# bumGenius/Flips/Econobum UK Washing Instructions



## Rachel_C

I thought I should post this for anybody in the UK who uses bumGenius, Flips or Econobum nappies. I've put this together as the final result of a LOT of emails between Cotton Babies (the manufacturer), Baba Me (the UK distributer) and me. 

If you read the warranty for bumGenius, Flips and Econobum nappies (on www.bumgenius.com) it is very specific about what kinds of detergent you can use. It says no perfumes, no essential oils, no optical brighteners, no natural soaps... and it's hard to find something suitable in the UK. *Cotton Babies and Baba Me have now confirmed that in the UK any non-biological detergent with the exception of Ecover is okay to use*. Apparently Ecover does not wash out properly and causes repelling.

They also have the following instructions for washing:


Do a cold pre-wash with no detergent
Wash the nappies on a normal wash at 40 or 60 degrees with a teaspoon of non-bio detergent or 1/4 the recommended amount
Do not use vinegar
Do not use bicarb
Do not use fabric softener
Do not tumble dry wraps/outers unless the label says you can

If you have a newer washing machine that uses less water (which is more environmentally friendly), you should also do the following:


Use even less detergent, as little as possible
Put a wet towel in the washing machine with the nappies to increase the amount of water going through the spin cycle, not just the rinse cycle
Do another two rinses after the normal wash and rinse, to ensure that all detergent residue is removed.

Baba Me's policy is that if the elastic goes on your nappies with a year, it is a manufacturing issue and they will normally replace them. If you have any issues, you should contact the place you bought them from rather than Baba Me.

I hope somebody finds this helpful! After the hassle I've been having trying to figure it all out, I'd hate for somebody else to have to do the same. If ever you need to see copies of the actual emails in which the above advice was given, please feel free to PM me your email address and I will forward copies.


----------



## ummar

This is awesome work. Well done Rachel.


----------



## discoclare

Thank you Rachel.


----------



## Arcanegirl

Thanks :thumbup:

Rach, i was wondering could you take a pic of a new flip cover against an old one so we can see the elastic difference?


----------



## Rachel_C

Will do!


----------



## Rachel_C

The difference isn't hugely dramatic but it does have a big effect on how well the cover works. I thought LO was just changing shape as we kept having big leaks with the old covers (and by big, I mean that I checked her nappy and it was fine and then 10 minutes later, wee had soaked all the way down to the feet of her tights!) but with the new cover I bought we have had no leaks at all, like the old covers used to be.

The major difference is how the nappy feels really, a lot floppier around the elastic. I'm not sure how much the PUL softens with use as the new cover (pale pink in the photo) has only been washed a handful of times, but if you compare old with new, the old cover (dark pink) lies down a lot flatter. The pale pink one doesn't lie flat at all, with the bottom of the nappy being really 'poofy' off a flat surface. Also, the width of the crotch is a lot narrower on the new cover. 

https://www.moohouse.co.uk/personal/Flips/1.JPG

https://www.moohouse.co.uk/personal/Flips/2.JPG

At the waist elastic, it is about a centimetre shorter on the new cover. Not a lot but it makes a difference on a baby! This makes the back of the nappy seem about a centimetre wider on the old cover.

https://www.moohouse.co.uk/personal/Flips/3.JPG

Length-wise, the old cover seems to be about a centimetre shorter too. In the photo below, the front of the nappy is lined up quite well on both nappies so you can see how much longer the old cover underneath is. 

https://www.moohouse.co.uk/personal/Flips/4.JPG

This is the whole nappy. Again, it's not a dramatic difference but you can see how it seems wider in the crotch and longer because the elastic is slack so not bunching it up properly. 


https://www.moohouse.co.uk/personal/Flips/5.JPG

I didn't get a photo of this but on the new cover, the leg elastic curls up in a wiggly shape if you put it down and the gathers of the fabric are fairly even along the length. On the waist elastic it lies quite flat but the fabric is very gathered along the length of the elastic and it looks even. With the old cover, the fabric appears bunched up in some areas of the leg elastic but completely flat in other places. It's really floppy with no curling up. At the waist, the fabric is still more or less uniformly gathered but it's not as dense. 

