"THE" Comprehensive Diaper Wash Routine Thread

[kitmama]

Age of baby: 15 mo.

Type of Washer (toploader or frontloader): top

Type of Water (e.g. hard, soft): soft

How Often: about every 4 or 5 days I think (we still use a service, too, so I'm not washing all the diapers we use)

Size of Load: Full load

Brand of Detergent: I was using Bi-O-Kleen premium laundry powder, but after about a year I started noticing stink. There wasn't any buildup, so I tried switching to plain old Tide. So far, that's working fine. Maybe I'll switch back eventually, because I like the Bi-O-Kleen.

Amt. of Detergent: with Bi-O-Kleen, barely less than the recommended scoop. With Tide (powder), 1/2 of the bottom line.

The Routine: Long hot wash with detergent, cold rinse. Shorter hot wash with no detergent, cold rinse. (full load both times) From time to time I'll remove all PUL after the first wash, and add a splash of white vinegar to the second hot wash. (I didn't used to worry about PUL with the vinegar, until someone here posted that it could be a problem).

Dry Routine: I hang all PUL to dry. Everything else goes into the dryer for 2 full cycles on hot. (Some of the nighttime hemp diapers have internal soakers, and they need both cycles to dry).

Do you have "the Stink?": No. (And I have a lot of hemp)

How do you resolve "the Stink?": switching detergent, and making sure I don't get buildup. I bet the long hot drying time helps, too.

Overall Satisfaction with Routine?: cautiously very satisfied. I've been tweaking what I was doing to try and come up with a very simple, yet effective system- so that when the new baby comes, whoever does diaper laundry won't feel like it's rocket science! So far, I think this will work well.

Any Additional Comments?: All wool, I handwash with Eucalan. Occasionally, I'll throw a washcloth with TTO on it in with the diapers. (I use it first to deoderize the diaper pail, then it goes into the wash with them- it helps to do that occasionally, I think).

*Bonus Questions*
Current Favorite Diaper: For night I think it is still the FF ST. Umm, for day? I think the burley knit terry elbee (thanks, Tarah!). But I usually reach for PFs.

Current Favorite Cover: A Simon's Custom Cloth wool jersey cover (I love it, but I am having problems with the snaps). Next fav is probably the Sugarpeas fleece.


ETA: You know, we should probably add this to the CD101 thread, after we are done. It's pretty helpful.

[mudder17]

>ETA: You know, we should probably add this to the CD101
>thread, after we are done. It's pretty helpful.

Yup! Did that! Great minds think alike. :)

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...4.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[KrisM]

Age of baby: 9 months

Type of Washer (toploader or frontloader): top

Type of Water (e.g. hard, soft): Harder than hard

How Often: every 3 days

Size of Load: Full load (about 20 dipes)

Brand of Detergent: Tide Free

Amt. of Detergent: about 1/2 cap

The Routine: Hot Wash w/ 1/2 cap detergent & 1/2 cap Calgon & Cold Rinse; Hot Wash nothing added & Cold rinse; pull out FB and fleece and do 2 cold rinses with a smidge of Downy Advanced

Dry Routine: FB and PUL covers in the dryer for 10 min so they have a chance of drying. Everything else in dryer on High for 65 mins.

Do you have "the Stink?": No

How do you resolve "the Stink?":

Overall Satisfaction with Routine? very satisfied

Any Additional Comments?:

*Bonus Questions*
Current Favorite Diaper: Prefolds - how boring
Current Favorite Cover: Bumpy Night

ETA age of DS

[squimp]

Type of Washer : Top loading
Type of Water : Soft (and easy)
How often: Every 2-3 days
Size of load :12-15 dipes (half full or less)
Brand of Detergent : BioKleen powder (less pilling than liquid)

Wash Routine (full load):
- Hot soak (25 mins) with 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 T powder
- Hot wash (20 mins) with 3/4 scoop powder
- Hot extra rinse (4 min)
(Also probably too many hot washes, but I am better safe than sorry).

Dry Routine: Everything in the dryer on high for as long as it takes. Sometimes air-dry FBs

Stink : No stink! (I don't find hemp stinky, just not as absorbent)

Overall Satisfaction - Happy as a clam, except when I forget to wash. I probably need a few more dipes :).

Extra credit:
Old Fav Dipe - FBs with MOE, but I need to size up.
New Fav diaper - Deep purple SnapEZ with a LJ folded insert.

[pritchettzoo]

Tarah, I just read on MDC that baking soda can cause buildup, especially with really soft water. ACK! Is anything safe??? Just a thought on your stink-front. :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[mudder17]

The occasional vinegar rinse should get rid of the BS buildup, no?


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...4.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[kthomp]

Stupid question, I'm sure I could do a search and find this but I'm feeling lazy. :-)

How much vinegar should you use for a normal size load?

[mudder17]

I usually just fill the fabric softener dispenser with vinegar. With top loaders, I think people just fill a Downy ball with vinegar up to the line. But make sure you do at least 2 rinses to make sure all the vinegar is gone. Since I'm not sure when the vinegar dispenses during the cycle, I just do a second cycle with nothing added.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtic...4.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 11 months and counting

[tarahsolazy]

Yikes! Well, the stink wasn't getting any better anyway, maybe I'll just trade between baking soda + TTO and Tide HE, every other load...

[jec2]

I guess I should go check these out!

Thanks everybody for participating in this thread! I really appreciate it. I think I am going to study some of these "no stink" routines and start tweeking again.

Keep 'em coming!