Cloth diapers, how many can I wash?

[Jupiter]

Anyone have an HE FL large capacity washer/dryer? I have the whirlpool duet. I washed 7 plastic pants, 10 covers, 12 cloth diapers with snaps, and 12 insets. It took up barely a quarter of my washer. I know people say no more than 20ish but can I at least fill it half way? Also if you have this type of washer what cycles do you use? I don't see a pre wash option.

[jam224]

I think keeping it under 20 diapers is a good idea. Particularly with an HE FL washer, you want to make sure you have plenty of water to wash your diapers. I have an LG HE front loader (I can't remember the capacity) and I typically wash 16, sometimes 18, pocket diapers (including their inserts) at a time. If you don't have a pre-wash option, do you have a quick/speed wash option? Otherwise, just a basic wash option with no detergent will do the same thing.

[lizzywednesday]

I have an LG HE FL washer. I washed about a half-dozen prefolds plus doublers, half-dozen AIOs and a couple old towels per load, give or take.

I added the old towels to add weight to the spin and ensure I got enough water in the wash cycle to clean the dipes appropriately.

No stink problems 'til DD was a toddler - toddler pee is more concentrated than newborn/infant pee, so it stinks worse.

[zukeypur]

If I remember correctly.....I have your same washer. I used 1/4 cup of regular tide, 2 tbsp oxiclean, and washed on the sanitary cycle with and extra rinse and max extract. I would stick to no more than 20 diapers, certainly not over 25.

[roseyloxs]

I don't have an HE washer but I remember the owner of Gro-Via giving a tip on fb a few years back about throwing a wet towel into the wash with your diapers to trick the washer into using more water.

I don't worry about the number as much as I try and make sure I do a wash at least every 3 days, ideally every other day. Its just easier to keep them fresh smelling and clean at that frequency especially as they get older and everything becomes a bit more concentrated.

[zukeypur]

Oh yes, the wet towel trick.

[JenaW]

I don't worry about the number as much as I try and make sure I do a wash at least every 3 days, ideally every other day. Its just easier to keep them fresh smelling and clean at that frequency especially as they get older and everything becomes a bit more concentrated.

Every day? Really?? Ugh. Im only using cloth with my toddler right now. #7 is due any day so soon we will be back to two in dipes. (well, plus my 4yo's overnight Soakers). I have been washing every 4-5 days. But I'm also having an amOnia issue...maybe that's why? I have started rinsing all my inserts (holy pee batman) as well as the dipes themselves if they are the overnights and that does seem to help. I have a ton of microfiber inserts too and they really seem to hold in stink so I've started doing a vinegar/oxy soak and that has helped too. I already do 2 loads of laundry a day, but my dipes usually take a while bc I do an overnight cold soak. Ive been adding water where I can to my HE TL too but maybe I'm waiting too long and washing too many at once? Ugh.

To the op, I also have a set of whirlpool duet sport FL's. I only used thEm once bc I can't add more water like I can with my bravo TL. But I did a cold wash first (normal) with no detergent, then a whitest whites (hot) wash with plain he tide and extra rinse, then an additional rinse and spin. I also added a large soaking wet beach towel.

[lizzywednesday]

Every day? Really?? Ugh. Im only using cloth with my toddler right now. #7 is due any day so soon we will be back to two in dipes. (well, plus my 4yo's overnight Soakers). I have been washing every 4-5 days. But I'm also having an amOnia issue...maybe that's why? I have started rinsing all my inserts (holy pee batman) as well as the dipes themselves if they are the overnights and that does seem to help. I have a ton of microfiber inserts too and they really seem to hold in stink so I've started doing a vinegar/oxy soak and that has helped too. I already do 2 loads of laundry a day, but my dipes usually take a while bc I do an overnight cold soak. Ive been adding water where I can to my HE TL too but maybe I'm waiting too long and washing too many at once? Ugh.

....

Do you have hard water?

If not, try a short, warm-wash cycle with vinegar & baking soda as a pre-wash cycle & then launder as usual. I use abt. 1/8c to 1/4c baking soda and maybe a half-cup of vinegar?

If that doesn't do the trick, order a couple of bags of Rockin' Green's "Funk Rock" treatment. That stuff is magic.

[roseyloxs]

I have been washing every 4-5 days

My current diaper wearer is also a toddler so I have gotten lazy and the frequency is closer to 4 days. I was getting stink issues too until I started letting them soak overnight. Sounds like you are already doing that though so not quite sure what else to suggest. I use rockin green detergent, maybe you can give that a try. My loads are still really small though because my toddler is no longer wearing cloth full time because she goes to preschool and wears sposies there.

I do a cloth diaper wash every other day though with babies since I go through a lot more diapers. Which will be my reality again if this baby ever decides to come out and say hi.

[mmommy]

I've had good luck with BacOut on toddler pee. I just add a squirt to my pre rinse. It works best in cold water. It can also be diluted and sprayed right on the diaper/insert.
I don't have a HE washer, but my understanding is that's its really a matter of "tricking" the washer into using more water. So a wet towel added to the load should allow for a better cleaning.