Hope that helps! I think really, the only way to know is to compare it to a newer cover, or measure it when it's new!!!


----------



## Arcanegirl

Thanks that does help.
Since this has all ben brought up i have noticed a difference in the leg elastic, and moreso now ive seen your pics. The nappies are a year old aswell (just i think!)
We havent had any leak issues, but Alex has skinny thighs so the elastic may not be as bad as it could be for others.

I had hoped to keep the flips for the next baby, but if the elastic is slackening itll onl get worse? And no good for a smaller baby certainly!

Definatley dissapointing that a BTP nappy only lasts a year before starting to slacken.


----------



## Rachel_C

I think Flips came out over here in January so if they've gone slack, you still have a little while to try and get replacements if you need to under the warranty. As long as you've followed the instructions you should be covered. 

I do think it's a shame that the elastic doesn't stand up to the same normal washing that other nappies seem to. I've never had any problems with any other nappies so maybe the elastic they use is particularly sensitive to detergent build up. Also, I've never really has issues with my inserts being stinky so I always assumed that there was no detergent build up... in future I will be extra careful and hopefully it will make a difference. Thankfully their instructions aren't actually difficult to follow, though I'm not sure about the wet towel thing!


----------



## Arcanegirl

I got them in May, so only 6 months old! (checked my order)

I dont know whether to persue replacements as were not having any problems with them, its just noticing as the issue was brought up from the other thread.


----------



## Rachel_C

I was like that for a while, I thought that the elastic might be going but they were still working ok so I didn't, then they gradually started leaking. I'd just keep an eye on it, I think some change is inevitable but as long as they still work it's not an issue. When you're approaching the one year mark, then I'd check them again just in case!


----------



## Arcanegirl

Yep, think i will do :thumbup:
Im sold on Bambootys now aswell so think ill be going for those for the next baby :lol:


----------



## Jetters

That's exactly what I was telling you Rach when I said my elastic had gone loose a while ago... My loose ones were wider. The biggest difference for me is the back elastic- sooo much tighter on the newer ones.

I only use moonbeams for night and the other colours for day- you can see a big difference there too, i think cos at night I use organic inserts with a bamboo booster and in day I use stay drys? The moonbeams are MUCH bigger/looser, I love my flips but am not at all pleased with the lifespan of them. Good job they're so cheap.


----------



## Rachel_C

I think it's also worth saying that even elastic that hasn't been stretched on your LO can go slack. The waist elastic on mine has gone about as slack as the leg elastic. LO has big chunky legs so the leg elastic has been quite stretched during use but I've always done the waist poppers really loose (so you could actually fit a whole fist down the front of her nappy!), in fact I'm not sure if the waist elastic got stretched out at all, but it has still gone slack so it's definitely a washing issue. That's what Baba Me said too - they said that the nappies are designed to accommodate growing babies so it's nothing to do with their shape, just the washing. That seems to be true for us.


----------



## Arcanegirl

The waist elastic on mine seem fine! They get stretched out for my LOs waist aswell, thats werd!


----------



## Rachel_C

Bump for kawaiigirl.


----------



## kawaiigirl

Thanks alot Rachel_C! You are great help, as always xx


----------



## c.m.c

thats disappointing- i love my flips- but at the price they are you would expect a better product with more durability

thanks for the info- i know im doing all correct so far anyway with them!!!


----------



## Rachel_C

BUMP for mum22ttc#3... the pictures seem to have disappeared though so I will try to repost.


----------



## mum22ttc#3

Thanks for that, I can see the pics on page 1, not sure if thats because you have re posted them :)

:flower:


----------



## jen1604

This is a really helpful post Rachel,don't know why I hadn't seen this before! Thank you!


----------



## teal

Thanks Rachel :flower: xx


----------



## princess_bump

yep, super super helpful, thank you rachel :) i've brought two flip covers thus far, with some inserts. think i'll be trying other wraps too now, such a shame, i'd heard such fab things about flips and love the 'system' of them.


