Line drying nappies

[Helen]

How come mine end up like cardboard and I have to give them 15 mins in the tumbler to soften up? What do you lot do? Do you cheat and add fabric conditioner?

 

[Tezzy]

i cheat

 

[marley2580]

Try adding vinegar instead of fabric conditioner (distilled vinegar) it gets out all the washing powder and leaves the nappies soft. And if you're line drying they won't smell of vinegar

 

[Helen]

Normal vinegar? As in the stuff you stick on your fish and chips? How much do you put in?

Tezzy do you find that it affects the absorbancy? That's why I've never used it, you see.

 

[Tezzy]

i only use a bit when i line dry them helen and i only started doing that over the last 2-3 weeks while the weather has been nice. we have had our nappies for a good 9-10 months so had reached full absorbancy rate anyway. Rhys is a heavy wetter so we go through an unbelievable amount of nappies each day. i havent noticed a difference in the past 2-3 weeks with how often we need to change him.

 

[Mrs-N]

can you not use fabric softner, why?

 

[Tezzy]

can you not use fabric softner, why?

it makes the nappies less absorbant if you use lots.

 

[Mrs-N]

oh right so you just use washing powder then?
do they not come out stiff?

 

[Tezzy]

if you tumble dry them they tend to be nice and soft but when you line dry them they can become stiff yes

 

[Mrs-N]

i havnt got a tumble dryer, on a wet day i was gonna dry them indoors on the clothes horse in front of the heater.
will this be ok or is it vital you need a tumble dryer

 

[Tezzy]

ive never dried nappies inside on a clothes horse but i guess its just trail and error really. if your nappies go stiff then try Marleys advice

'Try adding vinegar instead of fabric conditioner (distilled vinegar) it gets out all the washing powder and leaves the nappies soft. And if you're line drying they won't smell of vinegar'

 

[marley2580]

Normal vinegar? As in the stuff you stick on your fish and chips? How much do you put in?

Tezzy do you find that it affects the absorbancy? That's why I've never used it, you see.

:nods: bog standard distilled vinegar that you put on your fish and chips. I usually put in the same amount of vinegar as I would the fabric conditioner.

 

[Helen]

I've done mine on the clothes horse without fabric conditioner and they do go a bit crispy. I don't have an airing cupboard and I wonder if that would soften them without needing a tumble drier. I only give them 10-15 mins in the drier once they're dry to soften them.