ”ל “שאלה בט’ ימים בין ר”ח אב ואין לו בגד מכובס מה עדיף בגד חדש או לכבס הישן”? תשובה כיבוס עדיף מקנין. הגהת השואל ( ר’ י. טאפלין שליט”א) וכן שמעתי ממרנן הגרי”ש שליט”א והגרח”פ שיינברג שליט”א שעדיף יותר לכבס מלקנות בגד חדש. דבקנין עובר בשים, הקנייה והלבישה בגד חדש, משא”כ בכיבוס דהוי רק איסור בעצם הכיבוס עכת”ד”, וכן שמעתי מעוד פוסקים.