February 2013 Moms
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laundering cloth diapers?
I tried searching for posts about cloth diapers and laundering, but it wouldn't show any results. I know this has been asked before, but How do you launder your cloth diapers?
We will be using gDiapers, and I have received a bunch used, so I would like to wash them. Also, I wanted to add laundry stuff to our registry, but wasn't sure what to add. We have extremely hard water where I live too. I have heard of using just borax as detergent, but wanted to get some other cloth diapering mom's opinions.
Thanks!
P.S. I also already make our own detergent, and I am not sure, but you are not suppose to use detergent with soap on cloth diapers? Our soap is borax, olyclean, castile soap, and washing soda.
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Re: laundering cloth diapers?
I have used original powder Tide and Rockin Green to wash diapers. Rockin Green makes a special kind to use with hard water called Hard Rock. I've never heard anything, positive or negative, about using borax as detergent.
DS has solid poops now, so they get plopped into the toilet. (Before they start solids, the poop can go into the washing machine. I recommend flushable liners for the period between starting solid foods and when the poop finally becomes solid.) His dirty diapers go into a trash can lined with a pillow case. The pillow case and diapers get washed about every 2 days. When I wash them I do a cold rinse, a hot wash with 2 TBSP detergent and an extra rinse.
Make a pregnancy ticker
I rinse them after each solid since he's eating table food now.
When it's time for a load, I put them in the washing machine and run a cold rinse. After that drains, I add this detergent and do a hot wash/cold rinse. I then, depending on the day, either put them in the dryer on low heat or hang them to dry.
I saw a blog that recommended using 2 cups baking soda mixed with a bar of ivory soap as cloth diaper detergent. You just grate the soap using a cheese grater, then put like 1/2 a teaspoon or a teaspoon in each load. I haven't tried this yet, because I still have detergent left
I've seen other recipes that are the same as yours without the soap.
I use mostly the Flip diapers and have used Country Save detergent for 2 years now and have no issues with stink, build-up, etc. I purchase it on Amazon and with the "Subscribe and Save" feature it comes with free shipping and a discount...making it under $20 for a 160-load box (but ships 4 boxes). Sometimes a cloth-diapering friend and I split the shipment so we don't both have the 4 boxes sitting on our shelves. I love that I can use it on ALL the laundry, baby clothes included, and a box lasts me easily over 6 months (for a family of 3). We don't have hard water, though, but I've also heard good things about the Rockin' Green hard rock so you might want to try that, also.
By far, my favorite laundering accessory is a wash line. We have an "Amish" one where you can just mount the pulley to a building or post and I don't have to leave my back porch steps to hang the diapers out. I think this is the biggest help in keeping them looking and smelling fresh and clean...plus cutting down on the dryer cost.
I have heard that those with very hard water have success with using Tide Original powder for their CD laundry. Sometimes it's just a trial and error to figure out what works best.
We use Ecos Free & Clear and I've also used Country Save with good results. It's just harder to find Country Save at the stores here. Our laundry routine:
- all poopy diapers get sprayed off in the toilet before going in the diaper pail. When we have it on hand, they get sprayed with some Bac Out, too.
- once the pail is full (every 2-3 days), we do laundry
- cold rinse w/a scoop of OxiClean Free & Clear
- warm heavy duty wash w/detergent with cold rinse. I also fill up our fabric softener dispenser with white vinegar.
- extra cold rinse
We've been CD'ing for nearly a year now and I haven't had to strip my diapers at all with this routine.
Thanks ladies, I have some of the Rocking Green hard Rock, whatever it is, some one gave me. I will definitely try it since I have it.
I am not a huge fan of Tide or most commercial laundry detergents, which is why I make my own. I has hoping maybe some one made theirs...
Also thanks for the tips with the poo! We are planning on using the disposable inserts for the first little bit, and then the cloth inserts with diaper paper.
materialgirlpt - if you go to the Cloth Diapers board and lurk over the last day or two of posts, there were at least one or two that talked about homemade detergents that are appropriate for cloth diapering. I also think there are several posts on the Cloth diapering board FAQ that address laundry routines with various detergents, including homemade detergents. One thing is for sure - if you want to, you can definitely use homemade detergents! So don't feel you absolutely have to use a commercial detergent if you don't want.
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