how long do prefolds typically last?

[♥ms.pacman♥]

DD is using Green Mountain Diapers prefolds in size medium (the red edge). Ive noticed over the last few months or so that her diapers have gotten extremely worn looking (still usable though, just frayed at the edges). Now after just doing the diaper laundry, i see that in one of them the layers have separated!! Eek!

DD has been using these prefolds for about 6 months, and immediately prior to that DS was using them for a little over year. So about 18 months of constant use before starting to fall apart..is that typical? We only have a dozen in this size, she uses maybe 5-6 diapers a day and we do diaper laundry every other night.

Anyway, just wondering if this is typical, or if maybe I have been doing something wrong to accelerate the wear. I've heard of people using the same diapers through 3 kids and I can't imagine that given the state they are in now (and DD is not even a year old). When washing them, I typically do a rinse (sometimes 2 if theyr'e really nasty), a 80 min hot water wash with Country Save detergent, then 1-2 rinse& spins. I had to do several vinegar rinses (and a few times with RLR) on our dipes to get rid of ammonia smell but now they seem ok. I wash them along with Bummis covers and Earthwise diaper pail liner, if it makes a difference...

[daisymommy]

I'm not a consistent prefold user, but from everything I have read, that is way too fast for them to be wearing out. I have read that generally you can expect 2 kids to wear them during their diapering career before they start being thread bare and worn out.

I would email GM diapers and see what she says. She's an awesome lady to work with. Who know, maybe they were from a bad batch or something?

[AnnieW625]

In a huge pinch on a weekend I could use a 30+ yr. old prefold (that I have been using as a rag) or two and it should work fine for a bit (and those diapers are really tartered along the edge and gave dome tiny holes in them) but what you are describing sounds like a lot of wear IMHO. I would be really disappointed in that amount of wear for less than 18 months use I would be on the phone with GMD pronto. I am using a mix of 6 yr. old Gerber prefolds (that I mainly used for DD1 as burp clothes, but they got washed a lot) and 6 mos old Flip organic inserts and they work well.

[wellyes]

I'd be pissed if I were you. Your laundry routine sounds totally reasonable.
I'd write to GMD.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

thanks guys. i will see if i can find the time this week to contact GMD. i looked again and ALL 12 of my red-edges are totally frayed, layers coming off, etc. The yellow -edge GMD ones are in great condition, even though we've been using them for 2 years almost (though they were outgrown quickly, so were mostly just used as changing pads, burp clothes and weren't used as often since we have more of them).

[legaleagle]

I dunno, if you've been using them every other day for 18 months, that means they've been washed almost 300 times. So I would write, but that doesn't sound outside the realm of normal, esp if you have an older top-loading machine that's a bit harsher on fabric.

[chottumommy]

I have the red-edge prefolds from GMD which I used for DS1 for almost 9 months and then now for DS2. These by far were used the most of all the prefolds (orange, yellow and brown). But even after all this use they look almost brand new and so so squishy soft. Even the pills are gone after all this washing. Maybe it was a bad batch of prefolds. You should definitely contact GMD.

[Uno-Mom]

You must have gotten a bad batch. I'm sure they'll work with you. Sprog got her GMDs for at least 16 months (I can't remember the exact time we switched) and they are in perfect conditions. The ones we got were "irregular" discount GMDs and they've still been perfect.

Would you mind updating later about how they resolve this for you?

[Simon]

Just another voice to agree that sounds unreasonable.

We have prefolds that came to use after use by 1-2 kids, went through my 2 kids plus 2 friends, and just came back again looking great.

I do have some AIO and some fitteds that looked much more worn, including wool covers that didn't make it past 2 kids.

But, my prefolds have held up through years of use, I'd say.

[AustenFan]

My mom cloth diapered three of us birth-potty training in one set of prefolds. Maybe they don't make them like they used to? Our prefolds are definitely back-ups, so not used consistently, but they're still in really good condition after just about 5 years. That definitely sounds like too much wear for your amount of use and wash cycle. Definitely contact customer service!