How to launder CDs

[chilaski]

I'm trying cloth diapering despite feeling overwhelmed by it. One of my first questions is how to wash them??? I keep throwing them in the wash on cold/cold with Dreft detergent like I wash all the other baby clothes, but her diapers keep coming out still stained yellow from her pooh (she's 3-months and exclusively breastfed). What am I doing wrong? Also, I've been soaking her diapers before washing - is this necessary (assuming you all tell me why they're still staining despite the pre-soak)?

[tylersmama]

Everybody's routine is a little different, but I'll share mine. I have a HE washer, so I'm not able to soak. I do a cold rinse/spin just to get any poo off (although most goes in the toilet at this point, since ds's poo is pretty solid). Then I do a Whitest Whites cycle with a prewash. This is a hot wash/cold rinse with an extra rinse. I use regular Tide HE, and I also add a little Calgon water softener to prevent stink in my covers. I use some vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser.

You probably need to at the very least add a hot wash for sanitizing purposes. I wouldn't use Dreft, either. It's not a horrible thing for your baby clothes, but I don't think it's great for diapers. It has some additives, I think, and probably just isn't strong enough to handle diapers. A lot of people use Charlie's Soap, but I've been totally happy with plain ol' Tide. That said, you may not be able to completely get the staining out. I had a service until DS was about 7 months old, so I didn't really have to deal with the EBF poo since we had started on solids at that point. But, I did have to wash my own covers, and I had a lot of staining. One thing that helps a lot is to lay them out in the sun to bleach out. It really works! The staining doesn't mean they're not clean, so if it doesn't bother you, don't worry about it too much.

Good luck, and HTH!

[niccig]

Hot wash. I did a hot wash followed by 2 cold rinses. I used Tide Free detergent and experimented with the amount - I only need 2 tablesp. Too much soap can build up on cloth diapers and then they don't rinse clean and will smell over time. I had no staining. I also used a mini-sprayer for the toilet to get the poop off, but only did this once DS on solids. I would use zout spray stain remover on really bad ones before washing. Also, how often are you washing? If you leave it too long, stains will set. I washed ever 2-3 days. I had mostly hemp fitted cloth diapers and they really smell if left too long.

Do a search and you'll find lots of posts about washing routines. When I started, I read a lot of the old posts and then experimented to find what worked.

[american_mama]

In my opinion, the following is the easiest wash routine, one I use and have seen recommended many times:

1. Don't bother soaking the diapers beforehand. As you change, throw them in a dry pail with a lid and wash every 2 days, and you'll be fine.
2. Dump all diapers, covers, everything in the washing machine. Do a prewash or short wash on cold to help rinse the poop out.
3. Add about 1/2 your regular detergent and do a long wash on HOT. I like Tide or Costco brand detergent. Dreft is not recommended for diapers: doesn't rinse out enough and diapers don't get clean enough.
4. Do a second rinse to get all the soap residue out. Remember, the diapers are made to be absorbent, so they need that extra rinse more than your regular clothes.
5. Dump everything in the dryer and dry until dry. I did this with all my covers and pockets for two years and never felt they were harmed by the drying.

These directions are so simple they are printed on the back of the Fuzzibunz diaper tag. I'm going from memory, but it's something like "Knock solids into toilet, prewash, long wash on hot, second rinse, dry." As long as baby is exclusively breastfed, the poop dissolves easily in the washing machine and you can throw those dirty diapers straight into the wash. When the poop gets firmer and/or you introduce solids, start knocking/scraping/spraying or dunking the poop into your toilet before washing.

As for the yellow staining, it's a pretty common problem at the age of your babe. It helps me to put a tablespoon or so of detergent in the prewash, then add a little more in the long hot wash. But I still often have to lay the diapers in the sun to get the stains to fade. Sometimes I apply a little bleach from a bleach pen directly to the stain, then wash it. In my experience, the staining will decrease as the baby gets older and starts eating different food, and their poop becomes less of that mustard yellow color and consistency.

Ask any more questions here. Cloth diapering is new to many people, but we are happy to help so that it isn't overwhelming.

[alirebco]

pinstripesandpolkadots.com has some great info on washing. Here's what I do:

1) Short cold/cold wash with 1/2 tbsp of Planet liquid (to rinse off poo)
2) Long hot/cold wash with 1/2 tbsp of Planet liquid
3) Extra cold rinse

Dreft is not a good detergent to use, the above website also has a great chart of detergents that are good to use. You can also try sunning the diapers that haven't come clean in the sun. The sun is amazing and will take out most stains!

[JBaxter]

Dreft is not something you are supposed to wash diapers in.... in fact it caused rashes with 2 of my boys with all the additives. It will also keep your diapers from being absorbant because of the fabric softeners

http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

I use either Charlies soap or sports wash. There are others that are acceptable for diapers also

With Nathan I did a cold rinse with a 1/2c of vinegar if there were stains I did a spray of biokleen prior to washing. Followed by a hot wash with Charlies or Sports wash ( found in the hunting / camping section of walmart) followed by a cold rinse. Dryed in the dryer w/ dryer balls.

Watch your detergents some will really mess with your diapers and cause them to smell even when they are clean. Then you need to strip them with something like dawn

If you get alot of staining sprinkle a little lemon juice on them and lay them in the sun. Does wonders for stains ( then rewash)

[Phiasmom0]

Everyone does it different once you figure out what workd for you it's all down hill.

Here is mine. (We have no AC living in germany overseas so we have to worry about ammonia a little more then most people.)

I have bucket I fill with water and a ton of vinergar once the diaper is off I throw it in there until it is time to wash.

I shake off any poo and spray with hose (we eat solids)

I do a cold pre rinse (hot water set stains and some breast milk is staining some is not no one can explain why)

Tablespoon of dawn and wash on hottest setting for longest time

Another rinse and check for bubbles

Dry or another rinse if bubbles

done

[Puddy73]

As the pps have mentioned, everyone develops a slightly different routine through trial and error. Here's what worked for us (front loader, water not too hard):

Throw dirty dipes, wipes, liners, and covers (except some wool covers) into dry pail (rinse off poop first and remove any stuffing from pockets).

Every two days, put all of the above into washer and run a cold rinse.

Add scant capful of Sportwash. Run hot cycle with two rinses.

Remove covers and hang up to dry.

Throw everything else in the dryer.

I never spot treated stains. For BF poo stains, sunning generally works. For stubborn stains, I'd do an overnight Oxi-Clean soak.

HTH!

[KrisM]

Definitely hot wash.

I do a dry pail - BF poop just goes in and solid poop gets dumped (we use flushable liners rather than a hose).

First, a cold rinse to get rid of the poop.

Then, a hot wash on the longest setting with nearly a capful of Tide. We have hard water and need the detergent - you'll have to figure out how much works for you - enough to clean, but not so much that you can't get it out of the diapers.

Then 2 cold rinses.

I generally hang pockets and covers to dry, but not always. It depends on how on top of things I am and if I need the covers right away or not :).