CDing with front-loading washer?

[wreckgirl1]

I apologize if this topic has come up before, but I did a search and didn't find much mention of front-loaders.

I'd very much like to try CDing my baby-on-the-way (due Sept.), but I have one of those water-saver front-loading washers. For those of you unfamiliar with these washers, the washer does not "fill up" with water like top loaders, but rather a smaller amount of water is put in (I think about 1/3 as much) to wet the clothes, and a lot of the cleaning is accomplished through the tossing within this smaller amount of water. More friction, less water than normal washers. I've NEVER had a problem with it not getting my regular clothes clean. But soaking is not an option with it.

Anyone out there use a front-loader and have any words of wisdom? Often the manufacturers suggest a special detergent for front-loaders (to avoid oversudsing) which is ridiculously expensive, but I've never had a problem with my regular clothes using Arm & Hammer detergent, which I suspect is pretty low sudsing to begin with.

Thanks!
Cynthia

[MartiesMom2B]

Cynthia:

I don't have a front-loading washer, hopefully someone else here does and can offer advice. I'm wondering if you can just soak the diaps in a bucket that has a tight fitting lid. That way you can just dump those in the wash, spin out and wash as normal.

I have a friend who washes all of her CDs w/ Arm & Hammer and has no problems with getting her diaps clean.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[egoldber]

Actually, front loaders are considered terrific for diapers. I wouldn't do anything special. You don't necessarily "need" to soak. It helps some people and not others. I used to do a soak cycle and I stopped.

HTH,

[emilyf]

I have a front loader and it does a great job with diapers-much better than the regular machine at our old house in fact. I use regular tide, mine has prewash cycle and I usually run it with cold water and no detergent, then a hot "power wash". They come out great.
Emily
mom of Charlie born 11/02

[blnony]

I don't have a front loader, but I don't always so a soak either. I don't know if it really makes a difference, I haven't really noticed one.

[Momof3Labs]

No front-loader here, but I never do a soak. If we have a particularly messy diaper, I will soak it in a bucket in our laundry tub, but that's it.

[Karenn]

Hi Cynthia,
I have a front loader and never had a problem with getting my diapers clean. I didn't soak them either. One thing I read is that people with front loaders should use significantly less detergent on their diapers. The manual for my front loader suggests using I think 1/2 the regular amount of detergent for a load of clothes, and some CD people recommend using 1/2 again of that with diapers. I did a search at [www.mothering.com] in their diapering forum (just typed in "front loader" ) and that's how I got most of my information. HTH

[zen_bliss]

i have a front loader. just use a teensy amount of detergent & watch the window or the exhaust water for suds & do an extra rinse. every so often i do a hot wash with no detergent. sensi-clean is supposed to be great for getting out the excess stuff and i use it most of the time and don't have buildup.

even though there isn't a programmed 'soak' cycle, when i want to do a soak, i start a wash cycle, wait til it's good & tossed around, then turn it off. then an hour or so later, i run a spin or rinse/spin cycle & start a regular wash cycle.

[Rhonda36]

I too have a front loader, and do start the dipes on a cold wash, let them toss around in there and get good and wet, then turn it off. Usually, I'll do this before I go to bed, and turn it back on the next morning. I follow that with a hot wash and extra rinse.

Unfortunately, my milk and ds's poo tends to stain. I've talked to EVERYONE about it, and some people are just lucky... oh well. They are dipes after all, and no one should be sticking there nose in there anyways! Fleece liners help a lot, unless he has a big blowout.

HTH,
Rhonda

[zydmom]

I have the super-de-duper Whirlpool front loader with the sanitary cycle. Got it knowing I'd be using it for dipes. I've found I'm often fine just running a "whitest whites" cycle with about 1/4 cap of detergent and an extra rinse. Do the sniff test, and sometimes run a normal cycle with no detergent. Depends mostly on whether I let 4-5 days go by between washings.

Here's a gross benefit to front loaders: when your baby gets onto solid foods and loves grapes, you'll find it ever so much easier to clean the freshly laundered grape skins out of the front loader than bending over a traditional tub-style! I follow the "shake off the solids and put the dirty dipe in the pail" method, obviously, to have these skins in my washer.