CD success with a frontloader... (long!)

MrsAHoffman

I had majorly failed with washing my diapers about a month ago. We had major repelling, stink, etc.

After taking a break, I'm hoping this time around will be successful.

Here's what I plan on doing differently this time with our frontloader/ fairly hard water:

1) Add water to the CDs while still in the diaper pail. This way they are totally saturated when they go into the washing machine. Hopefully the machine will actually clean them instead of spending 2 hours just getting them wet.

2) Add a sopping wet towel into the washing machine. The weight will hopefully help the machine use even more water.

3) Skip baking soda/ vineger and other additives to the wash/ diaper pail. Baking soda in the pail and then the vinegar in the wash created a filmy buildup on the diapers.

4) Use less detergent. We use planet powder, and even though I was using 1/2 the recommended amount, it was way too much. I'm going to experiment with 1/4 to 1/8 the recommended amt.

5) Wash the pail liner with regular baby laundry. I think that it keeps the diapers from getting truly clean by not allowing them to get as wet. This is just a hunch but I think that sometimes the diapers get stuck and don't agitate properly.

6) I know some might disagree, but every other week or so I'm going to add a little bleach. BumGenius recommends bleach once a month. I think it will go a long way in killing off bacteria and preventing other problems.  ETA: I may also use RLR once in a while as well, but NOT Dawn. I discovered that DD was super sensitive to it and it gave her a splotchy rash since it didn't rinse out all the way even after about 10 wash/ rinses.

7) Here's the biggie: I am not going to wash wipes with the diapers. The wipes solution has soap in it, which is not good for the diapers. I was also washing disposable wipes with the diapers which now that I think about it was probably awful for them, since the wipes have soaps & other chemicals in them.

Does anyone else have anything else they have found to work well with washing CDs in a frontloader??

MTOW

I've heard that the delicate cycle on front loaders also uses more water.

luvlieK

I have always wondered about the wipes.

MrsAHoffman

MTOW:

I've heard that the delicate cycle on front loaders also uses more water.

Yes! It definitely does!

MrsAHoffman

luvlieK:

I have always wondered about the wipes.

Yeah... I don't see how putting wipes in with the diapers is any different than putting a little soap in with the detergent. It just can't be good for them!

hamilton.ja

I never thought about the wipe solution having soap in it... mine has about 1/2 tbsp of baby soap in it. hmmm... I wonder if that is part of our stink issue... I had to do two full washes today (prewash, hot wash, extra rinse times 2...) before they didn't stink and I could put them in the dryer.