washing cloth nappies - hints, tips etc

[thelilbump]

Just interested to know how you wash your nappies. Anything you've tried and tested loved/hated? What products do you use? etc etc

I use Bambino Mios, bumgenius and i have 1 bambinex teddy nappy with a onelife wrap. At the minute we just leave the nappies dry in a bucket (unless they're poopy dirty in which case i'll rinse them off in the shower, ring them out and put them in the bucket). Wash day i just chuck them all in together tbh and wash at 40 with regular non bio. If they're really dirty i'll pop in a bit of napisan but i heard that's not good for the nappies so i only do it once in a while. Every few washes i'll do a 60 degree wash aswell.

 

[buttonnose82]

The nappies I make & sell I recommend you wash at 60 degrees (can use 40 degrees but wouldn't recommend under after baby is 3 months) using 1/4 of the recommended amount of your washing detergent as using too mch washing detergent leads to a build up within the nappy and affects their absorbancy. don't use softener.

drying I recommend line drying first as suns out any stains, airer 2nd choice and dryer as last choice, never recommend drying on a radiator

 

[elm]

I dry pail too, then in the washing maching they get a rinse first then a 60 degree was in non bio and I put white vinigar (a capfulish) instead of fabric softener to help rinse away the detergent. Then they get line dried if it's not raining.

Might give 40 a try for some washes and see how it goes
x

 

[Blob]

Has anyone got any tips on what to put in the pail? My nappies have started to smell like pee after i wash them

I rinse them and put vinegar on them and wash them at 60 i also extra rinse them to get detergent off.

 

[thelilbump]

40 every now and again isn't supposed to do the nappies any harm. Some of my nappies and wraps are 40 degrees anyway.

How do you find the vinegar works? I've been thinking about trying it.

 

[thelilbump]

Has anyone got any tips on what to put in the pail? My nappies have started to smell like pee after i wash them

I rinse them and put vinegar on them and wash them at 60 i also extra rinse them to get detergent off.

Over the top of my pail i use a muslin soaked in my baby wipe solution which is a cup of chamomile tea (optional), tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of lavender oil and that covers any smell fab.

 

[Blob]

I washed them at 40 before as i was told 40 was fine too, just started more washing at 60 cos of the smell. TBH i havent found that it does much for the smell really... only thing i have heard is,
Lavender oil is meant to be good and also gel non bio instead?? But havent had a chance to try it out yet.

 

[Blob]

Its more after they've been washed they still smell like pee I just wondered if maybe you could soak them in something.

 

[thelilbump]

What nappies are you using blob? I remember in another thread someone mentioned about nappies, i think bumgenius, starting to smell after a while and they thought it was something to do with the materials used.

 

[Blob]

Yea i thought i'd read one too, but i think the blueberry ones are also starting to smell Dont know what i do to them

 

[buttonnose82]

to get rid of smells try adding a little bi carb when washing but be sure to rinse using white vinegar (put in the bit where softener goes).

wine vinegar corrects the pH after using bi carb

try using some tea tree oil in your pail also

 

[mommyof3co]

There are powders you can sprinkle to stop the pail from stinking

What I do is spray my dirty ones off with the diaper sprayer and take all inserts out, take the diaper apart and put all pieces in a dry pail. When it's time to wash I dump them all in, do a cold rise, then a hot wash with detergent (I like All free and clear), then another cold rinse then I dry them all together. Sometimes I will take out everything with PUL before putting them in the dryer and do an extra rinse with Ecover fabric softener before drying them all together

 

[Samantha675]

If they are starting to smelll just wash them a couple of times without anything in there. That will help strip any build up.

I put a 1/4 of a cup of vinager in my prewash and about once a month I add a couple drops of tea tree to it as well.

I have found the spray I posted about has really helped with the smell.