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Shop > Washing WashingThere is so much information out there on washing cloth diapers, it can be overwhelming. The single best piece of advise I can give you is to keep it simple! Over the years I have read about some exhausting wash routines involving multiple washes, with detergent...without detergent, rinsing a zillion times, adding boosters and all kinds of things. Many times these involved routines are actually part of the problem. Too much water, too little detergent, too much rinsing can all reak havock on your diapers. So here you go:
Keep it simple! All diapers should be run through a pre-wash cycle. Warm is the best temperature for removing stains. Warm? Yes. Contrary to the belief of cold water, stains are best removed at the temperature they were created in, therefore body fluids are more soluable at body temperature (warm). If your machine does not allow for a pre-wash, then look for an express wash if possible otherwise you can do a pre-rinse. I like to add a small amount of detergent to this cycle. So yes, for heavily soiled diapers, or if you have hard water adding a little detergent to your pre-wash is a good idea. After the pre-wash, you should follow with a HOT wash on the longest cycle your machine allows for with detergent. This cycle will include a rinse - if possible, a warm rinse is better than a cold one. Then add one additional rinse to the end or your wash cycle. TIP: See a few different routines below.
Load size is important! The average load of diapers will be somewhere between 14-18 diapers. Any smaller, and the diapers will just swish around in the water and basically not get clean. Too many diapers in a load and they will all clump together with no room to move around. You need the friction of the diapers rubbing up against eachother to clean the fibers. Imagine washing your hands, you cannot just squirt them with soap and then rinse. You need to rub your hands together to get them clean.
Water level! Water level and amount of detergent you use has a direct result on the cleanliness of your diapers. If you fill your machine to the very top level of water, your load is slightly small...you will naturally add less detergent. Guess what happens? The detergent becomes too diluted to effectively clean your diapers. To better illustrate this, imagine you are making chicken soup and you fill a stock pot to the top with water, but only add one bullion cube. The result will be very diluted and tastless chicken soup. To correct the problem you need to decrease your water or increase the number of bullion cubes you use. This principal holds true for washing diapers (in the actual wash cycle). So when you are setting your water level, there should be enough water to fully submerge your diapers with a little added extra. Too much water and not only is your detergent diluted, but your diapers are swimming around completely unaware of the other diapers around them. Instead, they need to be rubbing up against eachother. TIP: Extra water is good for your rinse cycle, so if possible you can turn the level back up for your last rinse.
Water Type! Know what your water type is. If you have soft water, you can use less than the recommended amount of detergent. If you have modertly hard to hard water you will either need to use more detergent or add a softener like RLR or Calgon water softener. "Washing cloth diapers in hard water is a challenge. The minerals in the water bind with the active ingredients of detergent making it less effective and can even bind with it to form a sticky film which may prevent the removal of soil, urine and bacteria. Deposits on fabric have been shown to damage fibers and shorten the life of clothes by up to 40%. If you have hard water, most of the detergent you are adding is being used up by the minerals in the water so you need to add more." (written by Bummis) TIP: You probably have hard water if your clothes tend to look dingy and feel harsh even when freshly washed, dishes and glasses have spots on them when dry, faucets may have white depostis on the edge, rings in your toilet, spots on your glass shower doors.
Detergent! Make sure the detergent you use is a zero residu detergent that does not contain whiteners or brighteners, phosphates, enzymes, SLS, fabric softeners or dyes. I listed enzymes - they wont affect your diapers, but they can cause rashes on some babies skin. The wrong detergent will lead to stink issues, repelling, and build up on your diapers. We recommend the following detergents:
Warning: we do not recommend using any detergents deemed "free & clear"
Wash Routines: The following wash routines have proven to work for most cloth diapering families.
TIP: Warm water pre-washes and/or rinses work better at removing residue, but many people have no problems using cold. Baking Soda helps neutralize acid and odors, and can be used instead of detergent in the initial pre-wash. It is perfectly fine to use half detergent and half baking soda for this cycle as well. (1-2 tablespoons) Bleach: We recommend a periodic bleaching of microfiber inserts and prefolds if they are extremely stained or stinky. This is because microfiber is more prone to build-up and stink issues and prefolds tend to stain. Do not use on other types of cloth diapers, especially those with PUL. To do this use 1/4 cup bleach in a warm water wash. Vinegar: Acts as a natural fabric softener and works by breaking down residues. It can also helps restore the pH balance in fabrics, reduces lint, and naturally eliminates static cling. We do not recommend using vinegar on a regular basis unless you have a consistent problem with residue build up, as it can alter the PH of your diapers and cause skin irritations. Also, using in vinegar with extremely hard water is not recommended as it can react with the minerals. To use vinegar, add 1/4 cup to your rinse cycle, either in the dispenser or in a Downy ball. Staining: We recommend using either a diaper liner or diaper sprayer to rid your diapers of soils before washing. If your diapers are stained, laying them out in the sun to dry has amazing results! For very stubborn stains, you can spray a mixture of lemon juice and water on the diaper and then lay out in the sun (to rid the diaper of the acidic lemon juice, wash after sunning before use) Very Important Note: Be sure to check your product's manufacturer warranties before washing or using any additives. Use of some detergents and additives can void your warranty. While we have made every effort to provide you with safe, helpful and reliable information, Cutie Poops and Bottoms is not responsible for any injuries or damage resulting from following our suggestions and/or recommendations. |
