Confused about washing cloth dipes!!!

[Ohio_Mom]

I am so confused about how to wash CDs... I've read so much conflicting information, and now I feel paralyzed. What do I do???

Some CD retailers say you should always wash the dipes with an "all natural" detergent. But the Little Lambs site says not to wash them in natural detergents or even "free and clear" detergents because it ruins the diapers with enzymes. But I don't want to use a harsh detergent like Tide with all the perfumes and stuff in it because I don't want that stuff against my baby's skin! Do the enzymes just mess up all-in-one diapers by making them less waterproof? If that's the case, what do I wash my FBs & HHs in? Can I wash things like my Sandies/Fireflies/Sugar Peas in free & clear detergents?

I am SO confused! What do you all wash your diapers in, and what would you recommend? Help!!!!

Suzanne

[brookehanna]

Hi Suzanne-

I was very confused about this myself. I have used "free" detergents for many years on my own clothes, but I kept reading the same information. I finally found many recommendations for good old Tide. This is what I use on my son's diapers. I use about half of the recommended amount (or even less depending on how big the load is) and do an extra rinse. The fragrance really isn't bad at all. I wash everything in Tide..FB's, sugarpeas, covers, etc. I've had no problems with build up or absorbancy issues.

HTH-
Brooke

Mom to Jack born 12/28/03

[egoldber]

Everyone has their own routine that they develop over time. Unfortuantely many factors like the hardness of your water, the type of machine you have and the diapers you have all make diaper washing a very inexact science.

My current routine is:

one full hot wash cycle with no detergent
one full cold wash cycle with 1/3 cap of Tide
extra rinse

About once a week I use Calgon water softener.

HTH,

[Momof3Labs]

We have moderately hard water, and use a lot of FBs and hemp diapers/doublers.

Here's my wash routine:

1. Dump poop in the toilet (I don't dunk, don't swish), throw everything into a dry pail
2. Run everything (except wool and fleece) through one long hot cycle with half a capful of detergent (Cheer Free or A&H unscented - not fabricare)
3. Run everything through a second, shorter hot cycle (add a capful of Calgon every other wash or so)
4. Pull out FBs and covers, and hang to dry
5. Send everything else through about a dryer cycle and a half on hot

We don't get many stains, but when we do, I put the diapers in the sun to bleach the stains out.

[daisymommy]

Everything I have read says that "natural" detergents 1) will not get your diapers clean enough 2)will leave a yucky build up. I have heard that some people get build up with ALL Free and Clear, and some do not. I personally have always used Tide Free and haev no build up problems what so ever, not even on my fleece lined pocket diapers. I would say I have moderate water--not really hard or soft, jsut in between.

Heres my routine:
1) Cold wash with 1/2 cup baking soda to prevent stains, neutralize acidity levels, relieve odors, and keep diapers nice and white.

2) Hot wash with 1/2 capful Tide Free.

3) Cold wash with nothing added to the water.
*BUT you can add a Downy ball half full of vinegar to restore pH balance, neutralize bacteria and detergent residue, and naturally soften your diapers. However, if you haev hard water, or lots of PUL covers or pockets, skip teh vinegar or it will cause stinkies!

Then I dry my fitteds, doublers, prefolds, etc. in the dryer,and hang all covers and pocket diapaers to dry.

Don't worry, you can try outseveral different wash routines and dteregnts to find something you like. You will NOT permanently ruin anything by experimenting with number of washes or detergents. The most that would happen is they would stink (then you would just need to wash them again), or they would get build up--and you could stip them very easily too. Some moms swear by a squirt of Dawn or Joy dish soap in their wash load to strip off detergent build up from their fleece. So go ahead, and give it a whirl!

[papal]

Here is my laundry routine
Dump all diapers (poopy and pee) into dry pail (we are still dealing with bf poopies).

- Cold wash with 1/3 cup detergent.
- Hot wash with no detergent. Once or twice a week i add half a capful of Calgon to the hot wash.
- Extra rinse.

If covers get poop on them then they go into the diaper wash else into our regular wash.
I dry all diapers and covers in the dryer (high heat) except the SP fleece because they tend to collect lint if i dry them with the dipes... i dry those with our regular clothes.