----------



## Rachel_C

I know I've said it before but Kawaii wraps are pretty good and very similar (but only have an insert flap at the front - they work well though). They're only £5 each so even if they only last half as long, you're still winning compared to Flips!


----------



## mum22ttc#3

I hadnt heard of Kawaii wraps before but have just had a look at them, do they work well with flip inserts? I think I will defeintly order a couple of them and give them a go, especially for the price. :)


----------



## Arcanegirl

Ohh thanks, was about to ask what wraps to use instead as this is definatley a problem with ours after stretching 18 months use out of them!

ETA, where can we buy them?


----------



## sugarpuff

funkymonkeypants sell kawaii wraps :)


----------



## Rachel_C

And they work well with Flip stay dry inserts (I haven't tried them with the organics) and Thirsties stay dry duo inserts too.


----------



## c.m.c

thank you - i have contacted baba me over a week ago as 2 of my zinna flips are completely gone- they were bought on 30th may 2011- just checked my e mails!!!!


----------



## Red_Crayons

Hi - just finding this thread some months after originally posted. I seem to be having the same issue as Rachel_C. I also thought the leakage was due to DD's recent growth spurt or laundry residue. Still exploring the laundry residue issue. I wanted to check with Rachel - when you say 'old' & 'new' flips, I take it you mean the ones you originally had & replacements? as opposed to an older or newer version? 
I really love the flips and want the elastic stretch not to be true!


----------



## Rachel_C

Yep that's right, old as in ones I'd been using a while and new was one I'd only just bought.


----------



## Red_Crayons

also, has anyone found that Thirsties wraps last better?


----------



## Rachel_C

I haven't had any issues with the wrap I have. It hasn't been used as much as the Flip wraps were though. I have an older preloved one where the gusset elastic seems to have stretched a bit but I don't know how it was laundered or whether the baby was huge, and it doesn't cause leaks.


----------



## Kess

Can I just check, is this elastic issue a problem with all BG or just flips?


----------



## Rachel_C

I haven't really used other BGs to say for sure. BG do seem to ackowledge that there is a problem though, as 'refresher kits' with new elastic are available for them all and the V4s are purposely made with easy to replace elastic.


----------



## Red_Crayons

thanks rachel


----------



## cissyhope

Thanks rachel! i was using ecover! :wacko: my lo had two leaks yesterday,so wonder if its any thing to do with using ecover? what should i use? im trying to use something thats kind the environment and wild life too also if any one has any ideas as im not getting the stains out either :wacko:


----------



## Rachel_C

I've never heard of anybody else having problems with Ecover tbh, and Baba Me didn't provide any evidence for their claim that it's a bad one to use. They also don't send out this info with the nappies (or I've never received it anyway) so I don't think it can be that huge a problem! I'd probably just wait and see if it was just bad luck and try stripping them if it happens more. All detergents have the potential to build up in fabrics, that's by no means unique to Ecover! You could use a bit less or strip them more maybe. If you do want to try something else but want it to be natural, how about soap nuts? I know they say no natural soaps but as you've used Ecover you've apparently invalidated the warranty anyway (daft, I know) so you may as well try them! You don't get build up with soap nuts and you don't need to do a squillion rinses. They're really a byproduct of another industry (can't remember what, sorry) so they're environmentally pretty good.

For stains, I'd just leave them, or put them in natural light if you're really bothered by them. Stained nappies don't mean dirty nappies, it's just cosmetic. For anything you really want to get rid of e.g. if it's got on the outside of the nappy and you want to show it off, it's not eco friendly but a bit of Vanish stain removing stick plus sunlight gets most things out.


----------



## cissyhope

Thanks again Rachel :flower: you have been very helpful. Iv only really had my nappies a couple of weeks.A mixture of aio and flips.I rinse first (which only takes 19mins) then put them on a 40 wash,should i be doing another rinse? x


----------



## Rachel_C

I always do at least one extra rinse, usually two and sometimes three so I'd say yes, if you can.


----------



## Becks88

Hmm I realise that this is a dead thread but I was just wondering if anybody out there washes BumGenius V4 and freetime nappies at 60 degrees (at every wash) I am really concerned about washing pooey nappies at 40 degrees (like the care label says you must) and I'd really rather not wash the pooey ones separately at 60 because that seem stupid to me. Don't want to trash my nappies though, ARGH HELP!


