Thursday 1 May 2014

Diaper Challenge #5: Washing and drying


Before I get into the washing and drying, lets understand that these cloth nappies are unique and need special care when washing. Wrong detergent can affect the performance of your cloth nappy. You will need to get detergent which is :
  • Dye & fragrance free
  • Phosphate free
  • Has no brighteners or fillers
  • Enzyme free
  • Has no fabric softeners in it.
 

Banishing the bugs

Soiled nappies can pose a threat if not washed properly on time and that is why it is recommended to wash nappies at 60'C. This would help kill most mould/mold, mildew and other bugs that may grow on your soiled nappies if kept too long.
So I don't keep my cloth nappies longer than 48 hours, in my nappy bucket.
It also helps if you give your soiled nappies a quick rinse before throwing them into your bucket.
 


Lock & Load


Unique pull-out tabs on the absorbent core

The pull-out tab system is a brilliant idea. It makes removing the absorbent core so easy. I also like that the absorbent core is fitted to the nappy so there is no chance for it to go missing.
Before loading your washing machine be sure to secure the fold back laundry tabs. This will ensure the nappies don't get stuck to each other during wash which may hinder some essential parts of the nappy from being washed, especially if they get bundled up.
 

Natural bleach

On a hot sunny day, it took approximately half day (8am-2pm) for these nappies to dry thoroughly. Having the absorbent core exposed, reduced the amount of time taken for them to dry. Although there is no mention on how to dry your nappies, I like to hang them horizontally on my cloth line with the stay dry lining exposed. The sun acts as an excellent source to bleach my nappies looking white and stain free.




What I used:

 
These detergents are a little hard to come by but you can use any other brand as long they are safe for cloth diapers. Usually the soiled diapers in my house don't make up a full load after 48 hours and it is an awful way to waste energy and water if you run the machine without a full load. I personally hate seeing my machine half empty, so I would throw in my towels, wet baby wipes and bibs.  

Hope you enjoyed my Day 4 challenge review and don't forget to return for more challenges.

Please refer to the link provided to know more about other challenges I will be doing and some interesting information on The Evolution of Diapers


Have a grand day and wishing you and your family a good night.







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1 comment:

  1. Great idea to throw in towels and bibs into a nappy wash! I hate seeing a mostly empty machine too, and even when I had two children in cloth nappies & cloth lingette wipes even waiting for a third day before washing the tumbler was not full. Am back to using cloth nappies now that my newborn is here, so thanks for the tip :)

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