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How to prep used cloth diapers for baby
Okay, so I have purchased all our newborn stash off of spot's. I have fitteds, maybe 1 pocket diaper, a few AIO's, prefolds, and various covers. Honestly I'm not entirely sure if some of them are fitteds or AIO's... I figure I'll use a cover just to be safe. Do I wash them all the same way, or are there special ways to wash certain types of diapers? I *think* all my covers are PUL... just throw them in with the diapers?
I also have prefolds... should I strip the prefolds first? What about the fitteds/AIO's/Pockets? Do they all strip the same way? I have no idea if any of these diapers were exposed to bleach/diaper cream/fabric softeners.
I have dawn dish soap, Arm and Hammer Sensitive Skin Free, Oxy-clean Free, and vinegar and baking soda. I have NO idea if we have hard or soft water, lol. I can't use my bounce dryer sheets, correct? Is it okay that I still use them with other clothes?
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Re: How to prep used cloth diapers for baby
You can wash PUL with all the other diapers, but I usually hang to dry. It keeps the PUL nicer for longer, and they dry SO quickly.
PF's should be washed like, 6-8 times in hot water before the first use, but if they're used, I would just wash in hot water. I wouldn't strip unless you think its necessary. I guess that's hard to tell until you've had a baby pee in it, though. You can drip some water on and see if they're repelling, that would help you decide.
As far as your water goes...do you get like, scaly build-up on your faucets and stuff? Do your whites get dingy? If you have either of these things, you might have hard water.
No dryer sheets on the diapers. I guess you can still use them on other clothes if you want, though vinegar is a nice natural fabric softener. (And scentless! Which is what I hate about fabric softeners. Yuck)
I would do a bit of a strip "just in case". And you can strip them all the same way. In this case they're all already prepped so you just want to feel like they're sanitized probably. I usually do a hot wash but, let it sit and soak with some vinegar (if there are stains you can use the oxy-clean - but I think the non-free type is preferred for CDs). Then add the detergent and a squirt of Dawn. Then a few rinses (hot or cold) to make sure you get all the bubbles out.
Yes, you can throw your PUL covers in with the diapers. Some people say not to use vinegar with PUL because it retains the smell. I do it nearly every wash and have no vinegar smell issues.
That's what I do when I buy a bunch of diapers at once. Otherwise I just toss them in with my other diapers.
you shouldn't have to strip them unless you have repelling problems later. just wash them in hot water and dry them on high or line dry. don't use the dryer sheets, and if you can, stop using them altogether. not only are they full of nasty chemicals that get on your clothes (and therefore your skin), but they will leave a film in your dryer and that can cause repelling on your cd's.??
?
to test for a fitted or aio, pour some water on the inside of the diaper. if it comes all the way through, it's a fitted and needs a cover. if not, it's likely got a layer of PUL somewhere. ?
MIL bought us massive amounts of dryer sheets from costco one time.. no idea why, but we have enough for two years. If I stop using them on the other clothes they will sit in the laundry room and haunt me forever!
I just looked online and it says our city has a water hardness factor of five... I have no idea what that is on a scale of though!
Oh darn, I bought the oxyclean free b/c I thought "free" generally meant better for cloth diapers. I have regular Ecover, would that be better to use on the cloth diapers?
Edit- removed quote, quoted the wrong post