# Neighbor bitching about my cloth diapers (just a vent)



## Proserpina

Just a vent. 

I live in an apartment building with coin-operated laundry in the basement. There are 8 apartments in my building and a small room with just one washer and one dryer in it. 

Yesterday there was a knock at my door. Two of my neighbors were standing there. They said they'd found a disposable diaper in the laundry room that had clearly been washed. I said it probably wasn't mine because I use cloth diapers, and though I do have some disposables for back-ups, the last time I washed my diapers was Wednesday morning, and I definitely did not leave any diapers (disposable or cloth) in the laundry room. One of them seemed concerned when I said I use cloth diapers, but I said I wash all excess fecal matter off in a sink or toilet, and that as far as I could tell, I'd never left anything behind in the washer. 

Got a knock on my door this morning at about 9:30 AM and the neighbor from the day before is there. She blurts out, "I think you should wash your cloth diapers at a laundromat." I said, "Why?" and she says, "Because the rest of us use that washing machine, and I don't want to use a washing machine that has your baby's diapers in it on a regular basis." 

Long story short, she admitted that she has not found any fecal matter in the washer or noticed any smells, and that she would have no idea that I wash my cloth diapers there if I hadn't mentioned it the other day (which happened because _someone else_ was stupid and got a disposable into the wash). She just doesn't like the idea of sharing a washing machine with baby diapers. 

I told her there was no way I was making a trip to the laundromat with my newborn and disabled 7 yo in tow every 3 days to do my diapers, and that if she wasn't happy with that, she was welcome to do her own clothing at the local laundromat. I told her she was also welcome to report me to management and see if they tell me to stop, but otherwise I was going to keep doing it. Besides, if cloth diapers are too gross for the other apartment residents to share a washing machine with, then why should the people at the laundromat be subjected to it?

I just can't believe some people. If you're that concerned with what other people are putting into the washing machine, then go pony up the money for an apartment or house with a private washer/dryer combo.


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## Rachel_C

Honestly, I can sort of see why she might be concerned, and I'm a total cloth nappy freak! Your neighbour probably hasn't read up about it and is just going with the ICK factor. As people with young kids, I think we sort of become immune to poo and wee... but imagine if you found she was washing something you weren't okay with in there - giant loads of hairy dog bedding with dog poo on it / overalls covered in a thick layer of mechanic's grease / cleaning cloths soaked in horrible chemicals... if you hadn't watched how well the machine washes it all out and how clean the machine is after, you might have a bit of a panic and want her to stop. 

Perhaps a good approach would be to share with her how you make sure the nappies are rinsed of solids beforehand, what temperature you're washing at to make sure the machine is sanitised afterwards (not necessary at home IMO but with shared facilities I would), how you check the nappies are cleaned afterwards and how that means the machine must be clean too (or the nappies wouldn't get properly clean). Perhaps offer to give the machine a wipe down inside after each load (how's she going to know if you do or don't ;)). 

You could also share with her the havoc that disposables can cause in the wash - sometimes they burst and fill the machine and all its workings with that gel stuff... at least you're not going to let that happen, which whoever left the nappy behind had run the risk of. Not to mention that cloth nappies often leak less, so the sposie user's baby's clothes probably have poo on them :D


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## Proserpina

Rachel_C said:


> Honestly, I can sort of see why she might be concerned, and I'm a total cloth nappy freak! Your neighbour probably hasn't read up about it and is just going with the ICK factor. As people with young kids, I think we sort of become immune to poo and wee... but imagine if you found she was washing something you weren't okay with in there - giant loads of hairy dog bedding with dog poo on it / overalls covered in a thick layer of mechanic's grease / cleaning cloths soaked in horrible chemicals... if you hadn't watched how well the machine washes it all out and how clean the machine is after, you might have a bit of a panic and want her to stop.
> 
> Perhaps a good approach would be to share with her how you make sure the nappies are rinsed of solids beforehand, what temperature you're washing at to make sure the machine is sanitised afterwards (not necessary at home IMO but with shared facilities I would), how you check the nappies are cleaned afterwards and how that means the machine must be clean too (or the nappies wouldn't get properly clean). Perhaps offer to give the machine a wipe down inside after each load (how's she going to know if you do or don't ;)).
> 
> You could also share with her the havoc that disposables can cause in the wash - sometimes they burst and fill the machine and all its workings with that gel stuff... at least you're not going to let that happen, which whoever left the nappy behind had run the risk of. Not to mention that cloth nappies often leak less, so the sposie user's baby's clothes probably have poo on them :D

I tried explaining to her that I use a special cloth diaper detergent that I order from the Internet that is very strong and smells fantastic (it's Rock 'n' Green), that I soak the diapers in a bath tub full of Baby Oxyclean solution once per week, that I rinse off the excess fecal matter in a sink or toilet, that they come so clean that I usually wash my baby's clothes in the machine with the cloth diaper load, etc. She wasn't having any of it. Eventually she said that I ought to be washing them with bleach if I'm going to do it here. Bleach with every wash on clothing that's going to be touching my baby's genitals? I don't think so. 

I can kind of see where she's coming from as far as the "ick" factor goes, but then again, I think people who have that reaction just haven't thought through the ramifications of communal washers. Not to be vulgar, but other tenants are no doubt having sex in their sheets and then washing out the aftermath of that (cum, semen, lubricant, sex gels, whatever), kids wet their beds, and adult underwear can get pretty nasty. I truly don't think my breastfed newborn's crap is any grosser than that!

The whole thing just bothers me because I pay my rent the same as anyone else, and part of that rent is to cover the use of on-site facilities, so no one has the right to knock on my door and tell me to go elsewhere. Yeah, people with kids can be inconsiderate and annoying (I read STFUparents blog and am often appalled by what I see there), but sometimes childless people are just as bad.


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## LittlePants

Does she wash her knickers in the washing machine? Same difference really - same germs anyway - possibly more if she uses a 30ºC wash.


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## minties

Can she not buy her own washing machine? I've never heard of people sharing?


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## fieryphoenix

Its like a laundromat, just in the basement of the apartment building. It's pretty common here


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## misspriss

LittlePants said:


> Does she wash her knickers in the washing machine? Same difference really - same germs anyway - possibly more if she uses a 30ºC wash.

Exactly. My knickers, are, of course, spotless blush:), but you should see my DH's undies :haha:

We use the cool wash, which I'm assuming is about the 30 degree wash over there. There must be poo everywhere, even if we didn't do the cloth diapers.


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## rebeccasmurf

I can kind of understanding where she is coming from but it is due to ignorance. When my doula told me I could put poopy diapers in my washing machine I was pretty grossed out. Your right for standing your ground though. If she doesn't want to use it then she can go to the laundromat. Could you talk to your landlord or whoever and just explain about what has happened and what their take on the situation is?? I'm not saying it will turn nasty but if it does surely it would come up better for you if you let your landlord know what is going on- I know I would appreciate it anyway.


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