New to cloth diapering & my laundry isn't coming out soft

[chlobo]

I just did my first big load of diapers (pre-use) - 3 washes on hot to get them ready. Only problem is now they aren't very soft. I washed them in a small amont of tide. What is the trick to getting my diaipers soft? They don't feel very comfortable for baby.

Also, we use our towels on our changing table on got some bring pooh on them. What's the best washing method to get pooh out of towels (and diapers for that matter). I did a cold pre-wash & a warm wash but they didn't com eout.

Carren

[C99]

What kind of diapers do you have? I don't know how soft you're expecting them to be, but the prefolds we use are cotton and soft, but certainly not as soft as a cotton layette item from Baby Gap, H&M or Carter's Little Tykes line.

[chlobo]

they''re a mixture. I would think that they would at least be as soft as they were before washing.

[Momof3Labs]

Try Zout, OxyClean, or laying them in the sun for getting poop out of towels. And Zout or laying them in the sun for the diapers (although we don't use anything, and don't have stained diapers).

Can you be more specific about the types of diapers you are using - brands, materials? It's hard for us to give advice just knowing that you are using a mixture. One thing - are you line drying them? That tends to make diapers pretty stiff.

[chlobo]

hi,

most are hemp & they are being dried in the drier. They are new so I just got them. This is my pre-use wash.

[nohomama]

Hemp takes a lot of washing to break it in and my experience has been that it's never as soft as cotton. I'm not sure why your diapers would feel less soft after washing than before, but I'd recommend you do at least 3 more washes before passing judgment. Some ideas that might help:

-Make sure the wash water is HOT. You may want to turn up your hot water heater temporarily. Another option is to actually boil to diapers on the stove top. Boiling isn't a good idea if your diapers have resin snaps, but if you have hemp prefolds you might want to give boiling a try.

-Use VERY little soap. Detergent build-up is something that can contribute to not-so-soft diapers.

-Keep washing!!! Hemp diapers may be usable after three washes but they won't reach their full absorbancy or softness until after 6 or more washes.

Good luck.

[toomanystrollers]

Sarah,
I just noticed your new signature - congratulations!!!!

[daisymommy]

Also, many people use baking soda and vinegar in their wash loads to help soften diapers. Whatever you do, DONT use fabric softener. It will make a barrier on your diapers that repels wettness.

Use 1/2 cup baking soda in the cold wash. Then fill a Downy fabric softener ball up to the fill line with vinegar. Toss that into the hot water wash. I haven't done this because my diapers are always soft, but I know a few Mamas here (Michelle-mom to Anwyn) who says her hemp diapers are much softer now that she uses this method.