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Laundry Instructions
 The Washerwoman, 1733, by Jean Simeon-Chardin Be happy you are not this woman. Washing diapers is easy - really! It is my favorite laundry because it goes in so dirty and comes out so clean, and folding it is simple and satisfying compared to clothes. Different factors affect your diaper laundry, such as your water quality (its hardness or softness), what detergent you use, what cycles you choose, what temperature your water heater is set to, and how you wash your other laundry, but the most important factors are choosing a safe detergent and rinsing thoroughly. I open my washer during the second rinse cycle to make sure that there are no more bubbles. If there are, rinse some more, and use less detergent next time. Do not go longer than three days between washings to prevent stains or stink from setting in. Here is my basic wash routine: 1. Shake solid poop into the toilet and then spray off any remaining solids with the Diaper Sprayer. If using a pocket, shake out the insert and put everything in the diaper pail. Once prepped, all your diapers can be washed together. 2. Wash your diapers at least every three days, preferably every two days. Start with a cold prewash, adding ½ cup plain white vinegar or Thirsties Prewash. (If you don't have prewash, just do a short wash and skip the rinse.) The idea of the cold prewash is to remove any solids so that the main hot wash can do its job most effectively, and to prevent staining; the vinegar/Thirsties prewash neutralizes the urine and helps lift stains. 3. Then wash on the longest and hottest cycle with one quarter to one half of the manufacturer’s recommended amount of approved detergent. (If using a detergent that doesn't have a scoop for cloth diapers, try 1 tablespoon in a top loader and ½ tablespoon in a front loader.) The first time you wash, check during the wash cycle to see if there are bubbles. You do want some bubbling during this cycle. If you are having problems with staining, you can add 1 scoop of Oxi Clean Free/Giant Eagle Oxy Blast to the hot wash. 4. You can either do an extra rinse or another cycle on warm or hot. During the last rinse cycle, check to see if there are still bubbles in the water. If there are, you need to rinse some more until the bubbles disappear, and use less detergent next time. 5. Dry on medium heat. You can hang dry your diapers but this will take longer. If you have a stain, lay it to dry in direct sunlight to bleach out the stain. What are the approved detergents? Your diaper detergent needs to be free of enzymes, optical brighteners, fragrance, dyes, stain guards, and essential oils. All of these ingredients can cause problems for your diapers or your baby's skin, and they are not always listed in the ingredient list on the back of the detergent. You can call the manufacturer to ask, but here is a short list of approved detergents:
Why can’t I use Tide or Dreft or natural soap or whatever I am currently using? Tide, Dreft and other mass-market detergents contain enzymes or additives that don't rinse out of the diapers and build up over time and can cause a burn-like rash. This buildup eventually causes the diapers to stop absorbing and start leaking, and will void any manufacturer warranty. Natural soaps also cause buildup. Can I use fabric softener on my diapers? No! Fabric softener will make your diapers repel instead of absorb. If you think your diapers are stiff, toss some dryer balls in the dryer with them, or use a little white vinegar in the rinse cycle. What can I do about stains? Use the Diaper Sprayer to rinse off every poopy diaper. You can use free and clear oxygen bleach to your hot wash. Also, you can hang the clean, stained diaper to dry in the sunlight (on the dashboard of your car works well) - the UV rays are an effective stain-remover. Can I use regular chlorine bleach? Yes, sparingly, but check with the manufacturer of the diaper first. I use 1 tablespoon chlorine bleach once a month. I dilute it in a quart of water before adding it to the hot wash. It can wear out your diapers sooner so don’t overdo it. Do not use bleach on dyed natural fibers as it will lift the color. Can I wash the diapers with my regular laundry? If you are willing to wash your laundry with the same detergent and same method as your diapers, then it is fine. I would do the cold prewash with just the diapers and then add the laundry for the main wash. Do I have to use hot water? Many people have success using cold water only, but I have not tried it. My diapers smell like ammonia. What can I do? Buildup of ammonia salts from your baby’s urine is causing the smell. Try adding half a cup of plain white vinegar to your prewash. My diapers smell bad when the baby pees on them, or my diapers smell faintly of poop even when they’re clean. There are two possible causes: you aren’t using enough detergent, or you are using too much and have detergent buildup. To find out which is the problem, put the diapers in the washer on hot with no detergent. Check it during the wash cycle – if there are bubbles, you are using too much detergent and will need to strip your diapers. If there are no bubbles, you were probably not using enough detergent. Try adding 1 tablespoon bleach to the hot wash once a month. What is “stripping” and how do I do it? “Stripping” means to wash the diapers repeatedly in the hottest water possible with no detergent until you don’t see any more bubbles. This is done if your diapers are really stinky and/or repelling because you’ve been using too much detergent and it has built up in the fabric. Some people add a tiny squirt of regular blue Dawn dishwashing liquid or RLR or Calgon softener to the hot water when they are stripping the diapers. If you are careful the first couple of times you wash your diapers and get a good routine, you should not have to strip your diapers. I have a question you didn’t answer here. Please email me at info@pittsburghclothdiapers.com, or call me at 412-670-6205. |
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