To Boil or not to Boil (prefold prep newbie question)

carafern

Hello all!

I've been lurking for the past few months and what once seemed super complicated and overwhelming now seems possible. Thanks for all the info and insights I've already gathered from this awesome board! I'm slowly building my nb stash with mostly prefolds, some flats, workhorses and a couple newborn AIOs and lots of adorable covers. I just received my first fluff delivery! GMD sure delivers fast! 

My biggest concern with CDs (because I'm sold on the cost benefit and not throwing away thousands of sposies appeals to my environmental bent) is water. I live in California and we're going through a terrible drought. So,I would love your advice about how to use less water in general, if there is a way… any tips?

My specific question is about prepping the prefolds. I bought two dozen GMD refolds: one doz bleached, one unbleached. The guide that came with them warns against boiling, but that seems like (through my google research) the best way to save water. What say you? Or can I just use super hot water from the tap? Thanks!

Rrrrrachel

I don't think boiling really saves water because you can only do 2-3 at a time and have to change water in between. And I feel certain it's more energy. If you want you can wash them 2 or 3 times then start using them, and just keep in mind they won't be at full absorbency yet.

bumpuser5078523

You would probably save water, but it will take a lot of time. You can't fit very many prefolds in a pot at once. I think you need to dump the pot after each batch? Not sure on that. Boiling should save water, though. Hot tap water wouldn't work.

zaraceligon

I live in California too. I'm trying to be careful with water too. If you have a big pot you can boiled them,and done with one wash. You wouldn't spend more on electricity than in water.

RachelCA29

As others have said, boiling takes a lot of time and will make your kitchen very steam and hot since you have so many to do. I boiled my last set of flats I received, but that was only 6 and they are less space than prefolds in a pot. And still, I had to do just 3 at a time.

If you have time before baby comes, you can prep them by throwing them into loads of towels as you wash those. Just use your CD safe detergent to wash the towels, and depending on how big the load it, throw 6-12 prefolds in at a time, instead of all 24. Then over the next few weeks you will get up to 3-4 washes for all 24 and really, you've just been doing your regular towel laundry anyway.

As @Rrrrrachel said, 3-4 prep washes is enough to start using them, then as you wash them after use they will increase in absorbency a bit more. I just started using my next size up prefolds and I only prep washed them 3 times, I just don't use them overnight yet - they need a few more washes.

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carafern

Thanks! I think I might experiment and boil a few and take @RachelCA29s advice about just throwing them in the wash with towels, I can do the workhorses that way too. We have time before this LO is due so that seems like a good option. I was just worried about the oils getting on other things.

Do you have to prep bleached ones the same way? 

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