washing cloth nappies

[MadamRose]

may sound like the most stupid questiona nd sorry if i do sound stupid byut what temp is recommended for washign nappies or does it vary for each type?

 

[JA1988]

I'm keeping an eye on this thread because I'm new to reusables and was about to post a similar question...but also would like to know how to get rid of stains please! x

 

[discoclare]

I wash at 40oC but with a cold pre-wash (no detergent for the pre-wash, 1/4 of the manufacturer's recommendation for the main wash) then another rinse at the end.

 

[Rachel_C]

Different makes have different guidelines. I've seen it said recently that if you're using non-bio washing powder you should wash at 60 degrees and you can use 40 degrees if you use bio but I don't know where that advice has actually come from so I'm not sure how valid it is. I tend to wash at 30 or 40 with non-bio washing powder, but I do a cold rinse first (to lift stains and also to increase the level of water in the wash). I've never had any problems with this. If LO is ill or has thrush or anything, I wash at 60.

Some nappies (the ebay cheapies, that I know of) say 30 degrees max but I can't really see why. IMO a nappy should be able to stand up to 60 degrees as this is sometimes necessary from a health point of view.

 

[NuKe]

Different makes have different guidelines. I've seen it said recently that if you're using non-bio washing powder you should wash at 60 degrees and you can use 40 degrees if you use bio but I don't know where that advice has actually come from so I'm not sure how valid it is. I tend to wash at 30 or 40 with non-bio washing powder, but I do a cold rinse first (to lift stains and also to increase the level of water in the wash). I've never had any problems with this. If LO is ill or has thrush or anything, I wash at 60.

Some nappies (the ebay cheapies, that I know of) say 30 degrees max but I can't really see why. IMO a nappy should be able to stand up to 60 degrees as this is sometimes necessary from a health point of view.

i totally agree with this, i like to do a 60o wash every couple of weeks, or if lo has been ill etc.

 

[MadamRose]

thanks very much everyone.

 

[gizmodo]

I wash at 40oC but with a cold pre-wash (no detergent for the pre-wash, 1/4 of the manufacturer's recommendation for the main wash) then another rinse at the end.

I do exactly this, although I have soapnuts on order so won't have to do the rinse part when they arrive.

I wonder about whether I should be rinsing the poo off the nappy. I've tried putting the liner under the toilet flush but nothing comes off. At the moment it's like sludge and so I've been putting them straight in the washing machine. Seems to come out but leaves yellow stains sometimes.

 

[Rachel_C]

I wash at 40oC but with a cold pre-wash (no detergent for the pre-wash, 1/4 of the manufacturer's recommendation for the main wash) then another rinse at the end.

I do exactly this, although I have soapnuts on order so won't have to do the rinse part when they arrive.

I wonder about whether I should be rinsing the poo off the nappy. I've tried putting the liner under the toilet flush but nothing comes off. At the moment it's like sludge and so I've been putting them straight in the washing machine. Seems to come out but leaves yellow stains sometimes.

With a young BF baby you probably don't need to rinse the nappy but if you can, it will help prevent stains. I've never really found that holding the nappy in the toilet flush did much, the water doesn't seem powerful enough. I either just rinse in the sink and then give the sink a quick spray and wipe down after, or use the shower in the bath. Some people's shower head will reach to the loo which is good, or if you don't want poo in the bath you could put a bucket in the bath and use the shower there.

 

[LittlePants]

Different makes have different guidelines. I've seen it said recently that if you're using non-bio washing powder you should wash at 60 degrees and you can use 40 degrees if you use bio but I don't know where that advice has actually come from so I'm not sure how valid it is. I tend to wash at 30 or 40 with non-bio washing powder, but I do a cold rinse first (to lift stains and also to increase the level of water in the wash). I've never had any problems with this. If LO is ill or has thrush or anything, I wash at 60.

Some nappies (the ebay cheapies, that I know of) say 30 degrees max but I can't really see why. IMO a nappy should be able to stand up to 60 degrees as this is sometimes necessary from a health point of view.

The latest advice I've had from P'tits Dessous, who are an excellent French manufacturer of cloth nappies, is that nappies should be washed at 60ºC in non-bio, and 40ºC in bio powder. The French mainly use bio powders - it's quite hard to find anything non-bio on France, but the advice seems to make a lot of sense. People with smelly nappies very often get rid of the smell by just following this guide, although stripping helps as well. So I think that's good sound advice. I'd also always wash at 60ºC if there's any illness, especially at the tail end!

 

[Tegans Mama]

I wash at 40oC but with a cold pre-wash (no detergent for the pre-wash, 1/4 of the manufacturer's recommendation for the main wash) then another rinse at the end.

I do exactly this, although I have soapnuts on order so won't have to do the rinse part when they arrive.

I wonder about whether I should be rinsing the poo off the nappy. I've tried putting the liner under the toilet flush but nothing comes off. At the moment it's like sludge and so I've been putting them straight in the washing machine. Seems to come out but leaves yellow stains sometimes.

With a young BF baby you probably don't need to rinse the nappy but if you can, it will help prevent stains. I've never really found that holding the nappy in the toilet flush did much, the water doesn't seem powerful enough. I either just rinse in the sink and then give the sink a quick spray and wipe down after, or use the shower in the bath. Some people's shower head will reach to the loo which is good, or if you don't want poo in the bath you could put a bucket in the bath and use the shower there.

I do this too - do a cold rinse then wash on 40, then another rinse after. If we have an illness or a UTI or thrush I do a cold rinse and wash on 60 and another rinse. We use a fleece liner with a paper liner over when we know she will poo (she never does overnight so forgo the liners then) and chuck the paper one down the loo and rinse the fleece under the shower if it was bad.

 

[Aaisrie]

I wash at 40 and add an extra rinse but the best thing for stains is the sun. I bought a really badly stained pre-loved nappy [the person didn't tell me it was stained!] I hung it out on a barely sunny day and the stains were totally gone, apparently even leaving them inside on the windowsill in daylight will brighten them!

 

[Rachel_C]

I've heard that even moonlight helps too, as does a frosty day if they're outside!

 

[MadamRose]

Ok i will def try that if i ever get any stains. Do they have to be dry or wet to use the sunlight thing?

 

[Rachel_C]

Wet or dry is fine. I'd probably hang them in the sun to dry to get the maximum effect (after a good spin in the machine so they're just damp really), and the sun will dry them for free too

 

[MadamRose]

yes we dont have a dryer its so nice my 1st 4 are out in the sun after a wash. they are prelocved so only washing once

 

[flubdub]

Has anyone ever washed your cheapies on 60?
I do all the time, but then i got one the other dayand it said no more tham 35 so Iv been washing them on 40. Would it be ok on 60 if I needed to though?