----------



## Rachel_C

I meant to update this thread actually. Since I wrote this, Baba Me have added the standard BG instructions to their website despite saying something very different to me via email. So I think they're being stricter now. 

I don't have a BG to hand but I think 60 degrees is fine. Does it really say only 40 degrees? I just checked a Flip and it says 'Wash hot, line dry'... I didn't think US companies usually said a specific temp as the machines there tend to say cold, warm or hot rather than a temp in degrees. Anyway...



> What is the warranty on bumGenius, Flip and Econobum products?
> Cotton Babies will stand behind the workmanship and materials in a properly cared for product for one year from the date of purchase. The Cotton Babies Warranty covers all components of our products including the snaps, lining, hook & loop closures, elastic and waterproofing. The warranty is extended to the original purchaser of the products only. Proof of purchase from an authorized retailer is required.
> 
> To make a warranty claim, product must be sent at customer's expense to their distributor for examination of workmanship and materials. After reviewing your diapers, we may replace the diaper or provide you with simple instructions for resolving the problem you are having.
> 
> Except when caused by manufacturing or component defect, this guarantee does not cover leaking, diaper odor or normal wear/tear. Warranty is void when:
> 
> The washing instructions have not been followed.
> The diaper has been altered.
> Any of the following has been used in conjunction with the use/care of the product:
> Water temperatures exceeding 100°F or 60°C
> A detergent containing additives (enzymes, brighteners, whiteners, dyes, perfumes, essential oils) or natural soap
> Fabric softeners
> Any caustic substance
> Diaper rash cream
> Product was purchased through an unauthorized retailer. Please verify your retailer prior to purchase.

https://www.bumgenius.com/help.php



> 5. How do I wash my new nappies?
> 
> &#8226; To use the insert as a "small", snap the insert down to the bottom snap socket. Little boys tend to do well with the folded part towards the front of the nappy while little girls may do better with it towards the back.
> &#8226; Wash dirty nappies every 2nd day.
> &#8226; Remove solids from nappies before storing in a bin [do not use water].
> &#8226; Spray with odour remover.
> &#8226; 60 deg Only use 1/3 the amount of non-bio powder normally used. Use non-bio washing powder which does not contacting any perfumes, dyes, whiteners, brighteners or enzymes.
> &#8226; Do not use any additives in your laundry, such as vinegar, baking soda or fabric conditioner.
> &#8226; Do not use any bleach.
> &#8226; Additional rinsing helps remove all powder from the nappies.
> &#8226; If tumble drying, only use low setting, line drying is preferable.
> &#8226; Ensure washing powder is completely removed at the end of wash.

https://www.babame.com/index.php/babame-faqs


----------



## Becks88

Hiya thanks for replying. They're brand new Bumgenius nappies from the nappylady website and the labels on the nappies say wash at 40 degrees they also say wash cold, wash hot, extra rinse and line dry. I am still torn :/ However, since I'll be using persil non bio or fairy I'll be voiding my guarantee anyway due to the optical brighteners and soap in them


----------



## Rachel_C

Becks88 said:


> Hiya thanks for replying. They're brand new Bumgenius nappies from the nappylady website and the labels on the nappies say wash at 40 degrees they also say wash cold, wash hot, extra rinse and line dry. I am still torn :/ However, since I'll be using persil non bio or fairy I'll be voiding my guarantee anyway due to the optical brighteners and soap in them

You could try emailing Baba Me and ask them. If you had a problem, you would first contact the retailer so you may well find they're more relaxed anyway as good customer service, but if not it would be Baba Me you'd deal with in the UK. Their website does say 60 so I think you'd be fine but it's worth checking. 

If it helps though, I've used cloth nappies for nearly 4 years now and most of my washing is done at 30 or 40 degrees. We've never had problems with rash or illness... if the kids are ill I wash at 60 just in case and I do an occasional 60 degree wash just in case too, but no problems so far! Modern machines and modern detergents are pretty good.


----------

